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Post-fab heat treatment of aluminum

Can 2024-0 material be fabricated into parts and then heat treated to the T-3 condition? I have always been told no. That it has to go to the T-42 condition. I started a new job and the drawing here are using 2024-0 sheet and heat treating fabricated parts to T-3. Is this now an acceptable process? Other than cold rolling, straighten and flattening of the material to the T-3 condition. I was told there is an emulsion process to temper the material to T-3.

Danny Howard
Product Designer - Andalusia, Alabama
January 15, 2010

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First of two simultaneous responses --

Dan,
You want to solution heat treat to the T4 condition by a standard procedure. In order to get to a higher condition (say T6) you will need to introduce the part to a precipitation heat treatment process (artificial aging) AFTER the solution heat treat procedure.
You are correct T3 is mill foundry level condition not obtainable in aftermarket process.
Talk with you soon buddy,
Bill

Bill Cotney
aeronautical - Helena, AL, USA
January 21, 2010

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Second of two simultaneous responses -- January 22, 2010

I'd be on your side of the argument of this.
T3 temper is designated as cold worked. However I have found it common for engineers to refer to a set of properties as being T3 and therefore if the T42 met the criteria for T3 they will say it is T3.

www.matweb.com/reference/aluminumtemper.aspx

Ciaron Murphy
Aerospace - South Wales, UK