6012-T6 Aluminum
6012-T6 aluminum is 6012 aluminum in the T6 temper. To achieve this temper, the metal is solution heat-treated and artificially aged until it meets standard mechanical property requirements. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare 6012-T6 aluminum to: 6000-series alloys (top), all aluminum alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
69 GPa 10 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
9.1 %
Fatigue Strength
100 MPa 15 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
26 GPa 3.8 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
190 MPa 28 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
320 MPa 47 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
260 MPa 37 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
400 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
170 °C 330 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1180 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
570 °C 1050 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
890 J/kg-K 0.21 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
160 W/m-K 91 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
23 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
45 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
140 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
9.5 % relative
Density
2.9 g/cm3 180 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
8.2 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
150 MJ/kg 65 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
1170 L/kg 140 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
28 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
480 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
48 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
32 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
37 points
Thermal Diffusivity
62 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
14 points
Alloy Composition
| Al | 92.2 to 98 | |
| Pb | 0.4 to 2.0 | |
| Si | 0.6 to 1.4 | |
| Mg | 0.6 to 1.2 | |
| Mn | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| Bi | 0 to 0.7 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Cr | 0 to 0.3 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.3 | |
| Ti | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.15 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Further Reading
EN 754-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Cold drawn rod/bar and tube. Mechanical properties
Aluminum: Properties and Physical Metallurgy, John E. Hatch (editor), 1984
EN 755-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Extruded rod/bar, tube and profiles. Mechanical properties
EN 573-3: Aluminium and aluminium alloys. Chemical composition and form of wrought products. Chemical composition and form of products
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993