6062-T6
Solution heat-treated (press or furnace quench) and artificially aged by the producer. The usual condition on drawings.
Aerospace · Legacy extrusion alloy
6062 Aerospace Aluminium Profiles (T6)
6062 is a heat-treatable Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy that is chemically 6061 with chromium held to a narrow, low band. Extruded 6062-T6 profiles still appear on older aircraft, helicopter and ground-equipment drawings for moderate-strength sections that are welded or brazed. Metline sources 6062 extrusions made to order, or helps buyers document an approved alternative, and ships worldwide with full traceability.
- Alloy
- 6062 (6061 chemistry, Cr 0.04 – 0.14 %)
- Tempers
- T6, T62, T4, O
- Forms
- Open and hollow profiles, bar, tube
- Supply
- Made to order
What 6062 aircraft profiles are
6062 was registered next to 6061 and 6063 when the four-digit system was introduced; its older US name was 62S. All its alloying limits match 6061 except chromium, which is restricted to 0.04 – 0.14 % instead of 0.04 – 0.35 %.
Chromium refines grain and helps resist stress-corrosion cracking, but it also makes the alloy more quench-sensitive and stiffer to extrude. Holding it low gave extruders a 6061-strength alloy that pushed more easily through complex dies and reached full T6 strength more consistently in thin walls. That is why 6062 was used for extruded shapes, tubing and hollow sections in mid-twentieth-century aircraft and why it lives on in maintenance manuals and spare-part drawings.
Today 6062 is not a routine mill grade. When an aerospace drawing calls 6062-T6 extrusions, the practical options are a production run in 6062 chemistry, or a written engineering approval to use 6061-T6 (for example to AMS 4150) or another grade. Metline handles both routes, but never substitutes a grade without the customer's written approval.
6062 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits as registered with the Aluminum Association. Some trade data sheets show manganese up to 0.40 % and magnesium down to 0.45 %; those ranges belong to other alloys such as 6351 or 6005A, not to 6062. We certify to the registered limits below or to the specification on your order.
| Element | 6062 | 6061 (for comparison) | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon (Si) | 0.40 – 0.80 | 0.40 – 0.80 | Forms Mg2Si with magnesium |
| Iron (Fe) | ≤ 0.70 | ≤ 0.70 | Impurity |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.15 – 0.40 | 0.15 – 0.40 | Adds strength |
| Manganese (Mn) | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.15 | Grain control |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 0.80 – 1.20 | 0.80 – 1.20 | Main strengthener |
| Chromium (Cr) | 0.04 – 0.14 | 0.04 – 0.35 | Lower Cr eases extrusion and quenching |
| Zinc (Zn) | ≤ 0.25 | ≤ 0.25 | Impurity |
| Titanium (Ti) | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.15 | Grain refiner |
| Others, each / total | ≤ 0.05 / ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.05 / ≤ 0.15 | |
| Aluminium (Al) | Remainder | Remainder |
Mechanical and physical properties of 6062 extrusions
Because the strengthening elements are identical, heat-treated 6062 behaves like 6061. Values below are typical; acceptance minimums come from the specification named on the drawing.
| Temper | Typical tensile | Typical yield (0.2 %) | Typical elongation | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | about 125 MPa | about 55 MPa | 25 % or more | about 30 HB |
| T4 | about 240 MPa | about 145 MPa | about 20 % | about 65 HB |
| T6 / T62 | about 310 MPa | about 275 MPa | 10 – 12 % | about 95 HB |
For comparison, ASTM B221 minimums for 6061-T6 extrusions are 260 MPa (38 ksi) tensile and 240 MPa (35 ksi) yield. Older data sheets that quote 38 ksi for 6062-T6 are repeating a specification minimum, not a typical value.
Physical properties (T6, approximate)
- Density
- 2.70 g/cm³ (0.098 lb/in³)
- Modulus of elasticity
- about 69 GPa
- Thermal conductivity
- about 167 W/m·K
- Electrical conductivity
- about 43 % IACS
- Coefficient of thermal expansion
- about 23.4 µm/m·°C
- Melting range
- about 580 – 650 °C
6062 tempers and the documents that call them
6062-T62
Heat-treated by the user, or by the producer from O or F to show heat-treatment response. Common where profiles are formed before ageing.
6062-T4
Solution treated and naturally aged, for stretch-forming or bending before final ageing.
6062-O
Annealed for maximum formability; full strength is restored by heat treatment.
AMS 4092 / 4093
SAE documents for 6062-T6 drawn tubing (general and hydraulic). They show the alloy is still recognised in aerospace specifications.
AMS 4150 caution
AMS 4150 is a 6061-T6 extrusion specification. It is often proposed as the replacement for 6062-T6 profiles, but it is a different alloy designation and needs engineering approval.
6062 profile sizes and supply
Typical extrusion envelope
- Open profiles
- From very small sections (a few millimetres) up to about 850 mm wide, depending on die and press
- Hollow profiles
- Round, square and multi-void sections; minimum wall around 1 mm in small sections
- Weight per metre
- From about 0.03 kg/m to over 100 kg/m
- Length
- Standard 6 m; longer lengths possible by agreement
- Tempers
- T6 most common; T4, T62 or O to match the drawing
- Tolerances
- ANSI H35.2 / ASTM B221 or EN 755-9, or tighter per drawing
Exact limits depend on the producer's press size and die. Send the profile drawing and we confirm feasibility before quoting.
Weight per metre equals cross-sectional area (mm²) × 0.0027. A section with 1,000 mm² of metal weighs 2.7 kg per metre.
Welding, brazing, machining and finishing
Welding
TIG and MIG with ER4043 or ER5356 filler, as for 6061. The heat-affected zone drops towards T4 strength unless the part is re-heat-treated and aged.
Brazing
Like 6061, 6062 can be furnace or dip brazed with Al-Si filler alloys; the T6 condition is restored by heat treatment after brazing.
Machining
Good in T6, with short chips and a clean finish; softer O and T4 tempers are gummier.
Forming
Bend or stretch-form in O or T4, then age. T6 sections accept only generous bend radii.
Finishing
Anodises well (sulphuric, chromic or boric-sulphuric to aerospace specifications) and accepts conversion coatings and primers.
Corrosion
Good atmospheric resistance; protect with anodising or primer and isolate from carbon fibre and stainless fasteners.
Where 6062 profiles are used
- Legacy airframes: stringers, frames, rails and doublers on older aircraft and helicopters where the drawing names 6062
- Interior structure: seat-track supports, floor beams for light aircraft, luggage-rack and galley frames
- Welded and brazed frames: radiator and heat-exchanger headers, ducts and brazed assemblies
- Ground equipment: passenger stairs, baggage carts, maintenance platforms and towbars
- Spare parts and MRO: replacement sections for repairs documented to original drawings
A common case is an MRO shop replacing a damaged floor-support extrusion on an older aircraft: the repair manual names 6062-T6, so the shop must either source 6062 with a certificate or obtain an approved repair scheme that allows 6061-T6.
6062 compared with 6061, 6063 and 6082
| Property | 6062-T6 | 6061-T6 | 6063-T6 | 6082-T6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical tensile strength | about 310 MPa | 310 MPa | 240 MPa | 310 – 340 MPa |
| Chromium | 0.04 – 0.14 % | 0.04 – 0.35 % | ≤ 0.10 % | ≤ 0.25 % |
| Extrudability | Good | Fair–good | Excellent | Fair–good |
| Current availability | Made to order | Widely stocked | Widely stocked | Widely stocked (Europe) |
| Typical aerospace use | Legacy drawings | General structure, AMS 4150 | Trim and interiors | GSE and European structure |
How to order 6062 aerospace extrusions
- SpecifyAlloy and temper, profile drawing or die number, length, quantity and the governing specification with its revision (the drawing note, AMS or ASTM document).
- ConfirmWe confirm the specification can be met, the tolerance class, any extra tests and the delivery terms (EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP).
- InspectMaterial is checked for dimensions, straightness and surface condition; tests named on the order are carried out or arranged with a third party.
- DocumentEach lot ships with a mill test certificate to EN 10204 3.1 showing chemistry and mechanical results, traceable to the cast or lot number.
- Pack and shipExport packing in sealed, moisture-protected wooden cases or on pallets, shipped by sea or air to your port or door.
References and standards
- SAE AMS 4150 – Aluminum Alloy Extrusions and Rings, 6061-T6
- SAE AMS 4092 / AMS 4093 – Aluminum Alloy Tubing, 6062-T6
- ASTM B221 – Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Extruded Bars, Rods, Wire, Profiles and Tubes
- The Aluminum Association – International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits (Teal Sheets)
- ASM Handbook, Vol. 2 – Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials
6062 aerospace aluminium (aluminum) profiles: FAQs
Is 6062 the same as 6061?
Almost. All alloying limits are the same except chromium, which is 0.04 – 0.14 % in 6062 against 0.04 – 0.35 % in 6061. T6 properties are in the same class, but the two are separate designations and cannot be swapped without approval.
Which specification covers 6062-T6 extrusions?
Check the drawing first. SAE lists AMS 4092 and AMS 4093 for 6062-T6 tubing; extrusions are often called up by older ASTM or military documents. AMS 4150 is a 6061-T6 specification, not a 6062 one.
Can a 6061 extrusion be certified as 6062?
Only if its measured chemistry meets the 6062 limits, chiefly chromium at 0.14 % or below, and the customer's quality rules allow it. This must be agreed in writing before the order.
Is 6062 still produced?
Not as a routine stock grade. It is made to order for programmes and spare parts that require it, which is why buyers should send the drawing and specification early.
Can 6062 profiles be welded?
Yes, with ER4043 or ER5356 filler. Expect the heat-affected zone to lose part of its T6 strength unless the assembly is re-heat-treated.
Have a drawing that calls 6062-T6?
Send the drawing, specification, temper and quantity. We will confirm the sourcing route, documents and delivered price.
