Aluminum tubes are mainly categorized into Extruded Seamless Tube, Cold Drawn Seamless Tube and Welded Aluminum Tube. Relevant standards include GB/T4437 (Chinese), ASTM B241/B210 (US), EN755 (European). Dimension notation follows OD (Outside Diameter) × WT (Wall Thickness) in mm. The price is determined by primary aluminum ingot base price, alloy grade, temper T5/T6, dimensional tolerance, surface finish and order quantity. Prices fluctuate daily with domestic primary aluminum spot price.

1. Aluminum Alloy Grades (Industry Mainstream)

1. 1060 /1070 (1xxx Pure Aluminum)：Al ≥99.6%, high ductility, good corrosion resistance, low strength. Used for heat exchange coils & flexible tubing. Lowest price. Temper: O/H14.
2. 3003 (3xxx Al-Mn)：Medium corrosion resistance, stronger than pure aluminum. For air conditioning coils & thin-wall welded tubing.
3. 5052 / 5083 (5xxx Al-Mg)：Anti-rust aluminum. 5052 for bending sheet parts; 5083 high magnesium grade for marine & chloride environments, excellent weldability, non-heat-treatable. Temper: O/H32.
4. 6063-T5 (6xxx Al-Mg-Si)：Main architectural alloy, good extrusion performance, superior anodizing effect. Widely used for frames, decoration and low-pressure fluid, largest stock availability, medium strength.
5. 6061-T6：General industrial alloy, T6 solution & artificial aging. Higher strength than 6063, good machining & weldability. Preferred for mechanical structures, tooling and pressure vessel accessories.
6. 6082-T6：Higher silicon content, stronger than 6061. For heavy machinery & high-strength structures, widely adopted in European projects.
7. 2024 / 2A12 (2xxx Al-Cu)：High strength, aerospace grade, good fatigue resistance, poor corrosion resistance.
8. 7075-T6 (7xxx Al-Zn-Mg-Cu)：Ultra-high strength close to steel. For mould & aerospace structures. High premium, poor weldability.

Key note: Series 1/3/5 non-heat-treatable; Series 2/6/7 can be hardened via heat treatment T5/T6.

2. Specification System

2.1 Classified by Manufacturing Process

• Extruded Seamless Tube (Most common stock)：Hot extruded from aluminum billet. OD φ8～φ600mm, WT 1.0～30mm. Suitable for medium & large bore, major grade 6061/6063. Lower cost than cold drawn tube.
• Cold Drawn Seamless Tube：Extruded mother tube then cold drawing. Small bore, thin wall, high precision. OD φ3～φ80mm, WT 0.3～6mm. Tight tolerance for hydraulic & instrument tubing, price premium.
• Welded Aluminum Tube：Formed & welded from aluminum strip. Thin-wall large diameter, mostly coil tube (1060/3003). For heat exchangers & air conditioning. Lowest price; lower pressure capacity than seamless tube.

2.2 Dimension Expression Rules

1. Round tube: OD × WT, e.g. Φ50×2: OD 50mm, WT 2mm;
2. Square / Rectangular tube: Side × Side × wall thickness, mostly for building frames;
3. Length: Standard fixed length 6m; cut-to-length available with cutting charge & scrap surcharge;
4. Tolerance: Normal extrusion tolerance; precision cold drawn tube OD tolerance ±0.05mm with extra cost.

2.3 Surface Finish

• Mill finish (original extrusion surface, standard stock)
• Anodized (silver / color, wear & corrosion resistant, popular for export construction)
• Polished, brushed, powder coating, wood grain transfer.

3. Pricing Logic & Wuxi Spot Reference 2026 (VAT included, per MT, for reference only, not formal quotation)

Pricing formula: Aluminum tube price = Primary aluminum ingot price + processing cost. Higher alloy grade, thinner wall & cold drawn precision tube carry higher processing cost.

Spot price range for common grades (conventional extruded round tube)

1. 1060 pure Al welded tube: CNY 21,000～23,000 / MT
2. 3003 aluminum tube: CNY 23,000～25,000 / MT
3. 6063-T5 extruded tube: CNY 24,500～27,000 / MT
4. 6061-T6 extruded seamless tube: CNY 26,000～29,000 / MT
5. 6061-T6 cold drawn precision tube: CNY 30,000～36,000 / MT
6. 5083-O anti-rust aluminum tube: CNY 32,000～36,000 / MT
7. 6082-T6: CNY 31,000～35,000 / MT
8. 2024 /7075-T6: CNY 45,000 ~ 70,000+ / MT

Extra Charges in Foreign Trade Inquiries

1. Anodizing: Standard silver anodizing +CNY 3,000~8,000/MT; color anodizing higher premium
2. Precision tolerance, deburring, straightening: extra charge
3. MTC material certificate EN10204 3.1 /3.2; 3.2 third-party certification with additional cost
4. Cut-to-length & small orders: unit price +20%~60%
5. Thin-wall small bore tube: low yield rate leads to sharp rise in processing cost

4. Selection & Procurement Recommendations

1. Building frame & decoration: 6063-T5, good anodizing finish & cost performance
2. General machinery & machining parts: 6061-T6 extruded seamless tube
3. Air conditioning heat exchange & flexible line: 1060/3003 welded / coil tube
4. Coastal & marine corrosion environment: 5083 anti-rust aluminum
5. High strength structure: 6082-T6; ultra-high load use 7075 (not suitable for corrosive environment)
6. Inquiry checklist: Alloy grade + temper, OD × actual WT, extruded / cold drawn / welded, surface, tolerance, certificate, fixed length, order weight.

5. Theoretical Weight Formula for Round Aluminum Tube

Aluminum density = 2.7 g/cm³Weight per meter (kg/m) = (OD mm − WT mm) × WT mm × 0.00879

Example: Φ50×2 (50−2) ×2 ×0.00879 = 48 ×2 ×0.00879 = 0.844 kg/m