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Aluminum Alloy Reference: Series, Tempers and Density

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.

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Alloy	Series	Main alloying element	Common tempers	Density g/cm3	Weldability	Typical use
1050	1xxx	Pure aluminum (99.5 min)	O, H14, H24	2.70	Excellent	Chemical equipment, reflectors, electrical busbar
1100	1xxx	Pure aluminum (99.0 min)	O, H14	2.71	Excellent	Sheet metal work, heat exchanger fins
2011	2xxx	Copper	T3, T8	2.82	Poor	Screw machine parts, free-machining
2014	2xxx	Copper	T6	2.80	Poor	Heavy structures, aircraft fittings
2024	2xxx	Copper	T3, T351, T4	2.78	Poor	Aircraft skins and structure, high fatigue
3003	3xxx	Manganese	O, H14, H18	2.73	Excellent	Cookware, tanks, general sheet
3105	3xxx	Manganese	H14, H24	2.72	Excellent	Roofing, building products
5052	5xxx	Magnesium	O, H32, H34	2.68	Excellent	Sheet metal enclosures, marine, fuel tanks
5083	5xxx	Magnesium	O, H116, H321	2.66	Excellent	Marine plate, pressure vessels, cryogenic
5086	5xxx	Magnesium	H32, H116	2.66	Excellent	Marine and transport structures
5754	5xxx	Magnesium	O, H22, H24	2.66	Excellent	Automotive panels, European sheet
6005A	6xxx	Magnesium and silicon	T5, T6	2.70	Good	Extruded structural profiles
6061	6xxx	Magnesium and silicon	O, T4, T6, T651	2.70	Good	General structural, machined parts, frames
6063	6xxx	Magnesium and silicon	T5, T6	2.70	Good	Architectural extrusions, anodized trim
6082	6xxx	Magnesium and silicon	T6, T651	2.70	Good	European structural equivalent to 6061 strength class
7050	7xxx	Zinc	T7451, T7651	2.83	Poor	Thick aerospace plate and forgings
7075	7xxx	Zinc	T6, T651, T73	2.81	Poor	High strength aerospace and tooling plate
A356	3xx cast	Silicon and magnesium	T6	2.68	Fair	Sand and permanent mold castings, wheels

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.

Material spec in ERP review

Optional: discuss how to hold alloy and temper as structured fields on your item master.

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How to use the table

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 6061 and 7075 aluminum?

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?

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?

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?

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.

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.

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