What is the Best Aluminum for Machining?

Among all of the available grades of aluminum, 3003 is the most common aluminum alloy used for various general-purpose applications due to its decent strength and good workability.

With manganese as the primary alloying element, 3003 scores excellent in terms of formability and corrosion resistance as compared to other aluminum metals and tempers.

However, when it comes to strength, 6061, another commonly used aluminum alloy, triumphs over 3003 with more yield strength, which is useful for designing structural applications.

It’s important to know which variant is best when machining aluminum. Below, we detail the wide range of mechanical properties of 3003 and 6061 aluminum and discuss the applications in which each alloy excels.

Understanding the 3003 Aluminum Alloy

3003 is an aluminum-manganese copper alloy that is moderately strengthened by cold hardening. Manganese is the main alloying element in the 3003 aluminum alloys, with its percentage varying between 1% and 1.5%, depending on how the aluminum alloy is fabricated.

The presence of copper and magnesium offers 20% additional strength than 1100-grade aluminum, yet due to its low tensile and yield strengths, it is labeled as a moderately strong material.

The table below shows the typical strength of different 3003 tempers.

Apart from moderate strength, 3003 aluminum alloys are corrosion resistant, workability, and weldability. Thus, it is an ideal light structure material, globally acknowledged as the most common aluminum alloy or general-use alloy. The most common applications of 3003 occur in the aerospace, food, and chemical industries.

Some popular applications include the following:

• Gutters
• Folded sheets
• Storage containers
• Truck roofs
• Radiators
• Pressure vessels
• Acoustic ceilings
• Downspouts

Despite all of these advantages, machining 3003 can prove challenging. Though 3003 tempers have fair machinability, they are less machinable than other harder aluminum alloys.

They also are not heat-treatable alloys, which means, unlike heat-treated metals, they cannot achieve a secondary phase of precipitation hardening required for improved strength.

As a cold-treated metal, 3003 aluminum alloys are also prone to hydrogen-induced porosity during welding. The best way to avoid this situation is to drop hydrogen pickup to a low level while welding. This is another major reason why 3003 cannot be used for extreme environment applications.

Understanding the 6061 Aluminum Alloy

6061 aluminum alloys are highly versatile, containing silicon and magnesium as major alloying elements. These different aluminum alloys display excellent corrosion resistance and a good strength-to-weight ratio, highly sought-after mechanical properties for building marine and aerospace structures.

With good electrical and thermal conductivity, 6061 plates also find broad applications in electrical fittings, connectors, and magneto parts.

6061 aluminum alloys are heat-treated and thus are available in different tempers, such as F, O, W, and T. In this regard, the 6061-Tx variant has many applications. In 6061-Tx, the letter “T” represents temper, and “x”, usually represented as a digit, indicates whether the alloy has received any special treatment.

For instance, 6061-T6 aluminum alloys are solution heat-treated and artificially aged to offer good machinability and excellent weldability.

However, it has poor formability. If you need good formability from a 6061 alloy, 6061-T4 would be an ideal choice, as it is naturally aged to have good formability and excellent weldability. In short, different 6061 tempers can meet wide application requirements, unlike 3003 tempers.

6061 aluminum alloys are commonly used in the following:

• Bicycle frames
• Cans
• Truck frames
• Towers and pylons
• Aircraft applications
• Rail coaches

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The Most Common Aluminum Alloy for Machining: 6061 or 3003?

For a quick comparison, the table below lists the essential elements of 6061 and 3003.

In terms of formability, 3003 is a better choice over 6061, especially if the application requires good formability to meet design requirements.

For example, 3003 is an excellent choice for outdoor decorative architecture that requires formability and moderate strength for a good aesthetic appeal. However, as a cold-treated alloy, it is unsuitable for structural applications requiring heavy machining.

Not all aluminum alloys are created equal. Most aluminum production is intended for structural applications, such as body frames and parts, in the automobile and aerospace industries to improve the strength-to-weight ratio.

In this regard, 6061 is one of the most common aluminum alloys that meet a wide range of application requirements, making it among the best aluminum for machining.

Machining Tips and Techniques

Tool Selection and Geometry

• Choose carbide cutting tools with a helix angle of 35-45° to minimize heat generation and improve surface finish.
• Opt for tools with a maximum of 3 flutes to support good chip clearance.

Speeds and Feeds

• Use high spindle speeds (up to 20,000 RPM) and moderate feed rates to avoid excessive heat buildup.
• Consult speed and feed calculators or manufacturer recommendations to determine the optimal cutting parameters.

Cooling and Lubrication

• Apply a suitable coolant or cutting fluid to the tool and workpiece to dissipate heat and improve chip evacuation.
• Consider using flood cooling or intermittent mist cooling techniques

Chip Control

• Monitor the size and color of the chips to ensure proper chip formation and removal.
• Use air blasting systems or other chip removal methods to keep the cutting zone clear.

Advanced Machining Techniques

• Employ adaptive clearing strategies to reduce cycle times and improve surface finish.
• Utilize trochoidal milling to minimize tool engagement and prevent chatter

Purchase Aluminum Alloys from a Trusted Metal Supplier and Recycler

When choosing the best aluminum for machining, considering corrosion resistance is crucial. Heat-treatable alloys, such as 6061 and 7075, offer good machinability and strength, but 3003, with its excellent formability, is preferred for applications where forming is critical.

Common aluminum alloys, including those mentioned, are frequently used across various industries, showcasing the versatility and broad utility of these commonly used alloys.

Industrial Metal Service has been supplying metals, including aluminum alloys to the San Francisco Bay Area and nationwide for more than two decades. Our extensive collection of aluminum stock includes 6061, 3003, 7075, 5080, MIC-6, and more.

We not only supply new metals sourced straight from U.S. mills, but we also offer verified metal remnants, recycled from the production lines of manufacturers that have no further use for the scrap.