Not only the alloy, but also the temper

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Author – H G Shripad – https://easyaluminium.com/

Not only the alloy, but also the temper

Most people know the alloy. Very few know the temper.

One letter completely changes all

Sometimes customers ask: “Can you supply this profile in T5 instead of T6?”

At first, it looked like a small change.

But that one letter completely changes how the aluminium behaves.

• Strength
• Hardness
• Formability
• Machinability
• Even the final application.

That’s why understanding temper is just as important as understanding the alloy itself.

A simple overview

F Temper

As-fabricated condition with no special heat treatment.
Mainly used before further processing.

T1 Temper

Naturally aged after extrusion.
Good for general-purpose applications where moderate strength is enough.

T4 Temper

Solution heat treated and naturally aged.
Offers excellent formability, making it suitable for bending and forming operations.

T5 Temper

Artificially aged directly after extrusion.
Provides higher strength and dimensional stability.
One of the most common tempers for architectural aluminium profiles.

T6 Temper

Solution heat treated and artificially aged.
Highest strength among these tempers.
Preferred for structural, automotive and heavy engineering applications.

O Temper

Fully annealed.
Softest condition with maximum ductility and formability.

A simple way to remember

Strength:

F 👉T1 👉 T4 👉 T5 👉 T6

Formability:

T6 👉 T5 👉 T1 👉 T4 👉 O

Choosing the wrong temper can lead to:

• Cracks during bending
• Insufficient strength
• Poor machining performance
• Premature product failure

The alloy tells you what the material is. The temper tells you how the material will perform.

Follow H G Shripad for practical aluminium extrusion knowledge.