Material 6061
Material 6061 is one of the most popular aluminum alloys. It is highly touted for its corrosion resistance, workability, and strength-to-weight ratio. Parts made from this popular alloy are common in piping, buildings, automotive components, and consumer electronics.
The metal’s advantages are derived from the suitable chemical and mechanical properties, which include low density, high electrical conductivity, high strength-to-weight ratio, and excellent corrosion resistance.
For this set of properties and corresponding applications, material 6061 warrants more expounding. As a renowned manufacturer, ProleanTech knows the value of using aluminum alloy parts.
If you are looking for a lightweight, strong, corrosion-resistant, and conductive material for your project, CNC machined aluminium alloy 6061 may be what you require.
Let us analyze the material in more detail.
What is Material 6061?
Material 606 is a commonly available heat-treatable alloy of aluminum. It has desirable mechanical, physical, and chemical characteristics for a broad range of applications.
Therefore, this material is seen in rivets, ship manufacturing, truck frames, train coaches, and bridges, among many other areas. Users are drawn to not only the strength of the material but also corrosion resistance, ease of use, and low weight.
For 6061 aluminum composition, the components are manganese, iron, magnesium, and silicon. Others are chromium, titanium, and zinc.
In its raw form, material 6061 is dull gray, potentially with visible surface imperfections. Of course, it becomes cleaner and brighter after CNC machining. This guide to CNC Machining details more about the effect of material properties.
When anodized or polished, the alloy is shiny and can be any color.
The Chemical Properties Of Material 6061
The chemical stability of material 6061 is a big asset for many industries that rely on China CNC Machining Services. With magnesium and silicon as some of the alloys, this material develops a protective oxide layer that prevents further degradation upon exposure to air.
To add to corrosion resistance, aluminium alloy 6061 parts arenon-magnetic, hence perfect for sensitive applications. The chemical quality of this alloy is maintained even after the tempering process, for instance, the formation of 6061-t6. This chemical versatility makes alloy 6061 extremely popular in diverse applications.
The exact chemical composition of aluminium metal 6061 is as indicated in the table below.
| Chemical element | Percentage of chemical composition |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.15 |
| Iron (Fe) | 0.7 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 0.8-1.2 |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.40-0.8 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.15-0.40 |
| Zinc (Zn) | 0.25 |
| Titanium (Ti) | 0.15 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 0.04-0.35 |
| Others | 0.15 |
| Aluminum | The rest |
The Physical And Mechanical Properties Of Material 6061
Material 6061 has very desirable physical properties that include a low density of aluminum 6061 of 2.70 g/cm3 and a high melting point of 650 °C. The modulus of elasticity for this aluminum alloy is an impressive 70 GPa.
The combination of low weight and high thermal conductivity of aluminium is ideal for heat management applications. When exposed to the environment, the material is silvery-gray due to the formation of an oxide layer.
Aluminum oxide layer
The tensile strength of the aluminum alloy is relatively high, but the exact figure depends on the specific alloy. For instance, the 6061 aluminum yield stress for t6 temper is typically at about 290 MPa. This suggests a suitable material for structural applications.
The alloy’s balance of this strength with workability is unmatched. Easy to weld and with very good ductility, material 6061 is a user-friendly material that any manufacturer would want for a favorable production cycle time in CNC machining.
This explains its presence in diverse fields.
The alloy’s fatigue resistance is also good, so it is an excellent choice for cyclic load conditions.
Here is a table summarizing the mechanical and physical properties of material 6061:
| Property | Value |
| Mechanical Properties | |
| Ultimate Tensile Strength | 310 MPa |
| Yield Strength | 276 MPa |
| Elongation at Break | 12-17% |
| Hardness (Brinell) | 95 |
| Modulus of Elasticity | 68.9 GPa |
| Physical Properties | |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion | 23.6 µm/m-°C | 13.1 µin/in-°F (for T6) |
| Density | 2.7 g/cm3 |
| Melting Point | 588°C |
| Thermal Conductivity | 167 W/mK |
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What Are The Advantages Of Material 6061?
The chemical composition and general 6061 t6 aluminum properties and those of related tempers provide several advantages for parts users. With machining expertise from ProleanTech involved in either large or small-batch CNC machining, material 6061 offers advantages such as corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, and high workability.
High Corrosion Resistance
Aluminum 6061 effectively forms a protective oxide layer that protects against rust. It carries this property from the aluminum component. Since the alloy has magnesium added, this resistance is even stronger.
High Strength-to-weight Ratio
While 6061 AL is not as strong in its untreated state, T6 tempering makes it extremely tough. This processing can make the alloy as strong as 2024 aluminum.
Tempering entails subjecting the material to a heat treatment process that includes quenching and solution treatment. It can increase the alloy’s tensile strength by around 90 MPa.
Heat treatment for material 6061
Excellent Fabrication
Machinability and workability – two important elements of fabrication – are favorable with material 6061. Forging the alloy is notably very easy compared to other aluminum alloys. This characteristic is preferable in mass manufacture of parts, especially in automotive factories.
Clients looking for the best press fit tolerance may want to consider this material for this reason.
The Applications Of Material 6061 To Consider
With its many suitable properties, aluminum alloy 6061 has many applications. You will find it in aircrafts, marine equipment, automotive components, bicycle components, and many other areas.
Let us discuss some of these uses:
Material 6061 in Aircraft Parts
Aluminium alloy 6061 is lightweight and strong, hence it fulfils two fundamental properties of the best materials for this application. These properties are perfectly complemented by good workability and corrosion resistance.
Aluminum 6061 sheet
The material is therefore perfect for engine parts, fuselage, rotor blades, and related parts.
We have also covered the machining of alternative materials in this industry in this guide: Composites CNC Machining.
Aluminium Alloy 6061 For Marine Components
The corrosion resistance and strength of this alloy are two crucial properties for parts in the marine environment. Its resistance to moisture and saltwater means parts can last for a long time in the punishing environment.
Aluminum 6061 used in boats
Since the alloy is both lightweight and strong, it doesn’t add unnecessary weight to marine vessels. Specific marine parts made of metal are rails, cranes, hulls, and boat hardtops.
Material 6061 For Automotive Components
Many car manufacturers like to use material 6061 for various components, mainly for its strength, low weight, corrosion resistance, and workability. Aluminum alloy 6061 T6 is prominently used in doors, hoods, roof rails, and other parts that require a combination of the above properties.
A car aluminum body
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Manufacturing Material 6061 – Common Options In The Market
As mentioned earlier, aluminum material 6061 is extremely easy to work with and responds well to most manufacturing processes. Common manufacturing methods applied to the alloy are casting, extrusion, forging, rolling, and CNC machining services.
It is not a surprise that this metal is one of the common Materials for CNC Machining at ProleanTech, a company that has experience with over 100 material varieties.
The main processing methods are briefly discussed below:
CNC Machining
Material 6061 is excellent for CNC machining mostly because of its incredible machinability. It can be easily machined into intricate parts, a property that industries such as medical and aerospace value.
Material 6061 CNC machining
Learn more about the Machinability of Material and Relation with CNC Machining.
Other factors that make 6061 aluminum perfect for CNC machining are crack resistance, corrosion resistance, and cost-effectiveness. On cost, there are handy CNC Machining Cost Optimizing Strategies that one can apply to achieve even higher savings.
You can use common materials for CNC machining to produce parts such as:
- Heat exchangers
- Bridges
- Truck frames
- Industrial boilers
- Train coaches
Extrusion
Aluminum 6061 is ideal for extrusion because it flows excellently under pressure. The hot metal is forced through a die to produce the desired profile. This method is widely used to manufacture standard profiles such as bars and rods. Custom profiles can also be produced.
Aluminum direct extrusion
Forging
Heat is an old metal forming process entailing subjecting hot metal to force and pressure to attain desired shapes. The resulting product has a refined grain structure and is stronger. It is common to use forged 6061 aluminum in high-stress applications in cars, aircraft, and other areas.
Aluminum cold forging
Rolling
Rolling involves passing metal through rollers to produce specific shapes of thinner cross-sections. Sheets of 6061 aluminum are produced this way. Panels of rolled material 6061 are widely used in the automotive and packaging industries.
The rolling process
In Summary
Whether you are investing in new parts or components or want to upgrade what you have been dealing with, choosing aluminum alloy 6061 parts assures reliability, strength, and durability.
At ProleanTech, we manufacture parts for different industries using this popular alloy of aluminum under our CNC machining services. With years of demonstrated CNC machining service provision, we provide custom solutions for automotive, marine, aerospace, and other areas.
Get in contact with our experts today for more on our range of machining services for aluminum alloy 6061 and to learn how this versatile material can transform your business.
FAQs
What is 6061?
6061 refers to an aluminum alloy of high strength, good corrosion resistance, and good heat treatability.
What type of material is 6061?
6061 aluminum is a wrought metal with aluminum, magnesium, and silicon as the main alloying elements.
What are the disadvantages of 6061 aluminum?
6061 aluminum has two main disadvantages: It is unsuitable for extremely stressful applications due to its relatively lower strength compared to some other alloys.
Why is 6061 so popular?
Material 6061 is so popular because of its versatility drawn from a balance of strength, corrosion resistance, and workability.
Is 6061 aluminum stronger than stainless steel?
No, 6061 is typically not as strong as stainless steel. Its advantages are low weight and ease of machining.
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