Solution treatment-air quenching-aging process for 6063 aluminum alloy

doi:10.13251/j.issn.0254-6051.2024.09.020

Abstract

Abstract: The solution treatment-air quenching-aging processes for 6063 aluminium alloy were studied. The air quenching rates under different air pressures were obtained by finite element analysis, and the alloy properties under different solution treating temperatures (540, 550, 560 ℃), solution treating time (30, 60, 90 min) and air quenching rates (5, 6, 7 ℃/s) were investigated by orthogonal tests, and based on which, the properties under different aging processes (aging temperatures of 180, 200, 220 ℃, aging time of 2, 4, 6 h) were studied, and compared with that required by the national standard T6 and that of the initial annealed state. The results show that the influencing factors of the solution treatment and air quenching process on the strength of the 6063 aluminum alloy are ranked in descending order as the following: air quenching rate, solution treating temperature and solution treating time, and the influencing factors on the elongation are ranked in descending order as the following: solution treating temperature, air quenching rate and solution treating time. When the aging temperature is 180 ℃ and 200 ℃, as the aging time increases, the strength and hardness of the alloy increase, while the elongation decreases. The optimal solution treatment-air quenching-aging process for the 6063 aluminum alloy is 550 ℃×30 min solution treatment+7 ℃/s air quenching+180 ℃×6 h aging. After this process, the properties of the alloy are higher than the requirements of standard T6, and the strength is increased by more than once compared to the annealed state, and the hardness is also significantly increased, indicating a significant strengthening effect.

Key words: 6063 aluminum alloy, solution treatment, air quenching, aging, properties

CLC Number:

TG146

Chen Yan, Pei Yuehan, Zhang Chuang, Song Hua, Lian Fabo, Guan Shixue, Wang Yang, Wang Xiaoxue. Solution treatment-air quenching-aging process for 6063 aluminum alloy[J]. Heat Treatment of Metals, 2024, 49(9): 125-131.

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