6061 aluminum sheet for aircraft fuel ducts

6061 is one of the commonly used aerospace aluminum alloys. Because aluminum alloy has the characteristics of light weight, high strength, corrosion resistance, and easy processing, they are widely used to make parts of aerospace products, such as aircraft skins, fuselage frames, girders, rotors, propellers, fuel tanks, wall panels and Landing gear pillars, as well as rocket forging rings, spacecraft siding, etc. The 6061 aluminum sheet mentioned here is the earliest 6XXX series aluminum alloy used in aviation. It has good corrosion resistance and excellent welding performance, and is a high-quality material for aircraft fuel ducts.

The aluminum alloys that are often used to make aircraft fuel system ducts are 6061-T4 and 6061-T6. There are three main functions of the aircraft fuel system. One is to store fuel. This requires its materials to be excellent in strength, fire resistance, corrosion resistance and impact resistance. 6061 has good corrosion resistance and sufficient strength to meet these requirements. The second is to ensure continuous and uninterrupted fuel supply to the engine at the pressure and flow required by the engine under any prescribed conditions. The fuel supply is mainly done through a duct connecting the fuel tank and the engine. Due to the relatively large motion range of the aircraft in flight, the duct must be sufficiently light, small, and rigid. Because 6061 contains a low proportion of other metals, it can be shaped and treated to increase its strength and reduce its wind resistance. It can even be piped three times to reduce its weight. On the whole, 6061 aluminum sheet is an ideal material for aircraft ducts. The third is to complete additional functions such as cooling other systems on the aircraft, balancing the aircraft, and keeping the aircraft's center of gravity within the specified range. Therefore, the fuel pipe must have a series of characteristics such as reliable operation, light weight, small outline size, precise control and good production technology. As a material with moderate strength, heat treatment strengthening and easy welding, 6061 aluminum plate just meets this requirement.