Direct aging of a light metal casting alloy component

Abstract

A method for heat treatment of a light metal casting alloy component includes, after demoulding at a demoulding temperature TE, bringing the light metal casting alloy component directly to an aging temperature TA above room temperature TR. Cooling of the light metal casting alloy component to the aging temperature TA proceeds with checking and regulation, and directly after cooling, the light metal casting alloy component is held at the aging temperature tA for a defined aging time TA.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for heat treatment of a light metal casting alloy component, the method comprising:
 after demoulding at a demoulding temperature T E , bringing the light metal casting alloy component directly to an aging temperature T A  above room temperature T R ,   wherein cooling of the light metal casting alloy component to the aging temperature T A  proceeds with checking and regulation, and   wherein directly after cooling, the light metal casting alloy component is held at the aging temperature t A  for a defined aging time T A .   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the component temperature is monitored during cooling, and wherein the cooling is regulated accordingly. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the component temperature is monitored optically or via contact with the light metal casting alloy component. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the light metal casting alloy component does not undergo solution treatment. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after demoulding and prior to cooling to room temperature T R  or between demoulding and achievement of room temperature T R , the light metal casting alloy component is solely cooled or held at temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after demoulding and prior to cooling to room temperature T R  or between demoulding and achievement of room temperature T R , the light metal casting alloy component does not experience any further temperature increase. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the light metal casting alloy component is brought to an aging temperature T A , wherein the aging temperature T A  lies between 80 and 280° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the light metal casting alloy component is held at the aging temperature T A  for an aging time t A  of 10 min. to 10 h. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling to room temperature T R  takes place after aging t A  using calm or moving air. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling to room temperature T R  after aging t A  is assisted by a liquid medium, wherein the liquid medium is applied to part or all of the light metal casting alloy component. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after cooling to room temperature T R , the light metal casting alloy component undergoes a surface finishing process, wherein the aging time t A  is reduced by the time t Warm  taken by the reheating for the surface finishing process. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface finishing process takes the form of cathode dip-coating. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the light metal alloy component is produced by die casting and has mechanical properties of R p0.2 ≥120 MPa and an elongation at break A of over 5%. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the aging temperature T A  lies between 120 and 260° C. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the light metal casting alloy component is held at the aging temperature T A  for an aging time t A  of 20 min. to 400 min. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the light metal casting alloy component is held at the aging temperature T A  for an aging time t A  of 30 min. to 240 min.