What is the T4, T5, and T6 of the 6000 series aluminum material?
Both architectural and industrial aluminum profiles are mainly made of 6000 series, which is aluminum magnesium silicon alloy. The 6063 aluminum profile has excellent formability, strong corrosion resistance, and weldability. After aging, the hardness can meet the usage requirements. So 6063 aluminum profile very popular.
There are three common states of 6063 aluminum profiles: T4, T5, and T6. The T4 state has the lowest hardness, while the T6 state has the highest hardness.
T means treatment，and the following 4, 5, 6 represent the heat treatment method. In professional terms,
T4 state is solid solution treatment+natural aging;
T5 state is solid solution treatment+incomplete artificial aging;
T6 state is solid solution treatment+artificial complete aging.
What is the difference between T4, T5, and T6?
The 6063-T4 state is that the aluminum profile is extruded from the extruder and cooled, but not put into the aging furnace for aging. Aluminum profiles that have not undergone aging have lower hardness and better deformability, making them suitable for later deformation processing such as bending.
6063-T5 is our most commonly produced type, which is extruded, air cooled, quenched, and then transformed into an aging furnace for about 200 degrees Celsius for 2-3 hours. The state of the aluminum profile after being produced can reach T5. Aluminum profiles in this state have relatively high hardness and certain deformability. So most building aluminum profiles and industrial aluminum profiles are in this state.
The 6063-T6 state is quenched by water cooling, and the artificial aging temperature after quenching will be higher, and the holding time will be longer to achieve a higher hardness state.
The T5 state aluminum profile obtained a material structure with moderate strength and certain plasticity, while the T6 state obtained higher hardness and lower plasticity. The T4 state achieved the lowest hardness but high plasticity.
The different heat treatment methods result in different physical and mechanical strength obtained. The order should be T6>T5>T4, so T4 is suitable for deformation processing, such as bending. T5 is mostly used for building aluminum profiles and industrial aluminum profiles. If there is a higher requirement for hardness, T6 materials can be used.
What instrument is used to measure the hardness of aluminum profiles
Hardness is one of the commonly used indicators for evaluating the mechanical properties of metals, and its essence is the ability of the metal itself to resist the pressure of another harder material than it. The hardness of different metals varies, and differences in the composition of aluminum alloys can also lead to differences in hardness.
First of all, let's introduce metal hardness testers. The commonly used ones in the world are Brinell hardness testers, Rockwell hardness testers, Vickers hardness testers, Knoop hardness testers, Vickers hardness testers, and Babbitt hardness testers. These hardness testers measure metal hardness statically. Each hardness measurement method has its own advantages. The commonly used method for measuring industrial aluminum profiles is a Vickers hardness tester.
The Vickers hardness tester is small in size, lightweight, and can be operated with one hand. It can measure hardness anytime and anywhere during the production of industrial aluminum profiles. The measurement principle of the Webster hardness tester is to use a certain shape of hard steel pressure needle to press into the surface of aluminum profiles under the action of standard spring test force, and determine the hardness of aluminum profiles based on the depth of the pressure needle pressing. Moreover, industrial aluminum profiles are materials with two parallel faces, making them very suitable for measuring with a Vickers hardness tester.
Industrial aluminum profiles are produced in bulk and require root inspection. The compact and flexible Vickers hardness tester is very suitable for this type of production site.
