# Aluminum Alloy Reference: Series, Tempers and Density > Source: https://netray.co/tools/aluminum-alloy-reference-series-temper-density > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer Quick lookup of common wrought and cast aluminum alloys with series, tempers, density, weldability and typical applications. ## Category engineering-plm ## Audience - Design engineer - Buyer - Machinist - Estimator ## Tool **Kind:** worksheet **Mode:** reference **Columns:** #### Alloy **Key:** alloy **Type:** text #### Series **Key:** series **Type:** text #### Main alloying element **Key:** element **Type:** text #### Common tempers **Key:** temper **Type:** text #### Density g/cm3 **Key:** density **Type:** text #### Weldability **Key:** weld **Type:** text #### Typical use **Key:** use **Type:** text **Rows:** **Alloy:** 1050 **Series:** 1xxx **Element:** Pure aluminum (99.5 min) **Temper:** O, H14, H24 **Density:** 2.70 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Chemical equipment, reflectors, electrical busbar **Alloy:** 1100 **Series:** 1xxx **Element:** Pure aluminum (99.0 min) **Temper:** O, H14 **Density:** 2.71 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Sheet metal work, heat exchanger fins **Alloy:** 2011 **Series:** 2xxx **Element:** Copper **Temper:** T3, T8 **Density:** 2.82 **Weld:** Poor **Use:** Screw machine parts, free-machining **Alloy:** 2014 **Series:** 2xxx **Element:** Copper **Temper:** T6 **Density:** 2.80 **Weld:** Poor **Use:** Heavy structures, aircraft fittings **Alloy:** 2024 **Series:** 2xxx **Element:** Copper **Temper:** T3, T351, T4 **Density:** 2.78 **Weld:** Poor **Use:** Aircraft skins and structure, high fatigue **Alloy:** 3003 **Series:** 3xxx **Element:** Manganese **Temper:** O, H14, H18 **Density:** 2.73 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Cookware, tanks, general sheet **Alloy:** 3105 **Series:** 3xxx **Element:** Manganese **Temper:** H14, H24 **Density:** 2.72 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Roofing, building products **Alloy:** 5052 **Series:** 5xxx **Element:** Magnesium **Temper:** O, H32, H34 **Density:** 2.68 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Sheet metal enclosures, marine, fuel tanks **Alloy:** 5083 **Series:** 5xxx **Element:** Magnesium **Temper:** O, H116, H321 **Density:** 2.66 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Marine plate, pressure vessels, cryogenic **Alloy:** 5086 **Series:** 5xxx **Element:** Magnesium **Temper:** H32, H116 **Density:** 2.66 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Marine and transport structures **Alloy:** 5754 **Series:** 5xxx **Element:** Magnesium **Temper:** O, H22, H24 **Density:** 2.66 **Weld:** Excellent **Use:** Automotive panels, European sheet **Alloy:** 6005A **Series:** 6xxx **Element:** Magnesium and silicon **Temper:** T5, T6 **Density:** 2.70 **Weld:** Good **Use:** Extruded structural profiles **Alloy:** 6061 **Series:** 6xxx **Element:** Magnesium and silicon **Temper:** O, T4, T6, T651 **Density:** 2.70 **Weld:** Good **Use:** General structural, machined parts, frames **Alloy:** 6063 **Series:** 6xxx **Element:** Magnesium and silicon **Temper:** T5, T6 **Density:** 2.70 **Weld:** Good **Use:** Architectural extrusions, anodized trim **Alloy:** 6082 **Series:** 6xxx **Element:** Magnesium and silicon **Temper:** T6, T651 **Density:** 2.70 **Weld:** Good **Use:** European structural equivalent to 6061 strength class **Alloy:** 7050 **Series:** 7xxx **Element:** Zinc **Temper:** T7451, T7651 **Density:** 2.83 **Weld:** Poor **Use:** Thick aerospace plate and forgings **Alloy:** 7075 **Series:** 7xxx **Element:** Zinc **Temper:** T6, T651, T73 **Density:** 2.81 **Weld:** Poor **Use:** High strength aerospace and tooling plate **Alloy:** A356 **Series:** 3xx cast **Element:** Silicon and magnesium **Temper:** T6 **Density:** 2.68 **Weld:** Fair **Use:** Sand and permanent mold castings, wheels **Notes:** Densities are nominal. Temper availability and sizes vary by producer. Weldability is a general indication for fusion welding; heat treatable alloys lose strength in the heat-affected zone. Confirm properties against the applicable specification such as AMS, ASTM B209 or EN 485 before design use. ## Content **Intro:** Choosing between 5052, 6061 and 7075 comes up on almost every enclosure, frame and machined part. This reference lists the common wrought and cast aluminum alloys with series, alloying element, tempers, density and weldability. **Sections:** #### How to use the table **Body:** Search by alloy number, series or use, for example marine, aerospace or sheet. Check the common tempers column to see which conditions are normally stocked, and the weldability column to decide on fabrication method. If you are converting a drawing from US to European practice, 6061 is usually paired with EN AW-6082 for structural use, although strengths differ somewhat. Export the table to share with purchasing. **Bullets:** - 1xxx to 7xxx indicates the major alloying family - Heat treatable families are 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx - Work hardened families are 1xxx, 3xxx and 5xxx - Search by use to shortlist candidate alloys #### How designations work **Body:** The first digit gives the main alloying element: 1 pure, 2 copper, 3 manganese, 4 silicon, 5 magnesium, 6 magnesium and silicon, 7 zinc. Temper letters follow: O is annealed, H is strain hardened (for example H32), T is thermally treated (T4 solution treated and naturally aged, T6 solution treated and artificially aged). A trailing 51 as in T651 indicates stress relief by stretching, which matters for machined plate that must stay flat. #### Selection guidance **Body:** Use 5052 for bent and welded sheet where corrosion resistance and formability matter. Use 6061-T6 for machined or welded structural parts. Use 7075-T651 when strength is the priority and welding is not required; it machines well but has lower corrosion and stress-corrosion resistance than 6061. For marine plate, 5083 is a standard choice. For free-machining of small parts, 2011 is fast but not weldable. **Bullets:** - 7075 and 2024 are normally not fusion welded - 6061 anodizes well and is widely stocked - 5xxx alloys above about 65 C in service can sensitize - Use T651 plate for parts that must stay flat after machining #### Common mistakes **Body:** Buyers often specify an alloy without a temper, which lets a supplier ship soft O-temper material. Other errors are assuming all 6xxx grades have identical strength, welding 7xxx alloys, and forgetting that strength drops sharply in the weld heat-affected zone of T6 material. In ERP item masters, include alloy and temper in the item description and spec fields rather than only the alloy number. **Cta:** If you want alloy, temper and certificate data to flow into ERP receiving inspection, Netray can help design it on-prem. Ask for a scoping call. **Faq:** #### What is the difference between 6061 and 7075 aluminum? **Answer:** 6061 offers good strength, weldability, corrosion resistance and low cost. 7075 is much stronger but costs more, is generally not welded and has lower corrosion resistance. Use 6061 for general parts and 7075 for high load, weight critical designs. #### What does T6 mean on aluminum? **Answer:** T6 means solution heat treated and then artificially aged to near-peak strength. T651 adds stress relief by controlled stretching, which reduces distortion when you machine plate. #### Is 5052 or 6061 better for sheet metal bending? **Answer:** 5052 usually bends better because it is a work-hardened alloy with good formability. 6061-T6 tends to crack on tight bends unless you use the annealed O or T4 temper and a larger radius. #### Can I weld 7075 aluminum? **Answer:** Not reliably with conventional fusion welding because it cracks, and it loses strength at the joint. Mechanical fastening, bonding or friction-based processes are normally used instead. ## Search terms aluminum alloy chart, 6061 vs 7075, aluminum series guide, aluminum temper designations, 5052 aluminum properties, aluminum alloy density, 6061 t6 vs 6082, aluminum alloy selection --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json