6082 Aluminium Round Tube
6082 aluminium round tube is a tubular profile made from 6082 aluminium alloy, featuring excellent comprehensive performance and widely used in industrial fields.
6082 is a medium-strength, heat-treatable aluminium alloy in the 6000 series, known for having the highest strength among its peers and outstanding corrosion resistance. It is widely used in structural and high-stress applications, offering good weldability, machinability, and anodizing surface treatment capabilities. 6082 tubes are extruded into round tube form and are available in various temper states (O, H111, T4, T6, T651), suitable for bridges, cranes, transport frameworks, air conditioning pipelines, and other load-bearing structures.
As a modern alternative to 6061 aluminium, 6082 aluminium round tube offers better mechanical properties and is widely used in structural and aerospace applications due to its balanced strength, weldability, and environmental corrosion resistance.
6082 Aluminium Round Tube Available Sizes
6082 round tubes are available in abundant stock, with various sizes and wall thicknesses, including:
- Outer Diameter (OD): 6 mm to 200 mm (e.g., 22.2 mm x 3.2 mm, 60 mm x 8 mm)
- Wall Thickness: 0.5 mm to 25 mm; thinner walls (≤5 mm) are optimized for T6 temper
- Length: Typically 1–6 meters, customizable based on industrial requirements
Standards and Certifications
- Alloy Grades: AA6082, EN AW-6082, DIN 3.2315, and BS L114
- Aerospace Compliance: Complies with AS9100, BS L100, and BS1474 standards
6082 Aluminium Round Tube Common Tempers
- T6: Solution heat-treated and artificially aged for maximum strength; suitable for aerospace and high-stress components.
- T4: Naturally aged, offering medium strength and high ductility.
- O (Annealed): The softest temper, best suited for forming and bending.
6082 Aluminium Round Tube Production and Tolerances
Extruded round tubes are manufactured to EN 755-2 tolerance standards. For tubes with an outer diameter ≤ 2 inches (≈50 mm), full cross-section samples are used for mechanical property testing; larger sections use cut-out samples.
Typical diameter tolerance for extruded round tubes is ±0.5% of the nominal OD, within the specified aluminium tube standards. Flanges, cut lengths, and concentricity conform to industrial-grade extrusion specifications.
6082 Aluminium Round Tube Surface Treatments
- Anodizing: Excellent reactivity—forms a uniform oxide layer, enhancing corrosion and wear resistance.
- Welding: Fully weldable using standard methods (TIG, MIG), though filler matching and pre/post-heat treatment may be required for maximum joint strength.
- Machining: Machinable to precision tolerances; recommended HB hardness for T6 is approx. 95 HB to ensure good machinability.
6082 Aluminium Round Tube Stock Size
| Description | Outside Diameter (in) | Wall Thickness (mm) [in] |
| ¼" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | ¼" (0.25") | 1.65 mm [0.065"] |
| ⅜" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | ⅜" (0.375") | 1.65 mm [0.065"] |
| ½" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | ½" (0.500") | 2.11 mm [0.083"] |
| ¾" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | ¾" (0.750") | 2.11 mm [0.083"] |
| 1" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 1" (1.000") | 2.77 mm [0.109"] |
| 1¼" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 1¼" (1.250") | 2.77 mm [0.109"] |
| 1½" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 1½" (1.500") | 2.77 mm [0.109"] |
| 2" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 2" (2.000") | 3.91 mm [0.154"] |
| 2½" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 2½" (2.500") | 5.16 mm [0.203"] |
| 3" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 3" (3.000") | 5.49 mm [0.216"] |
| 4" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 4" (4.000") | 6.02 mm [0.237"] |
| 6" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 6" (6.000") | 7.11 mm [0.280"] |
| 8" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 8" (8.000") | 8.18 mm [0.322"] |
| 10" 6082 Aluminium Round Tube | 10" (10.000") | 9.27 mm [0.365"] |
Chemical Ccomposition of 6082 Aluminum Tube
| Chemical composition | % |
| Al | 96.4%-98.8% |
| Cu | 0.6%-1.2% |
| Si | 0.7%-1.3% |
| Mg | 0.6%-1.2% |
| Mn | 0.4%-1.0% |
| Cr | 0.25%-0.35% |
| Zn | ≤0.2% |
| Ti | ≤0.1% |
6082 Aluminum Tube Physical Properties
| Physical properties | Value |
| Density | 2.70 g/cm3 |
| Elastic modulus | 70 GPa |
| Melting point | 555 °C |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion | 23.2×10-6/°C |
| Thermal conductivity | 180 W/mK |
| Conductivity | 33.0 MS/m |
Mechanical Properties of 6082 T6 Aluminum Tube
| Temper | Wall thickness (mm) | Tensile strengthMPa | Yield Strength MPa | Elongation % | Hardness HB |
| O, H111 | ≤ 20 | Max. 160 | Max. 110 | 15 | 35 |
| T6 | ≤ 20 | Min. 205 | Min. 110 | 14 | 70 |
| T6 | ≤ 5 | Min. 310 | Min. 255 | 8 | 95 |
| T6 | 5 < t ≤ 20 | Min. 310 | Min. 240 | 10 | 95 |
Equivalent Grades of 6082 Aluminum Tube
| UNS | EN | DIN | ISO | BS (OLD) | USA | WNR |
| A96082 | AW-6082 | AlMgSi1 | Al Si1MgMn | HE30 | AA6082 | 3.2315 |
Applications of 6082 Aluminium Round Tube in the Aerospace Industry
| Application Area | Description |
| Lightweight Structural Components | Used in tubular components for medium to light load applications such as brackets, door frames, and support tubes for fuel systems. |
| Due to its excellent specific strength and corrosion resistance, it is suitable for connection or transition components in non-primary load-bearing structures. | |
| Hydraulic and Pneumatic System Piping | 6082 round tubes can be used in pressurized pipelines for hydraulic and aerodynamic systems. |
| Particularly suitable for medium-pressure hydraulic circuits, coolant delivery pipes, etc. | |
| Offers good dimensional stability and sealing performance in heat-treated tempers. | |
| Cockpit and Cabin Structures | Used inside the cockpit framework for connecting instrument mounts and frame pillars. |
| Its machinability and weldability allow for complex designs and ease of maintenance and replacement. | |
| UAV and Light Aircraft Structures | In drones, small trainer aircraft, and gliders, 6082 round tubes are commonly used in wing trusses, tail boom structures, landing gear linkage rods, etc. |
| Achieves a balance between lightweight and cost-efficiency. | |
| Interior and Ventilation Systems | In aircraft interior structures, 6082 aluminium tubes are used for supporting seats, curtain rails, or as frameworks for ventilation ducts. |
| Excellent surface finish properties allow further anodizing for aesthetics and corrosion resistance. |
What Other Industries Use 6082 Aluminium Round Tube?
6082 round tubes are highly favored in fields where strength, weight, and corrosion resistance are critical:
- Structural frames and trusses: bridges, crane booms, transport rails, ore buckets, beer barrels.
- Automotive and transportation: roll cages, support structures, air conditioning and fluid delivery pipes (bent/formable in O/T4 tempers).
- Marine and offshore: deck railings, instrument tubing—its marine-grade corrosion resistance is highly valued in saline environments.
- Aerospace ground support equipment: non-critical frames, support structures for ground handling equipment requiring moderate strength and lightweight.
- Structural engineering: due to high load-bearing capacity, used in bridges, cranes, and trusses.
- General machining: widely used in CNC milling or turning parts due to excellent machinability.
Manufacturing and Processing of 6082 Aluminium Round Tube
- Production methods: extrusion and drawing processes enable seamless or structural-grade tubes.
- Weldability: good, but the strength of the weld zone may be reduced. Recommended filler wires: use 4043 wire for 6082-to-6082 joints, and 5356 wire for 6082-to-7005 joints.
- Machinability: allows for tight chip curls in T6 temper; compatible with standard tooling to improve cost efficiency.
Advantages of 6082 Aluminium Round Tube over Competing Alloys
- Due to its excellent strength, it can replace 6061 alloy in high-stress applications.
- Exhibits superior corrosion resistance compared to other 6000 series alloys.
- Economical to machine, with a complete range of stock sizes available.
Comparison of 6082 Round Tube with Other Aluminium Alloys (in the Context of Aerospace Applications)
| Alloy | Strength | Weldability | Corrosion Resistance | Key Applications |
| 6082 | Medium-High | Excellent | Good | Secondary load-bearing structures, hydraulic pipes, brackets |
| 6061 | Medium | Excellent | Good | Internal structures, decorative components |
| 7075 | High | Moderate | Moderate | Primary load-bearing structures, connectors |
| 2024 | High | Poor | Fair | Critical strength components, skin panels |
