Aluminum Heat Treatments
A modern and comprehensive document on the subject is the second
edition of the classic
CORROSION BASICS textbook. Some excerpts of that document are used
here.
- F for as fabricated
- O for annealed and recrystallized (wrought
only)
- H for strain hardened (wrought only)
- T for thermally treated to produce stable
tempers other than F, O or H
-
H for strain hardened
- H1 Strain hardened only. The number following this designation indicates
the degree of strain hardening.
- H111 Strain hardened less than the amount required for controlled H11
temper.
- H112 Acquires some temper from shaping processes not having special
control over the amount of strain hardening or thermal treatment, but for
which there are mechanical property limits or required mechanical property
testing.
- H116 & H117-Specifically, treated properties for 5086 and 5456 alloys to
control extoliation intergranular corrosion.
- H2 Strain hardened and then partially annealed. The number following
this designation indicates the degree of strain hardening remaining after
the product has been partially annealed.
- H3 Strain hardened and then stabilized. The number following this
designation indicates the degree of strain hardening remaining after the
product has been strain hardened a specific amount and then stabilized.
- H311 Strain hardened less than the amount required for controlled H31
temper.
- H321 Strain hardened less than the amount required for controlled H32
temper.
- H323 And H343 apply to products which are specially fabricated to have
acceptable resistance to stress corrosion cracking.
-
T for thermally treated
- T1 Partially solution heat treated and naturally aged to a substantial
stable condition.
- T2 Annealed (cast products only).
- T3 Solution heat treated then cold worked.
- T4 Solution heat treated and naturally aged to a substantially stable
condition.
- T5 Partially solution heat treated, then artificially aged.
- T6 Solution heat treated, then artificially aged.
- T7 Solution heat treated, then stabilized.
- T8 Solution heat treated, cold worked, then artificially aged.
- T9 Solution heat treated, artificially aged,then cold worked.
- T10 Partially solution heat treated, artificially aged, then cold
worked.
- TX51 Solution heat treated, stress relieved by stretching.
- TX510 As TX51 with no further straightening after stretching.
- TX511 As TX51 with minor straightening to comply with tolerances.
- TX52 Solution heat treated, stress-relieved by compressing.
- TX53 Stress-relieved by thermal treatment.
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