EN 573-2:1994

Overview

EN 573-2:1994 - "Aluminium and aluminium alloys - Chemical composition and form of wrought products - Part 2: Chemical symbol based designation system" is a European Standard that defines a descriptive, chemical symbol–based designation code for aluminium and aluminium alloys. The Part 2 designation complements the numeric (four‑figure) system in EN 573-1 and is intended for use with wrought products and ingots intended to be wrought.

Key topics and requirements

• Designation code structure: Establishes a descriptive naming approach primarily based on chemical symbols (rather than numeric only), to identify alloy type and composition in a standardized way.
• Scope of application: Applies to wrought aluminium products and ingots intended to be wrought, linking designation to chemical composition and product form as covered by the EN 573 series.
• Supplementary role: Intended primarily as a supplement to the four‑figure designation in EN 573-1 - enabling clearer material identification in documentation, specifications and marking.
• Standardized terminology: Promotes consistent use of chemical symbols and terms across European standards and technical documents.
• Alignment with European Standards: Designations under EN 573-2 are to be used where referenced by relevant European aluminium product standards.

(Note: EN 573-2 provides the designation system concept and rules; for exact coding syntax and examples refer to the official EN 573-2 text.)

Practical applications

• Material identification and traceability: Use the chemical symbol–based designation for unambiguous identification of aluminium alloys in certificates, drawings and labels.
• Procurement and specifications: Purchasing documents and contracts can reference the EN 573-2 designation to specify alloy chemistry and intended wrought form.
• Quality control and testing: Laboratories and inspection bodies use the designation to relate test reports to the alloy’s chemical family.
• Manufacturing and fabrication: Engineers and fabricators can quickly recognize alloy groups from descriptive symbols during processing decisions (e.g., forming, joining).
• Standards harmonization: Facilitates consistent cross‑referencing between national and European standards and multilingual documentation.

Who uses this standard

• Material suppliers and aluminium producers
• Component manufacturers and fabricators working with wrought aluminium
• Design and mechanical engineers specifying materials
• Procurement professionals and contract writers
• Testing laboratories, inspection bodies and certification organizations
• National and regional standards committees

Related standards

• EN 573-1 - four‑figure designation system and general rules (primary complement to EN 573-2)
• Other parts of the EN 573 series covering chemical composition and product form

Keywords: EN 573-2:1994, aluminium alloys, chemical composition, designation system, wrought products, chemical symbol based designation, European Standard, aluminium ingots, material identification.