Company news | 14-05-2024

Summarizing what you need to know about Aluminium 6061 and its suitable applications

What is Aluminium 6061? This is an aluminium alloy combining aluminium billets with elements such as Magnesium, Silicon, and some other elements. Let’s explore the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages to appropriately apply Aluminium 6061 shaped bars in the following article.

1. What is Aluminium 6061?

Aluminium 6061, or the 6061 aluminium grade, is an aluminium alloy combining aluminium billets with elements such as Magnesium, Silicon, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Chromium, etc. Therefore, Aluminium 6061 possesses characteristics of easy shaping, easy welding, and good corrosion resistance.

Moreover, Aluminium 6061 is produced in various shapes such as bars, rods, etc. Each type comes in a variety of sizes and thicknesses for flexible use, suitable for many projects and constructions.

The composition of Aluminium 6061 shaped bars is as follows: Percentage unit %

Composition Si Mg Mn Cu Fe Cr Zn Ti Other alloying elements Ai
Rate 0,4-0,8 0,8-1,2 ≤0,15 0,15 -,0,4 <0,7 0,04 – 0,35 ≤0,25 ≤0,15 <0,15 Remaining

2. Prominent characteristics of Aluminium 6061

With the above composition, Aluminium 6061 possesses remarkable characteristics and advantages as follows:

  • Lightweight: Due to its low density (2.7g/cm³), Aluminium 6061 plays a significant role in reducing the weight of systems and structures. For example, reducing the weight of aircraft, ships, etc.
  • Good ductility: Aluminium 6061 has an A1 lattice structure, so it has high ductility, making it easy to shape into various forms.
  • Smooth surface, easy to process: This aluminium alloy has a smooth surface, making it easy to process into various shapes without the need for surface smoothing.
  • High corrosion resistance: Thanks to the formation of an aluminium oxide layer (Al2O3) when exposed to air, Aluminium 6061 has high corrosion resistance. It can resist external environmental factors, seawater, or chemicals such as sulfur, chloride.
  • High strength: Aluminium 6061 has high strength and is commonly used when strength and tensile strength of the finished product are top priorities.
  • Good welding properties: Aluminium 6061 has good welding properties and can be welded using all common welding methods such as arc welding, TIG welding, etc. Welded joints are easy to bond and have high strength.
  • Wide range of applications: Thanks to its lightweight, good corrosion resistance, shaping ability, and good welding properties, Aluminium 6061 is widely used in various industries such as aerospace, maritime, and industrial applications.
Đặc tính của nhôm 6061
Prominent characteristics of Aluminium 6061

3. Classification of Aluminium Alloy 6061

Aluminium 6061 is divided into 4 main types: Aluminium 6061-T0, Aluminium 6061-T4, Aluminium 6061-T5, Aluminium 6061-T6. Each type is produced from different Aluminium 6061 manufacturing processes and differs in hardness. Specifically as follows:

Aluminium Grade Manufacturing Processes
6061-T0 To achieve lower strength temperatures.
6061-T4 T4 solution, heat-treated, and naturally aged.
6061-T5 Cooled from an enhanced shaping process and artificially aged.
6061-T6 T6 solution, heat-treated, and artificially aged.

With the differing manufacturing processes, each type of Aluminium 6061 will have its own outstanding advantages.

  • Aluminium 6061-T0: This product is naturally cooled by air after the shaping and natural aging process.
  • Aluminium 6061-T4: This product is cooled by water immediately after the shaping process.
  • Aluminium 6061-T5: Cooled and artificially aged for about 4 hours then cooled by air, this product has relatively high hardness.
  • Aluminium 6061-T6: This product undergoes both heat treatment and artificial aging processes, resulting in higher hardness, bending strength, and maximum elongation ratio compared to other types, making it the most widely used in the Aluminium 6061 series.
Nhôm 6061 T6 là sản phẩm được sử dụng nhiều nhất
Aluminium 6061 T6 is the most widely used product in the Aluminium 6061 series.

4. Comparing Aluminium 6061 with Aluminium 6063 and Aluminium 6005

Comparing Aluminium 6061 with Aluminium 6063 and Aluminium 6005 below will help you see the differences and advantages of this aluminium series.

4.1. Comparing Composition

The difference between Aluminium 6061 and other aluminium alloys lies in the proportion of components in each aluminium alloy. The composition of compounds in each type of Aluminium 6061, 6063, and 6005 is as follows:

Composition Si Mg Mn Cu Fe Cr Zn Ti Other alloying elements Al
Aluminium 6061 0,4-0,8 0,8-1,2 ≤0,15 0,15-0,4 <0,7 0,04- 0,35 ≤0,25 ≤0,15 <0,15
Aluminium 6063 0,2-0,6 0,45-0,9 ≤0,1 ≤0,1 ≤0,3 ≤0,1 ≤0,1 ≤0,1 <0,15 Còn lại
Aluminium 6005A 0,5-0,9 0,4-0,7 ≤0,5 ≤0,3 ≤0,3 ≤0,25 ≤0,2 ≤0,1 <0,15 Còn lại

Among the aluminium alloys 6061, 6063, and 6005A, the most significant differences lie in the composition of Si and Mg, which create unique characteristics for each aluminium type.

4.2. Comparing Characteristics

Due to the differences in the composition of aluminium alloys, Aluminium 6061 exhibits distinct characteristics compared to Aluminium 6063 and 6005.

Aluminium Grade Tensile strength (N/mm2) Proof stress (N/mm2) Elongation Hardness
Aluminium 6061 (T6) ≥265 ≥245 8% ≥95HV
Aluminium 6063 (T5) ≥150 ≥110 8% ≥58HV
Aluminium 6005 (T5) ≥250 ≥200 8% ≥85HV

Aluminium 6061 is known for its good hardness, tensile strength, and elongation, meeting industry standards. On the other hand, Aluminium 6063 and 6005 have lower yield limits and hardness, providing better flexibility and shaping capabilities.

5. Applications of Aluminium 6061 in manufacturing

Aluminium 6061 finds widespread applications across various sectors, both in daily life and industry:

  • Transportation Manufacturing: Due to its lightweight and high strength, Aluminium 6061 is used for making automotive parts, vehicle frames for cars, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.
  • Aerospace Industry: With its easy shaping properties, lightweight, and high durability, Aluminium 6061 is commonly used in the construction of aircraft fuselages, spacecraft, and other components.
  • Maritime Industry: Aluminium 6061 is well-suited for making valve accessories, parts under heavy pressure, etc., for ships due to its high corrosion resistance, avoiding corrosion from saltwater.
  • Mechanical Engineering: It’s used for making moulds used in machining, mechanical moulds, mechanical tools, etc., due to its strength and minimal expansion due to heat.
  • Accessories: Aluminium 6061, with its high durability, is applied in making various hydraulic valves, load-bearing accessories, etc.
  • In Daily Life: Aluminium 6061 is extensively used in making household items, interior decorations like aluminium doors, wardrobes, hanging shelves, etc., due to its high hardness, durability, and smooth, glossy surface, enhancing aesthetic value.
Aluminium 6061 is utilized for aircraft fuselage due to its high durability and excellent load-bearing capacity.

6. How much does Aluminium 6061 cost?

There isn’t a fixed price for Aluminium 6061 as its price depends on several factors such as:

  • Thickness: Typically, different thicknesses will have different costs.
  • Type of aluminium: Each type of Aluminium 6061, like Aluminium 6061 T6, Aluminium 6061 T4, will have its own price.
  • Supplier: Each supplier will have a different price, so customers need to choose a reputable supplier to obtain quality Aluminium 6061 products.
  • Market conditions: Depending on market conditions such as oil prices, inflation, etc., the price of Aluminium 6061 will vary at different times.

Currently, the demand for aluminium domestically is increasing, accompanied by increasingly stringent customer requirements. Ngọc Diệp Aluminium Joint Stock Company has been continuously improving its production process and technology to provide thousands of products that meet quality standards both domestically and internationally.

Công ty Cổ phần Nhôm Ngọc Diệp - Đơn vị cung ứng nhôm billet 6061 chất lượng tốt
Ngoc Diep Aluminium Joint Stock Company – A Supplier of High-Quality Aluminium Billet 6061 at Competitive Prices

With a sprawling production facility spanning 120,000 square meters in Hưng Yên, equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and technology, Ngọc Diệp pledges to deliver high-quality aluminium products that bring long-lasting value to its customers.

Ngoc Diep’s main product lines include:

  • Shaped aluminium: Aluminium bars; Aluminium profiles for construction (aluminium profile bars) used for door frames, wall frames, flashing, rolling door frames, etc.; Industrial aluminium used in the manufacturing of automobiles, computers, electronic components, etc.
  • Aluminium Billet: Series 6000, series 7000, etc., available in sizes 4 inches, 5 inches, 7 inches, etc
  • Aluminium systems: 87, 93, 95, 55, 65, etc.
  • Industrial aluminium

With these offerings, we hope to have provided a clear understanding of what Aluminium 6061 is. This type of aluminium boasts many outstanding features and is widely used in various industries.

If you have any needs or require consultation on Ngọc Diệp’s aluminium products, please feel free to contact us at the following information:

  • Headquarters: 35 Hai Ba Trung – Hoan Kiem – Hanoi.
  • Tel: 024. 3958. 8588 – Hotline: 0918. 762. 013
  • Ho Chi Minh City Branch: 360 Dien Bien Phu – Binh Thanh – Ho Chi Minh City.
  • Factory: C2 Road – Zone C – Pho Noi A Industrial Park – Van Lam – Hung Yen.