Designation: B917/B917M – 09

Standard Practice for

Heat Treatment of Aluminum-Alloy Castings from All
Processes1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B917/B917M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope* B108 Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Permanent Mold

1.1 This practice covers, when specified by material speci- Castings
fication or purchase order, the heat treatment of aluminum B275 Practice for Codification of Certain Nonferrous Met-
alloy castings from all casting processes. als and Alloys, Cast and Wrought
1.1.1 The heat treatment of aluminum alloy castings used in B557 Test Methods for Tension Testing Wrought and Cast
specific aerospace applications is covered in AMS 27712 and Aluminum- and Magnesium-Alloy Products
specific AMS2 material specifications. B557M Test Methods for Tension Testing Wrought and Cast
1.1.2 The heat treatment of wrought aluminum alloys is Aluminum- and Magnesium-Alloy Products (Metric)
covered in Practice B918. B618 Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Investment Cast-
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units ings
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in B686 Specification for Aluminum Alloy Castings, High-
each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each Strength
system shall be used independently of the other. Combining B881 Terminology Relating to Aluminum- and Magnesium-
values from the two systems may result in non-conformance Alloy Products
with the standard. B918 Practice for Heat Treatment of Wrought Aluminum
1.2.1 SI Units—The SI units are shown in brackets or in Alloys
separate tables. G110 Practice for Evaluating Intergranular Corrosion Re-
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the sistance of Heat Treatable Aluminum Alloys by Immersion
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the in Sodium Chloride + Hydrogen Peroxide Solution
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 2.3 ANSI Standard:
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- H35.1 Alloy and Temper Designation Systems for Alumi-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. num4
2.4 SAE Standard:
2. Referenced Documents AMS 2771 Heat Treatment of Aluminum Alloy Castings
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect on the
3. Terminology
date of material purchase form a part of this specification to the
extent referenced herein: 3.1 Definitions:
2.2 ASTM Standards:3 3.1.1 Refer to Terminology B881 for terminology relating to
B26/B26M Specification for Aluminum-Alloy Sand Cast- the heat treatment of castings.
ings
4. Equipment
4.1 Heating Media—Aluminum castings are typically heat
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B07 on Light treated in air chamber furnaces; however, lead baths, oil baths,
Metals and Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B07.01 on
Aluminum Alloy Ingots and Castings.
fluidized beds, or even superheated steam may be used in
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2009. Published December 2009. Originally specific applications. The use of uncontrolled heating is not
approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as B917/B917M – 08. permitted. Whichever heating means are employed, careful
DOI: 10.1520/B0917_B0917M-09. evaluation is required to ensure that the casting responds
2
Available from Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), 400 Commonwealth
Dr., Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, http://www.sae.org. properly to heat treatment and is not overheated or damaged by
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
4
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from Aluminum Association, Inc., 1525 Wilson Blvd., Suite 600,
the ASTM website. Arlington, VA 22209, http://www.aluminum.org.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 B917/B917M – 09
the heat treatment environment. Salt baths are not recom- 5.1.2 Working instruments shall be calibrated at least once
mended for the commercial heat treatment of aluminum every three months against a test instrument that is traceable to
castings in volume. (Warning—Nitrate baths must not be used NIST. Accuracy shall be 6 \0.3 % of range.
in the heat treatment of 5xx.0 series castings because of the 5.2 Furnace Temperature Survey:
inherent explosion hazard. 5.2.1 A temperature survey, to ensure compliance with the
4.2 Air Chamber Furnaces—may be oil or gas-fired or may applicable recommendations presented herein, shall be per-
be electrically heated. The atmosphere in air chamber furnaces formed for each furnace.
must be controlled to prevent porosity resulting from solution 5.2.2 A new temperature survey shall be made after any
heat treatment. Furnace components that are significantly modification, repair, adjustment (for example, to power con-
hotter than the metal should be suitably shielded for section trols, or baffles), or rebuild which may have altered the
thicknesses of less than 0.250 in. [6 mm] to prevent adverse temperature uniformity characteristics of the furnace and
radiation effects. The atmosphere in air chamber furnaces must reduced the effectiveness of the heat treatment.
be controlled to prevent porosity resulting from solution heat 5.3 Batch Furnace Surveys:
treatment (see Note 1). The suitability of the atmosphere in an 5.3.1 The initial temperature survey shall be made at the
air-chamber furnace can be demonstrated by testing, in accor- maximum and minimum temperature of solution heat treat-
dance with 8.4.3.1, that products processed in that furnace are ments and precipitation heat treatments for which each furnace
substantially free of heat treat induced porosity. is to be used. There shall be at least one test location for each
NOTE 1—Heat treat induced porosity may lower mechanical properties 25 ft3 [0.70 m3] of air furnace volume up to a maximum of 40
and commonly causes blistering of the surface of the material. The test locations, with a minimum of nine test locations, one in
condition is most likely to occur in furnaces in which the products of each corner and one in the center.
combustion contact the work, particularly if the gases are high in water 5.3.2 After the initial survey, each furnace shall be surveyed
vapor or contain compounds of sulfur. Surface discoloration is a normal
monthly, except as provided in 5.3.7. The monthly survey shall
result of solution heat treatment of aluminum alloys and should not be
interpreted as evidence of damage from overheating or as heat treat be at one operating temperature for solution heat treatment and
induced porosity. one for precipitation heat treatment.
5.3.3 There shall be at least one test location for each 40 ft3
4.3 Automatic Recording and Control Equipment—to con- [1 m3] of load volume, with a minimum of nine test locations,
trol temperature of air furnaces shall be capable of maintaining one in each corner and one in the center.
temperature in the working zone to within 610°F [65°C] of
5.3.4 The surveys shall reflect the normal operating charac-
the specified temperature.
teristics of the furnace. If the furnace is normally charged after
4.4 Quench Baths—Quenching is normally performed by being stabilized at the correct operating temperature, the
immersion of castings in a hot-water bath as described in temperature-sensing elements shall be similarly charged. If the
Tables 1-4. The water baths must be located close enough to furnace is normally charged cold, the temperature-sensing
solution heat-treating facilities to minimize delay in quenching. elements shall be charged cold. After insertion of the
Tanks must be of adequate size for the expected work load and temperature-sensing elements, readings should be taken fre-
must have the means of providing adequate circulation of the quently enough to determine when the temperature of the
quenching media about the work load. Means for heating or hottest region of the furnace approaches the bottom of the
cooling the quench water should be available when needed. temperature range being surveyed. From that time until thermal
NOTE 2—Quenching may be performed by alternative means such as equilibrium is reached, the temperature of all test locations
total immersion in a glycol and water solution, a liquefied gas, cold water, should be determined at 2-min intervals in order to detect any
hot water, or boiling water, or by air blast or fog to minimize distortion over-shooting. After thermal equilibrium is reached, readings
provided samples from the material, so quenched, will conform to the (1) should be taken at 5-min intervals for sufficient time to
mechanical properties, (2) other requirements of the applicable casting determine the recurrent temperature pattern, but for not less
specification and (3) not exhibit more intergranular corrosion susceptibil-
ity than if the metal was immersion quenched in cold water. The use of
than 30 min. Before thermal equilibrium is reached, none of the
water sprays or high-velocity high-volume jets of water in which the temperature readings should exceed the maximum temperature
material is thoroughly and effectively flushed is satisfactory for quench- of the range being surveyed. After thermal equilibrium is
ing. Alternative quench media are frequently contingent on the particular reached, the maximum temperature variation of all elements
alloy and the end use of the casting. (both load and furnace thermocouples) shall not exceed 20°F
[10°C] and shall not vary outside the range being surveyed.
5. Furnace Temperature Uniformity and Calibration 5.3.5 For furnaces of 10 ft3 [0.25 m3] or less the temperature
Requirements survey may be made with a minimum of three thermocouples
5.1 Calibration of Equipment: located at front, center, and rear or at top, center, and bottom of
5.1.1 Thermocouple wire and sensors shall be calibrated the furnace.
against wire or sensors whose calibration is traceable to NIST). 5.3.6 For furnaces used only for precipitation treatment,
Thermocouples made from calibrated wire rolls may be used in after the initial temperature-uniformity survey, as outlined in
lieu of individually calibrated thermocouples in which case, the 5.3.7, surveys need not be made more often than at each
roll calibration shall be that of the average of samples taken 6-month interval provided that (1) test specimens from each lot
from both ends of the roll. The roll shall not be used if the are tested and meet applicable material specifications require-
difference in the highest and lowest reading exceeds 2°F [1°C]. ments, (2) the furnace is equipped with a multipoint recorder,

2
 B917/B917M – 09
TABLE 1 Recommended Heat Treatment for Sand and Investment Type Alloys (Inch-Pound Units)

Solution Heat TreatmentB,C Precipitation Heat TreatmentD

AlloyA Final TemperA Metal Temperature, Time at Metal Temperature, Time at
610°F Temperature, h 610°F Temperature, h
201.0 T6 960 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 980 14 to 20 then 310 20
T7 960 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 980 14 to 20 then 370 5
A201.0 T7 955 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 985 14 to 20 then 370 5
203.0 T6 955 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 1010 5 then 425 16
204.0 T4 970 10 room temperature 5 daysF
A206.0 T4 950 2E room temperature 5 days
then 985 14 to 20
T43 950 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 985 14 to 20 then 320 0.5 to 1
G
T6 950 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 985 14 to 20 then 310 20
T7 950 2E room temperature 12 to 24
then 985 14 to 20 then 370 4 to 5
222.0 OD,H ... ... 600H 3
T61 945 6 to 12 310 11
242.0 OD,H ... ... 650H 3
T571 ... ... 400 8
T61 960 2 to 6I 450 1 to 3
A242.0 T75 965 6 to 10 550 2 to 5
295.0 T4 960 6 to 12 ... ...
T6 960 6 to 12 310 3 to 6
T62 960 6 to 12 310 12 to 24
T7 960 6 to 12 500 4 to 6
296.0 T4 950 4 to 8 ... ...
T6 950 4 to 8 310 2 to 8
T7 950 4 to 8 500 4 to 6
319.0 T4 940 6 to 10 ... ...
T5 ... ... 400 8
T6 940 6 to 12 310 2 to 5
328.0 T6 960 12 310 2 to 5
355.0 T51 ... ... 440 7 to 9
T6 980 6 to 12 310 3 to 5
T7 980 6 to 12 440 3 to 5
T71 980 6 to 12 475 4 to 6
C355.0J T6 985 6 to 12 room temperature 8
then 310 3 to 5
356.0 T51 ... ... 440 7 to 9
T6 1000 6 to 12 310 3 to 5
T7 1000 6 to 12 400 3 to 5
T71 1000 6 to 12 475 2 to 4
A356.0 T6 1000 6 to 12 310 2 to 5
T61 1000 6 to 12 330 6 to 12
T7 1000 6 to 12 440 8
T71 1000 6 to 12 475 3 to 6
357.0 T6 1000H 8 330 6 to 12
T61 1000 10 to 12 310 10 to 12
A357.0J T61 1000H 8 to 10 room temperature 8
then 310 8
A390.0 T6 925 8 to 12 350 8
520.0 T4 810 12 to 18K ... ...
705.0 T1 ... ... room temperature 21 days
T5 210 8
707.0 T1 ... ... room temperature 21 days
T5 ... ... 210 8
T7 990 8 to 16 350 4 to 10
710.0 T5 ... ... room temperature 21 days
or 315 6 to 8
712.0 T5 ... ... room temperature 21 days
or 315 6 to 8
713.0 T1 ... ... room temperature 21 days
T5 250 16
771.0 T5 ... ... 355 3 to 5
T51 ... ... 405 6
T52 ... ... 330J 6 to 16L
T6 1090 6D 265 3
T53 ... ... 360J,D 4
T71 1090 6D 285 15
850.0 T5 ... ... 430 7 to 9