Introduction
6061 aluminum rod is an ordinary hard aluminum alloy with good machinability and medium strength. 6061 is a heat-treatable strengthening alloy with good formability, weldability and machinability, while maintaining medium strength and good workability even after annealing. The main alloying elements are Mg and Si forming Mg2Si phase. If certain amounts of Mn and Cr are present, they can neutralize the harmful effects of iron. Small additions of Cu or Zn may be used to improve strength without significantly reducing corrosion resistance. In conductive applications, small amounts of Cu can offset the negative effects of Ti and Fe on conductivity. Zr or Ti can refine grains and control recrystallization microstructure. To improve lead and machinable structure, lead can be combined with fibers to achieve recrystallization. With Mg2Si dissolved in aluminum, the alloy gains the ability for artificial aging hardening.
6061-T651 is the main temper/product for 6061 alloys: a high-quality product produced through heat treatment and pre-stretching. While its strength cannot match 2xxx or 7xxx series alloys, it provides excellent processing performance, good welding characteristics and plating performance, good corrosion resistance, high toughness, and very good overall quality characteristics (as described).
Applications
The uses of 6061 include aerospace fasteners, electrical fasteners, and the communications field. It is also widely used in automation machinery parts, precision machining, mold manufacturing, electronics and precision instruments, SMT, and PCB soldering carriers.
