Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure

Re:Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure by kibwen on Thursday June 22, 2023 @05:11PM (#36439076)

Surprised to learn that magnesium is lighter than aluminum. Is it also more expensive? There must be some reason people still mostly use aluminum.

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Re:Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure by G3rn0ti on Thursday June 22, 2023 @05:31PM (#36439320)

Magnesium is lighter than Aluminum because it is in the 2nd group of the periodic system to the left of Aluminum residing in the 3rd. The latter has got one additional proton and a couple of neutrons more.

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Re:Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure by artimaeis on Thursday June 22, 2023 @06:38PM (#36440147)

There’s more to it than their atomic weights. Magnesium (24 amu) is ~66% the density of aluminum (27 amu). As I understand it, the crystalline structure of aluminum is more “tightly packed” than that of magnesium.

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Re:Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure by nick0garvey on Thursday June 22, 2023 @05:27PM (#36439262)

Aluminum alloys are also generally stronger than magnesium alloys.

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Re:Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure by larperdoodle on Thursday June 22, 2023 @05:13PM (#36439102)

Quick search says its about $1 more per kilo

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Re:Framework Laptop 16 Deep Dive – Enclosure by coastermug on Thursday June 22, 2023 @05:47PM (#36439522)

Magnesium is harder to machine. The chips produced can be highly flammable.

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