Age C17200 (Beryllium Cu)
Solution treat & age · Precipitation hardening
Age C17200 (Beryllium Cu) is a precipitation-hardening condition for C17200 and C17300.
Reference page — C17200 age is not in the instant-quote configurator. Upload the part, name the treatment in the notes with the call-out below, and an engineer quotes it with the part.
C17200 age at a glance
Four scores, each 0–100 against every heat treatment in this catalog. Hardness is derived from the HRC target (20 HRC = 0, 70 HRC = 100) — treatments without a hardness target (anneals, stress relief, HIP, cryo) are not rated. Toughness, dimensional stability and cost are FabDigit's engineering assessment.
What is C17200 age?
Age C17200 (Beryllium Cu) is a precipitation-hardening condition for C17200 and C17300. It develops strength by solution treatment followed by controlled aging; the final condition, material specification, and acceptance test belong on the drawing.
How it works
Solution treatment dissolves strengthening constituents and establishes a controlled starting microstructure. Cooling retains a supersaturated or otherwise metastable matrix. During the prescribed age, diffusion forms a fine dispersion of strengthening precipitates that obstruct dislocation motion. Temperature and time control precipitate size, spacing, coherency, and grain-boundary chemistry: lower or shorter cycles generally favor peak strength, while overaging trades some strength for toughness, conductivity, or stress-corrosion resistance. The complete route, including the incoming material condition and cooling practice, is therefore part of the engineering definition.
Why specify it
- Produces 36–42 HRC across the stated grade set
- Provides 1100 MPa or greater tensile capability where the cited product condition defines it
- Adds strength through precipitation rather than a carbon-steel temper
- Can be applied after near-net machining with less movement than a severe steel quench
Where it falls short
- Properties depend on alloy, product form, section size, and incoming condition
- Overaging or underaging can miss both strength and corrosion targets
- Solution treatment or quenching may distort thin and asymmetric parts
- A condition name does not replace material heat-lot traceability
The C17200 age cycle
Typical furnace parameters from the governing specifications and shop practice; the heat treater sets the exact recipe from the alloy, section size and required result.
| Temperature | 300–330 °C (572–626 °F) — Primary solution or age temperature window represented by the stages; use the alloy-specific specification. |
|---|---|
| Soak | 2–3 h — At-temperature time; load and section corrections may apply. |
| Cooling | Still air |
| Atmosphere | Air / inert gas |
| Door to door | 3–6 h — Typical furnace cycle excluding queue and laboratory testing. |
Stages
- 1Start with solution-treated or cold-worked C17200 in the specified mill temper
- 2Age near 315 °C (600 °F) for 2–3 h, adjusted for section and prior temper
- 3Air cool and verify hardness or tensile properties
What C17200 age does to the part
| Hardness | 36–42 HRC (350–410 HB) — Condition and product-form range; Brinell is commonly reported as 350–410 HB. |
|---|---|
| Section affected | The whole section transforms. |
| Tensile strength | 1,100–1,380 MPa — Representative precipitation-hardened C17200 range across product forms and starting tempers; ASTM B194/B196 tables govern acceptance. |
| Toughness | Combines high strength with useful spring performance and conductivity; peak-aged material is less formable than solution-treated stock. |
| Distortion | Low risk. Age shrinkage is small but can affect precision spring contacts and thin tooling. |
| Surface after treatment | Copper color darkens in air; inert atmosphere reduces oxide and subsequent cleaning. |
| Machining sequence | Perform forming and most machining before age; finish grind tooling surfaces afterward. |
Specifications for C17200 age
The documents a drawing cites to define this treatment. Each links to a page explaining the standard, its classes and the tests it invokes.
Test and related methods: ASTM E18 (Standard Test Methods for Rockwell Hardness of Metallic Materials), ASTM E384 (Standard Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Materials).
Drawing call-out
C17200 PER ASTM B196, PRECIPITATION HEAT TREATED; HARDNESS 36–42 HRC PER ASTM E18 AT FLAT SHOWN; UTS 1100 MPa MINWhich alloys take C17200 age?
Verdict per material family, with the grades that behave differently. Each family links to its datasheets in the material library. Typical grades: C17200, C17300.
| Material family | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Designed for solution-treated beryllium-copper alloys.
| |
| With care | Possible only for a qualified fully dense precipitation-hardenable copper-alloy system.
| |
| Limited | Only precipitation-hardenable copper alloys covered by their product specification respond.
| |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. | |
| No | This alloy category does not use the C17200 aging cycle. |
Design rules for C17200 age
What to decide on the drawing before the part goes to the heat treater.
- Prevent cross-contamination by steel furnace fixtures.The precipitation response depends on the material condition entering the age cycle.
- Form severe bends before peak aging.Uniform temperature and controlled transfer reduce property variation and distortion.
- State the alloy, product specification, final condition, and hardness-test method on the drawing.A condition name alone does not define material pedigree or acceptance sampling.
- Protect finished dimensions and verify critical fits after treatment.Precipitation aging is low-distortion but can still produce measurable contraction or growth.
C17200 age versus the alternatives
Treatments engineers weigh against C17200 age, and when each wins.
| Treatment | Hardness | Toughness | Stability | Cost | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C17200 age this page | 38 | 62 | 88 | $$$ | — |
| — | 75 | 95 | $ | when spring-set reduction is needed without peak hardening | |
| 19 | 60 | 50 | $$ | when lower density matters more than conductivity and wear resistance |
Cost, lead time and applications
Relative cost
Age C17200 (Beryllium Cu) is a premium-cost treatment ($$$) relative to the other heat treatments in this catalog.
Heat treatment is priced per lot with a furnace minimum. The exact figure appears on the instant quote once the part is uploaded.
Lead time
| Added lead time | 3–7 working days |
|---|---|
| Furnace time | 3–6 h |
What C17200 age is used for
- Aerospace structural hardware
- Precision shafts, fittings, and actuators
- High-strength tooling and fixtures
- Corrosion-resistant mechanical components
C17200 age — frequently asked
What does C17200 age mean?
C17200 age identifies a controlled solution-treatment and precipitation-aging condition, not a generic furnace temper. The drawing should also identify the alloy specification and acceptance hardness or tensile requirement.
Is this a quench-and-temper treatment?
No in the metallurgical sense. Strength comes primarily from fine precipitates formed during aging rather than tempering quenched carbon-steel martensite.
Will the part distort?
The expected risk is low. Aging is normally more stable than a hard steel quench, but residual stress, section changes, fixtures, and prior solution treatment still matter.
How should hardness be verified?
Use ASTM E18 for Rockwell hardness on a suitable flat section. The expected catalog range is 36–42 HRC; thin sections may require ASTM E384 microindentation and an approved conversion.
Can the condition be assigned after machining?
Usually yes when the starting material and process route are compatible. The purchase order must preserve traceability to the governing product specification and the heat treater must certify the complete cycle.