6063 aluminium
Encyclopedia
AA 6063 is an aluminium alloy
, with magnesium
and silicon
as the alloying elements. The standard controlling its composition is maintained by The Aluminum Association
. It has generally good mechanical properties and is heat treatable and weldable. It is similar to the British aluminium alloy HE9.
6063 is mostly used in extruded
shapes for architecture, particularly window frames, door frames, and roofs. It is typically produced with very smooth surfaces fit for anodizing.
, or heat treatment, of the material.
no more than 19,000 psi (131 Mpa), and no specified maximum yield strength. The material has elongation (stretch before ultimate failure) of 18%.
s - long constant-cross-section structural shapes produced by pushing metal through a shaped die
. These include "L" and "U" shaped channels and angles.
Aluminium alloy
Aluminium alloys are alloys in which aluminium is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. There are two principal classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided into the categories...
, with magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
and silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
as the alloying elements. The standard controlling its composition is maintained by The Aluminum Association
The Aluminum Association
The Aluminum Association is a trade association for the aluminum production, fabrication and recycling industries, and their suppliers. The Association is a 501 non-profit organization based in Arlington, Virginia, United States. The Aluminum Association is a trade association for the aluminum...
. It has generally good mechanical properties and is heat treatable and weldable. It is similar to the British aluminium alloy HE9.
6063 is mostly used in extruded
Extrusion
Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section...
shapes for architecture, particularly window frames, door frames, and roofs. It is typically produced with very smooth surfaces fit for anodizing.
Chemical composition
The alloy composition of 6063 is:- SiliconSiliconSilicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
minimum 0.2%, maximum 0.6% by weight - IronIronIron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
no minimum, maximum 0.35% - CopperCopperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
no minimum, maximum 0.10% - ManganeseManganeseManganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
no minimum, maximum 0.10% - MagnesiumMagnesiumMagnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
minimum 0.45%, maximum 0.9% - ChromiumChromiumChromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
no minimum, maximum 0.10% - ZincZincZinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
no minimum, maximum 0.10% - TitaniumTitaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
no minimum, maximum 0.10% - Other elements no more than 0.05% each, 0.15% total
- Remainder AluminiumAluminiumAluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
Mechanical properties
The mechanical properties of 6063 depend greatly on the temperTempering
Tempering is a heat treatment technique for metals, alloys and glass. In steels, tempering is done to "toughen" the metal by transforming brittle martensite or bainite into a combination of ferrite and cementite or sometimes Tempered martensite...
, or heat treatment, of the material.
6063-O
Un-heat-treated 6063 has maximum tensile strengthTensile strength
Ultimate tensile strength , often shortened to tensile strength or ultimate strength, is the maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before necking, which is when the specimen's cross-section starts to significantly contract...
no more than 19,000 psi (131 Mpa), and no specified maximum yield strength. The material has elongation (stretch before ultimate failure) of 18%.
6063-T1
T1 temper 6063 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 17,000 psi (117 MPa) in thicknesses up to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm), and 16,000 psi (110 MPa) from 0.5 to 1 inches (25.4 mm) thick, and yield strength of at least 9,000 psi (62 MPa) in thickness up to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) and 8,000 psi (55 MPa) from 0.5 to 1 inches (25.4 mm) thick. It has elongation of 12%.6063-T4
T4 temper 6063 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 19,000 psi (131 MPa) in thicknesses up to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm), and 18,000 psi (124 MPa) from 0.5 to 1 inches (25.4 mm) thick, and yield strength of at least 10,000 psi (69 MPa) up to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) and 9,000 psi (62 MPa) from 0.5 to 1 inches (25.4 mm). It has elongation of 14%.6063-T5
T5 temper 6063 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 22,000 psi (152 MPa) in thicknesses up to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm), and 21,000 psi (145 MPa) from 0.5 to 1 inches (25.4 mm) thick, and yield strength of at least 16,000 psi (110 MPa) up to 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) and 15,000 psi (103 MPa) (from 0.5 to 1 inches (25.4 mm). It has elongation of 8%.6063-T6
T6 temper 6063 has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 30,000 psi (207 MPa) and yield strength of at least 25,000 psi (172 MPa). In thicknesses of 0.124 inches (3.1 mm) or less, it has elongation of 8% or more; in thicker sections, it has elongation of 10%.Other tempers
6063 is also produced in tempers T52, T53, T54, T55, and T832, with various improved properties.Uses
6063 is used for architectural fabrication, window and door frames, pipe and tubing, and aluminium furniture.Welding
6063 is highly weldable, using tungsten inert gas welding. Typically, after welding, the properties near the weld are those of 6063-0, a loss of strength of up to 30%. The material can be re-heat-treated to restore a higher temper for the whole piece.Extrusions
6063 is widely used in the production of extrusionExtrusion
Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section...
s - long constant-cross-section structural shapes produced by pushing metal through a shaped die
Die (manufacturing)
A die is a specialized tool used in manufacturing industries to cut or shape material using a press. Like molds, dies are generally customized to the item they are used to create...
. These include "L" and "U" shaped channels and angles.