Al 6061 and 5454 in Automobile Industry

With the development of the modern automobile industry and each country’s ncreasingly stringent requirements in terms of energy, environmental protection and safety, the aluminum sheets is more and more widely used in the field of automobile industry. Aluminum has the advantages of low density, light weight, good forming processability, which not only can improve vehicle driving performance, but also reduce fuel consumption and environmental pollution. Therefore, aluminum alloy is recognized as one of the ideal materials for future cars.

6xxx aluminum alloy is an aluminum alloy with magnesium and silicon as the main alloying elements and Mg2Si phase as the strengthening phase, which belongs to the aluminum alloy that can be strengthened by heat treatment. Among the 6 series alloys, 6061 Al and 6063 alloy are the most widely used.

The 6061 alloy reaches medium strength after special treatment (T6), and its strength is higher than that of the 5xxx alloy. Moderate strength is very suitable for the automotive industry. The aluminum alloy sheet used for different parts of the automobile body sheet is also different. Among them, the 6061 aluminum alloy is used for the car fender, outer hood panel and car door.

At present, 6061 automotive aluminum is widely used in automobile fenders. 6061 aluminum plate has good mechanical properties. Its density is only 1/3 of steel, and its machinability is 4.5 times that of iron. 6061 aluminum alloy car fenders neither increase the weight of the vehicle,nor bring damage to the car. The oxide film formed on the surface of the 6061 aluminum plate can prevent the fender from rusting.

The engine is considered the "heart" of the car, and the weight of of the engine generally accounts for 20-30% of the vehicle. The airframe is the largest single part in the engine, and its mass accounts for 25-35% of the actual mass of the engine. Therefore, reducing the body of the automobile engine is of great significance for the lightweight of the automobile.

AA5454 aluminum is widely used for this application. It is also used for making the automobile wheels. 5454 aluminum plate has high strength, high corrosion resistance, good plasticity and good formability. The strength of 5454 aluminum plate is about 20% higher than that of 5052 aluminum plate. The corrosion resistance in severe environment is better than 5154.