60611
Balanced all-rounder
Properties: good strength, excellent machinability, weldable, anodizes evenly. Typical parts: brackets, plates, housings, fixtures, general structural parts.
MATERIALS
Aluminum Alloys for CNC Machining
Most CNC parts start as aluminum. It's light. It cuts fast. It shrugs off corrosion and takes anodizing cleanly. But "aluminum" is not one material. The four grades we machine most — 6061, 7075, 6063 and 6082 — differ in strength, finish, anodizing response and price.
Pick the wrong one and you either pay for strength you'll never use, or you find out at the anodizer that your cosmetic part won't take color evenly.
Here's how our engineers call it
Here's how our engineers at HAFO Mould in Dongguan call it, grade by grade. Don't want to call it alone? Send the drawing. A material recommendation is part of our free DFM review, and your quote comes back within 24 hours.
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Making parts since 2007
The Four Grades at a Glance
6061 (continued)2
Machining notes
Machining notes: fastest and most economical to machine of the four; clean chips, good surface finish straight off the tool.
70753
High-strength grade
Properties: strongest common machining aluminum, approaching mild steel territory at a third of the weight. Typical parts: load-bearing arms, aerospace-style fittings, high-stress brackets, parts redesigned from steel to save weight.
7075 (continued)4
Machining notes
Machining notes: machines well but less forgiving: more tool wear, higher material cost, does not weld; anodizing possible but cosmetic color less consistent than 6061.
60635
Finish grade
Properties: slightly softer, extrudes and machines to a smooth surface, best anodizing response. Typical parts: enclosures, covers, trims, visible consumer parts, heat-sink profiles.
6063 (continued)6
Machining notes
Machining notes: soft and somewhat gummy — sharp tools and right speeds matter to avoid smeared finish; excellent choice when appearance is priority.
60827
Structural grade
Properties: structural grade widely specified in Europe; stronger than 6061 in common tempers, good corrosion resistance. Typical parts: machine frames, structural plates, transport and industrial equipment parts.
6082 (continued)8
Machining notes
Machining notes: machines similarly to 6061 with slightly more tool wear; stock availability in Asia thinner than 6061, so tell us early if drawing specifies it.
How to Choose: Selection Guidance
Start from the job1
Start from the job the part does, not from a habit.
Start from the job the part does, not from a habit. Half the drawings that land on our desks spec 7075. Most don't need it. Bracket, housing, plate, cover under ordinary loads?
Start from the job (continued)2
6061 does the job for less
6061 does the job for less — less for the stock, less for the machining — and it anodizes better and welds if your assembly ever needs it. Save the expensive grade for parts that actually carry load. It's the easiest saving in aluminum machining, and it costs you nothing in performance.
Choose 70753
Choose 7075 when strength is the requirement
Choose 7075 when strength is the requirement, not the insurance policy: highly loaded structural parts, thin walls that still have to stay stiff, or a steel part being redesigned for weight. You give up welding. You pay more. The anodizing looks plainer. Worth it — when the load is real.
Choose 60634
Choose 6063 when the customer sees the part.
Choose 6063 when the customer sees the part. Enclosures, front panels, anything consumer-facing: 6063 comes off the tool smoother and anodizes more evenly. It gives you the most consistent cosmetic result of the four.
Choose 60825
Choose 6082 when the drawing says so.
Choose 6082 when the drawing says so. European teams spec it routinely for structural work, and we machine it regularly for export orders. Just flag it in your RFQ. We'll confirm stock during DFM, not when production is waiting.
Consider the finish6
Consider the finish before the grade.
Consider the finish before the grade. Hard-anodized for wear? We usually point you to 6061. Powder coated or painted? Grade matters less, so 6061's economy wins. Bare and visible? Give 6063 a look.
Consider the finish (continued)7
Our guide goes deeper
Our guide [→ 6061 vs 7075 Aluminum: How to Choose] goes deeper on the two grades buyers confuse most.
Finishes That Suit Aluminum
All four grades take the finishes below, in one order. No second vendor, no parts travelling across town between machining and finishing:
As-machined1
As-machined
lowest cost, right for internal and functional parts
Bead blasting2
Bead blasting
knocks back tool marks under a uniform matte texture, before coating or anodizing
Anodizing, clear or colored3
Anodizing, clear or colored
corrosion protection plus appearance; most even on 6061 and 6063
Hardcoat anodizing4
Hardcoat anodizing
a thicker, wear-resistant layer for sliding, outdoor or high-handling parts
Polishing and brushing5
Polishing and brushing
what visible cosmetic surfaces usually need
Painting and powder coating6
Painting and powder coating
color-matched, protective, and forgiving of grade choice
Plating7
Plating
nickel, chrome, zinc and electroless nickel where the drawing calls for it
One honest note
Anodizing color shifts slightly between grades and batches — the alloy itself tints the film. If two mating parts must match exactly, tell us up front. We'll machine them from the same grade and anodize them in the same batch.
Tolerances in Aluminum
Two tolerance levels1
Two tolerance levels
Aluminum cooperates with precision work. At HAFO we quote two tolerance levels under ISO 2768-mK: standard ±0.13 mm (±0.005 in) for general dimensions, and precision ±0.025 mm (±0.001 in) for the features that need it — bearing seats, mating faces, press fits.
Why temperature matters2
Why temperature matters
Aluminum moves with temperature more than steel does. That's why inspection happens on fully automatic CMMs in a controlled inspection area, and why we push back on precision callouts where the function doesn't demand them. Maximum CNC travel is 800 mm (31.5 in); MOQ is one piece.
Limits and the full guide3
Limits and the full guide
Full detail in our guide [→ CNC Machining Tolerances Explained: Standard vs. Precision].
FAQ
Related pages
Precision Aluminum CNC Machined Parts · CNC Machining · 6061 vs 7075 Aluminum: How to Choose for CNC Machined Parts · Stainless Steel for CNC Machining · What Does CNC Machining Cost?
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