TB 26-07 Aluminum Alloy 2219 Material Guidance

What happened

This Technical Bulletin communicates the risks of improper casting and recommends a homogenizing step followed by multidirectional deformation after conventional direct chill casting, especially for larger castings. 09/24/26 DOC ID: 20260008373 Background Aluminum 2219 is an age-hardenable, over-saturated, aluminum-copper alloy developed by Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) in 1954, for service up to 600 °F.

Numerous aerospace applications include launch and space vehicles including space shuttle fuel tanks, and International Space Station human-rated pressurized modules. It has excellent cryogenic properties, weldability, workability, and mechanical properties at low and high temperatures [1].

Problem/Issue Description Casting 2219 aluminum alloy ingots is a specialized process used to manufacture large-scale structures that are subsequently forged or rolled into final product forms. Wang et al., who focused on homogenization, effectively used a temperature and time of 535 °C for 10 hours [3].