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Selecting quenchants to maximize tensile properties and minimize distortion in aluminum parts

  • Published:
Journal of Heat Treating

Abstract

Quenching refers to the rapid cooling of metal parts from the solution treating temperature which is typically in the range of 465 to 565‡ C (870 to 1050‡ F) for aluminum alloys. Several factors including the kind of quenchant, the quenchant use conditions, the section thickness of the part, and the transformation rate of the alloy being quenched determine whether a part can be successfully quenched and then aged to produce the desired strength.

A quench factor,Q, has been devised that interrelates quenching variables (velocity, concentration, temperature effects, etc.), the section size of parts, and transformation data of specific alloys to provide a single number indicating the extent to which a part can be throughhardened or strengthened.

The quenchant solution and quenchant operating conditions should be selected to provide the proper quench factor without being excessively severe so as to produce high thermal gradients that can cause distortion.

Cooling curves, interface heat transfer coefficients, quench factors, and thermal gradients produced by a variety of quenchants are presented. The concept of quench factors is then related to the problem of distortion during quenching.

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Bates, C.E. Selecting quenchants to maximize tensile properties and minimize distortion in aluminum parts. J. Heat Treating 5, 27–40 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02831618

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02831618

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