6061 aluminum and 6063 aluminum are the more commonly used extruded aluminum alloys. Belongs to 6000 series aluminum alloy. Their chemical composition and mechanical properties are similar. That makes it difficult for many customers to differentiate between the two alloys. This article will introduce the difference between 6061 Vs 6063 Aluminum.
6061 Aluminum Grade
The aluminum 6061 belongs to the aluminum alloy 6000 series. It has a significant amount of both magnesium and silicon in its composition. This alloy is primarily formulated for wrought products. 6061 aluminum is designated as EN AW-6061 in European standards. Also, the 6061 aluminum in the AFNOR (French) designation is A-G1SUC.
6063 Aluminum Grade
Aluminum 6063 is often referred to as architectural aluminum. because it’s the best choice for architectural materials. Aluminum 6063 is designated H9 in British Standard (BS) and EN AW-6063 in European standards. The EN chemical designation for 6063 aluminum is AlMg0,7Si.
JC Metal will introduce aluminum 6063 vs 6061 difference from the following aspects:
- Chemical composition
- Strength
- visual appearance
- Hardness
- Corrosion Resistance
- Thermal conductivity
- Properties
- Application
- Machinability
- Bending
- Product
- Price
aluminum 6063 vs 6061 Chemical Composition
| Item | AL | Cu | Mn | Mg | Zn | Cr | Ti | Si | Fe |
| 6061 | Remainder | 0.15-0.40 | 0.15 | 0.8-1.2 | 0.25 | 0.04-0.35 | 0.15 | 0.4-0.8 | ≤0.7 |
| 6063 | Remainder | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.45-0.9 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.2-0.6 | 0.35 |
6063 aluminum vs 6061 Strength
| Item | 6061 | 6063 |
| Fatigue Strength/MPa | 58-110 | 39-95 |
| Shear Strength/MPa | 84-210 | 70-190 |
| Tensile Strength: Ultimate/MPa | 130-410 | 110-300 |
| Tensile Strength: Yield/MPa | 76-370 | 49-270 |
Through data comparison, 6061 aluminum alloy has higher ultimate tensile strength and yield strength than 6063 aluminum alloy.
6061 aluminum vs 6063 Visual Appearance
Compared with 6061 aluminum alloy, 6063 aluminum alloy has attractive surface cleanliness. After anodizing, 6063 aluminum alloy can be produced to create beautiful colored decorative surfaces. Because 6063 aluminum alloy is very suitable for anodizing. It is also used in visual construction and window frames, door frames, roofs, sign frames.
aluminum 6061 vs 6063 Hardness
We tested the hardness of 6061 aluminum and 6063 aluminum alloy respectively by Brinell hardness tester:
- 6061 Aluminum: 95 HB
- 6063 Aluminum: 73 HB
6061 aluminum has a higher hardness than 6063 aluminum. So if it is a project that requires stronger material strength and structural strength support. 6061 aluminum alloy is a good alloy choice. 6061 is also commonly referred to as “structural aluminum”.
6063 vs 6061 aluminum Corrosion Resistance
Both 6061 aluminum and 6063 aluminum, which are aluminum alloys of the 6XXX series, have some degree of corrosion resistance. Because the Cu content of 6063 aluminum is relatively small. The corrosion resistance of 6063 aluminum is better than that of 6061 aluminum. Typically 6063 aluminum is used in products exposed to the atmosphere and water.
6063 vs 6061 Thermal Conductivity
| 6061 | 6063 | |
| Latent Heat of Fusion，J/g | 400 | 400 |
| Maximum Temperature: Mechanical | 170°C | 160 °C |
| Melting Completion (Liquidus) | 650°C | 650 °C |
| Melting Onset (Solidus) | 580°C | 620 °C |
| Specific Heat Capacity，J/kg-K | 900 | 900 |
| Thermal Conductivity，W/m-K | 170 | 190 to 220 |
| Thermal Expansion，µm/m-K | 24 | 23 |
It can be seen from the above data table that the melting temperature and thermal conductivity of 6063 aluminum alloy are higher than those of 6061 aluminum alloy.
6061 vs 6063 aluminum Properties
| 6061 | 6063 | |
| Elastic (Young’s, Tensile) Modulus，GPa | 69 | 68 |
| Elongation at Break | 3.4 to 20 % | 7.3 to 21 % |
| Density,g/cm3 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Stiffness to Weight: Axial | 14 points | 14 points |
| Stiffness to Weight: Bending | 50 points | 50 points |
| Strength to Weight: Axial | 13-42 points | 11-31 points |
| Strength to Weight: Bending | 21-45 points | 18-37 points |
aluminum alloy 6061 vs 6063 Application
6061 aluminum alloy is used in bicycle frames and components. Aircraft structures and accessories. Truck and bus bodies. Wheels, fly fishing reels. Weapon parts such as firearm silencers. Toys and models such as aluminum docks and gangways, ultra-high vacuum chambers, and remote control planes. 6061 aluminum alloy is ideal for aluminum profile products and construction projects that need high-strength structures.
6063 aluminum alloy responds very well to extrusion. It is easy to form complex shapes. Includes bars and tubes. So, 6063 aluminum is very suitable for use in building materials. It is also known as “architectural aluminum”.
6063 is also commonly used in window and door frames, railings, roofs, signage. Outdoor furniture, aluminum furniture, electrical and electronic parts, plumbing. Oil storage tanks, extreme sports gear, trim, framing, truck frames and trailers.
Compared with 6061 aluminum alloy, 6063 aluminum alloy is more suitable for lower strength and better corrosion resistance applications.
6061 VS 6063 Machinability
Machinability is the performance of an aluminum material when it is milled, turned, or die-cast. The machinability of 6061 aluminum plate is better than that of 6063. 6061 aluminum is more suitable for projects that need machining procedures. 6063 aluminum alloy can also be machined by milling, turning or die casting. But the performance is not as good as 6061 aluminum alloy.
6061 vs 6063 Bending
The hardness of the 6061 aluminum plate is relatively high. Wrinkles or cracks easily. Usually, 6061 is suitable for bending in O state. But because 6061-O is relatively soft, it is rarely used for bending. Compared to 6061 aluminum, the strength of 6063 aluminum is low. Has good extrudability. So 6063 aluminum is more suitable for bending than 6061 aluminum. 6063 can be formed into complex shapes by extrusion and other methods. 6063 aluminum rods and tubes can also be made into complex shapes.
6061 VS 6063 Temper Product
| 6061 Aluminum | 6063 Aluminum | |
| Temper | 6061-O、6061-T1、6061-T4、6061-T42、6061-T451、6061-T4510、6061-T4511、6061-T51、6061-T6、6061-T62、6061-T651、6061-T6510、6061-T6511、6061-T652、6061-T89、6061-T94。 | 6063-0、6063-T1、6063-T4、6063-T42、6063-T5、6063-T52、6063-T6、6063-T62、6063-T66、6063-T8、6063-T83、6063-T831、6063-T832。 |
| Shape | Aluminum rod, Aluminum plate, Aluminum ingot, Aluminum foil, Aluminum coil |
aluminum 6061 vs 6063 price
The price of an aluminum alloy mainly depends on the specification of aluminum material, raw material, and processing cost of aluminum alloy. The cost of 6061 aluminum alloy and 6063 aluminum alloy is similar. But, the production process of 6061 aluminum is more mature than that of 6063 aluminum. So, the price of 6061 aluminum is slightly cheaper than that of 6063 aluminum.
Conclusion
By comparing 6061 Vs 6063 Aluminum, hope you know more differences about the between aluminum alloys.Besides 6061 6063 aluminum,JC Metal can supply 1000,2000,3000,5000,7000,8000 series alloy. Kindly contact us freely : info@jcmetalchina.com