Aerospace aluminium alloys: 6061, 6082, and 7075

Choosing the right alloys, whether aluminium or magnesium, is crucial for achieving the best precision extrusion profiles. Numerous factors play a role. The key question is: Where and for what purpose is the aircraft manufacturer going to use the components?

Aluminium alloys in aircraft

Many aerospace customers ask for a specific alloy when placing an order. We then always respond with the following counter-question: Why do you want to make the product specifically with this aviation alloy? Another aerospace alloy might be a better choice to consider for the task at hand.

Choosing the right aerospace aluminium alloy depends on several factors, the most important of which is the purpose of the product (this also applies to other sectors). This key question then leads on to other further questions:

• How strong does the final product need to be?
• Is the component going to be visible or not? In other words: Is it important that the surface looks good?
• How important is the elasticity?
• Does it need to be (highly) corrosion resistant?
• Is the conductivity of heat and/or electricity an important consideration?
• In which temperature will the end product be used?

The answers to these questions from our aerospace customers are important to be able to choose the right alloys. Another factor also plays a role: the construction of the product. Complex products with, for example, small cores, thin wall thicknesses, and narrow tolerances are not possible to make with a hard and less malleable alloy. Fortunately, Mifa has numerous aluminum alloys used in the aerospace industry, with each one having attributes that suit a specific solution.

Aluminium alloys used in the aerospace industry: 6061, 6082, and 7075

There are hundreds of aluminium alloys. Mifa offers a standard range of fourteen aluminium alloys with which we produce more than 95% of our products. Our standard range of aviation alloys consists of alloys from the following series: 1xxx, 3xxx, 6xxx, and 7xxx.

The 6xxx series

These alloys contain silicon and magnesium. We work with the following alloys: 6060, 6063, 6005A, 6061, and 6082. We also work with the following specials: 6066 and 6463. In general, the more magnesium and the more silicon that are added to the aluminium, the stronger the end product will be. These alloys are frequently chosen as they have good weldability, high resistance to corrosion, machinability, anodizability, and electrical conductivity.

6061 and 6082 are alloys commonly used in the aerospace industry because of their high strength. These are aerospace alloys that are prescribed by the aviation authorities. These alloys are particularly used by Airbus and Boeing for aircraft interiors.

The 7xxx series

Our standard range includes 7020, 7022, and alloy 7075 from the 7xxx series. Next to aluminium, the 7020 also consists of magnesium and zinc. Copper is also added to the 7022 and 7075. These alloys can be hardened and are some of the strongest we have. However, once again, they have reduced malleability and are therefore not suitable for complex products that require high precision. 7075 is a very strong alloy that is commonly used in the aerospace industry for structural parts.

Aviation alloys overview

The table below compares the properties of the commonly used aerospace alloys hat we have in our standard range. Know that the relative production speed, price, and achievable tolerances of the different aviation alloys are compared with 6063. Keep in mind that these values are an indication.

Ultimately, the profile’s form and dimensions decide which alloys are suitable and determine what the final price of the product will be. For more information or if you have any questions concerning our aluminum alloys used in the aerospace industry, feel free to contact us. Our experts are happy to help.