6016-T4 Aluminum
A 6000-series Al-Si-Mg alloy, the European automotive body sheet
Typical values for the temper in the title
6016 is an Al-Si-Mg alloy with excess silicon, and the standard European alloy for outer car panels: hoods, doors and roofs. It is supplied in soft T4 (190–220 MPa tensile) and forms well.
Its final strength comes in the paint oven, which acts as aging. The excess silicon strengthens, but slightly raises the sensitivity to intergranular corrosion, so it is tested to automotive standards.
Mechanical and physical properties
| Property | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength Rm | 190–220 MPa | |
| Yield strength Rp0.2 | 100–130 MPa | |
| Elongation A | 26% | |
| Hardness | 55 HB | |
| Modulus of elasticity E | 69 GPa | |
| Density ρ | 2.70 g/cm³ | |
| Machinability | 86% | relative rating in the site database |
Chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | Range | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Si silicon | 1.0–1.5 | silicon beyond what Mg₂Si needs strengthens |
| Mg magnesium | 0.25–0.6 | forms the strengthening precipitates with silicon |
| Fe iron | max 0.50 | |
| Cu copper | max 0.20 | |
| Mn manganese | max 0.20 | |
| Zn zinc | max 0.20 | |
| Ti titanium | max 0.15 | |
| Cr chromium | max 0.10 | |
| Al aluminum | balance |
Common tempers
Automotive sheet is supplied in T4 and gains most of its strength only in the paint oven (bake hardening).
| Temper | Properties | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| T4 | solution treated and naturally aged: soft for forming | the delivery temper for automotive sheet |
| T4 → paint bake | strength rises in the paint oven | "bake hardening": the paint curing cycle acts as artificial aging |
| T6 | artificially aged | maximum strength, when there is no paint step |
Applications
- Hoods
- Doors and outer panels
- Roofs and trunk lids
- Visible sheet parts of vehicles
- Panels that are hemmed
Fabrication
Forming
Forms well in T4, including hemming of outer panels.
Joining
Welds by spot, MIG and laser welding, and in vehicles is also joined by adhesive bonding and rivets.
Finishing
Suited to automotive paint lines; the final strength comes in the paint oven.
Compared with similar materials
| Material | Rm / Rp0.2 | Welding | When it is the better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6111-T4 | 220–250 / 120–140 MPa | Good | the American counterpart, with copper and higher strength · material page |
| 6009-T4 | 205–235 / 105–130 MPa | Good — ER4043 | an older American automotive sheet · material page |
| 5182-H19 | 421 / 395 MPa | Excellent | for inner parts, without bake hardening · material page |
Common mistakes
Designing to T4 strength
The final strength comes only after painting. Design uses the values after the paint cycle.
Storing T4 sheet for a long time
Natural aging continues and makes forming harder. Follow the producer's storage times.
Choosing 5182 for an outer panel
5182 forms Lüders lines. For a visible panel, 6016.
Equivalents, standards and supply
| EN | EN AW-6016 (AlSi1.2Mg0.4) |
|---|---|
| Standards | EN 485-2 |
| Forms | plate for European automotive panels |
| Producers | Hydro · Novelis · Constellium |
Learn more
Values are typical and for comparison only. For design, rely on the standard and on the mill certificate. Sources: Aluminum Association (composition), ASM and MatWeb data sheets, and the METAL HUB materials database.
Updated: October 31, 2026