ForMatter/Materials/metal/Aluminum 6063
mat_aluminum_6063

Aluminum 6063

wrought aluminum alloy, extrusion-optimized · 6063-T5, architectural aluminum, extrusion-grade aluminum
highlast updated 2026-04-27
metallic 0.00
hue shift +0°

The aluminum that window frames, curtain wall mullions, and most of the silver extruded shapes in the world are made of. Slightly weaker than 6061 but flows through extrusion dies more cleanly — tighter corners, sharper detail, glossier as-extruded surface. The architectural alloy.

Heat-treatable Al-Mg-Si alloy (0.5% Mg, 0.4% Si nominal — leaner than 6061). Optimized for extrudability rather than strength; flows at lower pressures, allows tighter section geometry and superior surface finish off the press. T5 (cooled from extrusion temperature + aged) is standard architectural temper. Tensile 185 MPa T5, 240 MPa T6.

mechanical

  • tensile_strength_mpa_t5185
  • tensile_strength_mpa_t6240
  • yield_strength_mpa_t5145
  • yield_strength_mpa_t6215
  • elastic_modulus_gpa69
  • elongation_pct_t512
source: ASM Handbook Vol. 2; MakeItFrom

thermal

  • liquidus_c655
  • solidus_c615
  • thermal_conductivity_w_mk200
source: MakeItFrom

Sustainability

  • embodied carbon kg co2e per kg8.2
  • sourceEditorial estimate from ICE / Granta CES EduPack class databases — industry mean, with cradle-to-gate boundary unless otherwise noted. Embodied carbon for any specific product depends on supplier mix, recycled content, and energy grid; verify against a primary source before using these numbers in a sustainability claim.
  • embodied carbon recycled kg co2e per kg0.51
  • recyclabilityvery high — extrusion scrap is the cleanest aluminum recycling stream
  • biodegradableFalse
  • certificationsASTM B221, AAMA 611 (architectural anodizing class I/II)
visual
smoother as-extruded surface than 6061, takes architectural anodizing more uniformly
tactile
smooth, characteristically cool
weight perception
light

PBR starter values

Principled BSDF defaults derived from the sphere metallic finish. Reasonable seed for Blender, Substance, Keyshot, Rhino — tune per material.

# finish:      metallic
albedo        #c0c4cb
metallic      1.00
roughness     0.25
ior           1.45
transmission  0.00
clearcoat     0.00
sheen         0.00
anisotropic   0.00
copy as JSON 
{
  "albedo": "#c0c4cb",
  "metallic": 1.0,
  "roughness": 0.25,
  "ior": 1.45,
  "transmission": 0.0,
  "clearcoat": 0.0,
  "sheen": 0.0,
  "anisotropic": 0.0
}
Blender 4.x Python 
# Blender 4.x — Principled BSDF
# Aluminum 6063 · finish: metallic
import bpy
mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name="mat_aluminum_6063")
mat.use_nodes = True
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].default_value         = (0.5271, 0.552, 0.5972, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs["Metallic"].default_value           = 1.000
bsdf.inputs["Roughness"].default_value          = 0.250
bsdf.inputs["IOR"].default_value                = 1.450
bsdf.inputs["Transmission Weight"].default_value = 0.000
bsdf.inputs["Coat Weight"].default_value        = 0.000
bsdf.inputs["Sheen Weight"].default_value       = 0.000
bsdf.inputs["Anisotropic"].default_value        = 0.000
KeyShot Python (lux) 
# KeyShot 11+ — lux Python API, Generic material
# Aluminum 6063 · finish: metallic
# Run from Window → Scripting Console
import lux
mat = lux.createMaterial(name="mat_aluminum_6063", materialType="Generic")
mat.setProperty("diffuse",      (192, 196, 203))   # 8-bit sRGB
mat.setProperty("metallic",     1.000)
mat.setProperty("roughness",    0.250)
mat.setProperty("indexOfRefraction", 1.450)
mat.setProperty("transparency", 0.000)
mat.setProperty("coatingWeight", 0.000)
Substance pbrMetalRough 
{
  "_format": "Substance Designer / Painter \u2014 pbrMetalRough constants",
  "_about": "Aluminum 6063 \u00b7 finish: metallic",
  "baseColor": {
    "r": 0.5271,
    "g": 0.552,
    "b": 0.5972
  },
  "metallic": 1.0,
  "roughness": 0.25,
  "ior": 1.45,
  "opacity": 1.0,
  "anisotropyLevel": 0.0,
  "_notes": "Channels listed are the standard Substance pbrMetalRough output. Drop into a Uniform Color node per channel, or as the constant input on a layered stack."
}
glTF 2.0 Metallic-Roughness 
{
  "asset": {
    "version": "2.0",
    "generator": "ForMatter"
  },
  "materials": [
    {
      "name": "mat_aluminum_6063",
      "pbrMetallicRoughness": {
        "baseColorFactor": [
          0.5271,
          0.552,
          0.5972,
          1.0
        ],
        "metallicFactor": 1.0,
        "roughnessFactor": 0.25
      },
      "extensions": {
        "KHR_materials_ior": {
          "ior": 1.45
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}
USD Preview Surface 
# USD Preview Surface — UsdShade.MaterialLook prim attributes
# Aluminum 6063 · finish: metallic
def Material "mat_aluminum_6063" {
    token outputs:surface.connect = </mat_aluminum_6063/PreviewSurface.outputs:surface>

    def Shader "PreviewSurface" {
        uniform token info:id = "UsdPreviewSurface"
        color3f inputs:diffuseColor = (0.5271, 0.552, 0.5972)
        float   inputs:metallic     = 1.000
        float   inputs:roughness    = 0.250
        float   inputs:ior          = 1.450
        float   inputs:opacity      = 1.000
        float   inputs:clearcoat    = 0.000
        token   outputs:surface
    }
}
↓ download glTF material
ProcessExtrusion · Anodizing · CNC Milling · TIG Welding
Used inArchitectural Facade Panel · Extruded-Aluminum Furniture
Substitutes
Aluminum 6061
Aluminum 5052

Citations