Aluminum 6023
AA 6023 · EN AlSi1Sn1MgBi
6023 (AlSi1Sn1MgBi) is a lead-free free-machining Al-Mg-Si alloy in which tin and bismuth provide the chip-breaking phases, supplied in O, T4, T6, T651, T6510, T6511, T8 and T9.
Reference datasheet — 6023 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the T6 condition
6023 tempers and conditions
6023 is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. T6 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Softest condition for heavy cold forming, deep drilling or re-heat-treatment; not a normal stock condition for this alloy. | 80 | 150 | 22 | 45 HB | 49 % IACS |
Solution heat treated and naturally aged | Intermediate strength with better ductility; used when parts are formed or staked after machining and later aged to T6. | 145 | 250 | 18 | 68 HB | 37 % IACS |
T6Default Solution heat treated and artificially aged | Standard stocked condition for automatic-lathe bar: peak strength with short, well-broken chips. | 295 | 330 | 10 | 100 HB | 40 % IACS |
T6, stress relieved by stretching | Choose when tight dimensional stability after heavy stock removal is required from plate or drawn bar. | 300 | 330 | 10 | 100 HB | 40 % IACS |
Solution treated, stretched, artificially aged, no further straightening | Extruded bar/profile with residual stress relieved by stretching and no post-stretch straightening — best distortion control for long machined parts. | 300 | 330 | 10 | 100 HB | 40 % IACS |
T6, stress relieved by stretching, minor straightening | Most common extruded free-machining bar condition: stress-relieved, straight, ready for CNC/screw-machine work. | 300 | 330 | 10 | 100 HB | 40 % IACS |
Solution heat treated, cold worked and artificially aged | Cold-drawn-then-aged bar for higher strength and even better surface finish/chip control than T6. | 350 | 375 | 8 | 110 HB | 41 % IACS |
Solution heat treated, artificially aged and cold worked | Highest-strength, close-tolerance cold-finished bar for high-volume screw-machine parts needing maximum surface quality. | 380 | 400 | 6 | 120 HB | 41 % IACS |
What is 6023?
6023 (AlSi1Sn1MgBi) is a lead-free free-machining Al-Mg-Si alloy in which tin and bismuth provide the chip-breaking phases, supplied in O, T4, T6, T651, T6510, T6511, T8 and T9. It is selected for high-speed automatic lathe and Swiss work, offering 295 MPa yield, 330 MPa tensile, 10 % elongation, 100 HB and a machinability rating of 90 while still anodizing acceptably. Low-melting Sn/Bi films make it a poor fusion-welding candidate (weldability 25), formability is limited (score 30) and service is capped near 150 °C. 6012/6018 are the leaded equivalents; 6262 is the option when welding or higher corrosion resistance is needed. 6023 has a density of 2.72 g/cm³ (0.0983 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of aluminum grades. It melts at 575°C (1,067 °F). 6023 has a yield strength of 295 MPa (42.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 330 MPa (47.9 ksi) — stronger than 75% of aluminum grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 69.5 GPa (10.1 Msi).
What is 6023 used for?
- Precision turned parts
- Electrical and RF connector bodies
- Screw machine fittings
- Swiss-turned pins and spacers
- Deep-drilled manifold blocks
- Anodized instrument components
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 90/100, better than 98% of aluminum grades
- Conducts heat well — 170 W/m·K (98.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 82% of aluminum grades
- High strength — 295 MPa (42.8 ksi), better than 75% of aluminum grades
Limitations
- Difficult to weld — 25/100, worse than 76% of aluminum grades
6023 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 6023-T6; bars are the position among aluminum grades.
Physical3
6023 has a density of 2.72 g/cm³ (0.0983 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of aluminum grades. It melts at 575°C (1,067 °F).
Mechanical13
6023 has a yield strength of 295 MPa (42.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 330 MPa (47.9 ksi) — stronger than 75% of aluminum grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 69.5 GPa (10.1 Msi).
Thermal6
6023 is rated for continuous service to 150°C (302 °F). It conducts heat at 170 W/m·K (98.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 82% of aluminum grades. Thermal expansion is 23.4 µm/m·K (13 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
6023 conducts electricity at 40 % IACS, better than 72% of aluminum grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), better than 62% of aluminum grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 6023 takes about 200 MJ of energy and emits 12 kg of CO₂ — less than 60% of aluminum grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability7
6023's machinability is excellent (90/100, better than 98% of aluminum grades); weldability poor (25/100); formability poor (30/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the aluminum family
Yield strength against density for every aluminum grade FabDigit runs. 6023 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 6023
Is 6023 easy to machine?
Excellent — run at high spindle speed with polished-flute carbide, light lubrication; Sn/Bi phases break chips into short curls so deep drilling and Swiss-turning need no chip-breaker geometry.
Can 6023 be welded?
Poor — low-melting Sn/Bi films cause hot cracking and weak fusion zones; use mechanical joints, adhesives or friction/resistance methods instead of MIG/TIG.
Can 6023 be formed, bent or molded?
Extrude and cold-draw in the soft or T4 condition; bending in T6 requires generous radii (>3t) and heavy cold forming risks tearing at the second-phase particles.
6023 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Siwith Mg forms the Mg2Si strengthening phase | 0.7 – 1.3 | 1 |
| Mg | 0.6 – 1.2 | 0.9 |
| Snprimary free-machining (chip-breaking) addition, lead substitute | 0.6 – 1.4 | 1 |
| Bisecondary free-machining addition | 0.2 – 0.8 | 0.5 |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.5 | 0.25 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.2 | 0.05 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.3 | 0.05 |
| Cr | ≤ 0.15 | 0.03 |
| Zn | ≤ 0.2 | 0.05 |
| Tigrain refiner | ≤ 0.1 | 0.02 |
| Pbkept low for RoHS/ELV lead-free status | ≤ 0.05 | 0 |
| Others (each) | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Others (total) | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Albalance; verify exact limits against the current AA Teal Sheets / EN 573-3 registration for EN AW-6023 | balance |
What surface finishes work on 6023?
Takes clear and coloured sulphuric anodizing well (main advantage over 2011); bright/decorative anodizing may show slight grey speckle, and electroless-nickel or chromate conversion coatings work normally.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on aluminum parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Organic Coating
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Aluminum 6023 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- AlSi1Sn1MgBi
How much does 6023 cost?
6023 is a premium-cost aluminum ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
6023 — frequently asked
What is 6023 used for?
6023 is typically used for precision turned parts, electrical and RF connector bodies, screw machine fittings, swiss-turned pins and spacers, deep-drilled manifold blocks and anodized instrument components. In short: lead-free free-machining alloy; anodizes better than 2011; poor fusion weldability.
What is the yield strength of 6023?
6023 has a typical yield strength of 295 MPa (42.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 330 MPa (47.9 ksi) — stronger than 75% of aluminum grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is 6023 easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated excellent (90/100, better than 98% of aluminum grades). Excellent — run at high spindle speed with polished-flute carbide, light lubrication; Sn/Bi phases break chips into short curls so deep drilling and Swiss-turning need no chip-breaker geometry.
Can 6023 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). Poor — low-melting Sn/Bi films cause hot cracking and weak fusion zones; use mechanical joints, adhesives or friction/resistance methods instead of MIG/TIG.
What surface finishes work on 6023?
Takes clear and coloured sulphuric anodizing well (main advantage over 2011); bright/decorative anodizing may show slight grey speckle, and electroless-nickel or chromate conversion coatings work normally.
Can 6023 be formed, bent or molded?
Extrude and cold-draw in the soft or T4 condition; bending in T6 requires generous radii (>3t) and heavy cold forming risks tearing at the second-phase particles.
What is the maximum service temperature of 6023?
6023 is rated for continuous use to about 150°C (302 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 6023-T6 and 6023-O?
T6 is the default condition — standard stocked condition for automatic-lathe bar: peak strength with short, well-broken chips. O: softest condition for heavy cold forming, deep drilling or re-heat-treatment; not a normal stock condition for this alloy. Yield strength is 295 MPa in T6 versus 80 MPa in O.
How much does 6023 cost?
6023 is a premium-cost aluminum ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Wrought Aluminum (Teal Sheets) — The Aluminum Association (2018)
- EN 573-3 Aluminium and aluminium alloys — Chemical composition (EN AW-6023 AlSi1Sn1MgBi) — CEN (2019)
- EN 755-2 Aluminium extruded rod/bar — Mechanical properties — CEN (2016)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 13B — Corrosion: Materials — ASM International (2005)
- Lead-free free-machining aluminium bar (Sn/Bi modified 6000 series) technical data — European extruder datasheets (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.