Aluminum is one of the world’s most commonly used metals — and with good reason. Light-weight, highly corrosion-resistant, and easy to fabricate with a high strength-to-weight ratio, it’s an extremely versatile material with near-endless applications.
Better together
As useful a material as pure aluminum is, it can take on more helpful properties when combined with other elements to form alloys. Alloys tend to be significantly more durable than pure elements and often have other enhanced characteristics that make them ideal for specific applications.
You can tell what its alloying elements are by its grade, a four-digit numerical designation. When aluminum is used as a base metal in an alloy, the first digit indicates its basic alloying elements. The “5” in “5052” indicates that its main alloying element is magnesium. The “6” in “6061” indicates that its main alloying elements are magnesium with silicon.
Now let’s see the similarities and differences between 6061 and 5052 aluminum alloys.
Similarities between 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys
5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys share many common properties, giving them characteristics that make them suitable for many of the same uses.
Both 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys:
use magnesium as a primary alloying element, which increases their strength and workability.
have high corrosion resistance.
may be anodized to increase corrosion resistance even further.
can both be welded using TIG welding, MIG welding, spot welding, and other methods.
Differences between 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys
Despite their similarities, the different proportions of elements in 5052 and 6061 give each alloy different mechanical properties.
Some of the most notable differences are as follows:
Unlike 6061, 5052 doesn’t contain enough silicon for heat treating, so it can only increase its strength through cold working or strain hardening.
6061 aluminum has greater ultimate tensile and yield strength.
5052 has greater fatigue strength and elasticity.
Because 5052 contains a minimal amount of copper, it offers greater corrosion resistance than 6061, particularly in saltwater environments.
Now let’s take a closer look at these different characteristics and the applications each is best suited for.
Temper, temper!
When aluminum is tempered, it undergoes a heat-treating process that hardens the metal and enhances mechanical properties, such as strength and corrosion resistance. This process can also impact appearance.
Tempers are designated by a letter that indicates the temper type and a number that specifies what tempering method was done. You can find them after the alloy designation following a dash. In the designation 5052-H32, for example, the temper is “H32”.
Types of temper
There are four main types of aluminum tempering. However, we will narrow our focus to the types of tempering that apply to 5052 and 6061 aluminum: thermal treatment and strain hardening.
H temper — strain hardened. Strain hardening is one of the most common methods of tempering and involves permanent deformation of the metal to make it stronger. Because 5052 cannot be significantly strengthened through heat treatment, it is typically strain hardened. This process is sometimes followed by a limited amount of heat treatment.
T temper — thermally treated. Thermal treatment involves heating and cooling the aluminum to change its microstructure and physical properties. As a heat treatable alloy, 6061 can be strengthened considerably with heat treatment. It can also be stress-relieved by artificial aging and stretching or compressing. T temper may include supplementary strain-hardening to further increase strength.
In general, the higher the temper designation, the greater the tensile strength of the metal. For example, 5052-H38 is considerably stronger than 5052-H32.
Although tempers are important, they should still be considered alongside such factors as the thickness of the metal, the type of tempering treatment, and the general properties of each alloy, since each of these has an effect on the metal’s properties.
Now let’s take a look at the general mechanical properties of each alloy, starting with its most commonly considered characteristic.
Ultimate tensile strength. Tensile strength is the maximum amount of tensile stress a material can withstand without failing or fracturing. 6061 aluminum has significantly higher ultimate tensile strength (310 MPa) than 5052 aluminum (228 MPa).
Yield strength. Yield strength is another measurement of tensile strength that indicates the maximum stress that can be applied before permanent shape change occurs. 6061 aluminum has a significantly higher yield strength (276 MPa) than 5052 aluminum (193MPa). 6061 offers greater overall strength with less formability, while 5052 is the opposite. It’s easier to shape and work, but it sacrifices some of its strength for flexibility.
Fatigue strength. Fatigue strength is the minimum stress level for a material to weaken and fail. Below this point, the material will not show permanent changes even when subjected to a high number of stress cycles. This value shows the endurance of a metal and its ability to hold up to stress over time. 5052 aluminum’s fatigue strength (117MPa) is greater than 6061 aluminum’s fatigue strength (96.5 MPa), although both alloys have high ratings for this property.
Comparison of other physical properties
Strength is often the first property considered when choosing an aluminum alloy, but there are many other properties that should be evaluated for suitability to a given application.
Some of the most important are:
Elasticity. Elasticity measures how easily a material restores to its original shape after it is distorted. This value can indicate how suitable an alloy is for bending, working, rolling or forming. With high elasticity and comparatively superior fatigue strength, 5052 aluminum is better suited to processes that require working or forming than 6061.
Machineability. Conversely, materials that have a harder nature are easier to fracture, making them more machinable. 6061 aluminum is a better choice for machining and CNC applications than 5052, whose more elastic nature reduces the precision of the cuts.
Weldability. Both 6061 and 5052 aluminum alloys offer good weldability via typical welding techniques, but 5052 tends to produce fewer cracks during the process. 6061 may still be a better choice than 5052 for certain applications, but it may be necessary to take certain precautions for best results.
Corrosion resistance. Both 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys are more corrosion resistant than many other alloys, but 5052 aluminum’s corrosion resistance is superior. Because of this, you’ll often see 5052 used in water, marine, and chemical applications.
Surface appearance and quality. 5052 aluminum has a smoother finish than 6061, making it better for applications where appearance matters.
Common applications
Both 5052 and 6061 aluminum have a vast variety of applications. A few of the more common applications for 5052 aluminum include:
Fuel tanks
Truck-trailer side panels and cabs
Road signs
Pressure vessels
Hydraulic tubes
Kitchen cabinets
Small boats
Home freezers
Fencing
Some common applications for 6061 aluminum include:
Aerospace
Aircraft boats
Storage tanks
Bridges
Railroad cars
Furniture
Tank fittings
Wire products
But how much does 5052 aluminum cost compared to 6061?
There are a number of factors that can influence the price of aluminum, including market supply and demand as well as material form, size and thickness. That said, generally speaking 5052 aluminum is less expensive than 6061 aluminum.
So, which one is better?
5052 aluminum is very popular because of its versatility, workability, formability, weldability, and corrosion resistance, as well as its strength as a non-heat-treatable aluminum alloy. But 6061 aluminum is a better choice for applications that require a balance of flexibility with excellent strength.
Looking for 5052 or 6061 aluminum?
At Cumberland we have an extensive stock of prime and secondary aluminum sheet, plate, and coil. Contact us today to get the best aluminum for your application.
5052 aluminum vs. 6061 aluminum — what’s the difference?
Posted by Ben Kammer in Articles
Aluminum is one of the world’s most commonly used metals — and with good reason. Light-weight, highly corrosion-resistant, and easy to fabricate with a high strength-to-weight ratio, it’s an extremely versatile material with near-endless applications.
Better together
As useful a material as pure aluminum is, it can take on more helpful properties when combined with other elements to form alloys. Alloys tend to be significantly more durable than pure elements and often have other enhanced characteristics that make them ideal for specific applications.
You can tell what its alloying elements are by its grade, a four-digit numerical designation. When aluminum is used as a base metal in an alloy, the first digit indicates its basic alloying elements. The “5” in “5052” indicates that its main alloying element is magnesium. The “6” in “6061” indicates that its main alloying elements are magnesium with silicon.
Now let’s see the similarities and differences between 6061 and 5052 aluminum alloys.
Similarities between 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys
5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys share many common properties, giving them characteristics that make them suitable for many of the same uses.
Both 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys:
Differences between 5052 and 6061 aluminum alloys
Despite their similarities, the different proportions of elements in 5052 and 6061 give each alloy different mechanical properties.
Some of the most notable differences are as follows:
Now let’s take a closer look at these different characteristics and the applications each is best suited for.
Temper, temper!
When aluminum is tempered, it undergoes a heat-treating process that hardens the metal and enhances mechanical properties, such as strength and corrosion resistance. This process can also impact appearance.
Tempers are designated by a letter that indicates the temper type and a number that specifies what tempering method was done. You can find them after the alloy designation following a dash. In the designation 5052-H32, for example, the temper is “H32”.
Types of temper
There are four main types of aluminum tempering. However, we will narrow our focus to the types of tempering that apply to 5052 and 6061 aluminum: thermal treatment and strain hardening.
In general, the higher the temper designation, the greater the tensile strength of the metal. For example, 5052-H38 is considerably stronger than 5052-H32.
Although tempers are important, they should still be considered alongside such factors as the thickness of the metal, the type of tempering treatment, and the general properties of each alloy, since each of these has an effect on the metal’s properties.
Now let’s take a look at the general mechanical properties of each alloy, starting with its most commonly considered characteristic.
Strength
When we discuss a material’s strength, it can be measured in many different ways. Strength measurements that are most important to industrial applications usually include the aluminum’s tensile strength, yield strength, and fatigue strength.
Comparison of other physical properties
Strength is often the first property considered when choosing an aluminum alloy, but there are many other properties that should be evaluated for suitability to a given application.
Some of the most important are:
Common applications
Both 5052 and 6061 aluminum have a vast variety of applications. A few of the more common applications for 5052 aluminum include:
Some common applications for 6061 aluminum include:
But how much does 5052 aluminum cost compared to 6061?
There are a number of factors that can influence the price of aluminum, including market supply and demand as well as material form, size and thickness. That said, generally speaking 5052 aluminum is less expensive than 6061 aluminum.
So, which one is better?
5052 aluminum is very popular because of its versatility, workability, formability, weldability, and corrosion resistance, as well as its strength as a non-heat-treatable aluminum alloy. But 6061 aluminum is a better choice for applications that require a balance of flexibility with excellent strength.
Looking for 5052 or 6061 aluminum?
At Cumberland we have an extensive stock of prime and secondary aluminum sheet, plate, and coil. Contact us today to get the best aluminum for your application.