Zamak

ZAMAK (or Zamac, formerly <a href="/facts/Trademark/B23H8IS0">trademarked</a> as MAZAK) is an eclectic family of <a href="/facts/Alloy/I7w7WQWR">alloys</a> with a base metal of <a href="/facts/Zinc/80b1qgk3">zinc</a> and alloying elements of <a href="/facts/Aluminium/7wmR8jYE">aluminium</a>, <a href="/facts/Magnesium/XyIhd2FG">magnesium</a>, and <a href="/facts/Copper/I8PEE8oX">copper</a>.
Zamak alloys are part of the <a href="/facts/Zinc_aluminum/7qaHAg3o">zinc aluminium</a> alloy family; they are distinguished from the other ZA alloys because of their constant 4% aluminium composition.
The name zamak is an <a href="/facts/Acronym/nlHK7aRt">acronym</a> of the <a href="/facts/German_language/oWaQIDA8">German</a> names for the <a href="/facts/Metals/PT8hNX6R">metals</a> of which the alloys are composed: Zink (zinc), Aluminium, Magnesium and Kupfer (copper). The <a href="/facts/New_Jersey_Zinc_Company/hpDSyWhb">New Jersey Zinc Company</a> developed zamak alloys in 1929.
The most common zamak alloy is zamak 3. Besides that, zamak 2, zamak 5 and zamak 7 are also commercially used. These alloys are most commonly <a href="/facts/Die_cast/9bdIWfoe">die cast</a>. Zamak alloys (particularly #3 and #5) are frequently used in the <a href="/facts/Spin_casting/HNyvaIbL">spin casting</a> industry.
A large problem with early zinc die casting materials was <a href="/facts/Zinc_pest/sTqgaWWC">zinc pest</a>, owing to impurities in the alloys. Zamak avoided this by the use of 99.99% pure zinc metal, produced by <a href="/facts/New_Jersey_Zinc_Company/hpDSyWhb">New Jersey Zinc's</a> use of a <a href="/facts/Reflux/Elav2kgM">refluxer</a> as part of the <a href="/facts/Zinc_refining/bfnKBzEJ">refining</a> process.
Zamak can be electroplated, wet painted, and <a href="/facts/Chromate_conversion_coating/5JzF0hkA">chromate conversion coated</a> well.

Zamak open-in-new

Zamak