Selecting the right aluminum die casting alloy is the first decision you make. The second, and the one that more often leads to costly errors, is making sure the alloy is named accurately when your drawing and our foundry sit in different regions.
Two issues account for most of the difficulty. The same alloy carries a different designation in each region, so “A380” on your drawing is not the name an Asian foundry will recognize. And the alloy you have already chosen has set limits on what can be done to the part afterward, both for surface finish and for heat treatment, whether or not anyone has identified those limits yet.
This guide addresses both. If the alloy isn’t settled yet, start with the companion article on how to choose the right aluminum alloy for your project, then come back here before you finalize the specification.
Alloy naming across regions
The most common source of error in cross-border sourcing is regional naming. The same alloy is designated differently depending on which standards body governs the region. A drawing that specifies A380 won’t show A380 on a European or Asian datasheet, and assuming equivalence without checking introduces unintended compositional variation into your supply chain.
The table below maps the most widely used alloys across the four major standards: US (ANSI/AA), European (EN), UK (BS LM), and Asian (JIS ADC).
| US (ANSI/AA) | European (EN) | Asian (JIS) | Key characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|
| A380 | 46000 | ADC10 | Most widely used general-purpose alloy in North America |
| 383 (A383) | 46100 | ADC12 | Preferred for intricate components; dominant alloy in Asian manufacturing |
| B390 | N/A | ADC14 | High hardness and wear resistance |
| A413 | 44300 | ADC1 | Excellent pressure tightness |
| 413 | 47000 | ADC1 | Die casting alloy with higher magnesium content than A413 |
| A360 | 43400 | ADC3 | Excellent pressure tightness and fluidity; superior corrosion resistance |
Two points from this table deserve particular attention before you place an order.
First, the Asian equivalent of A380 is ADC10, not ADC12. This is a frequent misconception. ADC12 corresponds to A383. Where a drawing specifies A380 and you source the component from an Asian foundry, the correct reference is ADC10. Otherwise the resulting composition will differ from your specification. The compositional difference between ADC12 and A380 is minor but real, and you should review it against your tolerance requirements rather than assume the two are equivalent.
Second, B390 has no recognized European or UK equivalent. Where a component needs B390’s wear resistance and is sourced outside North America or Asia, confirm the exact composition directly with the supplier rather than infer it from a cross-reference that doesn’t exist.
How the alloy choice constrains downstream processes
Two downstream factors get overlooked more often than any others: surface treatment compatibility and heat treatment limitations. Both are determined by the alloy, and both are considerably less costly to address at the specification stage than after tooling is committed.
Surface treatment
NADCA’s 2021 data rates both A380 and A383/ADC12 at 3 for anodizing appearance. That’s acceptable for functional or protective anodizing, but it won’t produce a bright, uniform decorative finish. Where clean clear anodizing forms part of the design brief, raise it at the specification stage. Standard high-pressure die casting alloys are genuinely limited in this respect, and the discussion with your supplier may need to extend to an alternative process or a different alloy.
Corrosion exposure matters here too. Copper-bearing alloys such as A380 need protective surface treatment for any outdoor or high-humidity service, so the finish is not solely a cosmetic decision. It’s part of how the part withstands its environment.
Heat treatment
NADCA is explicit that die castings are not usually solution heat treated. T4 and T6 treatments are generally not viable for A380 or A383/ADC12 under standard high-pressure conditions, because internal porosity causes blistering. A low-temperature T5 age can be applied for stress relief or dimensional stability. Where a component requires structural heat treatment, raise it before tooling is committed, as it may mean a change to vacuum die casting or a different alloy family.
Questions to raise with your supplier
Alloy specification belongs at the RFQ stage, not after tooling is complete. Early alignment with your supplier avoids the most costly mistakes. Whatever your requirement, the following are worth addressing before you commit:
- Is the specified alloy the one the supplier casts most frequently, and what is their documented experience with it?
- What surface treatments have they applied to similar components in this alloy?
- Does the part have thin-wall sections below 2.0mm that would benefit from the higher fluidity of ADC12/A383?
- Are there post-casting machining requirements that should influence the alloy selection?
- Where you are crossing regional supply chains, have you confirmed the correct equivalent (ADC10 for A380, ADC12 for A383), and reviewed the minor compositional difference against your tolerance requirements?
At Joincast, we work with you from the specification stage to make sure your alloy choice aligns with both the performance your part requires and the full downstream process: CNC machining, surface treatment, and quality inspection. As a foreign-owned supplier in Taiwan, bridging a Western drawing and an Asian foundry is the work we do routinely. If you have a component in development or an existing specification under review, contact us to discuss your requirements.
FAQ
Is A380 the same as ADC12?
No. A380 is not ADC12; this is one of the most common errors in cross-regional alloy naming. The Asian (JIS) equivalent of A380 is ADC10. ADC12 corresponds to the US alloy A383, not A380. The compositional difference between ADC12 and A380 is minor but real, so a drawing that specifies A380 should reference ADC10 when cast in Asia. We confirm the correct equivalent against your tolerance requirements before casting.
What is the Asian (JIS) equivalent of A380?
The Asian equivalent of A380 is ADC10 under the Japanese Industrial Standard, not ADC12. A380 also maps to EN 46500 in Europe and LM24 in the UK. ADC12 is a separate alloy that corresponds to A383 (EN 46100, UK LM2). Confusing ADC10 and ADC12 introduces unintended compositional variation, so the equivalent should be verified rather than assumed when a Western drawing is cast at an Asian foundry.
Can A380 or ADC12 die castings be heat treated?
Standard high-pressure die castings in A380 or A383/ADC12 cannot usually take full solution heat treatment. T4 and T6 treatments are generally not viable because internal porosity causes blistering during the high-temperature soak. A low-temperature T5 age can be applied for stress relief or dimensional stability. Where a part requires structural heat treatment, the requirement should be raised at the specification stage, as it may mean moving to vacuum die casting or a different alloy family. We flag this before tooling is committed.
Can A380 and ADC12 die castings be anodized?
A380 and A383/ADC12 can be anodized, but NADCA 2021 data rates both at 3 for anodizing appearance, which suits functional or protective anodizing rather than a bright, uniform decorative finish. The high silicon and copper content limits how clean and even the finish can be. Where clear decorative anodizing is part of the design brief, we raise it at the specification stage, since it may call for a different alloy or an alternative surface process. We work through the finishing requirements with you before casting.
Does B390 have a European or UK equivalent?
No. B390 has no recognized European (EN) or UK (BS LM) equivalent; its only standard cross-references are the US designation B390 and the Asian designation ADC14. B390 is a hypereutectic alloy with 16.0 to 18.0% silicon, the highest of any standard die casting alloy, used where wear resistance is the primary driver. Where a component requires B390 outside North America or Asia, the exact composition has to be confirmed directly rather than inferred from a cross-reference that does not exist.
