Welding
Welds by GTAW, GMAW, electron beam and friction stir. Use ER2319 filler. Welded joints in T8x material reach roughly 60 % of parent strength unless re-heat-treated.
Alloy guide
2219 Aluminium Bar, Rod and Wire Rod
2219 is a high-copper (about 6.3 %) aluminium alloy that stays strong from cryogenic temperatures up to roughly 250 °C and, unlike most 2xxx alloys, can be fusion welded. As bar, wire rod and drawn wire it is used for fastener blanks, rivets and machined parts in rocket, aircraft and defence hardware. This guide covers tempers, properties, standards and the matching ER2319 filler.
- Alloy
- 2219 (Al-Cu-Mn-Zr-V)
- Key tempers
- O, T31, T62, T81, T851, T87
- Service range
- Cryogenic to ≈ 250 °C
- Filler
- ER2319 (AMS 4191)
Why 2219 is different from other 2xxx alloys
Most high-strength aluminium alloys lose strength quickly above 120 – 150 °C and become brittle or crack when welded. 2219 was developed to avoid both problems. Its high copper content, with no magnesium, gives a stable precipitate that resists softening at elevated temperature, and small additions of zirconium, vanadium and titanium refine the grain.
The same chemistry also makes 2219 tough at very low temperature, which is why welded 2219 plate has been used for liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellant tanks. Bar, rod and wire in 2219 serve the parts around those structures: fittings, studs, rivets and fasteners that must match the tank alloy in thermal expansion, strength and corrosion behaviour.
Its weaknesses are moderate strength at room temperature compared with 2024 or 7075, and limited corrosion resistance, so parts are usually anodised, conversion coated or painted.
2219 chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | Limit | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Copper (Cu) | 5.8 – 6.8 | Main strengthening element; heat resistance |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.20 – 0.40 | Strength, grain control |
| Zirconium (Zr) | 0.10 – 0.25 | Grain refinement, recrystallisation control |
| Vanadium (V) | 0.05 – 0.15 | Elevated-temperature stability |
| Titanium (Ti) | 0.02 – 0.10 | Grain refiner, reduces weld cracking |
| Magnesium (Mg) | ≤ 0.02 | Kept almost zero to aid weldability |
| Iron (Fe) | ≤ 0.30 | Impurity |
| Silicon (Si) | ≤ 0.20 | Impurity |
| Zinc (Zn) | ≤ 0.10 | |
| Others each / total | ≤ 0.05 / 0.15 | |
| Aluminium | Remainder |
Aluminum Association limits. The Russian grade 1201 has the same registered range; China's 2A16 is a similar but not identical Al-Cu-Mn alloy.
2219 tempers and typical properties
| Temper | Condition | Tensile (typical) | Yield (typical) | Elongation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | Annealed | 172 MPa | 76 MPa | 18 % |
| T31 / T351 | Solution treated, cold worked, naturally aged | 360 MPa | 250 MPa | 17 % |
| T37 | Solution treated, 7 % cold work, naturally aged | 393 MPa | 315 MPa | 11 % |
| T62 | Solution treated and artificially aged by the user | 414 MPa | 290 MPa | 10 % |
| T81 / T851 | T31 / T351 then artificially aged | 455 MPa | 350 MPa | 10 % |
| T87 | T37 then artificially aged | 476 MPa | 395 MPa | 10 % |
Typical values from ASM data; specified minimums are lower and depend on product form and size. T62 is the temper used when a fabricator solution treats and ages parts after forming or welding. T8x tempers give the highest strength and the best stress-corrosion resistance because the cold work before ageing produces a fine, uniform precipitate.
Physical properties (T81)
- Density
- 2.84 g/cm³
- Modulus of elasticity
- 73.8 GPa
- Melting range
- about 543 – 643 °C
- Thermal conductivity
- about 120 W/m·K
- Electrical conductivity
- about 30 % IACS
2219 bar, wire rod and wire
| Form | Typical tempers | Approximate size range | Common standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round, square and flat bar | T351, T62, T851, T8511 | Rod about 6 – 300 mm | ASTM B211 (cold finished), ASTM B221 (extruded), AMS extrusion specs |
| Wire rod | O, T4, T62 | about 1.6 – 15 mm | ASTM B211, EN 754-3 / EN 1301 for drawn sizes |
| Drawn wire | O, H13, T4 | about 0.8 – 5 mm | Customer specification, ASTM B316 style tests |
| Welding wire (alloy 2319) | As drawn | MIG spools, TIG rods | AWS A5.10 ER2319, AMS 4191 |
The filler used for welding 2219 is a separate alloy, 2319, which has slightly higher titanium. Some supplier sheets wrongly list "ER2219"; the correct AWS classification is ER2319.
Welding, machining and finishing
Machining
In T351 and T8x tempers it machines well with sharp carbide tools; the O temper is gummy.
Heading
Rivet and fastener blanks are headed from O or T4 wire rod and then heat treated to T6x or T8x as specified.
Corrosion
Copper reduces corrosion resistance. Anodise, conversion coat or paint, and isolate from dissimilar metals.
Temperature
Keeps useful strength to around 250 °C and gains strength at cryogenic temperature without losing toughness.
Inspection
Aerospace orders often call for ultrasonic inspection of bar and traceable heat-treatment records.
Where 2219 bar and wire are used
- Launch vehicles and spacecraft: fittings, studs and fasteners on cryogenic propellant tanks and welded structures
- Supersonic and high-temperature airframe parts: where 2024 or 7075 would soften
- Rivets and fastener blanks: for joints in 2219 structures, matching expansion and corrosion potential
- Defence hardware: parts that see high thermal loads, such as missile and ordnance components
- Weld repair: 2319 wire for welding and repairing 2219 assemblies
2219 compared with 2024 and 2014
| Property | 2219-T851 | 2024-T351 | 2014-T6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical tensile | 455 MPa | 470 MPa | 485 MPa |
| Fusion weldability | Good | Poor | Poor to fair |
| Strength above 150 °C | Best of the three | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cryogenic toughness | Excellent | Good | Good |
How to order
- Alloy and supply temperFor example 2219 in O, H13/H14 or T4, and the temper the finished rivet must reach.
- StandardASTM B316, EN 1301, GB/T 3195, AMS or your own specification, with the edition you work to.
- Diameter and toleranceNominal diameter and tolerance class, plus coil or cut-length form and coil weight.
- TestsShear strength, upsetting (heading) test, tensile, surface and dimensional checks to be shown on the certificate.
- DeliveryQuantity, packing (wrapped coils in wooden cases or on pallets), EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP terms and destination.
References and standards
- ASTM B211/B211M – Rolled or cold-finished aluminium-alloy bar, rod and wire
- ASTM B221 – Extruded aluminium-alloy bars, rods, wire, profiles and tubes
- SAE AMS 4191 – Aluminum Alloy, Welding Wire (2319)
- AWS A5.10 – Bare wires and rods for welding aluminium alloys
- ASM International – Properties of Wrought Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys: 2219
2219 aluminium (aluminum) bar and wire: FAQ
Can 2219 aluminium be welded?
Yes. It is one of the few 2xxx alloys that welds reliably, using ER2319 filler. Joint strength is lower than the parent metal unless the assembly is heat treated again.
What temperature can 2219 withstand?
It keeps useful strength to about 250 °C, higher than 2024 or 7075, and performs well down to cryogenic temperatures.
Which temper of 2219 bar is most common?
T851 (stretched and artificially aged) for machined parts, and T62 when the user heat treats after forming or welding.
Is there a 2219 welding wire?
The matching filler is alloy 2319, classified as ER2319 in AWS A5.10 and covered by AMS 4191.
What are the equivalents of 2219?
EN AW-2219 (AlCu6Mn), UNS A92219 and Russian 1201. Chinese 2A16 is similar but not identical.
Need 2219 bar, rod or wire rod?
Send form, temper, size and quantity. Metline will reply with availability, certificates and a delivered price.
