Selection of heat treatment condition of the Mg-Al-Zn alloys

Purpose: Main aim of this paper are results of the optimization of heat treatment conditions, which are temperature and heating time during solution heat treatment or ageing as well the cooling rate after solution treatment for MCMgAl12Zn1, MCMgAl9Zn1, MCMgAl6Zn1, MCMgAl3Zn1 cast magnesium alloys. Design/methodology/approach: The following results concern mechanical properties especially hardness. Findings: The different heat treatment kinds employed contributed to the improvement of mechanical properties of the alloy. Research limitations/implications: According to the alloys characteristic, the applied cooling rate and alloy additions seems to be a good compromise for mechanical properties, nevertheless further tests should be carried out in order to examine different cooling rates and parameters of solution treatment process and aging process. Practical implications: Generally magnesium alloys are applied in motor industry and machine building, but they find application in a helicopter production, planes, disc scanners, a mobile telephony, computers, bicycle elements, household and office equipment, radio engineering and an air - navigation, in chemical, power, textile and nuclear industrial, etc. Originality/value: Contemporary materials should possess high mechanical properties, physical and chemical, as well as technological ones, to ensure long and reliable use. The above mentioned requirements and expectations regarding the contemporary materials are met by the non-ferrous metals alloys used nowadays, including the magnesium alloys.