ASTM B918/B918M-20a PDF

Full title and description

ASTM B918/B918M-20a — Standard Practice for Heat Treatment of Wrought Aluminum Alloys. This practice provides recommended procedures, heat‑treatment tables, and quality checks for solution heat treatment, quenching, artificial aging, and annealing of wrought aluminum alloys for general‑purpose applications.

Abstract

This practice is intended for use in the heat treatment of wrought aluminum alloys for general purpose applications. It covers furnace requirements, racking and cleanliness, recommended soaking times and quenching procedures, precipitation heat‑treatment (artificial aging) and annealing procedures, and associated testing such as tensile testing, eutectic melting/porosity checks, intergranular corrosion tests, and Alclad diffusion evaluations.

General information

• Status: Active.
• Publication date: December 1, 2020 (edition 20a).
• Publisher: ASTM International.
• ICS / categories: 25.200 (Heat treatment); 77.150.10 (Aluminium products).
• Edition / version: 20a (revised from earlier 20 and prior 17a/09 editions).
• Number of pages: 19 pages (standard publication length for this edition).

Scope

This practice applies to the heat treatment of wrought aluminum alloys for general‑purpose use. It is not intended to replace specialized aerospace heat‑treatment specifications (for example, AMS2772) and does not cover castings (covered by Practice B917/B917M) or controlled press/hot‑mill solution heat treatment processes (refer to Practices B807/B807M and B947 for those specific processes). The standard provides typical times and temperatures for common product forms but notes that these are typical values and may not be optimum for every specific item or geometry.

Key topics and requirements

• Furnace types, atmosphere control and furnace temperature uniformity and calibration requirements.
• Racking, spacing, cleanliness and preparation procedures before heat treatment.
• Solution heat‑treatment temperature ranges and recommended soak times by alloy series and product form.
• Quenching methods and recommended quench media and rates for various alloys and thicknesses.
• Precipitation (artificial) aging schedules and annealing procedures with typical times/temperatures.
• Required verification tests: tensile testing, eutectic melting/heat‑treat‑induced porosity checks, intergranular corrosion test, and Alclad diffusion test.
• Unit systems: separate metric and US customary tables; do not combine values from the two systems.

Typical use and users

Used by metallurgists, heat‑treatment shops, aluminum product manufacturers (extrusion, sheet, plate, and forgings), quality engineers, and procurement/specification writers who need standardized, industry‑accepted heat‑treatment practice for wrought aluminum alloys in non‑aerospace commercial and industrial applications.

Related standards

Closely related standards and practices include ASTM B917/B917M (heat treatment of aluminum‑alloy castings), ASTM B807/B807M and B947 (press and hot‑mill solution heat treatment and associated pyrometry), and aerospace material specifications such as AMS2772 for specialized aerospace heat treatment. The document history includes earlier editions/revisions (for example, 17a and 09) and the 20a revision supersedes or updates the May 2020/20 redline versions.

Keywords

heat treatment, wrought aluminum, solution heat treatment, quenching, artificial aging, annealing, furnace calibration, Alclad diffusion, intergranular corrosion, ASTM B918/B918M

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM B918/B918M-20a is a practice (standard) that provides recommended procedures and tables for the heat treatment of wrought aluminum alloys intended for general‑purpose applications, including solution treatment, quenching, aging and annealing.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers furnace requirements and calibration, preparation and racking, typical solution and aging temperatures/times, quench recommendations, and tests used to verify heat‑treatment effectiveness (tensile, porosity/eutectic melting, intergranular corrosion, Alclad diffusion). It does not replace aerospace or certain process‑specific specifications.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Metallurgists, heat‑treat processors, aluminum fabricators, quality and inspection engineers, and purchasers specifying industrial heat treatment for wrought aluminum products.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 20a edition (published December 2020) is the current revision of this practice; it follows earlier editions (for example, 20, 17a, 17, and 09) and is the active edition for general use.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of a set of ASTM practices covering heat treatment of aluminum products; related practices include B917/B917M (castings), B807/B807M and B947 (press and mill solution treatments and pyrometry) and it references or complements industry and aerospace specifications where applicable.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Heat treatment, wrought aluminum, solution treatment, quench, aging, anneal, furnace calibration, Alclad, intergranular corrosion.