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The OnlineMetals Guide to Aluminum
Next to steel, Aluminum is the most commonly used and commercially available metal. Its light weight
and high strength-to-weight ratio make it a good choice for everything from aircraft
to flashlights to jigs to just about anything else you can make out of metal.
Pure aluminum, primarily seen in the 1xxx series of wrought aluminum alloys, has little strength, but
possesses high electrical conductivity, reflectivity, and corrosion resistance. For this reason, a wide variety
of aluminum alloys have been developed.
OnlineMetals.com currently stocks seven alloys of aluminum in various shapes and sizes:
| 2011 Aluminum |
(available in Hex, Round) |
| 2024 Aluminum |
(available in Plate, Rectangle, Round, Sheet, Square, Tube) |
| 5052 Aluminum |
(available in Sheet) |
| 6061 Aluminum |
(available in Angle, Channel, I-Beam, Pipe, Plate, Rectangle, Round, Sheet, Square, Tube) |
| 6063 Aluminum |
(available in Angle, Channel, Rectangle Tube, Square Tube) |
| 6262 Aluminum |
(available in Hex, Round) |
| 7075 Aluminum |
(available in Plate, Round, Sheet) |
2011 Aluminum
2011 is the most machinable of the commonly available aluminum alloys. Machining this alloy can produce excellent
surface finishes on your product, and small, broken chips.
Weldability, strength, and anodizing response are all rated as average at best, and this alloy does not have a high
degree of corrosion resistance.
If the ability to make your part quickly is important to you, and strength is not the primary desire, 2011 represents
a good choice if you're using aluminum.
| 2011-T3 Aluminum |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
55,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
43,000 |
| Brinell Hardness |
95 |
| Rockwell Hardness |
B60 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
91.2 - 94.6% |
| Bismuth (Bi) |
0.2 - 0.6% |
| Copper (Cu) |
5.0 - 6.0% |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.7% max |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
2.1 - 2.9% |
| Lead (Pb) |
0.2 - 0.6% |
| Silicon (Si) |
0.4% max |
2024 Aluminum
Copper is the main alloying ingredient in 2024. It is very strong compared to most aluminum alloys, and has
average machinability, but the copper component of this alloy makes it susceptible to corrosion (many items in
this alloy are produced with a clad surface to protect the underlying material.) In addition, 2024 is not considered
to be weldable.
Finally, the fatigue resistance of 2024 make it a primary choice when the application is expected to be under
stress or strain for prolonged periods. It is commonly used in aerospace applications.
| 2024-T3 Aluminum |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
70,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
50,000 |
| Brinell Hardness |
120 |
| Rockwell Hardness |
B75 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
90.7 - 94.7% |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.1% max |
| Copper (Cu) |
3.8 - 4.9% |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.5% max |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
1.2 - 1.8% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
0.3 - 0.9% |
| Silicon (Si) |
0.5% max |
5052 Aluminum
5052 is the alloy most suited to forming operations, with good workability and higher strength than that of the 1100
or 3003 alloys that are commercially available.
5052 is not heat-treatable, but is stronger than most of the 5xxx series of alloys. It has very good corrosion
resistance, and can be easily welded. 5052 is not a good choice for extensive machining operations, as it has
only a fair machinability rating.
| 5052-H32 Aluminum |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
33,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
28,000 |
| Brinell Hardness |
60 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
95.7 - 97.7% |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.15 - 0.35% |
| Copper (Cu) |
0.1% max |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.4% max |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
2.2 - 2.8% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
0.1% max |
| Silicon (Si) |
0.25% max |
6061 Aluminum
6061 Aluminum is, by most any measure, the most commonly used aluminum alloy. It is specified in most any
application due to its strength, heat treatability, comparatively easy machining, and weldability. If that were not
enough, it is also capable of being anodized, adding a layer of protection for finished parts.
The main alloy ingredients of 6061 aluminum are magnesium and silicon.
| 6061-T6 Aluminum |
| Physical and Mechanical Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
45,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
40,000 |
| Brinell Hardness |
95 |
| Rockwell Hardness |
B60 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
95.8 - 98.6% |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.04 - 0.35% |
| Copper (Cu) |
0.15 - 0.40% |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.70% |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
0.8 - 1.2% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
0.15% max |
| Silicon (Si) |
0.4 - 0.8% |
| Zinc (Zn) |
0.25% |
6063 Aluminum
6063 is often called architectural aluminum for two reasons - first, it has a surface finish that is far smoother
than the other commercially available alloys, and second, its strength is significantly less (roughly half the strength
of 6061), making it suited for applications where strength is not the foremost consideration.
6063 is rated as "Good" for forming and cold working operations, "Excellent" for anodizing, and "Fair" for machining.
| 6063-T52 Aluminum |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
27,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
21,000 |
| Brinell Hardness |
60 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
97.5% max |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.1% max |
| Copper (Cu) |
0.1% max |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.35% max |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
0.45 - 0.90% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
0.1% max |
| Silicon (Si) |
0.2 - 0.6% |
6262 Aluminum
6262 was designed as an aluminum alloy for operations where significant machining is required. It contains lead and bismuth to help
with chip creation and breakage, as well as to partially lubricate the cutting tool. It is generally regarded as having good strength and
corrosion resistance. Finished parts can be produced with a high level of polishing.
| 6262-T6511 Aluminum |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
31,900 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
27,600 |
| Brinell Hardness |
71 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
94.6 - 97.8% |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.04 - 0.14% |
| Copper (Cu) |
0.15 - 0.40% |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.7% max |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
0.8 - 1.2% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
0.15% Max |
| Silicon (Si) |
0.4 - 0.8% |
| Lead (Pb) |
0.4 - 0.7% |
7075 Aluminum
7075 is the other "aircraft grade" aluminum that is carried by OnlineMetals. Its principal alloying ingredients are Zinc
and copper, which make it one of the highest-strength aluminum alloys that are available. In fact, its typical strength in
the T6 temper is higher than most mild steels.
7075 also has average-to-good ratings for machinability, corrosion resistance, and anodizing response. Like 2024, however,
it is not considered to be weldable.
| 7075-T6 Aluminum |
| Physical and Mechanical Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
83,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
73,000 |
| Brinell Hardness |
150 |
| Rockwell Hardness |
B87 |
| Chemistry |
Aluminum (Al) |
87.1 - 91.4% |
| Zinc (Zn) |
5.1 - 6.1% max |
| Copper (Cu) |
1.2 - 2.0% |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.18 - 0.28% |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.5 max |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
2.1 - 2.9% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
0.3% max |
At OnlineMetals, we all failed shop class. Multiple times. As a matter of fact, our employment applications
specifically ask to see people's grades for their high school shop classes. If they're too high, they go
into the rejected pile. We're also not engineers, and cannot make any specific recommendations about the suitability
of a given alloy, temper, or shape for your project or application.
All technical data is for comparison purposes only and is NOT FOR DESIGN. It has been compiled
from sources we believe to be accurate but cannot guarantee. This ends the part of the website
that our pointy-headed lawyers made us put in.
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