Overview and Characteristics of 6-Series Aluminum Alloys
6-series aluminum alloys are aluminum alloys that use magnesium and silicon as the main alloying elements, with the Mg2Si phase as the strengthening phase, and belong to heat-treatable aluminum alloys. These alloys have medium strength, high corrosion resistance, no tendency for stress corrosion cracking, good weldability, unchanged corrosion performance in the weld zone, and good formability and processing performance. When copper is present in the alloy, its strength can approach that of 2-series aluminum alloys, with better processing performance than 2-series aluminum alloys, but with decreased corrosion resistance. The alloy also has good forging properties. The most widely used 6-series alloys are 6061 and 6063, which have the best overall performance. Their main products are extruded profiles, making them the best extrusion alloys. These alloys are widely used for architectural profiles.
Currently, the produced 6-series aluminum alloy grades include 6005, 6060, 6061, 6063, 6082, 6201, 6262, 6463, and 6A02. The following provides a detailed introduction to the uses of each.
Main Uses of 6-Series Aluminum Alloys
6005 extruded profiles and tubes, used for structural parts requiring higher strength than 6063 alloys, such as ladders, TV antennas, etc.
6009 automotive body panels
6010 thin sheets: automotive body
6061 various industrial structural components requiring certain strength, weldability, and high corrosion resistance, such as pipes, bars, profiles, and sheets used in truck manufacturing, tower construction, shipbuilding, trams, furniture, machinery parts, and precision machining
6063 industrial profiles, architectural profiles, irrigation pipes, and extrusion materials for vehicles, benches, furniture, fences, etc.
6066 forgings and welded structural extrusion materials
6070 extrusion materials and tubes for heavy-duty welded structures and the automotive industry
6101 high-strength bars for buses, conductors, and radiator materials
6151 used for forged crankshaft parts, machine parts, and production of rolled rings, supplying excellent forgeability, high strength, and good corrosion resistance
6201 high-strength conductive bars and wires
6205 thick plates, pedal plates, and impact-resistant extrusion parts
6262 threaded high-stress parts requiring better corrosion resistance than 2011 and 2017 alloys
6351 extruded structural components for vehicles, water and oil pipelines
6463 profiles for construction and various equipment, as well as automotive decorative parts with bright surfaces after anodizing
6A02 aircraft engine parts, complex-shaped forgings and die forgings
