Treatment Methods
Heat Treatment Processes
Each treatment is selected based on alloy, specification requirements, and whether the casting will be machined after treatment.
Aluminum & NickelSolution Heat Treating
Solution heat treatment dissolves alloying elements into a solid solution at elevated temperatures, then rapidly quenches to lock the microstructure. Required for maximum mechanical properties in aluminum alloys (A356-T6) and annealing of C95500 Navy nickel aluminum bronze.
- A356-T6 solution treat & age
- C95500 annealing to MIL-B-21230
- Controlled furnace atmosphere
- Quench tank on-site
Bronze & CopperTemper Annealing
Temper annealing relieves work hardening and restores ductility in bronze and copper-base castings after welding, straightening, or prior thermal cycling. Applied to Navy bronze fittings and structural castings requiring specific hardness and ductility per MIL-SPEC requirements.
- Bronze, Monel, and copper alloys
- MIL-SPEC documentation
- Hardness verification post-treat
- Controlled heating and cooling rates
All AlloysStress Relieving
Stress relief heat treatment reduces residual casting stresses that could cause dimensional instability during machining or service. Applied to complex castings, heavy sections, and any casting requiring tight dimensional stability after machining.
- Applicable to all alloys poured
- Reduces dimensional distortion in machining
- Pre-machining treatment available
- Temperature and time documentation
Why Ironbound
In-House Heat Treatment Advantages
In-House Heat Treatment
Heat treatment furnaces and quench tanks on-site — no outside vendor, no added lead time. Treatment is coordinated with casting production and machining scheduling.
MIL-SPEC Documentation
Full heat treatment certifications including furnace charts, soak temperatures, quench details, and post-treatment hardness test data for Navy and defense applications.
All Alloys Supported
Solution treating for aluminum, annealing for nickel aluminum bronze, stress relieving for bronze and stainless — all alloys poured at Ironbound are covered.
Integrated with Machining
Heat treatment is scheduled before and after machining as required by the drawing — we manage the sequence from casting through final machined dimensions.
Specifications
