Ageing Oven

Selection criteria

Temperature uniformity, time control.

Supply chain

Ageing ovens are simple, widely available equipment from Chinese furnace makers. The value is in process control; ask extruders for ageing records and hardness results per batch.

Buyer FAQ

What ageing temperature and time are typical for T5 and T6 aluminium?

6063-T5 is usually aged at about 180–200 °C for 2–8 h, with lower temperatures needing longer times. 6061-T6 is solution-treated and then aged at about 160–180 °C for 8–18 h. Under-ageing and over-ageing both reduce strength, so time should be counted from when the load reaches temperature.

What temperature uniformity should an ageing oven achieve?

Forced-air ageing ovens for aluminium extrusions should hold about ±5 °C across the loaded working zone. Leave gaps between profiles for air flow, place load thermocouples in the coldest and hottest spots, and keep chart or electronic records for every batch.

How can I verify that an extruder's ageing is under control?

Ask for Webster hardness at several positions per batch, for example at least 8 HW for 6063-T5, and periodic tensile tests against EN 755-2 or GB/T 6892. A long delay between extrusion and ageing also changes the result for 6xxx alloys, so ask how it is controlled.

Where it is used