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    What is the grade and guage of the Aluminum is the MBP unibody?

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by Ice Cold, Dec 28, 2008.

  1. Ice Cold

    Ice Cold Notebook Deity

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    I was curious to see, and wanted to know if anyone especially the Mac community has this info. Since you guys managed to know the LCD panel type and factory it was made before units hit store shelves.


    Anyways, for example, my mountain bike is 6061 type Aluminum.

    Anyone know, what the grade or guage and type of aluminum used in MacBook Pro unibodies are.
     
    Ice Cold, Dec 28, 2008
    #1
  2. sulkorp

    sulkorp Notebook Deity

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    Modly might know, maybe ask him if he doesn't see this thread.
     
    sulkorp, Dec 28, 2008
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  3. Seshan

    Seshan Rawrrr!

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    hmm It might be hard to find out cause it is machined out and may not be constant all over.
     
    Seshan, Dec 29, 2008
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  4. steve p

    steve p Notebook Evangelist

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    This should be correct as far as the gauge goes.
     
    steve p, Dec 29, 2008
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  5. Colton

    Colton Also Proudly American

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    I asked Modly, and he said it uses Aircraft Aluminum, which is a very strong aluminum grade.
     
    Colton, Dec 29, 2008
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  6. Ice Cold

    Ice Cold Notebook Deity

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    Aircraft Aluminum so then its the same as my Maglite flashlight thats hardstuff


    just googled and T6061 is an Aircraft Grade Alloy. But there are so many Aircraft grade alloys of Aluminum maybe thats why my bike is so light
     
    Ice Cold, Dec 29, 2008
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  7. lixuelai

    lixuelai Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    I was very impressed by how sturdy the new MB is. Makes my older MBP feel so flimsy. If they ever come out with the Dual Link adapter Ill consider getting a new MBP.
     
    lixuelai, Dec 29, 2008
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  8. reign16

    reign16 Newbie

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    reign16, Jan 13, 2009
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  9. lemonspeaker

    lemonspeaker Notebook Evangelist

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    Did anyone find an answer to this?
     
    lemonspeaker, May 2, 2009
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  10. Vogelbung

    Vogelbung I R Judgemental

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    'Aircraft grade' is a bull**** marketing term applied by companies like Apple catering for people who don't know better, but have an opinion nevertheless.

    I can't comment on the type of aluminium, but it's rolled, treated then cut and machined, not machined from billet - like say a Race Face stem - so structurally weaker at points given the 'grain' of the metal.

    From a workability and machinability aspect, I'd say likely the same grade of alloy as you can find on the Zero Halliburton cases.

    And in terms of ultimate structural integrity the old Crapbook Pros are stronger. This is a (very successful, from the looks of things) design + marketing move, not a genuine functional improvement as such.
     
    Vogelbung, May 2, 2009
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  11. EnterKnight

    EnterKnight Notebook Evangelist

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    If memory serves, there are over 40,000 commercially-used alloys of aluminium. Rest assured that that used in aircraft cannot even be compared to the one used in the unibody.

    Aluminium is borderline metalloid - it's soft. It'll bend easy. The unibody looks great and feels great to the touch (well-chosen electroplating)... however, it's 'strength' that many people proclaim isn't really that big of a deal. There's nothing supporting the aluminium - so when it bends, it takes the tightly-packed components with it. Take a ThinkPad - supreme quality plastic with a magnesium alloy frame. With impact, yeah, the plastic can crack. But the frame will not let the interior get damaged.
     
    EnterKnight, May 2, 2009
    #11