Aluminium casting heat treatment involves the use of extreme temperatures to change the physical properties of the casting, either through using a thermal cycle or a series of thermal cycles. Depending on the specific casting and the sector it's being prepared for, heat treatment can be used to either harden or soften an alloy.Other uses of aluminium heat treatment can include normalising the grain size and composition of an alloy, and removing the internal stresses of the metal.There is no standardised aluminium heat treatment procedure. Rather, a combination of heat treatment techniques may be used in order to achieve the required properties. Common techniques include annealing, solution treatment, precipitation treatment, quenching, age hardening and artificial ageing.