Aluminum Melting Point: The Exact Number
The melting point of aluminum is 660.3°C (1220.5°F). That’s the precise aluminum melting temperature for pure, unalloyed aluminum at standard atmospheric pressure. Most engineers use this number as their baseline. But aluminum alloys melt at lower temperatures — some starting as low as 477°C (890°F). The alloy you’re using determines the real melting temp of aluminum for your application.
Aluminium Melting Point vs. Other Common Metals
Aluminum melts at roughly half the temperature of steel and less than two-thirds of copper. That’s what makes it so attractive for casting, die casting, and high-volume manufacturing — less energy, faster cycle times, lower tooling wear.
Here’s how the al melting point stacks up against common engineering metals:
| Metal | Melting Point (°C) | Melting Point (°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum (pure) | 660.3 | 1220.5 |
| Zinc | 419.5 | 787.1 |
| Magnesium | 650 | 1202 |
| Copper | 1084 | 1983 |
| Brass | ~907–940 | ~1664–1724 |
| Steel (carbon) | ~1425–1540 | ~2597–2804 |
| Stainless Steel 304 | ~1385–1450 | ~2525–2642 |
| Titanium | 1668 | 3034 |
Aluminum sits in a sweet spot — higher than zinc and magnesium, far lower than steel or titanium. That balance of low melting temp and strong structural properties is exactly why it dominates aerospace, automotive, and electronics manufacturing.
What Temperature Will Aluminum Melt? It Depends on the Alloy
Pure aluminum melts at one fixed point. Alloys don’t work that way. They melt across a range — a solidus temperature where melting begins, and a liquidus temperature where the metal becomes fully liquid.
Between those two points, the alloy is a semi-solid slurry. You can’t pour it, weld it cleanly, or extrude it yet. Engineers need to know both numbers, not just one.
Three things shift the alloy melting range:
Alloying elements — Silicon drops the solidus dramatically. Al-Si alloys reach a eutectic point at just 577°C (1071°F). Zinc and copper spread the melting range wider, sometimes by 160°C.
Impurities — Even 0.1% iron contamination lowers the liquidus by 2–3°C. Recycled aluminum is particularly vulnerable to this.
Pressure — At standard industrial pressures, this effect is negligible. It only becomes relevant in specialized high-pressure research environments.
Aluminum Melting Temperature by Alloy: Full Comparison Table
This table covers the ten most widely used aluminum alloys in manufacturing. Solidus and liquidus values sourced from ASM International and MatWeb.
| Alloy | Type | Solidus °C (°F) | Liquidus °C (°F) | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | Wrought | 660 (1220) | 660 (1220) | Chemical tanks, food processing |
| 2024 | Wrought | 502 (936) | 638 (1180) | Aerospace structures, aircraft fuselage |
| 3003 | Wrought | 640 (1184) | 655 (1211) | Fuel tanks, heat exchangers |
| 5052 | Wrought | 607 (1125) | 650 (1202) | Marine equipment, pressure vessels |
| 6061 | Wrought | 582 (1080) | 650 (1202) | Structural parts, bicycle frames, automotive |
| 7075 | Wrought | 477 (890) | 635 (1175) | Aircraft wings, missile parts, high-stress parts |
| A356 | Cast | 577 (1071) | 615 (1139) | Automotive wheels, aerospace castings |
| A380 | Cast | 546 (1015) | 595 (1103) | Die-cast housings, transmission cases |
| A413 | Cast | 577 (1071) | 580 (1076) | Pressure-tight components, dental equipment |
| ADC12 | Cast | 577 (1071) | 615 (1139) | Die-cast electronics enclosures, motor housings |
Reading the table: 7075 has the widest melting range — 158°C between solidus and liquidus. That wide gap demands tight temperature control during casting to prevent hot cracking. A413 has the narrowest range at just 3°C, which gives it excellent fluidity for thin-wall castings.
Al Melting Point in Practice: Why the Number Shifts
Knowing the textbook melting temp of aluminum is one thing. Understanding why it shifts in production is what prevents scrapped parts.
Silicon (Al-Si alloys) creates a eutectic point at 577°C (1071°F) — the lowest temperature at which any aluminum-silicon mixture can exist as a liquid. This is why A356 and ADC12 start melting before your furnace even reaches 600°C.
Magnesium (Al-Mg alloys) widens the melting range progressively. As Mg content increases from 2.5% (5052) to 4.5% (5083), the solidus drops from 607°C to 550°C. The liquidus barely moves.
Zinc + Copper (7xxx series) creates the widest ranges. 7075 spans 477–635°C. Foundries running 7075 target pouring temperatures of 700–720°C to ensure complete fluidity and proper mold filling.
Key rule for any alloy: Set your furnace 20–50°C above the liquidus. Below that, you get cold shuts and misruns. More than 150°C above liquidus and you accelerate oxidation, increase dross, and degrade mechanical properties.
Melting Temp of Aluminum Below the Melting Point — The Number Designers Miss
Here’s what all four of the most-cited articles on this topic get wrong: they only discuss when aluminum fully melts. They ignore what happens long before that.
Aluminum starts losing structural strength at just 150–200°C (300–400°F). That’s barely a warm oven. At those temperatures, heat-treated alloys like 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 experience gradual precipitation of strengthening phases — a process called overaging.
By 300°C (572°F), a 6061-T6 part can lose 30–40% of its yield strength. By 400°C (752°F), it approaches the strength of annealed aluminum — essentially soft.
This matters for three practical scenarios:
Welding heat-affected zones — The HAZ around any aluminum weld exceeds 300°C. Without post-weld heat treatment, the zone around the weld is permanently weaker than the parent material.
Engine and exhaust components — Parts exposed to sustained heat near exhaust systems need alloys rated for elevated temperature service — 2xxx or 4xxx series, not standard 6061.
Fire resistance design — In structural applications, aluminum loses load-bearing capacity at temperatures a fire reaches within minutes. Steel and aluminum have similar fire performance windows despite their very different melting points.
Melting Temp of Aluminum in Manufacturing: Casting, Welding & Extrusion
The aluminum melting temperature shows up differently in every fabrication process.
Die casting — Molten aluminum (typically A380 or ADC12) is held at 680–720°C and injected into steel molds at high pressure. The mold itself is preheated to 200–250°C to prevent thermal shock. Solidification happens in seconds.
Sand and investment casting — Pouring temperatures run 680–760°C depending on the alloy and part complexity. A356 is the workhorse here — its narrow 38°C freezing range produces fine microstructures and consistent mechanical properties.
Extrusion — Aluminum billets are heated to 450–550°C — well below the liquidus — then forced through a die under pressure. The metal deforms plastically, not as a liquid. 6061 and 6063 are the standard extrusion alloys.
Fusion welding (TIG/MIG) — The weld pool reaches 700–800°C locally. The challenge isn’t achieving the melting temp of aluminum — it’s controlling heat input to minimize HAZ softening and prevent hot cracking in high-zinc alloys like 7075.
Additive manufacturing (SLM/LPBF) — Laser powder bed fusion uses local energy densities that push aluminum powder past 1000°C at the melt pool, far above the liquidus, to compensate for aluminum’s high reflectivity and thermal conductivity. AlSi10Mg is the dominant alloy in this process.
Melting Point of Aluminum FAQ
What is the melting point of aluminum?
The melting point of pure aluminum is 660.3°C (1220.5°F) at standard atmospheric pressure. This is a fixed point used as a calibration reference in precision thermometry.
What is the aluminium melting point in °C and °F?
Aluminium (UK/AU spelling) melts at 660.3°C or 1220.5°F. It’s the same element — aluminum and aluminium are interchangeable names for atomic number 13.
What temperature will aluminum melt?
Pure aluminum melts at 660.3°C. Alloys melt lower — as low as 477°C for 7075 (solidus) or 546°C for A380. The alloy, not just the element, determines the real answer.
What is the aluminum melting temperature for 6061?
6061 aluminum has a solidus of 582°C (1080°F) and a liquidus of 650°C (1202°F). Casting and welding processes target temperatures above the liquidus to ensure full fluidity.
What is the melting temp of aluminum for 7075?
7075 aluminum starts melting at 477°C (890°F) — its solidus — and becomes fully liquid at 635°C (1175°F). That wide 158°C range makes 7075 one of the most demanding alloys to cast.
What is the al melting point compared to steel?
The al melting point of 660.3°C is roughly half the melting temperature of carbon steel (1425–1540°C). That lower threshold is a key reason aluminum requires far less energy to cast and recycle.
Does aluminum weaken before it melts?
Yes — significantly. Aluminum alloys begin losing strength at 150–200°C, well before any melting occurs. Heat-treated alloys like 6061-T6 can lose 30–40% of yield strength at 300°C.
What is the melting point of aluminum for die casting?
Die casting alloys like A380 and ADC12 have liquidus temperatures around 595–615°C. Foundries hold molten aluminum at 680–720°C during the casting process to maintain fluidity and prevent premature solidification.
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