Controlling distortion in processed copper beryllium alloys

In a process for producing formed parts from copper beryllium alloys, which process includes the steps of:

• preparing a copper beryllium alloy melt;
• casting the alloy melt;
• hot working the cast alloy;
• solution annealing the alloy;
• passing the solution annealed alloy through one or more cold-working steps;
• forming the alloy into a part;
• and precipitation-hardening the formed alloy;
• the improved process comprising the steps of:
• subjecting the alloy on the final cold-working pass to a minimum cold reduction of 45% followed by a primary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a light cold reduction of between 5% and 15% followed by a secondary solution anneal, and subjecting the alloy to a precipitation hardening treatment in a molten salt bath heating medium at a temperature of from 375.degree. to 725.degree. F. for a period of up to three hours prior to part formation.

In a process for producing formed parts from copper beryllium alloys, which process includes the steps of:

• preparing a copper beryllium alloy melt;
• casting the alloy melt;
• hot working the cast alloy;
• solution annealing the alloy;
• passing the solution annealed alloy through one or more cold-working steps;
• forming the alloy into a part;
• and precipitation-hardening the formed alloy;
• the improved process comprising the steps of:
• subjecting the alloy on the final cold-working pass to a minimum cold reduction of 45% followed by a primary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a light cold reduction of between 5% and 15% followed by a secondary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a precipitation hardening treatment in a molten salt bath heating medium at a temperature of from 375.degree. to 725.degree. F. for a period of up to three hours subsequent to part formation.

In a process for producing formed parts from a copper beryllium alloy, which process includes the steps of:

• preparing copper beryllium alloy melt;
• casting the alloy melt;
• hot working the cast alloy;
• solution annealing the alloy;
• passing the solution annealed alloy through one or more cold-working steps;
• slitting the alloy to a desired width;
• forming the alloy into a part;
• and precipitation hardening the formed alloy;
• the improved process comprising the steps of:
• subjecting the alloy on the final cold-working pass to a minimum cold reduction of 45% followed by a primary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a light cold reduction of between 5% and 15% followed by a secondary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a first stress relief anneal in a molten salt bath medium at temperature of from 475.degree. to 725.degree. F. for a period of up to twenty minutes prior to slitting, and subjecting the alloy to a second stress relief anneal in a molten salt bath medium at a temperature of from 450.degree. to 750.degree. F. for a period of up to twenty minutes subsequent to slitting.

In a process for producing formed parts from copper beryllium alloys, which process includes the steps of:

• preparing a copper beryllium alloy melt;
• casting the alloy melt;
• hot working the cast alloy;
• solution annealing the alloy;
• passing the solution annealed alloy through one or more cold-working steps;
• forming the alloy into a part;
• and precipitation hardening the formed alloy;
• the improved process comprising the steps of:
• subjecting the alloy on the final cold-working pass to a minimum cold reduction of 45% followed by a primary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a light cold reduction of between 5% and 15% followed by a secondary solution anneal, subjecting the alloy to a first precipitation hardening treatment in a molten salt bath heating medium at a temperature of from 375.degree. to 725.degree. F. for a period of up to three hours prior to part formation, and subjecting the alloy to a second precipitation hardening treatment in a molten salt bath heating medium at a temperature of from 375.degree. to 725.degree. F. for a period of up to three hours.