What this aluminum tube is
This anodized aluminum tube is an extruded 6005 or 6063 alloy pipe, cold drawn to the wall and bore the job needs and supplied in round, oval, square or irregular section. Grade can also be chosen from the 1000 to 7000 series, with a minimum aluminium content of 96%, and the aluminum tube is delivered straight or in coils depending on the section, with the wall of the aluminum tube drawn to the tolerance the pipe needs.
Where this aluminum tube is used
Buyers order this aluminum tube for industrial pipework and frames: windows and doors, curtain wall and railing, water pipe systems, radiator and heat exchange parts, tent poles and camping frames, bicycle frames, and medical or agricultural equipment. The aluminum tube is anodized or powder coated where it stays outdoors, while parts that will be painted or machined usually take a mill finish aluminum tube.
How this aluminum tube is made and anodized
Billet is extruded, then cold drawn where a tighter tolerance is needed, and the finished aluminum tube is cut, punched, bent, decoiled or welded before dispatch. Anodizing builds an oxide layer on the surface, so the aluminum tube keeps its colour and resists scratching and corrosion far better than bare metal; powder coating and sand blasting are used where a different texture is wanted. Temper ranges from T3 to T8 and hardness is rated hard.
How to choose this aluminum tube
Start with the alloy, because 6005 and 6063 both anodize well and take bending, while higher grades give more strength where the frame carries load. Then fix the outside diameter, the wall and the section together, since a thin wall in a large diameter can crush where a small section would hold. Finally decide the finish, the temper and the length, because a part bent on a tight radius needs a different temper from one that is only cut and punched, and the aluminum tube is quoted on the drawing you send.
What to confirm before you order this aluminum tube
Confirm the alloy and temper, the section, the outside diameter and wall, the length and the finish. Confirm as well whether the ends need threads, holes, slots or a welded flange, because those operations change the price and the lead time as much as the tube itself does. Samples are available so the fit and the finish of the aluminum tube can be checked before a production run starts, and anodized work is quoted at 22 to 30 days after the drawing is agreed.
