Sunday, March 29, 2015

Why Go For The 6061-T6 Aluminum Pipe

By Iva Cannon


The alloys of aluminum are made in two main groups. These are the casting alloy and the wrought alloy. The two alloys are made for unique areas of applications and have different properties. However, for the ordinary applications, the wrought alloy is the more common of the two. It is made by extrusion and rolling process followed by forging into the shape desired. In order to make the product even harder, the heat treatment and cold working are some of the processes that can be used. In the process, the 6061-T6 Aluminum pipe are among the possible products.

However, for better understanding, it is better to start by examining their names. In order to identify the major alloys that make up the wrought or the cast alloys, they are given a 4-digit number. If the label is 2XXX, then it contains copper, 4XXX contain silicon while 6XXX alloys have magnesium and silicon.

In addition to the 4-series number, the alpha-numeric suffixes are used for further detailed identification. It helps indicate the temper or the degree hardness. In the 6061-T6, the alpha-numeric suffix T6 is an indication that it is a heat treated solution followed by artificial aging so as to minimize distortion. Stretch stress-relieving can also be done and this means additional numbers on the alpha-numeric part.

As such, it is clear why the 6061-T6 aluminum materials are tough. They are used as a solution where structural strength is necessary while weight is undesired. They also offer very good finishing properties and are known to respond well to anodizing processes such as clear and color dye, and hard coat.

In its purest form, aluminum is very soft and highly reactive, making it unsuitable for serious structural use. However, its alloys, particularly the 6061-T6 alloy is very strong and is used to manufacture durable products. It has a very high strength-to-weight ratio and is thus ideal for conduction of light but strong parts. As such, it is commonly used to manufacture parts on planes such as wings and fuselage.

The other area where these alloys are commonly used is in the construction of water crafts. The water crafts are designed to be light in weight without compromising on their strength, and this is the solution. As such, they are common in sailboat masts, yacht hulls, lightweight boat, and for fabrication the flat-canoe bottom. They are also preferred for the frames of the bicycles.

However, in any ordinary construction site, they are used for most of the applications that involve heat transfer. These include heat-sink piping, heat exchanger piping, piping for and air coolers among others. They are also best for air piping and water piping where noncorrosive properties are necessary.

As such, the 6061-T6 mark is necessary to ensure that you are getting the right pipe for your use. It can be available in many hardware shops or even from online stores. The option of online purchase comes with advantages such as the ability get choose from several vendors and the possibility of getting lower prices.




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