Aluminum Castings Heat Treatment
Heat treatment for castings is undertaken to increase their strength and hardness. Heat treatment is a form of artificial aging that stabilizes the aluminum casting dimensionally and prevents distortion. Some alloys do not achieve sufficient hardness during natural aging.
Chemical properties of new castings naturally change and settle slowly at room temperature. Treatment at an elevated temperature speeds this change, ensuring quality and accuracy. Artificial aging, or precipitation hardening, also makes parts more quickly available to manufacturers.
During the heat treatment process, the casting is heated to a temperature specific to each alloy. After soaking for up to 24 hours, the casting is cooled to room temperature. The result is an aluminum casting that is stronger and less ductile or able to be deformed.
