Sep 27 2012
Topics Covered
Introduction
Chemical Composition
Physical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Thermal Properties
Other Designations
Fabrication and Heat Treatment
Machinability
Forming
Welding
Heat Treatment
Forging
Hot Working
Cold Working
Annealing
Aging
Hardening
Applications
Introduction
Aluminum alloys lose some of their strength when exposed to high
temperatures. However, their strength can be increased at subzero
temperatures, thus making them a useful low-temperature alloy. They
have high corrosion resistance. Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy is
known as an extrusion alloy.
The following datasheet gives an overview of Aluminium / Aluminum
6063 alloy.
Chemical Composition
The following table shows the chemical composition of Aluminium /
Aluminum 6063 alloy.
| Element |
Content
(%) |
| Aluminum, Al |
98.9 |
| Magnesium, Mg |
0.70 |
| Silicon, Si |
0.40 |
Physical Properties
The physical properties of Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy are
tabulated below.
| Properties |
Metric |
Imperial |
| Density |
2.7 g/cm3 |
0.0975 |
| Melting point |
622°C |
1150°F |
Mechanical Properties
The mechanical properties of Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy are
outlined in the following table.
| Properties |
Metric |
Imperial |
| Tensile strength |
90 MPa |
13053 psi |
| Yield strength |
48 MPa |
6962 psi |
| Shear strength |
69 MPa |
10008 psi |
| Fatigue strength |
55 MPa |
7977 psi |
| Elastic modulus |
70-80 GPa |
10153-11603 ksi |
| Poisson's ratio |
0.33 |
0.33 |
| Hardness |
25 |
25 |
Thermal Properties
The thermal properties of Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy are given
in the following table.
| Properties |
Conditions |
| T
(ºC) |
Treatment |
| Thermal expansion |
23.4 (10-6/ºC) |
20-100 |
- |
| Thermal conductivity |
218 W/mK |
25 |
- |
Other Designations
Other designations that are equivalent to Aluminium / Aluminum 6063
alloy include:
- ASTM B210
- ASTM B221
- ASTM B241
- ASTM B345
- ASTM B361
- ASTM B429
- ASTM B483
- ASTM B491
- MIL G-18014
- MIL G-18015
- MIL P-25995
- MIL W-85
- QQ A-200/9
- SAE J454
Fabrication and Heat Treatment
Machinability
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy has average machinability.
Forming
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy has good hot or cold formability.
Welding
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy has good weldability.
Heat Treatment
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy is heat treated at 522°C (970°F)
followed by quenching in water. This results in the production of T 4
temper. Other tempers can be produced by aging.
Forging
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy is hot forged at 260 to 510°C (500
to 950°F).
Hot Working
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy can be hot worked at temperatures
ranging from 260 to 510°C (500 to 950°F)
Cold Working
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy has good cold working capacity.
Annealing
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy is annealed at 413°C (775°F) for 3 h
followed by controlled cooling at 10 to 260°C (50 to 500°F) per hour,
and air cooling.
Aging
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy can be aged at 177°C (350°F) for 8 h
to produce T 6 and T 62 tempers. It can be aged at 183°C (360°F) to
produce T5 temper.
Hardening
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy can be hardened by aging heat
treatment and cold working.
Applications
Aluminium / Aluminum 6063 alloy is used in architectural extrusions.
It is also used in manufacturing windows, pipe railing, furniture, and
stair rails.