Industries we serve / Automotive and transportation
Aluminum for automotive heat shields: alloy, temper and gauge
An aluminum heat shield protects the parts around the engine and the exhaust from their heat. Aluminum for automotive heat shields is usually 1050 or 1100, nearly pure aluminum that reflects heat well, resists corrosion and can be drawn and embossed without tearing; 3003 when the shield needs more rigidity, and 5052 when it needs more strength. Most are stamped from 1000 or 3000 series sheet 0.012 to 0.020 in (0.3 to 0.5 mm) thick (Billur, MetalForming Magazine, June/July 2022). Almexa makes 1050, 1100 and 3003 from 0.0177 in (0.45 mm) and 5052 from 0.0197 in (0.50 mm), in coil, strip and blanks cast and rolled in Mexico, with a mill test report per lot (technical sheet, September 2026).
Updated 2026-10-22
- Alloys
- 1050, 1100, 3003 and 5052
- Gauge at Almexa
- 0.0177 to 0.1575 in (0.45 to 4.0 mm); 5052 from 0.0197 in
- Maximum width
- 48 in (1,219 mm); 5000 series, 36 in (914 mm)
- Format
- Coil, strip or blanks
A heat shield is a stamped part made of thin sheet, mounted between a heat source, such as the exhaust or the engine, and the parts that need protecting from it. Embossing, the pattern of dimples or hexagons seen on many shields, stiffens the thin sheet and increases its surface area (Billur, 2022).
Which aluminum should I order for a heat shield?
It depends on what the shield needs. To reflect heat and form or emboss without tearing, 1050 or 1100. When the shield needs more rigidity, 3003. When it needs more strength, 5052, which Almexa makes up to 36 in (914 mm) wide. Billur (2022) also cites 3004 in O temper, delivered as coil and embossed in line; Almexa makes 3004 too, up to 48 in (1,219 mm) wide.
| Alloy | What it contains | When a shield uses it | Tempers at Almexa | Gauge and width at Almexa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1050 and 1100 | 99% or more aluminum | To reflect heat, draw and emboss without tearing | O, H1X, H2X, H3X | 0.0177 to 0.1575 in; up to 48 in |
| 3003 | 1.0 to 1.5% manganese | The shield needs more rigidity | O, H1X, H2X, H3X | 0.0177 to 0.1575 in; up to 48 in |
| 5052 | 2.2 to 2.8% magnesium | The shield needs more strength | O and H3X | 0.0197 to 0.1575 in; up to 36 in |
Composition: The Aluminum Association, August 2018 revision. Tempers and sizes: Almexa technical sheet, September 2026. Within each alloy, the temper depends on how much the part is formed: O when it is drawn or embossed heavily, H14 when it is formed little and needs some rigidity.
What gauge is a heat shield?
Most heat shields are stamped from 1000 or 3000 series sheet 0.012 to 0.020 in (0.3 to 0.5 mm) thick, and double-layer shields can go down to 0.008 in (0.2 mm) (Billur, MetalForming Magazine, June/July 2022). Your part design sets the final gauge. Today Almexa makes 1050, 1100 and 3003 from 0.0177 in (0.45 mm) and 5052 from 0.0197 in (0.50 mm), up to 0.1575 in (4.0 mm). With the equipment being installed at the plant, the minimum will drop to 0.012 in (0.3 mm) by the end of 2027: if your shield needs less than 0.0177 in (0.45 mm), we do not make it yet.
What the shield asks of the aluminum
- Formability: the shield is stamped, drawn and often embossed; the metal has to deform without tearing, which is why it is ordered in soft tempers.
- Rigidity at a thin gauge: embossing provides it and, when needed, a stronger alloy such as 3003 or 5052.
- Corrosion resistance: aluminum forms its own protective oxide layer.
- Lot-to-lot consistency: the die should not need resetting every lot, and mechanical properties must pass PPAP.
- Documentation: a mill test report per lot and origin documentation for USMCA and Section 232.
How Almexa supplies it
Shield makers usually receive the aluminum as coil and emboss it in line (Billur, 2022). Almexa ships coil from 6.30 to 48 in (160 to 1,219 mm) wide, 36 in (914 mm) in the 5000 series, with a 20 in (508 mm) inside diameter and a 39 to 46 in (990.6 to 1,168 mm) outside diameter; strip slit to your feeder width on its 3 slitting lines; or blanks cut to the shape of your die. Every lot ships with a mill test report with chemistry and mechanical properties.
Quality and origin for your automotive program
Almexa runs an ISO 9001:2015 quality system certified by Intertek. It held IATF 16949 certification and chose not to renew it because it was not essential: it still follows its guidelines, supplies Tier 1 companies and is audited by them regularly. If your program requires PPAP, incoming inspection or a process audit, list it at quotation and we will tell you what we cover. Under the current USMCA rules of origin, Almexa's products meet the origin content the agreement requires because the metal is cast and rolled in Mexico; your trade compliance team confirms how your finished part qualifies.
What to send for a quote
- Alloy and temper, or the part drawing and your customer's material standard.
- Gauge and tolerance.
- Strip width or blank size.
- The inside diameter your uncoiler takes and the maximum outside diameter or coil weight.
- Metric tons per month and your program requirements, such as PPAP and origin documentation.
Product pages, guides and tools
- Aluminum coil 0.0177 to 0.1575 in, up to 48 in wide
- Aluminum strip slit to your line width
- Aluminum blanks custom shapes for your die
- Aluminum for automotive suppliers IATF 16949, USMCA and stamping alloys
- 1100 aluminum
- 3003 aluminum
- 5052 aluminum
- Aluminum origin USMCA and Section 232
- Quote aluminum for heat shields the form already carries the product
Sources: Eren Billur, “Forming of Heat Shields for the Automotive Industry,” MetalForming Magazine, June/July 2022 issue; composition, The Aluminum Association (August 2018 revision); size ranges, Almexa technical sheet, September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Heat shield in 1100 or 5052?
1100 when the shield has to reflect heat and form or emboss without tearing; along with 1050, it is the most common choice. 5052 when the shield needs more strength. Almexa makes 1100 from 0.0177 in (0.45 mm) and up to 48 in (1,219 mm) wide, and 5052 from 0.0197 in (0.50 mm) and up to 36 in (914 mm).
Does Almexa make 0.012 in (0.3 mm) aluminum for heat shields?
Not yet. Today the minimum gauge is 0.0177 in (0.45 mm), and 0.0197 in (0.50 mm) in 5052. With the equipment being installed at the plant, it will drop to 0.012 in (0.3 mm) by the end of 2027.
Should I buy coil, strip or blanks for heat shields?
It depends on your line. If you emboss and stamp continuously, coil or strip at your feeder width; if your press runs part by part, blanks cut to the shape of the die. Send the part drawing and we will tell you which format fits.
Which documents does Almexa ship with aluminum for heat shields?
A mill test report with chemistry and mechanical properties for each lot, and origin documentation: the metal is cast and rolled in Mexico and, under the current USMCA rules, Almexa's products meet the required origin content. If your program requires PPAP, state it at quotation.