Alloys / MIC-6 cast tooling plate
MIC-6 cast tooling plate Aluminum
Cast, not rolled, then stress relieved specifically so it stays flat after material comes off one side. The plate to reach for when flatness matters more than strength.
What it is
Cast aluminum plate, stress relieved after casting, not a wrought alloy. As-cast and stress relieved. There is no T-temper designation because it is not solution heat treated the way a wrought alloy is.
Machining
Machines easily and predictably because the casting and stress relief remove the internal stress that makes rolled plate bow when it is milled unevenly. Threads are comparatively weak, so avoid tapping directly into thin sections where load matters.
Finishing and joining
Anodizes patchy because casting porosity takes the coating unevenly, so do not specify it for a visible anodized part. Weldability is poor and strength is the lowest on this list, this plate earns its place on flatness alone.
Where it turns up
- Jig plates and fixture bases
- Vacuum tables and large flat tooling
- Base plates where machining one face must not warp the other
Read further
- MIC-6 against rolled 6061 when flatness mattersRead the guide
- Why rolled plate moves when you machine itRead the guide
At a glance
| Yield strength | 110 MPa |
| Density | 2.8 g/cm³ |
| Weldability | 2 / 5 |
| Anodizing | 1 / 5 |
| Corrosion resistance | 3 / 5 |
| Strength for weight | 1 / 5 |
| Stays flat | 5 / 5 |
| Machinability | 5 / 5 |
Scores run 1 to 5, editorial judgements for comparison, not measured values. Yield is a typical published figure for this temper, not a guarantee for your lot.
Full property table for all alloys: alloy selector.
Questions
Is MIC-6 cast tooling plate weldable?
Not with conventional welding processes. MIC is prone to cracking or loses most of its strength in the heat-affected zone, so a welded assembly needs a different alloy for that joint.
Does MIC-6 cast tooling plate anodize evenly?
Not reliably. Expect a less even, sometimes darker or patchier result than 6061 in the same anodizing tank, so treat any anodized finish on this alloy as functional rather than cosmetic.