Al-6061 alloy is easy to weld and join using a variety of methods. Usually welded using ER4043; for the greatest color matching, use ER5356.
The table below describes common, comparable metal welded joins made with inertial drive FRW.
Notes:
Metal loss is the entire shortening of a workpiece during the welding process.
Total Time: The sum of heating and welding time.
| Inertia-driven friction welding parameters of two 25 mm (1 in.) diameter rods made of similar metals. | ||
| Work Metal | Spindle Speed, Rev/Min | 5700 |
| Aluminium Alloy 6061 | Axial Force, KN (lbf x 103) | 31 (7) |
| Flywheel Size, kg·m² (lb·ft²) | 0.13 (3) | |
| Weld Energy, KJ (ft·lbf x 103) | 23 (17) | |
| Metal Loss, mm (in.) | 3.8 (0.15) | |
| Total Time, s | 1 | |
The following table gives parameters used for inertia welding several common dissimilar material combinations.
Note for Axial Force: A force of 22 KN (5000 lbf) is applied during the heating stage of the welding; the force near the end of the weld is subsequently increased to 67 KN (15000 LBF).
| Inertia-driven friction welding parameters of two 25 mm (1 in.) diameter rods made of dissimilar metals. | ||
| Work Metal | Spindle Speed, Rev/Min | 5500 |
| Aluminum 6061 to type 302 stainless | Axial Force, KN (lbf x 103) | 22 (5) |
| 67 (15) | ||
| Flywheel Size, kg·m² (lb·ft²) | 0.16 (3.9) | |
| Weld Energy, KJ (ft·lbf x 103) | 27 (20) | |
| Metal Loss, mm (in.) | 5.1 (0.2) | |
| Total Time, s | 3 | |
| Effect of welding conditions on the welding strength of AL-6061 alloy | |||||||||||
| Base metal alloy and temper | Thickness, mm (in.) | Welding process and conditions | As-welded | Only aged after welding | Postweld solution heat treated and aged | ||||||
| Tensile strength, MPa (ksi) | 0.2%, Yield strength, MPa (ksi) | Elongation in 51 mm (2 in.), ≥% | Tensile strength, MPa (ksi) | 0.2%, Yield strength, MPa (ksi) | Elongation in 51 mm (2 in.), ≥% | Tensile strength, MPa (ksi) | 0.2%, Yield strength, MPa (ksi) | Elongation in 51 mm (2 in.), ≥% | |||
| 6061-T6 (4043 Filler) | 3.2 (1/8) | DCEN GTAW, 15 mm/s (35 in./min) | 248 (36) | 165 (24) | 6 | – | – | – | 303 (44) | 276 (40) | 5 |
| 6061-T4 (4043 Filler) | 3.2 (1/8) | DCEN GTAW, 8.5 mm/s (20 in./min) | 234 (34) | 145 (21) | 8 | 283 (41) | 179 (26) | 3 | 303 (44) | 276 (40) | 5 |
| 6061-T6 (4043 Filler) | 6.4 (1/4) | Automatic GMAW, one pass each side 17 mm/s (40 in./min) | 255 (37) | 138 (20) | 6 | – | – | – | 296 (43) | 276 (40) | 5 |
| 6061-T4 (4043 Filler) | 76 (3) | Automatic GMAW, multipass double-V | 172 (25) | 90 (13) | 10 | – | – | – | 234 (34) | – | 4 |
| 6061-T6 (4643 Filler) | 76 (3) | Automatic GMAW, multipass double-V | 186 (27) | 97 (14) | 13 | – | – | – | 310 (45) | 276 (40) | 4 |
| Typical mechanical properties of gas-shielded arc-welded butt joints in selected heat-treated heat-treatable aluminum alloys. | |||||||||
| Base alloy and temper | Filler alloy | As-welded | Postweld solution heat treated and aged | ||||||
| Tensile strength | 0.2% Yield strength, in 50.8 mm (2 in.) | Elongation | Tensile strength | 0.2% Yield strength, in 50.8 mm (2 in.) | Elongation | ||||
| MPa (ksi) | MPa (ksi) | Tensile, ≥% in 50.8 mm (2 in.) | Free bend, % | MPa (ksi) | MPa (ksi) | Tensile, ≥% in 50.8 mm (2 in.) | Free bend, % | ||
| AA-6061-T4 | 4043 | 186 (27) | 124 (18) | 8 | 16 | 241 (35) ① | 165 (24) ① | 3. ① | – |
| AA-6061-T6 | 4043 | 186 (27) | 124 (18) | 8 | 16 | 303 (44) ② | 276 (40) ② | 5 ② | 11 ② |
| AA-6061-T6 | 5356 | 207 (30) | 131 (19) | 11 | 25 | – | – | – | – |
Heat Treating of Aluminum 6061
| Typical Heat Treatments for 6061 Aluminum Alloy Mill Products | ||||||
| Aluminium Alloy | Product | Solution heat treatment | Precipitation heat treatment | Temper designation | ||
| Metal temperature, °C (°F) | Temper designation | Metal temperature, °C (°F) | Approx. time at temperature, h | |||
| AA6061 | Sheet | 530 (985) | T4 | 160 (320) | 18 | T6 |
| T42 | T62 | |||||
| Plate | 530 (985) | T4 (tread plate only), T451 |
160 (320) | 18 | T6 (tread plate only), T651 |
|
| T42 | 160 (320) | 18 | T62 | |||
| Rolled or Cold finished Wire, Rod & Bar | 530 (985) | T4, T3, T4, T4, T451 |
160 (320). An alternative treatment comprised of 8 hours at 170 (340) also may be used. | 18 | T6, T89, T913, T94, T651 |
|
| T42 | T62 | |||||
| Extruded Rod, Bar, Profiles and Tube | Quenched directly from the extrusion press. | T1 | 175 | 8 | T51 | |
| 530 (985) | T4, T4510, T4511 |
175 | 8 | T6, T6510, T6511 |
||
| 530 (985) | T42 | 175 | 8 | T62 | ||
| Structural Profiles | 530 (985) | T4 | 175 | 8 | T6 | |
| Pipe | 530 (985) | T4 | 175 | 8 | T6 | |
| Drawn Pipe | 530 (985) | T4 | 160 | 18 | T6 | |
| T42 | 160 | 18 | T62 | |||
| Die and Hand Forgings | 530 (985) | T4 | 175 | 8 | T6 | |
| Rolled Rings | 530 (985) | T4 | 175 | 8 | T6 | |
| T452 | 175 | 8 | T652 | |||
AA-6061 Annealing
The typical full annealing process for AA-6061 (O condition) involves heating the alloy to 415°C (775°F) for 2–3 hours, followed by slow cooling at approximately 28°C/hr to 260°C (500°F). Intermediate annealing to relieve cold work should be performed at 343°C (650°F). The exact time and cooling rate are not critical.
6061 Aluminum Aging
GNEE 6061 aluminum sheets, plates, rolled or cold-rolled wire, rods, bars, and drawn tubing are aged at 160°C (320°F) for 18 hours. Extruded rods, shapes, tubes, dies, hand forgings, and rolled rings are aged at 175°C (345 °F) for 8 hours.
Al 6061 Alloy Corrosion Resistance
The 6061 alloy exhibits excellent corrosion resistance to atmospheric conditions and good resistance to seawater. It also responds well to anodic oxidation, providing a smooth and durable finish. For applications where surface appearance is a priority, alloys 6060 or 6063 may be preferable.
Typical Applications of 6061 Aluminum Alloy
GNEE 6061 aluminum alloy finds use in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, electrical fixtures, communications, automated machinery, precision machining, mold manufacturing, electronics, SMT, and PC board solder carriers.
Aerospace: Suitable for aircraft skins, fuselage frames, beams, rotors, propellers, fuel tanks, siding, landing gear pillars, rocket forging rings, and spacecraft panels.
Transportation: Used in cars, subway and railway passenger cars, high-speed train structures, doors and windows, shelves, automotive engine parts, air conditioners, radiators, body panels, wheels, and marine applications.
Packaging: Employed in thin plates and foils for cans, lids, bottles, barrels, and packaging foils for beverages, food, cosmetics, medicines, cigarettes, and industrial products.
Printing: Used for aluminum-based PS plates for automatic plate making and printing in the printing industry.
Architectural Decoration: Applied in building frames, doors and windows, suspended ceilings, metal curtains, perforated sheets, decorative surfaces, aluminum profiles for curtain walls, checkered panels, color-coated aluminum panels, and profiled panels.
Electronic Home Appliances: Utilized in busbars, wiring, conductors, electrical components, refrigerators, air conditioners, cables, and related applications.
6061 Aluminium Alloy Equivalent
Aluminum 6061 equivalent to European EN (German DIN EN, British BSI EN, France NF EN), ISO, Japanese JIS and Chinese GB standard (for reference).
Notes: DIN 1725-1 has been replaced by DIN EN 573-3.
| AA-6061 Aluminum Equivalent Material | |||||||||||||
| US | European Union | Germany | China | Japan | ISO | ||||||||
| Standard | Grade (UNS) | Standard | Grade | Standard | Numerical (Chemical symbols) | Norm | Aluminum name (material number) | Standard | Grade | Standard | Grade | Standard | Grade |
| AA; ASTM B209; ASTM B211; ASTM B221; ASTM B210; ASTM B308/B308M; ASTM B241/B241M |
6061 (UNS A96061) | SAE AMS 4025; SAE AMS 4026; SAE AMS 4027; SAE AMS 4117 |
6061 | EN 573-3 | EN AW-6061 (EN AW-AlMg1SiCu) | DIN 1725-1 | AlMgSi1Cu (3.3211) | GB/T 3190; GB/T 3880.2 |
6061 | JIS H4000; JIS H4040 |
6061 | ISO 209 | AW-6061 |
