Bending and hydroforming
Form in T4 within the agreed shelf life; natural ageing slowly raises strength and reduces formability over months.
Automotive Al-Si-Mg-Cu alloy
6010-T4 Aluminium for Automotive Profiles
6010 is the higher-strength member of the 6009/6010 automotive alloy pair. Supplied in T4, it can be bent and formed, then gains strength in the paint oven or a full ageing cycle. Metline supplies 6010-T4 extruded sections, sheet and blanks to drawing for automotive structural parts, panels and service components, with mill certificates and export packing, to customers worldwide.
- Alloy
- 6010 (Al-Si-Mg-Cu-Mn)
- Temper
- T4 (also T6)
- T4 typical yield
- about 170 MPa
- Forms
- Profiles, sheet, blanks
What 6010 aluminium offers
6010 was introduced together with 6009 as a body-sheet alloy that could be formed soft and hardened by paint baking. Compared with 6009 it carries more silicon and magnesium, so it is stronger in every temper. Its T4 formability was reported as similar to the copper-rich 2036-T4 body alloy, while delivering more strength after ageing.
The extra strength made 6010 attractive for outer panels that had to resist denting with thinner gauges, and for structural inner parts. In extruded form, 6010-T4 sections are bent, flared or hydroformed and then aged, giving a part that is stronger than the equivalent 6063 profile but easier to form than 6061-T6.
Like 6009, 6010 is now mostly found on established vehicle programs and in service parts. New designs more often use 6016, 6014, 6022 or 6111 sheet and 6005A, 6008 or 6082 extrusions. When a drawing calls for 6010, matching it exactly keeps validated properties, weld behaviour and corrosion performance unchanged.
6010 chemical composition (wt %)
Registered limits per the Aluminum Association (Teal Sheets). The mill certificate reports the actual analysis of each lot.
| Element | Minimum | Maximum | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon (Si) | 0.8 | 1.2 | Higher than 6009 for more strength |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 0.6 | 1.0 | Higher than 6009 |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.15 | 0.6 | Speeds the ageing response |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.20 | 0.8 | Grain control |
| Iron (Fe) | — | 0.50 | Impurity |
| Chromium (Cr) | — | 0.10 | |
| Zinc (Zn) | — | 0.25 | |
| Titanium (Ti) | — | 0.10 | |
| Others, each / total | — | 0.05 / 0.15 | |
| Aluminium (Al) | Remainder | About 95 – 98 % |
Mechanical and physical properties
Typical values for T4. Paint baking and full ageing raise yield strength; the exact gain depends on the cycle and on forming pre-strain, so final values are agreed for each part.
| Property | 6010-T4 typical | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | about 290 MPa | Clearly above 6009-T4 (about 230 MPa) |
| Yield strength (0.2 %) | about 170 MPa | About 45 MPa above 6009-T4 |
| Elongation | about 24 % | Good for bending and stamping |
| Modulus of elasticity | about 68 – 69 GPa | |
| Shear modulus | about 26 GPa |
Physical properties
- Density
- 2.70 g/cm³
- Thermal conductivity
- about 150 W/m·K
- Coefficient of thermal expansion
- about 23 µm/m·°C
- Melting range
- about 585 – 650 °C
Typical data from handbook sources; for production parts, minimums are set by the order or OEM specification.
6010-T4 profile shapes and sizes
6010 profile supply range
- Sections
- Custom open, semi-hollow and hollow (multi-cavity) profiles to drawing
- Standard shapes
- Round, square and rectangular tube, angle, channel, T and flat bar
- Size
- Circumscribing circle from small trim sections up to large structural profiles; wall typically 1.5 mm and up
- Length
- Usually cut 3 – 6 m, or precision cut to part length
- Tempers
- T4 as standard; T6 or agreed ageing on request
- Surface
- Mill finish, anodised, e-coated or powder coated on request
- Processing
- Precision sawing, CNC machining, punching, bending and stretch-bending on request
The achievable section depends on the die and the alloy's extrudability; send a drawing so we can confirm wall, tolerance and length.
| Profile | Section | Size guide (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Angle | Equal or unequal leg | about 10 × 10 to 100 × 100 |
| Square tube | Hollow | about 10 × 10 to 150 × 150 |
| Round tube | Hollow | about 10 – 150 OD |
| Hexagon | Solid or hollow | about 10 – 100 A/F |
| Channel (U) | Open | about 10 × 10 to 100 × 100 |
| T-slot and T sections | Open | about 10 × 10 to 100 × 100 |
| I and H sections | Open | from about 20 × 20; larger to drawing |
Working with 6010
Ageing
Paint-bake cycles give part of the available strength. A full artificial ageing cycle gives T6 strength for load-bearing parts.
Welding
MIG, TIG, laser and spot welding all work. Use 4xxx filler where hot cracking is a concern.
Finishing
Copper content makes painting or e-coating the normal finish; anodised appearance is less uniform than 6063.
Machining
Better machinability in T6 than T4; use sharp positive-rake tools and coolant.
Corrosion
Good under paint. For bare exposure in salt environments, copper-free alloys perform better.
Where 6010 is used
- Outer and inner panels on programs validated in 6010
- Bent and hydroformed tubes for frames and seat structures
- Brackets, reinforcements and cross members formed in T4
- Bumper reinforcements on established designs
- Truck and trailer components needing formable, ageable sections
- Service parts that must match original material
6010 compared with 6009, 6061 and 6082
| Property | 6010-T4 | 6009-T4 | 6061-T4 | 6082-T4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical tensile | about 290 MPa | about 230 MPa | about 240 MPa | about 205 – 260 MPa |
| Typical yield | about 170 MPa | about 125 MPa | about 145 MPa | about 110 – 170 MPa |
| Formability in T4 | Good | Very good | Good | Good |
| Paint-bake response | Good | Good | Slow | Slow |
| Main market today | Existing programs | Existing programs | General structures | European structures |
For new designs needing a formable, ageable extrusion, 6005A or 6082 in T4 are easier to source. Keep 6010 where the drawing, validation or service history requires it.
How to order 6010
- SpecifyAlloy 6010, temper (T4 or T6), section drawing or sheet size, length, tolerances and annual volume.
- Confirm the standardASTM B221 or ASTM B209, the matching EN product standard, or the vehicle maker's specification.
- QuoteWe confirm availability, tolerances, certification and delivery terms (EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP) for your plant or port.
- Process and inspectSections are cut, checked for dimensions and straightness, and packed to prevent damage before forming.
- Document and shipEach lot ships with an EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate, lot traceability and a packing list, in seaworthy export packing. Third-party inspection can be arranged on request.
References and standards
- The Aluminum Association – International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits (Teal Sheets)
- ASM Alloy Digest Al-264 – Alcoa 6010 Alloy: Auto Body Sheet Alloy
- ASM Handbook, Vol. 2B – 6009 and 6010: Sheet Alloys
- ASTM B221 – Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Extruded Bars, Rods, Wire, Profiles, and Tubes
- ASTM B209 – Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate
6010 automotive aluminium: frequently asked questions
What does T4 mean for 6010?
Solution heat-treated and naturally aged. The alloy is relatively soft and formable, and it can be strengthened later by paint baking or artificial ageing to T6.
How strong is 6010-T4?
Typical values are about 290 MPa tensile strength, 170 MPa yield and 24 % elongation, noticeably stronger than 6009-T4.
Is 6010 still used in new cars?
Less often. Copper-free 6016 and 6014 and North American 6022 and 6111 have largely replaced it for new panels, but 6010 remains on existing programs and service parts.
Can 6010 aluminum be extruded?
Yes. It is best known as sheet, but it extrudes into tubes, angles, channels and custom sections that are formed in T4 and aged afterwards.
Does 6010 need painting?
Painting or e-coating is normal because its copper content lowers bare corrosion resistance compared with copper-free 6xxx alloys.
Need 6010-T4 sections?
Send the drawing, temper and volume. Our team will reply with feasibility, certification and a delivered price.
