CAN 6061 aluminum be heat treated?
6061 aluminum is known for its ductility and versatility. This alloy primarily consists of aluminum, magnesium and silicon, and it can be heated and liquid quenched to render it stronger and more durable. Heat treating 6061 aluminum makes the part physically stronger and helps keep its shape after forming.
What does the 6061 mean in aluminum?
6061 (Unified Numbering System (UNS) designation A96061) is a precipitation-hardened aluminium alloy, containing magnesium and silicon as its major alloying elements. Originally called “Alloy 61S”, it was developed in 1935. It is one of the most common alloys of aluminum for general-purpose use.
How hot can 6061 aluminum get?
But aluminum melts at only about 1,260 degrees, so it loses about half of its strength by the time it reaches 600 degrees. This means the strength of welded 6061-T6, which is 25 KSI at room temperature, is only about half of that (12 KSI) at 600 degrees.
How do you harden 6061?
Aluminium / Aluminum 6061 alloy is heat-treated at 533°C (990°F) for a sufficient period of time followed by quenching in water. The precipitation hardening process can be performed at 160°C (320°F) for 18 h followed by air cooling. This process is again repeated at 177°C (350°F) for 8 h followed by cooling in air.
How hot is too hot for aluminum?
Most codes do not give allowable stresses for aluminum alloys for service temperatures above 350 degrees. So aluminum pressure vessels and piping systems are usually restricted to a maximum service temperature of 350 degrees. Trying to use aluminum at a service temperature of 600 degrees is probably a very bad idea.
How do you temper 6061?
Heat Treatment Aluminium / Aluminum 6061 alloy is heat-treated at 533°C (990°F) for a sufficient period of time followed by quenching in water. The precipitation hardening process can be performed at 160°C (320°F) for 18 h followed by air cooling.
What are the properties of aluminium 6061?
Physical Properties of 6061 Aluminum. Type 6061 aluminum is of the 6xxx aluminum alloys,which entails those mixtures which use magnesium and silicon as the primary alloying elements.
Can aluminum be tempered by heat treatment?
Depending on the composition of your alloy, aluminum can be further strengthened and hardened using quenching (cooling), heat treatment, and/or cold working techniques . This is called the temper and appears as a hyphenated suffix to the basic alloy number, such as 6061-T1.
What is the process of heat treatment?
Heat Treatment Process Steps Heating. As we already discussed, the microstructure of alloys will change during heat treatment. Heating is carried out in line with a prescribed thermal profile. Holding. During the holding, or soaking stage, the metal is kept at the achieved temperature. Cooling. After the soaking stage is complete, the metal must be cooled in a prescribed manner.
What are the types of heat treatments?
TYPES OF HEAT TREATMENT. Four basic types of heat treatment are used today. They are annealing, normalizing, hardening, and tempering. The techniques used in each process and how they relate to Steelworkers are given in the following paragraphs.