6106 é uma liga de extrusão 6xxx de resistência média, tratável termicamente. A sua propriedade definidora é a extrusabilidade: flui para secções finas e complexas que os graus 6xxx mais resistentes não conseguem preencher. Contém menos magnésio e silício do que o 6061, e essa química mais leve é o ponto essencial — pode ser extrudida em paredes mais finas e secções transversais mais complicadas do que o 6061 ou o 6082 conseguem, mantendo ainda 6063 resistência superior. As utilizações típicas são estruturais: escadas e torres de acesso, material circulante ferroviário, estruturas automóveis e fabricações marítimas acima do convés.
Duas coisas confundem os especificadores de primeira viagem. A primeira é a forma: 6106 não é uma designação de laminado, pelo que um desenho que especifica chapa ou placa 6106 segundo a ASTM B209 não tem um produto normalizado por trás. A segunda é a soldadura. Como o 6106 obtém a sua resistência do tratamento térmico e não do trabalho a frio, uma soldadura por arco remove localmente uma grande parte dessa resistência, e essa perda determina a forma como a junta é dimensionada.
O que é o alumínio 6106?
O 6106 é uma liga de alumínio–magnésio–silício (com manganês) da série 6000, registada pela primeira vez em 1979. Designações que verá em desenhos e documentos de fábrica:
| Sistema de designação | Valor |
| Associação de Alumínio (AA) | 6106 |
| UNS | A96106 |
| EN numérico / químico | EN AW-6106 / AlMgSiMn |
| Norma chinesa | GB/T 3190 |
| Limites de composição para controlo analítico | EN 573-3 |
| Valores mecânicos de produtos extrudidos | EN 755-2 |
| Barra, vara, fio, perfil, tubo extrudidos | ASTM B221 |
| Vara, barra, tubo, perfil extrudidos (ISO) | ISO 6362-2 |
A descrição da liga utilizada pela maioria dos armazenistas europeus resume melhor a intenção de projeto do que uma ficha técnica: uma liga de extrusão destinada a proporcionar a melhor combinação disponível de propriedades mecânicas, complexidade de forma, espessura mínima de secção e qualidade superficial, mantendo simultaneamente a resistência à corrosão, a soldabilidade e a conformabilidade associadas à série 6000. Secções que não podem ser produzidas em ligas mais resistentes, como o 6082, são rotineiramente produzidas em 6106.
Essa posição importa mais do que qualquer número de propriedade individual. Se imaginar as ligas 6xxx num eixo que vai do 6063 ao 6106 e depois ao 6061 e 6082, a extrusabilidade diminui à medida que se avança para a direita e a resistência aumenta. O 6106 situa-se deliberadamente no meio, e justifica o seu lugar quando nenhum dos extremos dessa linha serve.
Composição química
Os limites abaixo seguem a EN 573-3 e o registo da Aluminum Association. Tudo em percentagem ponderal, sendo o restante alumínio.
| Elemento | Composição (%) |
| Silício (Si) | 0.30 – 0.60 |
| Magnésio (Mg) | 0.40 – 0.80 |
| Manganês (Mn) | 0.05 - 0.20 |
| Ferro (Fe) | 0,35 máx. |
| Cobre (Cu) | 0,25 máximo |
| Cromo (Cr) | 0,20 máx |
| Zinco (Zn) | 0,10 máximo |
| Titânio (Ti) | 0,10 máximo |
| Outros, cada | 0,05 máximo |
| Outros, total | 0,15 máximo |
Leia isto em comparação com o 6061, que apresenta aproximadamente 0,8–1,2% de magnésio, 0,4–0,8% de silício e adiciona 0,15–0,4% de cobre. Essa diferença explica quase todas as disparidades de comportamento entre as duas ligas:
- Menor teor total de Mg + Si significa menos precipitado de Mg₂Si disponível para reforço, pelo que a resistência máxima é inferior — mas também há menos elemento de liga dissolvido remanescente no alumínio, razão pela qual a condutividade elétrica é superior e a tensão de escoamento durante a extrusão é menor.
- Teor de cobre muito baixo mantém um comportamento à corrosão limpo e ajuda à consistência da anodização. Significa também que o 6106 não pode procurar resistência da forma que as ligas 6xxx com cobre conseguem.
- O manganês está deliberadamente presente (0,05–0,20%), ao contrário da maioria dos graus 6xxx, onde é apenas uma impureza. O Mn controla a estrutura de grão através da recristalização e melhora a tenacidade e o acabamento superficial da secção extrudida.
- O controlo rigoroso do ferro é importante para a anodização. Os intermetálicos portadores de ferro são o que aparece como riscos e manchas cinzentas num acabamento anodizado transparente.
Propriedades Mecânicas por Têmpera
O 6106 obtém a sua resistência a partir de tratamento térmico de solubilização seguido de envelhecimento, pelo que o temperamento indicado na linha do artigo determina quase tudo sobre o comportamento da peça. Os valores abaixo são típicos; os números que efetivamente regem a aceitação são os mínimos da norma de produto, e esses devem ser confirmados contra o certificado de ensaio da fábrica para o perfil e espessura de parede específicos encomendados.
| Temperamento | Resistência à tração típica (MPa) | Tensão de cedência típica (MPa) | Alongamento típico (%) | Uso típico |
| O (recozido) | ~110 | ~60 | ~22 | Material de conformação antes de tratamento posterior |
| T4 (solubilizado, envelhecido naturalmente) | ~200 | ~120 | ~16 | Dobrar ou conformar, depois envelhecer para T6 |
| T5 (têmpera na prensa, envelhecido artificialmente) | ~220 | ~165 | ~12 | Extrusões estruturais sensíveis ao custo |
| T6 (solubilizado, envelhecido artificialmente) | ~290 | ~220 | 9 – 14 | Especificação estrutural padrão |
Para perfis até 10 mm de espessura de parede, a EN 755-2 estabelece valores mínimos no estado T6 de 250 MPa de resistência à tração, 200 MPa de tensão de prova e 6% de alongamento. Note quão mais baixos são esses mínimos em comparação com os valores típicos: essa diferença é normal, aumenta com a espessura da parede, e é por isso que o projeto deve usar o mínimo normalizado ou o valor do MTC — nunca um valor típico citado de uma ficha técnica.
Três consequências práticas decorrem da tabela:
Vale a pena orçamentar o T5 antes do T6. O T5 obtém a sua têmpera da prensa de extrusão em vez de um ciclo separado em forno, o que elimina uma etapa do processo e geralmente reduz o custo. Para muitas secções estruturais, a diferença de resistência não altera o projeto, pelo que é dinheiro real deixado na mesa quando o T6 é especificado por hábito.
A conformação pertence à fase anterior ao envelhecimento final. O trabalho a frio em T6 é possível mas limitado. Dobragens que fissurariam em T6 são simples em O ou T4, e a peça pode ser envelhecida posteriormente para atingir as propriedades T6. Se a sua sequência é atualmente “extrudir T6, depois dobrar”, pergunte se “conformar T4, depois envelhecer” funciona em alternativa.
A espessura altera a resposta. Os mínimos publicados estão associados à espessura da parede por uma razão: secções mais espessas arrefecem mais lentamente, pelo que menos elemento de liga permanece em solução e menos precipitado de reforço se forma posteriormente. Um perfil 6106 de parede espessa não atingirá os valores de um de parede fina, e o MTC da secção real é o único registo fiável.
Propriedades físicas
| Propriedade | Valor |
| Densidade | 2,70 g/cm³ |
| Intervalo de fusão (solidus–liquidus) | ~610 – 660 °C |
| Módulo de elasticidade | ~69.5 GPa |
| Coeficiente de expansão térmica | ~23.4 × 10⁻⁶ /K |
| Condutividade térmica | ~190 W/m·K |
| Electrical conductivity (equal volume) | ~49 % IACS |
| Maximum continuous service temperature | ~160 °C |
| Fatigue strength (T6) | ~88 MPa |
Two of these deserve a note because they are routinely misread.
Thermal expansion does not separate 6106 from 6061. 6106 measures about 23.4 × 10⁻⁶/K and 6061 about 23.6 × 10⁻⁶/K. Any comparison table you see listing “lower thermal expansion” as a 6106 advantage is reporting a rounding difference as if it were a property. If thermal movement governs your joint design, treat these alloys as identical and solve the problem in detail design.
Electrical conductivity is genuinely higher, and it is the lean chemistry showing up in the numbers. At roughly 49% IACS, 6106 runs above 6061 (about 40–43%), which is why it turns up in bus bar, conductor rail, and heat sink work where the mechanical requirement is modest but the electrical one is not. Combined with ~190 W/m·K thermal conductivity, that makes it a reasonable single-spec choice for parts that must carry both current and heat.
The ~160 °C ceiling is a real limit, not a formality. Strength comes from Mg₂Si precipitates, and sustained exposure above roughly that temperature coarsens them permanently. There is no re-aging your way back once a part has been cooked.
Why 6106 Is Classified as an Extrusion Alloy
This is the section most alloy write-ups skip, and it is the one that decides whether 6106 belongs on your drawing at all.
Extrudability is not a single property. It is a bundle of behaviors that together determine what a press can produce: how much pressure the alloy resists as it flows through the die, how fast it can be pushed before the surface tears, whether it fills thin and remote corners, how much the die deflects, and whether the finished surface looks clean enough to ship without masking the defects under paint. Alloy content pushes every one of those in the wrong direction, so a lean chemistry wins by default — and 6106 is lean.
What that buys in practice:
- Thinner minimum walls. A section whose web has to come down to meet a weight target may simply not be fillable in 6061 at production speed, while running comfortably in 6106.
- Higher complexity. Multi-void hollows, deep recesses, and fine detail are all easier. Stockists routinely note that shapes impossible in 6082 are routine in 6106.
- Better surface. Lower flow stress means less die pickup and fewer surface defects, which matters directly when the finish is anodized rather than painted.
- Higher line speed. Depending on the section, 6106 can run faster than 6061, which shows up in unit cost even when the billet price is the same.
The trade is strength, discussed next.
If you want the mechanics of the process itself, including what a mill needs from a drawing before quoting a profile, our custom aluminum extrusion guide covers it separately.
6106 vs 6063 vs 6061 vs 6082
This comparison is where 6106 actually earns or loses a specification, and picking the right comparator matters — comparing only against 6061 makes 6106 look like a weaker version of something, rather than what it is.
Typical T6 values:
| Propriedade | 6106-T6 | 6063-T6 | 6061-T6 | 6082-T6 |
| Resistência à tração (MPa) | ~290 | ~240 | ~310 | ~310 |
| Limite de escoamento (MPa) | ~220 | ~215 | ~275 | ~260 |
| Alongamento (%) | ~9 | ~12 | ~12 | ~10 |
| Complex thin-wall extrusion | Muito boa | Excelente | Bom | Justo |
| Anodized surface quality | Muito boa | Best | Bom | Justo |
| Usinabilidade | Bom | Moderado | Bom | Moderado |
| Arc weldability | Muito boa | Muito boa | Muito boa | Bom |
| Typical work | Ladders, towers, rail stock, auto structures | Acabamentos arquitetônicos, molduras de janelas | General structural, machined parts | Bridges, cranes, heavy frames |
The reading that matters: 6106-T6 carries roughly 20% more tensile strength than 6063-T6 while staying much closer to it than to 6061 on the extrudability axis. That is the specific reason to specify it — a structural section that still needs to look good anodized, and needs to be more complicated than 6061 will reliably produce.
Where each alternative wins instead:
- 6063 when the part is architectural trim or window framing, the section is simple, the finish is the priority, and loads are low. It extrudes even more easily and finishes better.
- 6061 when strength governs, when the part will be machined heavily, or when you want the widest stock coverage and engineers already know it. See our guia de alumínio 6061.
- 6082 for heavy structural work — bridges, cranes, vehicle chassis — where its strength-to-toughness balance is the reason it is specified, accepting that complex thin sections are off the table. Compare 6082-T6 before committing to a section.
- 6005 is another thin-wall structural extrusion worth pricing alongside 6106 for structural tube and truss work; its properties and limits differ enough to be worth a look.
Aplicativos
6106 shows up wherever a welded structural assembly needs to be light, extruded rather than machined, and held to tight dimensional repeatability.
Ladders, towers, and masts. The classic application, and named first by nearly every stockist. Extension ladders and scaffold rails benefit from thin-wall hollow sections at high stiffness-per-weight, from clean surface finish on parts users handle, and from weldability. Rung-to-rail joints are welded, so the HAZ allowance below governs the joint design.
Railway rolling stock. Extruded structural sections in body frames, floor supports, and interior framing. The combination of complex multi-void profiles, weldability, and fire and smoke behavior keeps 6xxx alloys dominant here, and 6106’s fill capability supports the integrated sections that replace multiple fabricated parts.
Automotive structures. Crash boxes, bumper beams, subframe components, roof rails, and battery enclosure framing. Thin-wall capability drives mass reduction directly, and the higher conductivity matters where the enclosure is part of a thermal management path.
Marine and offshore. Deck structures, gangways, masts, and superstructure framing. Worth stating plainly, though: good general corrosion resistance is not the same as marine-grade. Continuous seawater immersion or splash-zone service belongs to 5xxx alloys such as 5083-H116 or 5086-H116, which resist sensitization in a way high-magnesium-but-different 6xxx sections do not. Use 6106 above the waterline, not below it.
Architecture and building. Structural curtain wall members, structural glazing profiles, and framing that carries real load rather than trim, where the same extrusion must satisfy both deflection limits and an appearance requirement.
Thermal and electrical. Heat sinks, bus bars, conductor rail, and electrical enclosures, drawing on ~190 W/m·K thermal conductivity and ~49% IACS electrical conductivity. Here the mechanical spec usually arrives second and the section is simple.
Welding 6106
106 is rated very good for arc welding. The difficulty is not joining it — it is what the arc does to the temper alongside the weld.
The heat-affected zone loses strength. 6106 takes its strength from Mg₂Si precipitates locked in by heat treatment. A fusion weld reheats the adjacent metal through that same precipitation window without control, over-aging or dissolving what a furnace cycle built, so the zone beside the weld can lose up to half the parent strength. Lower heat input reduces that loss; it does not remove it. AWS D1.2 reflects this by directing designers to T4 or O properties for the heat-affected zone rather than T6 values, so the operating rule for 6106 is the same one used for every heat-treatable 6xxx extrusion: size the joint on reduced values, and confirm the figure with a qualification test where the load case matters.
What helps:
- Move the weld. The soft zone runs roughly 15–25 mm from the weld centerline, so keeping welds clear of peak bending stress is the cheapest fix.
- Oversize locally. One wall size up on a tube usually recovers the whole welded loss for very little weight.
- Fasten instead. A bolted joint keeps full parent T6 strength.
- Weld in T4, then age. Welding before artificial aging recovers appreciably more than welding after it, and a low-temperature cycle on an already-T6 weldment adds almost nothing. We do not run aging in-house, so build it into the schedule.
Filler. ER4043 suits general fabrication; ER5356 where you need more as-welded strength or a closer color match after anodizing. Our guia de arame de solda de alumínio covers the selection, and the 6061 welding guide covers procedure control and joint-strength qualification.
Machining, Forming, and Surface Finishing
Usinagem. 6106 machines well in T6 with sharp tools and adequate clearance; the softer O and T4 conditions are more prone to built-up edge and smearing, so the “gummy” reputation attaches to those rather than to the T6 condition people actually machine. In general machining ranking, 6061 still performs better, so where a part is mostly chips rather than mostly extrusion, 6061 remains the better ask.
Conformação. Do it before final aging. T4 is the practical forming condition for bending and shaping; T6 tolerates only limited cold work, and attempting tight bends there invites cracking along the outer fiber. Springback is moderate and is better controlled by die design than by alloy substitution. Remember that any heavy local heating during straightening will soften the area in the same way a weld does.
Anodização. One of 6106’s real advantages. Low iron and copper give consistent clear and colored anodic films, and the good as-extruded surface means less mechanical prep before the tank. The practical caution is that a 6106 section welded together will show the weld and its HAZ as a visible band after anodizing unless the filler and procedure are chosen for appearance; our anodizing guide explains why most visible failures start with alloy selection and surface preparation rather than with the anodizing itself.
Corrosion. Good general atmospheric corrosion resistance, typical of the 6000 series, and better than many users expect in industrial atmospheres. It is not immune to intergranular attack in aggressive conditions, and it does not belong in continuous immersion or the splash zone. Powder coating or anodizing extends service life substantially; for marine immersion, move to 5xxx rather than upgrading the finish.
Standards and Procurement Documentation
Getting the paperwork right matters as much as getting the alloy right, because it is what determines whether the section you receive is the one you specified.
Specify the standard and the temper together. “6106-T6” alone leaves too much open. A complete line item names the alloy, temper, product form, governing specification, applicable dimensional tolerance, and wall-thickness class. For extruded product that means ASTM B221 ou EN 755-2 (with EN 573-3 for composition analysis and GB/T 3190 for Chinese mill supply). Confirm availability before quoting if a drawing calls for 6106 against a rolled plate or sheet specification — a mismatch discovered after award costs far more than a question asked early.
Documents worth requesting:
| Documento | O que ela proporciona |
| Mill test certificate (MTC) | Heat-specific composition and actual mechanical values for the supplied lot |
| EN 10204 3.1 certificate | Mill-independent statement that values were verified against the order |
| SGS chemical or mechanical report | Third-party verification where the project requires it |
| SGS dimensional inspection | Verification of critical profile dimensions against the drawing |
The distinction to hold onto: the figures in this article are típicos values for orientation. The numbers that bind are the standard minimums and the MTC values for the specific lot. When those disagree, the MTC wins.
Also worth confirming before placing an order: the wall thickness class, since it drives the minimum mechanical values; the temper route, T5 versus T6, since it changes both cost and properties; and whether the drawing intends any post-extrusion aging after forming or welding, since that step belongs in the schedule rather than discovered mid-fabrication.
When to Choose 6106 — and When Not To
Choose 6106 when:
- The section is the constraint, not the alloy number — thin walls, multiple voids, tight tolerances, or details that 6061 will not fill reliably at production speed.
- You need more strength than 6063 and better finish than 6061, particularly where the same extrusion is structural and visible.
- The part will be welded and moderately loaded, with room to place joints away from peak stress or to oversize locally. Every 6xxx behaves this way; plan for it.
- Weight per metre is being driven down through wall thickness rather than through alloy substitution.
- The part also conducts — bus bar, heat sink, conductor rail — where roughly 49% IACS is an advantage 6061 cannot match.
Procure outra opção quando:
- Peak strength governs the design. Step up to 6061-T6 or 6082-T6.
- A welded joint must retain full T6 strength. No 6xxx alloy does this. Either redesign so the weld is not the governing location, or consider whether a non-heat-treatable 5xxx grade suits the load case better.
- The service is continuous seawater immersion or splash zone. Move to 5083-H116 or 5086-H116.
- The part is decorative architectural trim with low load. 6063 extrudes more easily and anodizes better, and it costs less. See our guia de extrusão 6063.
- Service runs continuously above roughly 160 °C. Precipitation coarsening is permanent.
Conclusão
6106 is a 6xxx extrusion alloy that trades peak strength for how far it can be pushed through a die — roughly 20% stronger than 6063-T6 while still filling thin-wall and multi-void sections that 6061 cannot produce reliably. Two specification traps drive most failures with it: ordering it against a rolled plate or sheet standard instead of ASTM B221 or EN 755-2, and sizing welded joints on T6 parent values when fusion welding removes up to half the local strength.
We supply 6106 as profile, bar, tube, and wire in O, T4, T5, and T6, quoted to ASTM B221 or EN 755-2 with the wall-thickness class stated, and we handle CNC machining, welding, laser cutting, and anodizing in-house. Post-weld aging is a separate mill step we do not run ourselves, so build it into the schedule, and every order carries an MTC.
Send us the drawing, the standard, and the temper route, and we will confirm available wall thicknesses, tolerances, and documentation before you commit.
Perguntas frequentes
How does 6106 pricing compare with 6063 and 6061?
The grade matters less than how the part is bought. 6106 is a narrower designation with less mill stock than 6063, so form, temper and order quantity move the number more than the alloy choice does. Send the section, temper and annual volume, and we will quote the actual lot rather than a list price.
What is the minimum order quantity for 6106?
Stocked profiles ship from standard pack quantities. Anything outside the stocked range is a low-MOQ custom run, so the practical minimum depends on the form, the temper and whether a heat is available. Tell us the specification and quantity and we will confirm what ships from stock and what has to be produced.
What lead time should I expect for 6106 extrusions?
Plan on roughly 10–60 days, depending on whether the profile is stocked. Stocked sections ship in days; a new die adds design, fabrication and trial time before the first extruded length. Confirm the section against your build schedule early, because the die is on the critical path.
