Temper of aluminium alloys

Temper of aluminium alloys

 

The mechanical and technological characteristics of the products of aluminium alloys are determined not only by their chemical composition, but also by the production method and heat treatment. For example, cold-rolled sheet metal is stronger and tougher, but less ductile than a sheet metal of the same alloy produced by hot-rolling. The nature of such technologically contingent alloy is indicated as temper. So the temper of the alloys is the result of the whole production process, it corresponds to the resulting structure of the material and represents a set of properties after the given method of manufacture and heat treatment. For aluminium alloys, there are several tempers. There are two systems of designation:

a) numeric, b) on the basis of chemical symbols. For wrought aluminium alloys the method of designation used by the Aluminium Association (AA) in Washington, USA has been adopted in the international practice. 



The numerical designation consists of: a) letters EN indicating a European standard, b) letters AW (Aluminium Wrought, meaning wrought aluminium alloys), c) four digits of which the first digit indicates the principal alloying element (1xxx-pure aluminium Al 99.9% or more,  2xxx - copper Cu, 3xxx - manganese Mn, 4xxx - silicon Si, 5xxx - magnesium Mg, 6xxx- magnesium and silicon MgSi, 7xxx - zinc, 8xxx - other elements, 9xxx - unused series, d) indication in what temper the alloys are supplied.

 

 

 

 

MATERIAL TEMPER DEFINITION

F1 as fabricated
H12 strain hardened - quarter hard
H14  strain hardened - half hard
H111    annealed, slightly strain hardened during successive operations like tensioning or straightening
H112 slightly strain hardened from working at elevated temperature or cold work-hardened with reduced size
H22 strain hardened and partially annealed - quarter hard
H24 strain hardened and partially annealed - half hard
H32 strain hardened and stabilized - quarter hard
H34 strain hardened and stabilized - half hard
H36 strain hardened and stabilized - three-quarter hard
H38 strain hardened and stabilized - fully hardened
T1 temper after cooling from an elevated temperature shaping process and natural ageing
T2 temper after cooling from an elevated temperature shaping process, cold working and natural ageing
T3 temper after solution annealing, cold working and natural ageing
T351 temper after solution annealing, stress relieving by stretching to an exact size (for sheet metal - permanent deformation 0.5% to 3%, for a plate 1.5% to 3%, for a rolled or cold-finished rod - 1% to 3%, for open-die ring
forging and rolled circle - 1% to 5%, and natural ageing.
After stretching these products are not straightened.
T352 temper after solution annealing, stress relieving by compressing by permanent deformation from 1% to 5%, and natural ageing
T4 temper after solution annealing and natural ageing
T451 temper after solution annealing, stress relieving by stretching to an exact size (for sheet meta l- permanent deformation 0.5% to 3%, for a plate 1.5% to 3%, for a rolled or cold-finished rod - 1% to 3% for open-die ring
forging and rolled circle - 1% to 5%, and natural ageing.
After stretching these products are not straightened.
T5 temper after cooling from an elevated temperature shaping process and artificial ageing
T6 temper after solution annealing and artificial ageing
T651 temper after solution annealing, stress relieving by stretching to an exact size (for sheet metal - permanent deformation 0.5% to 3%, for a plate 1.5% to 3%, for a rolled or cold-finished rod - 1% to 3% for open-die ring
forging and rolled circle - 1% to 5%, and natural ageing.
After stretching these products are not straightened.
T7 temper after solution annealing and artificial overageing
T8 temper after solution annealing, cold working and artificial ageing

 

 

 

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