RB'57 is correct...
User solution HT/quench/natural-aging*/NDI** [starting in -O, or any other temper]... results in -T42 temper which is ~= -T3 [-T3 is an OEM, ONLY, temper].
*~96-hrs
AMS2770 is the current/industry favored HT for aluminum alloys... but
MIL-H-6088 [last Rev G] HEAT TREATMENT OF ALUMINUM ALLOYS was the HT process for decades. Go to
NOTES.
Aerospace heat treaters prefer HT/quench of raw [semi-trimmed blank] stock... then forming while in the unstable 'W' temper... then natural aging to -T42 . Lots of good reasons for setting up fab sequence this way.
IF your forming is not severe in -O temper, the process of SHT/quench/straightening parts in W temper then natural aging to -T42 starting in -O temper is usually satisfactory.
IF Your 2024 sheet material is clad aluminum, I'm pretty sure You are allowed to solution HT/quench ONLY one time.
** Hardness and conductivity testing is 'technically required' to validate response to HT. Even very small disturbances [temperature, miss-timing, etc] relative to established practices can cause HT failure.
NOTE. IF YOU CAN FIND A COPY... similar/acceptable methods for aluminum HT are presented in USAF T.O. 1-1A-9
Regards, Wil Taylor
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