Magnesium Manufacturers & Suppliers

Magnesium chips and fine powder are flammable and can ignite at relatively low temperatures — bulk magnesium ignites around 1200°F, but fine chips and dust have a dramatically lower ignition threshold due to surface area. The primary machining precaution is keeping chips large: high feed rates producing thick chips reduce pyrophoric risk far more effectively than low chip loads. Dry machining with air blast chip clearing is common and avoids the steam explosion risk if water contacts a magnesium fire. Never use water or CO2 extinguishers on a magnesium fire — both can intensify it. Class D dry powder extinguishers are the correct suppression agent. In practice, well-run magnesium machining shops maintain clean chip collection, avoid chip accumulation in machines, and use dedicated tooling that prevents fine dust generation.

AZ91D magnesium die-casting alloy is approximately 35% lighter than aluminum A380 on a per-volume basis, enabling meaningful mass reduction when part geometry is driven by structural requirements rather than section thickness minimums. AZ91D's fluidity in the die cavity is excellent — thin walls of 0.040" are achievable — and its machinability after casting is outstanding, roughly three times the cutting speed of aluminum alloys. The trade-offs include lower ductility (2-3% elongation versus 3.5% for A380), reduced corrosion resistance requiring coatings in outdoor or high-humidity environments, and higher tooling wear in the die due to magnesium's affinity for iron at die temperatures. For interior automotive components, power tool housings, and camera bodies where weight matters and the environment is controlled, AZ91D is increasingly preferred over A380.

WE43 is a wrought magnesium alloy containing approximately 4% yttrium and 2-3% rare-earth elements (primarily neodymium and zirconium), developed specifically to overcome the elevated-temperature creep and corrosion weaknesses of conventional AZ-series alloys. Its rare-earth additions create stable precipitate phases that resist dissolution at temperatures up to 300°C, and its corrosion resistance in salt spray testing is substantially better than AZ31 or AZ91 without coatings. In aerospace, WE43 forgings are qualified for helicopter gearbox housings, missile structures, and satellite panels. In medical applications, WE43's controlled biocorrosion rate — it degrades predictably in physiological environments — makes it a leading candidate for resorbable orthopedic implants that eliminate the need for implant removal surgery.