Well, let me tell you about this 5083-H116 aluminum stuff. It’s somethin’ else, ya know? They use it for all sorts of things, like boats and cars and even them flyin’ machines. Strong stuff, this aluminum.
Now, I ain’t no fancy engineer or nothin’, but from what I hear, this 5083 aluminum is part of a big family, the 5000 series they call it. And what makes it special? Well, it’s got this magnesium in it, see? Like, 4% to almost 5% of it. That’s what makes it tough, I guess.

- They use it on boats, the deck and the bottom and all. Keeps the water out, I reckon.
- And them cars and airplanes, they use it for the gas tanks. Gotta keep that stuff safe, ya know?
They talk about this “H116” thing too. Sounds fancy, but it just means it’s been treated special to make it even stronger. There’s other kinds too, like H321. Same stuff, mostly, but maybe a little different. Like how some folks like their coffee black and some with cream and sugar, ya know?
This 5083-H116, they say it’s tougher than that 5052 stuff but not quite as tough as 5086. It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this one’s just right for a lot of things. And it don’t rust easy neither. That’s important, ‘specially if you’re usin’ it on somethin’ that’s gonna be in the water all the time.
Now, they got these smart fellas who measure all sorts of things about this aluminum. Things like how much it can bend before it breaks and how much weight it can hold. They call it “young’s modulus” and “yield strength,” fancy words for how tough it is. They even got charts and graphs, like them doctors have for your blood pressure.
They compare it to other aluminums too, see which one’s stronger and which one’s weaker. It’s like a competition, only with metal. This 5083-H116, it’s a pretty good contender, seems like. They use it for all sorts of things, not just boats and cars. They make tubes and other shapes out of it too. Anything you can think of, almost.
Sometimes they talk about “5083-H116” and sometimes just “5083”. It’s mostly the same thing, just sometimes they’re talkin’ about the special treated kind and sometimes they’re not. Don’t let it confuse you none. It’s like how sometimes I say “sugar” and sometimes I say “sweetener.” Same thing, mostly.
This aluminum, it’s important stuff. Keeps things runnin’ and keepin’ us safe, I reckon. From the boats we sail on to the cars we drive, that 5083 aluminum is there, doin’ its job. And that’s somethin’ to be thankful for, even if you don’t understand all them fancy words them engineers use.

So there you have it. That’s what I know about 5083-H116 aluminum. It’s strong, it don’t rust, and they use it for all sorts of things. Not bad for a piece of metal, eh?
Tags: [5083 aluminum, H116 temper, aluminum properties, 5000 series aluminum, marine applications, shipbuilding, aluminum alloy, yield strength, young’s modulus, corrosion resistance]