6061 Aluminum Sheet

This aluminum grade has excellent corrosion resistance, machinability, excellent surface quality, and good weldability. After heat treatment, this grade’s strength equals that of a low grade steel and can be used for moderate to high load bearing applications. It is also ideal for applications that require a combination of good strength-to-weight ratio, surface finishing, and corrosion resistance. One disadvantage of this grade is that it is not as easily formed.

It is often used in the construction, architecture, and marine industries.

This grade is often used for structural framing, moldings, fire ladders, a variety of welded assemblies, valves and fasteners, truck and bus bodies, crossmembers, brakes, wheels, receiver tanks, sail boats, bridge components and piping.

It has excellent machinability.

It has excellent weldability.

It is heat treatable.

As part of the 6000 aluminum alloy series, this grade is alloyed with magnesium and silicon. 6061 has a higher percentage of magnesium than silicon, which leads to its good strength-to-weight ratio, and lower formability. Its finer grain makes it suitable for anodizing, leading to excellent corrosion resistance.

6061 aluminum has the same density as pure aluminum, 2.7g/cm3, 0.0975 lb/in3.

Tempering aluminum increases the strength. 6061-T6 aluminum has an ultimate strength of 310 MPa (45,000 psi) and a yield strength of 270 MPa (39,000 psi).