Extruded Aluminium Round Tube 6061 for Threaded Pipe Assemblies and Handrails

Product overview

The extruded aluminium round tube is a straight, circular hollow section produced by hot extrusion in alloy 6061. Because the section is formed by pushing heated aluminium through a die, the tube is supplied in continuous lengths with a consistent outside diameter and wall thickness, and it can be cut to the length a specific assembly needs. Round tube of this kind is used where a light, closed section is wanted for a pipe run, a handrail or a frame member.

Material

Alloy 6061 is a heat-treatable aluminium alloy used widely for structural and general engineering work. It combines useful strength with good machining behaviour, which matters when the tube has to be drilled, tapped or threaded at the ends. Aluminium forms a thin natural oxide layer in air, so the tube does not need a coating to keep its appearance in dry indoor conditions.

Section and dimensional control

The tube is supplied in a range of outside diameters and wall thicknesses, with the wall held uniform around the circumference. Outside diameter, wall thickness and straightness decide how the tube behaves when it is threaded, bent or fitted into a coupling, so these are the dimensions to confirm before ordering. Lengths are cut to order, and cut ends can be left square for welding or chamfered ready for threading.

Threaded connections

For pipe assemblies that use threaded joints, the tube ends can be threaded to a matching standard so that elbows, tees, couplings and nipples can be screwed on. Threading aluminium calls for a sharp tool, a suitable lubricant and enough wall thickness to leave material at the root of the thread. When the assembly is complete the joints form a mechanical connection that can be taken apart again for maintenance.

Typical applications

Common uses include handrail and guardrail sections, display and shelving frames, conveyor and equipment frames, and general pipe work where a light round aluminium section is preferred to steel. The tube is also used for fabricated brackets and support structures, and for prototypes where a threaded joint makes the assembly easier to adjust.

Fabrication

The tube can be cut with a carbide-tipped saw or a band saw, drilled and tapped, threaded, or bent on a suitable bender. Aluminium is light enough to handle by hand at typical handrail lengths, and indoors it does not need painting. Where the tube is used outdoors or in a wet area, a surface treatment such as anodising or powder coating can be specified when ordering.

Ordering notes

Please state the outside diameter, wall thickness, cut length, alloy and quantity, and whether the ends are to be threaded, chamfered or left square. Prices, minimum order quantities and delivery times are quoted per enquiry and are not fixed on this page.