6061 Aluminum Round Tube

Designed for use in aerospace, fittings, valves, drive shafts, couplings, structural, signs, and marine applications.

Description

The 6061 aluminum round tube is a readily machinable and weldable product. It is made with silicon and magnesium. This heat treated aluminum has the highest corrosion resistance in its class, but is less strong than other heat treated aluminum alloys. This is why it’s widely used in various industries. The applications it’s commonly used for include hydraulic valve bodies, base plates, frames, structural components, electrical fittings, camera lens mounts and marine components. It can also be used for heavy duty structures that need metals with high resistance to corrosion and good strength-to-weight ratios.

This product can be hardened using heat treatment. When in the annealed condition, 6061 aluminum alloys can be cold worked using standard methods. This enables it to be drilled, stamped, cut, bent, tapped and deep drawn. 6061 aluminum grades can be welded using any of the common methods.

The forging of this metal should be done at a range between 750 and 900 degrees F. A range between 500 and 700 degrees F should be applied when hot working 6061 alloy grades. When this product is machined, it has a high finish. In order to further prevent corrosion, anodizing can be performed, or other coatings can be applied.

Heat treatment methods can be used like solution heat treatment, which is suggested at 990 degrees F. Sufficient time in this heat should be given to allow thorough heating of the metal. Water quenching should be used afterward. For precipitation hardening, 18 hours at 320 degrees F is required, then at 350 degrees F for eight hours, followed by air cooling.

Available sizes for the 6061 aluminum tube are between 1 and 13.5 inches OD and up to 288 inches long.

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