Mg Uses & Benefits

Magnesium and Alloy Wheels

Across the industrial landscape, the world has seen rapid growth in the application of magnesium and its alloys.

Its particular characteristics allow magnesium’s use both as a structural element and as a chemical addition to other metal alloys. Among all available structural metals magnesium is the lightest.  Because of its impressive light weight properties, magnesium is in increasing demand for consumer electronics as well as automotive development.

Using magnesium in automotive development has wide-reaching benefits. Magnesium wheels reduce the load on the engine, suspension and front-end of the car and reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, which decreases fuel consumption and emissions. Using magnesium also contributes to improvements such as vibration dampening within the suspension system and increased braking safety.

Magnesium alloy shock absorbers lend to damping that’s 100 times better than those made of aluminum. Magnesium alloys have high thermal conductivity, which ensure rapid cooling of the brake parts and the central part of the wheel.

Concerns of corrosion due to magnesium expansion have been addressed by the latest technical developments in finishing and coating.

Magnesium also has an aesthetic aspect.  Surfaces treated with a magnesium compound of aluminum and coated with chrome looks better than aluminum. Polished magnesium is bright and alluring.

Although magnesium for magnesium wheels and rare metals are most commonly used in drag racing automobiles, magnesium is commonly used for building pumps, fuel filters, valve covers, oil pans, fuel injectors, and more components. Forged magnesium wheels (cast magnesium) are usually used for motorcycles.

Magnesium is also used in civil aircraft, helicopters, satellites, and ultra-fast mechanisms manufactured with closed die forging.

Magnesium in Aluminum Alloys


A large percentage of magnesium cast under pressure is made with 8-9% aluminum. For example, alloy AM60 (6% Al) provides the force necessary for well-cast automotive wheels and alloy AS41 (4% Al, 0,7% Si) maintains the yield required for the latest versions of Volkswagen vehicles with air-cooled engines. In aluminum alloying magnesium is added for strength, stiffness and durability. It also improves the resistance of aluminum to corrosion, particularly in the manufacturing of thin sheets. The amount of alloying varies between 1% and 10% depending on the specification and end use.

These include the 5000 series containing 5.5% magnesium, the 7000 series ‘aerospace alloys’ containing 3.5% and the 5141 alloy containing 1.1% magnesium.

We specialize in developing aluminum-magnesium alloys for manufacturing of Forged Wheel Blanks & Finished Magnesium Alloy Wheels.

Magnesium is also used as a supplement to iron. In most cases ferrosilicon iron alloy contains from 5 to 10 percent magnesium.