6061-O
Annealed. Best for deep drawing, spinning and severe stamping. Parts must be solution-treated and aged afterwards to gain strength, which adds a furnace step and some distortion risk.
Heat-treatable Al-Mg-Si coil
6061 Aluminium Coil, Strip and Sheet
6061 coil is the heat-treatable aluminium-magnesium-silicon alloy in rolled, coiled form: soft enough in O and T4 temper to stamp and form, and strong after ageing to T6. Buyers use it where a part needs more strength than 5052 can give, or where formed blanks are aged after forming. Metline supplies 6061 coil, slit strip and cut-to-length sheet in O, T4 and T6 to ASTM B209, AMS and EN 485, to customers worldwide.
- Alloy
- 6061 (Al-Mg-Si-Cu)
- Tempers
- O, T4, T42, T6, T62
- Thickness
- About 0.2 – 4 mm in coil
- Standards
- ASTM B209 · AMS 4025-4027 · EN 485
6061 in coil form: what it is and why the temper matters
Most 6061 is sold as plate, bar and extrusions. Coil and strip are a narrower market, but an important one: they let a press shop stamp, roll-form or deep-draw a heat-treatable alloy and then age the parts to near-T6 strength.
6061 gets its strength from magnesium silicide (Mg2Si) precipitates formed during solution heat treatment and ageing, with a small copper addition that raises strength further and chromium that controls grain growth. In coil, the temper you order decides how the material behaves on your line far more than the alloy number does.
O-temper (annealed) coil is the softest and forms almost like 5052-O, though it is weaker. T4 coil has been solution-treated and naturally aged; it is noticeably stronger but still bends well, and it will reach T6-level strength if your formed parts are artificially aged at about 160 – 175 °C. T6 coil is fully aged and strongest, but it bends poorly and is mostly used flat or with generous radii. The certification of a part that you age yourself is normally T62 or T42, which tells the inspector that the temper was produced by the user rather than the mill.
6061 chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Silicon (Si) | 0.40 | 0.8 |
| Iron (Fe) | — | 0.7 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.15 | 0.40 |
| Manganese (Mn) | — | 0.15 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 0.04 | 0.35 |
| Zinc (Zn) | — | 0.25 |
| Titanium (Ti) | — | 0.15 |
| Others, each / total | — | 0.05 / 0.15 |
| Aluminium (Al) | Remainder |
Aluminum Association registered limits, also used in ASTM B209 and EN 573-3 (EN AW-6061 / EN AW-AlMg1SiCu).
6061 coil and sheet properties by temper
| Temper | Tensile (typical) | Yield (typical) | Elongation (typical) | ASTM B209 minimum (tensile / yield) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | 125 MPa | 55 MPa | 25 % | 152 MPa max tensile; 83 MPa max yield |
| T4 / T42 | 240 MPa | 145 MPa | 22 % | 207 / 110 MPa |
| T6 / T62 | 310 MPa | 275 MPa | 12 % | 290 / 240 MPa |
Typical values from Aluminum Association and ASM data. ASTM B209 minimums shown are for sheet in the common thickness range; elongation minimums depend on gauge (for T6, 8 % below 0.50 mm and 10 % from 0.50 mm). O temper is specified by maximum, not minimum, strength. The 3.1 certificate gives the result for your lot.
Physical properties
- Density
- 2.70 g/cm³
- Melting range
- About 582 – 652 °C
- Modulus of elasticity
- 68.9 GPa
- Thermal conductivity
- About 180 W/m·K (O); 167 W/m·K (T6)
- Electrical conductivity
- About 47 % IACS (O); 43 % IACS (T6)
- Coefficient of thermal expansion
- 23.6 µm/m·°C (20 – 100 °C)
Choosing O, T4 or T6 coil
6061-T4
Solution-treated and naturally aged. The usual choice for formed parts that will be aged later: it bends to roughly 1 – 2 × thickness in thin gauges and ages to T62 at about 160 – 175 °C for 8 – 18 hours.
6061-T6
Fully aged; highest strength. Use for flat blanks, gentle bends and machined strip. Minimum bend radii are much larger than in T4, and cracks appear on tight bends across the grain.
T42 / T62
Tempers produced by the user from O or T4 material. Specify these when your drawing or inspector needs to know who did the heat treatment.
A practical tip: T4 strip continues to age slowly at room temperature, so plan to form it within a reasonable time of receipt. If a long gap is unavoidable, ask us about storage and test the bend radius on a sample before running production.
Standards and international equivalents
| System | Designation | Product standard |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Association / ASTM | 6061 | ASTM B209 / B209M (ASME SB-209) |
| UNS | A96061 | — |
| Aerospace (SAE AMS) | 6061-O / T4 / T6 | AMS 4025 (O), AMS 4026 (T4), AMS 4027 (T6) |
| European (EN) | EN AW-6061 / EN AW-AlMg1SiCu | EN 485-1/-2/-4, EN 573-3 |
| German Werkstoff | 3.3211 | DIN EN 485 |
| ISO | AlMg1SiCu | ISO 6361 |
| Japan (JIS) | A6061P | JIS H4000 |
| China (GB) | 6061 | GB/T 3880 |
| India (IS) | 65032 (nearest) | IS 737 |
Quote the standard and edition on your purchase order. An alloy number alone does not define tolerances, test frequency or temper limits, and EN 485-2 and ASTM B209 minimums differ slightly at some thicknesses.
6061 coil sizes and weights
Supply range
- Thickness
- About 0.2 – 4 mm in coil; thicker gauges as cut sheet or plate
- Width
- Master coils up to about 1500 – 2000 mm depending on gauge; slit strip from about 10 mm
- Inner diameter
- 150, 305, 405, 505 or 508 mm
- Surface
- Mill finish, PVC-filmed or paper-interleaved sheet
- Processing
- Slitting, cut-to-length, blanking and circles
Approximate weight of a 6061 coil wound on a 508 mm core, at 2.70 g/cm³:
| Coil width (mm) | OD 1000 mm (kg) | OD 1200 mm (kg) | OD 1500 mm (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 787 | 1253 | 2112 |
| 1000 | 1573 | 2506 | 4224 |
| 1250 | 1967 | 3133 | 5280 |
| 1500 | 2360 | 3760 | 6336 |
Linear weight of strip is simpler: kg per metre = thickness (mm) × width (mm) × 0.0027. A 1.5 mm × 100 mm strip weighs 0.405 kg/m.
Tolerances, flatness and inspection
Thickness, width and flatness tolerances follow ANSI H35.2 when ordered to ASTM B209, or EN 485-4 for cold-rolled strip in Europe. Heat-treated strip carries more residual stress and shape than non-heat-treatable coil, because it has been quenched; tension levelling after heat treatment improves flatness and is worth requesting for blanks that must lie flat on a press bed or fixture.
| Check | Method | Reported on |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | Spectrometer analysis of the cast | EN 10204 3.1 certificate |
| Tensile, yield, elongation | Per lot to ASTM B557 or EN ISO 6892-1 | EN 10204 3.1 certificate |
| Temper confirmation | Conductivity or hardness check where required | Inspection report on request |
| Dimensions | Thickness gauge, width and edge camber | Inspection report |
| Surface | Visual inspection for scratches, roll marks, stains | Packing list remarks |
Forming, welding, machining and finishing
Forming
Form in O or T4 and age afterwards when strength matters. In T6, use bend radii of several times thickness and bend across rather than along the rolling direction where possible.
Welding
TIG and MIG with ER4043 or ER5356 filler. The heat-affected zone of T6 drops towards T4-level strength, so design welded joints with welded-condition allowables or re-heat-treat the assembly.
Machining
T6 machines well with sharp carbide tools; O and T4 tend to smear and form built-up edge.
Finishing
Anodises well (clear and colour), and takes paint and powder coat after conversion coating. Avoid 4043-welded areas on parts that will be anodised, as they darken.
Where 6061 coil and strip are used
- Transport: stamped brackets, reinforcements and trim that are aged after forming
- Electronics: laptop, tablet and device housings machined or stamped from T6 or T4 sheet
- Electrical: busbar strip and connector blanks where strength and conductivity are both needed
- Machinery: guards, covers, spacers and machined flat parts
- Aerospace and defence: secondary structure and fittings to AMS 4025-4027
- Consumer goods: bicycle parts, sports equipment and outdoor gear
6061 coil compared with 5052, 6082 and 7075
| Property | 5052-H32 | 6061-T6 | 6082-T6 | 7075-T6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical tensile strength | 230 MPa | 310 MPa | 340 MPa | 570 MPa |
| Formability in supplied temper | Very good | Limited | Limited | Poor |
| Heat-treatable | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seawater resistance | Excellent | Good | Good | Fair |
| Weldability | Very good | Good | Good | Not for fusion welding |
If a part only needs moderate strength and plenty of forming, 5052 is simpler because there is no ageing step. 6082 is the European counterpart of 6061 and slightly stronger. See 6061 vs 6082 for a detailed comparison.
How to order 6061 coil
- SpecifyAlloy, temper and standard (for example 6061-T4 to ASTM B209), thickness, width, ID, coil weight or OD and surface.
- QuoteWe confirm availability, tolerances, certification and terms (EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP).
- ProcessSlitting, cut-to-length or blanking as ordered, with dimensional and surface checks.
- DocumentMill test certificate to EN 10204 3.1 showing chemistry and tensile results for the lot.
- ShipEye-to-sky or eye-to-wall on wooden skids, sealed against moisture with desiccant, for sea or air freight.
References and standards
- ASTM B209 – Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate
- SAE AMS 4025 / 4026 / 4027 – 6061 sheet and plate, O, T4 and T6
- EN 485-2 – Aluminium and aluminium alloys: sheet, strip and plate, mechanical properties
- The Aluminum Association – International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits
- ASM Handbook, Volume 2 – Properties of Wrought Aluminum Alloys
6061 aluminium coil: frequently asked questions
Is 6061 aluminum available in coil, or only in sheet and plate?
It is available in coil and slit strip, mainly in thinner gauges and in O and T4 tempers. T6 is supplied in coil for thin gauges, but much T6 material is sold as cut sheet because the fully aged alloy is stiff to recoil.
Should I buy 6061-T4 or T6 strip for stamped parts?
If the part has tight bends, buy T4 and age the formed parts to T62 at about 160 – 175 °C. If the part is flat or only gently bent, T6 saves you a heat-treatment step.
What is the difference between T6 and T62?
Both are solution-treated and artificially aged. T6 is produced by the mill; T62 is produced by the user from O or T4 material, and the minimum properties are similar.
How much does a 6061 coil weigh?
Weight = width × π/4 × (OD² − ID²) × 2.70 g/cm³. A 1000 mm wide coil with a 1200 mm OD on a 508 mm core weighs about 2.5 tonnes.
Can 6061 strip be welded?
Yes, with ER4043 or ER5356 filler. Expect lower strength next to the weld in T6 material unless the assembly is heat-treated again.
What certificate comes with 6061 coil?
An EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate with chemical analysis and tensile results for the lot, traceable to the coil numbers.
Need 6061 coil or strip?
Send thickness, width, temper, coil size and destination. We will confirm availability and quote a delivered price.
