The industry-standard die-casting alloy for thin-walled, complex castings at scale. Excellent fluidity, stable mechanical properties, low shrinkage — the workhorse of European foundries and automotive die-casters.
ADC12 is the most widely traded die-casting aluminium alloy in the world. Under the European EN 1706 standard it is designated EN AC-46000 (chemical designation AlSi9Cu3(Fe)), and under the Japanese JIS H 5302 standard it is simply ADC12. Both designations describe a near-identical alloy family — an aluminium-silicon-copper composition with 9.6–12% silicon and 1.5–3.5% copper, optimised for high-pressure die-casting.
For European foundries and automotive die-casters, ADC12 is the default working alloy for thin-walled, high-volume castings. It combines excellent fluidity (essential for filling complex moulds at speed), low shrinkage during solidification, good hot-cracking resistance, and stable, predictable mechanical properties in the as-cast condition. Tech Aluminum manufactures ADC12 ingots in our 50,000 m² Egyptian facility, certified to both EN and JIS specifications on the same material test certificate (MTC), with full CBAM-ready embedded-emissions documentation supplied with every shipment.
| Designation | ADC12 / EN AC-46000 / AlSi9Cu3(Fe) |
| Standard ingot weight | 20 kg ± 0.5 kg |
| Bundle weight | 500–1,000 kg (configurable) |
| Density | ≈ 2.74 g/cm³ |
| Melting range | 540–595 °C |
| Surface condition | Clean, free from slag and dross |
| Marking | Heat number, alloy grade and weight stamped per ingot |
| Tonnes per 20ft container | ~20–22 t |
| Tonnes per 40ft container | ~24–26 t |
| Element | Min % | Max % |
|---|---|---|
| Silicon (Si) | 9.6 | 12.0 |
| Iron (Fe) | — | 1.3 |
| Copper (Cu) | 1.5 | 3.5 |
| Manganese (Mn) | — | 0.5 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | — | 0.3 |
| Nickel (Ni) | — | 0.5 |
| Zinc (Zn) | — | 1.2 |
| Tin (Sn) | — | 0.3 |
| Lead (Pb) | — | 0.2 |
| Titanium (Ti) | — | 0.2 |
| Aluminium (Al) | Balance | |
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength (Rm) | 240–310 MPa |
| 0.2% proof stress (Rp0.2) | 140–170 MPa |
| Elongation (A) | 1–3 % |
| Brinell hardness (HB) | 80–110 |
| Modulus of elasticity | ~71 GPa |
| Thermal conductivity | ~92 W/(m·K) |
European buyers purchasing to EN nomenclature can reference the exact equivalents across Japanese, Chinese and American standards below. Tech Aluminum certifies each shipment to whichever standard your specification requires.
| Region | Standard | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (EU) | EN 1706 | EN AC-46000 / AlSi9Cu3(Fe) |
| Germany | DIN EN 1706 | AlSi9Cu3(Fe) — DIN nomenclature aligned with EN |
| Japan | JIS H 5302 | ADC12 |
| USA | ANSI / AA | A383 (closest equivalent) |
| China | GB/T 15115 | YL113 (functional equivalent) |
| ISO | ISO 3522 | Al-Si9Cu3Fe |
A383 is the closest North American equivalent but has tighter limits on iron and zinc than ADC12 / EN AC-46000. If your downstream customer specifies A383 compliance, please mention it on your enquiry and we will certify the heat to meet A383 limits.
ADC12 is the default working alloy for the European die-casting industry across seven major end-markets. Typical components include:
For application-specific guidance, see our Automotive industry page or Mechanical Manufacturing page.
Every ADC12 heat undergoes full optical emission spectrometry (OES) verification before casting. Our quality regime is built on ISO 9001-certified processes and is structured to meet European automotive-sector expectations.
View our full Quality & Compliance page for ISO 9001 certification details, REACH compliance documentation and our testing & inspection capabilities.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism entered its definitive phase on 1 January 2026. Aluminium imports are explicitly covered. Every ADC12 shipment from Tech Aluminum includes the verified emissions documentation your CBAM declaration requires:
Egypt's aluminium industry draws on hydroelectric power from the Aswan High Dam, and the country is commissioning 1 GW of additional green power specifically for aluminium manufacturing. Lower embedded emissions mean fewer CBAM certificates your business needs to purchase. Read our full CBAM guide →
ADC12 ingots are bundled with high-tensile steel straps, palletised for container loading, and shrink-wrapped where required. Standard bundle weights are configurable between 500 kg and 1,000 kg to match your handling equipment.
Full export documentation included with every shipment: Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Certificate of Origin, Bill of Lading, Material Test Certificate, CBAM emissions documentation, and SGS inspection report (on request). See our Logistics & Shipping page for transit-time estimates per port.
ADC12 is an aluminium-silicon-copper die-casting alloy designated under JIS H 5302 and equivalent to EN AC-46000 (AlSi9Cu3(Fe)) under the European EN 1706 standard. It contains 9.6–12% silicon and 1.5–3.5% copper, giving excellent fluidity, low shrinkage and stable mechanical properties — making it the most widely used die-casting alloy globally.
For all practical purposes, yes. ADC12 (JIS H 5302) and EN AC-46000 / AlSi9Cu3(Fe) have near-identical chemical composition limits and mechanical properties. European foundries typically purchase to EN AC-46000 specification; Tech Aluminum supplies ingots certified to both standards on the same material test certificate.
Our standard minimum order quantity is 20 tonnes (one 20ft container load). Sample quantities of 5–10 tonnes are available for first-time European buyers conducting qualification testing. Larger orders shipped in 40ft containers carry preferential pricing.
Yes. Every ADC12 shipment includes verified embedded-emissions data covering both direct and indirect emissions per tonne of finished ingot, calculated to the EU CBAM methodology and verified by an accredited third party. This documentation directly supports your CBAM declaration and certificate calculations.
Standard lead time is 10–30 days from order confirmation to delivery at the European port. Mediterranean routes (Genoa, Barcelona) are at the shorter end; Northern European ports (Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp) at the longer end. Felixstowe (UK) typically takes 14–21 days.
Yes. A383 has tighter iron and zinc limits than the base EN AC-46000 specification. If your downstream customer requires A383 compliance, mention it on your enquiry and we will tighten the heat composition and certify accordingly on the MTC. There is no additional cost for this on standard-tonnage orders.
Send us the tonnage, delivery port and any specific composition requirements — we respond within 24 hours with pricing, lead time and full CBAM documentation.
Or contact Noel directly: +353 87 118 7806 · noel@egyptalumin.com
