1

POOR MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES
IN 6000 SERIES
EXTRUSIONS

Problem
Failure to attain adequate or uniform mechanical properties such as
ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, hardness and possibly ductility for
a particular alloy.

Identification
Extruded sections do not pass mechanical property tests and fail to reach
known specified hardness/tensile properties, or properties show
excessive variability.

SUMMARY OF CAUSES
1. Post homogenisation cooling
2. Press practices
a. Billet preheating
b. Extrusion speed
c. Press quenching
d. Handling (soft spots)
3. Ageing practices

1.POST HOMOGENISATION COOLING

Cause
Slow post homogenisation cooling rates (rates are
dependent on billet diameter) through the range 450C 200C (depending on alloy type) promote the formation of
coarse Mg2Si precipitates. These coarse precipitates may
not redissolve during the extrusion process and
consequently do not allow full properties to be reached after
artificial ageing.

Prevention
Extrude billet that has undergone rapid post homogenisation cooling. Controlled post
homogenisation cooling practices are designed to provide the extruder with billet containing fine
evenly distributed Mg2Si precipitates . These fine precipitates are readily dissolved if correctly
preheated and extruded and will give optimum mechanical properties after ageing.

2. PRESS PRACTICES
a. BILLET PREHEATING

Cause
Both the final billet temperature and billet preheat rate affect the characteristics of the Mg2Si
precipitates and thus the mechanical properties of the alloy. Figure 1 shows the effect (on
mechanical properties) of induction heating (85C/min) and gas heating (6.5C/min) on a 202mm
diameter billet of 6063 type alloy to final billet temperatures of 400C and 450C.

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UTS (MPa)

Figure 1 : Billet preheat rate vs

strength. The experimental
conditions used to create this
graph were designed to highlight
the difference between the
heating methods.

300

250

200
T5 minimum

150

properties
100

Figure 1 highlights the effect of

50
preheat rates on mechanical
properties. Slow heating rates or
0
holding times at around 400C
o
can also result in the growth of
Preheat Rate ( C/min)
o
o
coarse Mg2Si precipitates. As
400 C
450 C
coarse Mg2Si precipitates usually
fail to redissolve during the extrusion
process they result in less than optimum mechanical properties. An example of coarse Mg2Si
precipitates resulting from incorrect preheat practices is shown in Figure 2.

LOCATION OF SAMPLES
TAKEN FOR MICROGRAPHS

BILLET

Fine Mg2Si

Coarse Mg2Si

6063 rapid billet preheat

6063 slow billet preheat

Figure 2: Optical micrographs (500x) of Mg2Si precipitates in 6063. The accompanying schematic
shows the origin of the samples.

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Prevention
Rapid preheat rates will avoid Mg2Si precipitate coarsening at temperatures around 400C. When using
gas preheaters, avoid slow heating rates or holding times around 400C.
High billet temperatures may ensure that metal can be pushed more readily through a die to initiate
extrusion but combined with high extrusion speed, this could result in surface finish defects. A
compromise allowing for all factors is usually required .
Rapid preheat rates will avoid precipitate coarsening. However, it should be noted that maximum press
productivity can then only be achieved if sufficient Mg2Si has been precipitated during the homogenisation
cool-down process. This reduces the billet's break-out pressure and increases extrusion speeds.

2. PRESS PRACTICES

EXTRUSION SPEED

b. EXTRUSION SPEED

INSUFFICENT
PRESSURE

Cause
The relationship between
extrusion speed, billet
temperature, mechanical
properties, surface finish and
press capacity (available
pressure) can be summarised
with a limit diagram, Figure 3.
At all points on the diagram
maximum press capacity
is being utilised to obtain
maximum productivity.

POOR
SURFACE
FINISH

OPERATING
WINDOW

LOW MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES

450 oC

500 C

BILLET TEMPERATURE

Figure 3 : Extrusion limit diagram.

As shown in Figure 3, low

mechanical properties can arise
from a combination of the low extrusion speed A and billet temperature below 450C. This is due to the
low extrusion speed and consequently the low exit temperature (below 500C). At these low
temperatures, the Mg2Si precipitates do not dissolve and undissolved Mg2Si will not permit an optimum
ageing response. Increasing the billet temperature to 500c will increase the exit temperature and
properties will be achieved.
Prevention
The exit temperature required to dissolve Mg2Si is generally greater than 500C but this is strongly
dependent on precipitate size. This can be easily achieved by raising the billet temperature. However, this
may not achieve optimum breakout and speed characteristics.
Faster extrusion speeds increase the heat of deformation and also the exit temperatures. At extrusion
speed B and billet temperature 450C an exit temperature exceeding 500C is obtained. Acceptable
mechanical properties after ageing can therefore be readily achieved.
The limit diagram also shows that an increase in billet temperature at extrusion speed B may result in a
poor surface finish. At the higher temperatures surface melting, die pick-up and tearing may occur.
If the mechanical property requirements of the extrudate cannot be met by extruding at adequate speeds
with good surface finish, then the alloy selection or property requirement should be reviewed.

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c. PRESS QUENCHING
Cause
In order to achieve optimum response for ageing and maximum mechanical properties in 6000 series
alloys, the majority of Mg and Si must be retained in solid solution after extrusion. Inadequate press
quenching can allow premature precipitation of Mg2Si which reduces the response for hardening
during subsequent ageing.

Prevention
EXTRUSION
TEMPERATURE

FORMATION OF
COARSE Mg2Si

The most rapid press

quench possible must be
employed to retain the Mg
and Si in solution and
prevent the formation of
coarse Mg2Si precipitates
during cooling after
extrusion.

6061
6060HE

WATER
QUENCH

MIST
QUENCH

FAN
COOL

STILL AIR
COOL

Log TIME

Figure 4 : Time-Temperature-Transformation diagram (example only).

In practice, the quench

rate required by the
various 6000 series alloys
is dependent on alloy type
and extrusion shape,
Figure 4.
Rapid quenching need
only be maintained
through the critical range
450C - 200C (depending
on the alloy).

Minimum cooling rates and quench methods are given for some Comalco 6000 series alloys in Table 1.

Table 1. Recommended Quench Rates and Methods for Various 6000 Series alloys
Alloys

Minimum Quench
Rate C/min

Solid Sections
< 10mm Thick

Solid Sections
> 10mm Thick

6060

50

Still Air or Fans

Water Mist

6063

60

Fans

Water Mist

6061

300

Water Mist

Water Sprays

6082/
6351

300

Water Mist

Water Sprays

Table 1. Recommended quench rates and methods for various 6000 series alloys

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d. HANDLING (SOFT SPOTS)

Cause
Soft spots in extrusions are not usually obvious to the extruder. These soft spots are localised
regions of the extrusion where hardness is significantly less than the bulk of the material. If the
material is later anodised the soft spots show up as a variation in colour along the extruded length.
The source of these soft spots is the cooling conditions on the extrusion runout table. The carbon
or graphite blocks that support the extrusion have a high thermal conductivity. Portions of the
extrusion in contact with these blocks may be cooled rapidly if the extrusion remains stationary. The
surrounding hot regions re-heat these cooled regions causing premature precipitation which has a
detrimental effect on the subsequent age hardening process.

Prevention
The soft spots may be prevented by minimising contact time of extrusions with the blocks on the
runout table by moving the extrusions quickly and using fan cooling in place of a still air quench.

3. AGEING PRACTICES
Cause
Under or over ageing may be performed deliberately to obtain specific properties. This section
does not cover these conditions, rather, it applies to unintentional loss of mechanical properties
during ageing.
i

Under ageing
Under ageing is the result of using ageing times that are too short, temperatures that are too
low, or both. The net result is a reduction in the mechanical properties of the alloy.

ULTIMATE TENSILE STRENGTH (Mpa)

3 50

200 C
O

1 85 C
O

1 70 C

3 00

2 50

2 00
0

10

ARTIFICIAL AGEING TIME (HOURS)

Figure 5 shows ageing

curves for the alloy 6061
at temperatures of
170C, 185C and 200C.
As an example under
ageing would occur if the
alloy was aged for 2
hours. Similarly, the
potential response in
strength would be
reduced if the alloy was
aged at 185C or 200C,
rather than 170C.

Figure 5 : Ageing curve showing tensile strength response

at various ageing times for 6061.
Mg2Si precipitates are still nucleated at low temperatures and short times but they do not reach an
optimum size or number that will result in maximum mechanical properties being achieved.

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ii Over ageing
Extended ageing times or ageing at relatively high temperatures result in an over-aged microstructure
and reduced mechanical properties. As shown in Figure 5 ageing longer than 4 hours at 200C or 7
hours at 185C will result in a reduction in mechanical properties. At 170C the sample hardness is
more stable but it will be reduced at some time after 10 hours. Over-ageing results in a smaller number
of larger Mg2Si precipitates that have grown past the optimum size for maximum contribution to
mechanical properties.
iii Uniform Properties
For uniform mechanical properties throughout an extrusion, an even distribution of fine Mg2Si
precipitates is required. Rapid heat-up rates to the ageing temperature may not allow time for the
nucleation of evenly distributed Mg2Si precipitates which results in non-uniform mechanical properties.
Non-uniform temperatures within a furnace will cause a variation in mechanical properties.

Prevention
In the case of Comalco 6000 series alloys the optimum artificial ageing conditions are 6 hours at 185C or 8
hours at 170C.
Although correct ageing temperatures are used, it is still possible for some variation in mechanical properties
to occur due to fluctuations in ageing furnace temperatures. Temperature differences of 10C or more
between various sections of the furnace can result in some differences in mechanical properties of extrusions
within an ageing batch and should be avoided.
Heat-up times exceeding 30 minutes should be used to allow time for all parts of the batch to reach a uniform
temperature during the ageing cycle. This condition will provide more uniform mechanical properties.

As an aid to further understanding of the information in this brochure it is recommended that the reader refer to the Comalco brochure
entitled "THE BASIC METALLURGY OF 6000 SERIES EXTRUSION ALLOYS".

"Important Disclaimer"
This brochure has not been prepared with any particular reader in mind and therefore, although we believe that the advice and
information herein is accurate and reliable, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness is given and (except insofar as
liability under any statute cannot be excluded) no responsibility arising in any other way for errors or omissions or in negligence
is accepted by the company or any director, employee or agent of the company.

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