Aluminum alloy picker
6061 vs 6063 vs 6005A vs 7075. Answer 4 short questions and get an alloy + temper recommendation based on ASM/GB spec rules. This is a guide, not a live quote — mill counts come from our DB, premiums are industry composite refreshed quarterly.
4 alloys, side-by-side
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We'll recommend an alloy and temper, with specific Chinese mills that run it.
Alloy questions we get weekly
Is 6063 always cheaper than 6061?
Yes, by 8-12% consistently. The raw billet recipe differs slightly and 6063 has less magnesium. 6063 is also more common in Chinese mills (38 of 50 mills we track run it) so there's more capacity competition.
Can Chinese mills substitute 6061 for 6063 on spec-vague POs?
Some will, and will quietly ship 6061 billed as 6063 to save money if you don't specify temper + chemistry in the contract. Always require the raw billet COA and heat-treat log. A buyer who says 'any 6000-series extrusion' is inviting substitution.
What does T5 vs T6 mean?
Temper codes. T5 = cooled from extrusion + artificially aged (faster, cheaper). T6 = solution heat-treated + artificially aged (stronger, more expensive). 6063-T5 is the window industry standard. 6061-T6 is the structural industry standard.