A strong demand from the aerospace sector has made it challenging for industry to supply heat-treated plate for both aerospace and other applications. To increase heat-treated plate production capacity, ASTM International Committee B07 on Light Metals and Alloys has developed a new standard, B 947, Practice for Hot Rolling Mill Solution Heat Treatment for Aluminum Alloy Plate.
 
The new standard, which is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee B07.03 on Aluminum Alloy Wrought Products, establishes the controls required for hot rolling mill solution heat treatment of 6xxx series aluminum alloy plate when ASTM material specifications allow use of the process in lieu of furnace solution heat treatment. Practice B 947 was developed specifically for 6061-T651 plate.
 
“By developing an alternate solution for 6xxx we are able to grow our capacity without additional capital investment, meet customer needs and allow existing solution heat treat furnace capacity to produce the 2xxx and 7xxx series alloys for our aerospace customers,” says Michael Skoglund, quality director, global mill products, Alcoa.
 
Skoglund says that distributors who sell tooling plate to companies that machine and/or finish it into final parts are the main customers of 6061-T651 plate and would benefit from use of Practice B 947.
 
ASTM International standards are available for purchase from Customer Service (phone: 610/832-9585; https://www.astm.org/contact/) or at www.astm.org. For further technical information, contact Michael Brandt, Alcoa, Alcoa Center, Pa. (phone: 724/337-2062; michael.brandt@alcoa.com). Committee B07 meets Nov. 13-15, at the November Committee Week in Atlanta, Ga. For membership or meeting information, contact Kevin Shanahan, manager, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9737; kshanaha@astm.org).

Release #7496