ADC12 is the JIS H 5302 designation for the aluminum-silicon-copper die casting alloy most widely used across Asia, holding 9.6 to 12.0% silicon and 1.5 to 3.5% copper. It is broadly equivalent to ASTM A383 and EN AC-47100, reaches 310 MPa tensile strength and 150 MPa yield strength as cast, and its high silicon content gives it the best thin-wall filling of the common alloys.
ADC12 is the JIS H 5302 designation for the aluminum-silicon-copper die casting alloy most widely used across Asia, holding 9.6 to 12.0% silicon and 1.5 to 3.5% copper. It is broadly equivalent to ASTM A383 and EN AC-47100, reaches 310 MPa tensile strength and 150 MPa yield strength as cast, and its high silicon content gives it the best thin-wall filling of the common alloys.
Silicon is the whole story. At 9.6 to 12.0% ADC12 sits close to the aluminum-silicon eutectic at 12.6%, so a large fraction of the metal is still liquid late in solidification and can be pushed into thin sections before freezing. That is why ADC12 is the alloy we specify for walls below 1.5 mm, for long flow paths from the gate, and for densely ribbed housings where A380 would show cold shuts.
It is also the most widely stocked die casting alloy in Asia, so ingot availability and lead time are excellent and pricing is close to A380. The trade-offs are modest: hardness is 75 HB rather than 80 HB, tensile strength is 310 MPa rather than 324 MPa, and the higher silicon is more abrasive on cutting tools, so heavily machined parts are cheaper in A380.
| Standard designation | ADC12 (JIS H 5302) |
|---|---|
| Equivalent grades | ASTM A383 / 383.0, EN AC-47100, YL113 (GB) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 310 MPa (45 ksi) |
| Yield strength (0.2% offset) | 150 MPa (22 ksi) |
| Elongation in 50 mm | 3.5% |
| Brinell hardness | 75 HB |
| Silicon content | 9.6-12.0% |
| Copper content | 1.5-3.5% |
| Density | 2.70 g/cm³ |
| Thermal conductivity | 96 W/m·K |
| Melting range | 515-582 °C |
| Minimum wall thickness | 1.5 mm typical, 1.0 mm on small parts |
ADC12 is an aluminum-silicon-copper die casting alloy defined by JIS H 5302, the Japanese Industrial Standard for aluminum alloy die castings. The designation reads as Aluminium Die Casting alloy number 12. Its chemistry is 9.6 to 12.0% silicon, 1.5 to 3.5% copper, up to 1.3% iron and up to 0.3% magnesium, with the balance aluminum.
Because Japanese, Korean and Chinese manufacturing adopted the JIS system early, ADC12 became the default die casting alloy across Asian supply chains and remains the grade most likely to be in a Chinese foundry's ingot yard on any given day. A drawing that arrives specifying ALDC12, A383, YL113 or EN AC-47100 is normally satisfied from the same family of ingot, with the chemistry confirmed to whichever standard the drawing names.
ADC12 is a casting alloy only, used in the as-cast condition. It is not supplied as bar or plate, it is not extruded, and high pressure die castings in ADC12 are not solution heat treated, because entrapped gas would blister the surface. All published ADC12 properties are as-cast properties.
Die casting alloys carry a different designation in every standards system, and drawings routinely mix them. The table below is the mapping we work from when a customer drawing and our ingot certificate use different names for what is functionally the same alloy.
| Alloy family | JIS H 5302 | ASTM B85 / AA | EN 1706 | EN chemical | GB/T 15115 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-silicon Al-Si-Cu | ADC12 | A383 / 383.0 | EN AC-47100 | AlSi12Cu1(Fe) | YL113 |
| General-purpose Al-Si-Cu | ADC10 | A380 / 380.0 | EN AC-46000 | AlSi9Cu3(Fe) | YL112 |
| Al-Si-Mg, low copper | ADC3 | A360 / 360.0 | EN AC-43400 | AlSi10Mg(Fe) | YL104 |
| Eutectic Al-Si | ADC1 | A413 / 413.0 | EN AC-44300 | AlSi12(Fe) | YL102 |
These are close equivalents, not identical specifications. The most important mismatch is copper: EN AC-47100 caps copper at 0.7 to 1.2% while ADC12 permits 1.5 to 3.5%, so a part specified as EN AC-47100 should be cast and certified to the EN chemistry rather than substituted with standard ADC12 ingot wherever strength or corrosion performance is being relied on. Tell us which standard governs and we will certify to it.
The composition below is the JIS H 5302 specification for ADC12. Note the wide copper band of 1.5 to 3.5%: it means two certified ADC12 lots can behave measurably differently in strength, machinability and corrosion resistance. Where that matters, specify a narrower copper range on the drawing and we will buy ingot to it.
| Element | Min % | Max % | Function in the alloy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon (Si) | 9.6 | 12.0 | The defining element; near-eutectic silicon maximises fluidity and minimises solidification shrinkage |
| Copper (Cu) | 1.5 | 3.5 | Raises strength and hardness and helps chips break during machining; reduces corrosion resistance |
| Iron (Fe) | — | 1.3 | Deliberately present to stop the melt soldering to the die steel; brittle needle phases form above this limit |
| Magnesium (Mg) | — | 0.30 | Restricted; magnesium raises yield strength through Mg2Si but increases dross and reduces ductility |
| Manganese (Mn) | — | 0.50 | Modifies iron-bearing intermetallics into a rounded, less damaging morphology |
| Nickel (Ni) | — | 0.50 | Residual from secondary feedstock; contributes slight elevated-temperature strength |
| Zinc (Zn) | — | 1.0 | Tolerated to keep secondary ingot economical; tighter than A380's 3.0% allowance |
| Tin (Sn) | — | 0.30 | Residual from recycled feedstock; limited because it depresses strength and corrosion resistance |
| Aluminum (Al) | Balance | Balance | Base metal, typically 82 to 88% of the alloy |
Every incoming ingot lot is verified on an optical emission spectrometer against the supplier certificate before it enters the furnace, and lots remain traceable to the casting batch. Material certificates and RoHS declarations are issued on request.
ADC12 gives up a little strength and hardness to A380 in exchange for its filling behaviour: 310 MPa against 324 MPa tensile, 150 MPa against 159 MPa yield, and 75 HB against 80 HB. For the great majority of housings, covers and enclosures those differences are irrelevant, because the design is governed by stiffness and geometry rather than by material strength.
The physical properties matter more in practice. The 21.1 µm/m·°C thermal expansion coefficient sets how much a cast housing grows relative to a steel shaft or bolt pattern across the working temperature range, and the 96 W/m·K thermal conductivity determines whether a housing can double as a heat spreader. Where thermal performance is the primary requirement, A360 at 113 W/m·K is the better choice.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate tensile strength | 310 MPa (45 ksi) | Separately cast test bar, as-cast condition |
| Yield strength (0.2% offset) | 150 MPa (22 ksi) | Slightly below A380 at 159 MPa |
| Elongation in 50 mm | 3.5% | Low ductility; design for fracture, not yielding, under overload |
| Shear strength | 190 MPa (28 ksi) | Relevant to fastener bosses and pried covers |
| Fatigue strength | 145 MPa (21 ksi) | R.R. Moore rotating beam, 5 × 10⁸ cycles |
| Modulus of elasticity | 71 GPa | Stiffness must come from ribs and section depth, not the alloy |
| Brinell hardness | 75 HB | 500 kg load, 10 mm ball |
| Density | 2.70 g/cm³ | Lighter than A380 at 2.74 g/cm³ because copper is lower |
| Melting range | 515-582 °C | Copper-bearing ternary eutectics depress the solidus |
| Thermal conductivity | 96 W/m·K | Same as A380; A360 is materially better at 113 W/m·K |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | 21.1 µm/m·°C | Measured 20 to 100 °C; slightly lower than A380 |
| Electrical conductivity | 23% IACS | Sufficient for grounding paths and inherent EMI shielding |
Typical as-cast values on separately cast test bars, consistent with the master alloy comparison used across this site. Real castings vary with wall thickness, gate position and local solidification rate.
Fluidity in a die casting alloy is not viscosity, it is how far metal can travel before it stops flowing. Flow stops when enough solid has formed in the stream to block it, so the alloys that travel furthest are those that stay largely liquid until late in solidification. That is exactly what near-eutectic silicon content does: with 9.6 to 12.0% silicon, ADC12 forms less primary aluminum dendrite structure early in the freeze than A380 does at 7.5 to 9.5%, and the remaining liquid keeps feeding the section.
The high silicon also cuts solidification shrinkage. Silicon expands slightly as it freezes, partly offsetting aluminum's roughly 6.6% volumetric contraction, which is why near-eutectic alloys reproduce fine surface detail and hold dimensions well in thin sections.
None of this makes wall thickness the only variable. The real constraint is the ratio of flow length to wall thickness. A 1.5 mm wall running 40 mm from the gate is routine in either alloy; the same wall running 200 mm needs ADC12, careful gate placement, higher injection velocity and validated die thermal balance. We run fill and solidification simulation on every thin-wall design before steel is cut.
| Nominal wall | Feasibility in ADC12 | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Above 3.0 mm | Routine | Watch heavy junctions instead: thick sections trap shrinkage porosity and should be cored out |
| 2.0-3.0 mm | Preferred design range | Standard gating and cooling, widest process window |
| 1.5-2.0 mm | Standard production | Balanced gating and die thermal control; our usual minimum |
| 1.2-1.5 mm | Achievable | Short flow paths, higher gate velocity, engineered overflows and flow simulation |
| 1.0-1.2 mm | Achievable on small parts | Flow length under roughly 100 mm, dedicated vents and overflows, tighter process window and higher scrap allowance |
| Below 1.0 mm | Not recommended | Cold shut and short-fill risk rises sharply; consider a machined, stamped or two-part design |
Local thin features such as fins and webs can go below the nominal wall if they sit close to the gate and are fed by a thicker adjoining section. Send the 3D model and we will mark the areas that need attention on the DFM report.
Near-eutectic silicon keeps metal flowing later into the freeze, which is what makes 1.2 mm walls and long ribbed flow paths practical. On thin-wall housings this often shows up as lower scrap rather than a different design, because the process window is simply wider.
Silicon expanding on freezing offsets part of aluminum's solidification contraction, so ADC12 holds dimensions in thin sections and reproduces textures, logos and small radii crisply. That reduces the amount of geometry that has to be machined back to size.
ADC12 is the most stocked die casting ingot in Chinese, Japanese and Korean supply chains. Practically, that means no ingot lead time on repeat orders and no premium for small melts, which keeps both piece price and schedule predictable.
As-cast use with no solution treatment means no heat-treat distortion, and the narrow primary solidification range keeps part-to-part variation low. Cast datum features stay reliable enough to fixture against for machining without re-probing every part.
ADC12 is rated low relative cost against A380's lowest, so choosing it for filling reasons rarely costs much. Where a design has both thin walls and heavy machining, we will quote both alloys so the comparison is on paper rather than assumed.
ADC12 maps onto A383 in the ASTM system, EN AC-47100 in Europe and YL113 in China. A part qualified in ADC12 can normally be requalified against a customer's local standard without changing the melt, which matters when a program moves between regions.
Copper up to 3.5% puts ADC12 in the same corrosion class as A380: fine indoors, inadequate bare outdoors or near salt. Powder coat, paint or chromate for outdoor equipment, or specify A360 where the coating cannot be guaranteed over the life of the part.
Higher silicon means more hard silicon particles in the machining zone, so tool wear runs faster than in A380 and machinability drops from very good to good. On heavily machined parts we recommend polycrystalline diamond tooling, or A380 if the geometry allows it.
310 MPa tensile and 75 HB against A380's 324 MPa and 80 HB. The difference rarely governs a design, but where a thin boss carries a high fastener load or a face must resist wear, the harder alloy is worth specifying.
The 1.5 to 3.5% copper range in JIS H 5302 is broad enough that two compliant lots can differ noticeably in strength and corrosion behaviour. For parts where that variation matters, we buy to a narrowed copper range and certify it.
At 9.6 to 12.0% silicon, anodizing produces a dark, mottled and non-uniform film, worse than A380 and far worse than wrought 6061. Use powder coating for colour, and machine the part from billet if bright anodized appearance is a hard requirement.
Against A380, ADC12 trades a little strength, hardness and machinability for materially better filling. If the part has thin walls, long flow paths or dense ribbing, that trade is worth making. If the part is chunky and heavily machined, it is not.
Against A360, ADC12 is easier and cheaper to cast but clearly worse where the environment is the problem. A360 caps copper at 0.6% maximum, which lifts corrosion resistance from fair to good and pressure tightness from good to excellent, and raises thermal conductivity from 96 to 113 W/m·K. A sealed outdoor enclosure or a hydraulic housing belongs in A360 even if it also has thin walls.
| Property | A380 (AlSi8Cu3Fe) | ADC12 (A383) | A360 (AlSi10Mg) | A413 (AlSi12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate tensile strength | 324 MPa (47 ksi) | 310 MPa (45 ksi) | 317 MPa (46 ksi) | 296 MPa (43 ksi) |
| Yield strength (0.2%) | 159 MPa (23 ksi) | 150 MPa (22 ksi) | 170 MPa (25 ksi) | 145 MPa (21 ksi) |
| Elongation in 50 mm | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 2.5% |
| Brinell hardness | 80 HB | 75 HB | 75 HB | 80 HB |
| Silicon content | 7.5-9.5% | 9.6-12.0% | 9.0-10.0% | 11.0-13.0% |
| Copper content | 3.0-4.0% | 1.5-3.5% | 0.6% max | 1.0% max |
| Density | 2.74 g/cm³ | 2.70 g/cm³ | 2.63 g/cm³ | 2.66 g/cm³ |
| Thermal conductivity | 96 W/m·K | 96 W/m·K | 113 W/m·K | 121 W/m·K |
| Castability | Excellent | Excellent | Very good | Excellent |
| Corrosion resistance | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
| Machinability | Very good | Good | Good | Fair |
| Pressure tightness | Good | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
Properties are typical as-cast values measured on separately cast test bars and will vary with wall thickness, gating and section geometry. Request a material certificate for lot-specific values.
Real parts we have manufactured that involved this capability.
ADC12 and A383 are broadly equivalent but written to different standards. ADC12 is the JIS H 5302 grade and A383 is the ASTM B85 grade; both are aluminum-silicon-copper die casting alloys near 10 to 12% silicon, and both are typically published at 310 MPa tensile strength, 150 MPa yield and 75 HB. The permitted ranges for copper, zinc and magnesium differ slightly. For most parts they are interchangeable and we will say so on the quotation, but if your drawing names A383 specifically we certify the chemistry against ASTM B85 rather than JIS.
ADC12, and by a clear margin at that thickness. A 1.2 mm wall sits below A380's comfortable range, so filling it in A380 requires an aggressive process window that raises cold-shut scrap. ADC12's 9.6 to 12.0% silicon keeps more of the metal liquid late in solidification, which is exactly what a 1.2 mm section needs. The qualifier is flow length: at 1.2 mm we want the flow path from the gate under about 120 mm, engineered overflows and vents, and fill simulation before tooling. Above roughly 2.0 mm nominal wall the advantage disappears and A380 is usually the better commercial choice.
1.5 mm is our standard production minimum in ADC12, 1.2 mm is achievable with short flow paths and dedicated gating, and 1.0 mm is achievable on small parts where the flow length stays under roughly 100 mm. Below 1.0 mm the cold-shut and short-fill risk rises faster than any process adjustment can compensate for. Because feasibility depends on the ratio of flow length to thickness rather than thickness alone, send the 3D model and we will confirm your specific geometry with fill and solidification simulation.
ADC12 has fair corrosion resistance, the same class as A380, because it can contain up to 3.5% copper. Copper-rich intermetallic particles form galvanic couples with the aluminum matrix and drive pitting in salt spray, coastal air and persistent condensation. Indoors and inside cabinets, shot-blasted ADC12 is fine. For outdoor housings, specify powder coating or chromate conversion coating, or switch to A360 where copper is capped at 0.6% maximum and corrosion resistance is rated good.
Yes, measurably. The hard silicon particles that make ADC12 fill so well also abrade cutting edges, which is why ADC12 rates good for machinability against A380's very good. In practice that means shorter insert life and slightly lower feeds and speeds rather than any inability to machine the alloy: we still hold ±0.02 mm on machined features and cut H7 bores and tapped threads routinely. On high-volume programs with heavy machining we run polycrystalline diamond tooling, and where the geometry permits we will suggest A380 to reduce tooling consumption.
Only if your drawing allows it, and we will ask rather than assume. EN AC-47100 (AlSi12Cu1(Fe)) limits copper to 0.7 to 1.2%, while ADC12 permits 1.5 to 3.5%, so the two are not chemically interchangeable even though the mechanical properties are close. If EN AC-47100 is a genuine specification requirement we buy ingot to the EN chemistry and certify to EN 1706. If the drawing simply inherited the designation and copper is not functionally relevant, standard ADC12 is normally the cheaper and faster route, and we will confirm that in writing before casting.
Because the JIS system reached Asian manufacturing first and the alloy suits the parts the region produces most. ADC12 is the grade specified across Japanese automotive and electronics supply chains, so ingot producers, foundries and toolmakers all standardised on it, and it is now the most widely stocked die casting alloy in Asia. It also happens to be the right metallurgical choice for the thin-wall consumer electronics and appliance castings that dominate regional volume. The practical benefit to a customer is availability: no ingot lead time, no small-melt premium and stable pricing.
A 3D model in STEP, IGES, X_T, SLDPRT or native CAD format, plus a 2D drawing showing critical dimensions, tolerances, surface finish, alloy and any inspection requirements. If you only have a 3D model we can still quote, but a drawing that marks which features are critical to function will get you a more accurate price and prevent misunderstandings later.
Send your 2D drawing and 3D model. We will confirm the thinnest wall your geometry can hold in ADC12, quote piece price and tooling, and flag any flow path that needs a gating change before steel is cut.
