Heat treatment of aluminium parts

A large number of lightweight aluminium components are manufactured from heat-treatable aluminium alloys. In order to achieve optimum mechanical properties for these components a heat treatment is performed. This usually comprises the three process steps of solution annealing, quenching and ageing.

Tight temperature tolerances just below the melting point are, therefore, no problem. With our tailor-made industrial furnaces, we can achieve the optimum heat treatment of your workpieces.

Solution annealing

Solution annealing is carried out just below the melting temperature of the aluminium alloy. At a high temperature and with the associated high diffusion rate the alloying elements are evenly dissolved and distributed in the aluminium solid solution.

Quenching

During quenching, which takes place after solution annealing, the supersaturated solid solution is "frozen". That prevents the precipitation of the dissolved alloying constituents. Different quenching media are used depending on the nature of the component and the tendency for distortion:

• Water
• Water-polymer mixture
• Air

Ageing

During ageing, the desegregation processes in the crystal allow the desired mechanical strength to be achieved. This completes the actual heat treatment process. If necessary, a cooling zone serves to cool down the workpieces faster for the next production steps.