Aluminum aging is a heat treatment process that involves holding aluminum alloys at a controlled temperature for a set period to precipitate strengthening phases within the metal. Aluminum Aging is commonly used in the automotive, aerospace, and transportation industries, as well as building/home applications, to manufacture durable components for long-term use. TLS designs and manufactures aluminum Aging ovens in accordance with customers’ specific requirements.
We consider all of the factors that come into play including rapid heating, temperature uniformity, safety-critical components, high precision and repeatability, and floor space.
Aluminum Aging – sometimes referred to as age hardening or precipitation hardening – is produced by phase transformations creating uniform dispersion of coherent precipitates in a softer matrix. Aging aluminum between 100°C–260°C is called artificial aging because the alloy is heated to produce precipitation.
Using a lower aging temperature has the effect of making the properties more uniform. When heat treated alloys are aged at room temperature it is called natural aging. The rate and amount of natural aging or hardening varies from one alloy to another. Properties of the alloys are dependent on the aging temperature and aging time. Typically, the hardness and strength of the alloy increases initially with time and particle size until it reaches the peak where maximum strength is obtained. Any further aging will reduce the strength and hardness; also referred to as over-aging