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Aluminum Temper Explained: O, H14, H24, T5 and T6
Aluminum Temper Explained: O, H14, H24, T5 and T6
Every aluminum order should end with a temper designation — O, H14, T5, T6 — and most buyers treat it as a footnote. The temper is what decides whether the sheet can be deep-drawn, whether the extruded profile will hold its straightness after installation, and whether the plate will spring back during machining. This guide decodes the most common tempers.
O Temper: Annealed, Softest
“O” means fully annealed. The alloy is as soft as it gets. O-temper is used when you need maximum formability: deep drawing, bending without cracking, and spinning. It is not strong and will deform under load. You will see O temper on 1xxx pure aluminum and some 3xxx coils used for cookware and packaging.
H Tempers: Cold-Worked
H tempers apply to non-heat-treatable alloys (1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx). The second digit tells you the hardening state. H14 means strain-hardened to about half-hard; H24 means strain-hardened then partially annealed. Both give roughly the same strength range but H24 is slightly more ductile. Typical H tempers you will see:
- H14 / H24: half-hard — good balance of formability and strength (our 1060 H14 coil และ 1060 H14 strip)
- H18: full-hard — strong but brittle, used for channel and rigid parts
- H32 / H34: stabilized, used on 5xxx marine alloys like our 5052 H32 plate
T5 and T6: Heat-Treated
T tempers apply to heat-treatable alloys (2xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx). T5 means cooled from extrusion and then artificially aged — this is the architectural temper used on 6063 T5 angle และ 6063 T5 channel. T6 means solution heat-treated then artificially aged to full strength — the structural temper used on 6061 T6 flat และ 6061 T6 plate. T6 is roughly twice as strong as T5 on the same alloy.
| อารมณ์ | Strength | Formability | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| O | Lowest | Excellent | Deep drawing |
| H14 / H24 | Medium | Good | Coil, sheet, เปลื้องผ้า |
| H32 | Medium | Good | มารีน 5052 |
| T5 | Medium | Fair | Architectural 6063 |
| T6 | High | Fair | Structural 6061, 7075 |
Common Specifying Mistakes
The most common mistake is ordering 6063 T6 thinking it is stronger than T5 — 6063 is not normally solution-heat-treated, and a “6063 T6” claim is often marketing rather than a real temper. The second mistake is ordering T6 parts for bending; T6 is springy and will crack on tight radii. If you need to bend after temper, choose O or H tempers and bend before heat treatment.
