The 6061 aluminum U-channel with equal leg length and rounded corners has a T6 temper, has an unpolished (mill) surface, meets SAE Aerospace Material Specifications AMS-QQ-A-200 and American Society for Testing and Materials International ASTM B221 specifications, and has a standard tolerance. The 6061 aluminum alloy is a general-purpose material that combines good corrosion resistance, strength, machinability, and weldability. It resists stress corrosion cracking and is heat treatable. The material has been extruded, a process of compressing metal and pushing it through a die to create the shape. The aluminum has a T6 temper, meaning it has been heat treated for increased strength.

Aluminum and aluminum alloys are lightweight compared to steel, brass, and copper, and have high strength-to-weight ratios. They offer good corrosion resistance and conductivity of heat and electricity, as well as moderate formability and machinability. Aluminum alloys include elements that modify the aluminum to achieve specific properties such as better weldability or greater strength. All series of aluminum alloys are nonmagnetic. Aluminum alloys have temper designations, indicating that the material has undergone a process to achieve certain properties of strength and hardness.

Tensile strength, used to indicate the material’s overall strength, is the peak stress it can withstand before it breaks. Corrosion resistance describes the material's ability to prevent deterioration caused by atmosphere, moisture, or other medium. Wear resistance indicates the ability to prevent surface damage caused by contact with other surfaces. Toughness describes the material's ability to absorb energy before breaking, while hardness (commonly measured as indentation hardness) describes its resistance to permanent surface deformation. Formability indicates how easily the material can be permanently shaped. Machinability describes how easily it can be cut, shaped, finished, or otherwise machined, while weldability characterizes the ability to be welded.