AMS2759/11

AEROSPACE MATERIAL
SPECIFICATION Issued 2005-04
Reaffirmed 2014-04

Stress Relief of Steel Parts

RATIONALE

AMS2759/11 has been reaffirmed to comply with the SAE five-year review policy.

1. SCOPE:

1.1 Purpose:

This specification, in conjunction with the general requirements for steel heat treatment in AMS
2759, establishes requirements for thermal stress relief treatments of parts manufactured from
the following materials:

a. Carbon and Low Alloy Steels

b. Tool Steels
c. Precipitation Hardening, Corrosion-Resistant and Maraging Steels
d. Austenitic Corrosion-Resistant Steels
e. Martensitic Corrosion-Resistant Steels

1.2 Application:

Stress relief of parts is performed to reduce residual stresses and thereby improve dimensional
stability, decrease warpage during machining, and facilitate subsequent forming operations. It is
also performed prior to plating or other chemical processing to prevent cracking during
processing.

2. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The issue of the following documents in effect on the date of the purchase order forms a part of this
specification to the extent specified herein. The supplier may work to a subsequent revision of a
document unless a specific document issue is specified. When the referenced document has been
canceled and no superseding document has been specified, the last published issue of that document
shall apply.

2.1 SAE Publications:

Available from SAE, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001 or www.sae.org

AMS 2759 Heat Treatment of Steel Parts

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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SAE INTERNATIONAL AMS2759/11 Page 2 of 5

3. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Equipment:

Shall conform to AMS 2759. Temperature uniformity of furnaces shall be ±25 °F (±14 °C).

3.2 Heating Environment:

Use of carbon or ammonia containing atmospheres for stress relieving austenitic stainless
steels at 1650 °F (899 °C), Cycle 1 (see Table 1), is prohibited.

3.3 Peened and Strain Hardened Parts:

Unless specified otherwise, parts made from strain hardened material and parts that have been
intentionally cold worked, strain hardened, or peened shall not be stress relieved in accordance
with 3.4.

3.4 Stress Relieving:

When other than pre-plate, or pre-chemical processing stress relieving is specified by a

drawing, specification, fabrication outline or purchase order, parts shall be stress relieved by
soaking at the temperature specified in Table 1 for the time specified in Table 2. Cooling rate
after soaking shall be equivalent to still air cool or slower except as follows:

3.4.1 Parts made from austenitic corrosion-resistant steels, other than 321, 347, any other stabilized
grade, 304L, 316L, and any other low carbon grade, after soaking at 1650 °F (899 °C) (Cycle
1, See Table 1), shall be quenched in water or in another medium which tests have shown to
provide sufficiently rapid cooling to preclude carbide precipitation. Alternatively, to minimize
warpage, thin parts, not thicker than 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) (minimum dimension of the
heaviest section), may be cooled at a rate equivalent to still air cool.

3.5 Pre-Plate Stress Relieving (in Preparation for Chemical Processing):

Is mandatory for parts which have been both (1) heat treated to 40 HRC or higher (see 8.3), or
180 KSI or higher, and, (2) ground or cold worked (e.g., formed or straightened) after heat
treatment. The processor should determine whether the preceding conditions exist (See 8.5).
Stress relieving procedure shall conform to 3.5.1 or 3.5.2 or 3.5.3 as applicable.

3.5.1 Parts tempered or aged at 400 °F (204 °C) or higher: Shall be stress relieved at 375 °F
(191 °C) for four hours minimum.

3.5.2 Parts tempered below 400 °F (204 °C): Shall be stress relieved at 275 °F (135 °C) for five
hours minimum (See 8.2).
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3.5.3 Alternative Pre-Plate Stress Relieving: (Not applicable to (1) peened and intentionally cold
worked parts, (2) parts made from strained hardened material, as well as (3) parts tempered
below 400 °F (204 °C.)) Pre-plate stress relieving may be performed by soaking at the
temperature specified in Table 1 for the time specified in Table 2 provided parts are inspected
to ensure dimensional integrity.

3.6 Records:

Records shall be in accordance with AMS 2759.

4. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS:

4.1 Reports:

Processor’s reports shall include the stress relieving time and temperature and shall state that
stress relief was performed in accordance with this specification.

5. PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY:

See AMS 2759.

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

See AMS 2759.

7. REJECTION:

See AMS 2759.

8. NOTES:

8.1 Hardness conversion tables for metals are presented in ASTM E 140.

8.2 Carburized parts and parts made from alloys such as 52100 and 440C are frequently tempered
at temperatures below 375 °F (190 °C), thus requiring lower stress relief temperatures.

8.3 Terms used in AMS are clarified in ARP1917.

8.4 Dimensions and properties in inch/pound units and the Fahrenheit temperatures are primary;
dimensions and properties in SI units and the Celsius temperatures are shown as approximate
equivalents of the primary units and are presented only for information.

8.5 Purchase documents should specify not less than the following:

AMS 2759/11
Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 when stress relieving austenitic corrosion-resistant steel
If a bright or scale-free surface is required.
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8.5.1 Purchaser should provide the processor with the following information:

Alloy
Tempering temperature, if below 400 °F (205 °C)
Minimum specified hardness or strength
Whether parts were ground, formed, shot peened, cold worked, strain hardened, or
straightened after heat treatment. Whether parts were subsequently stress relieved, and if
so, the time and temperature used.

8.6 Key Words:

Stress relief, steel parts

8.7 Rationale:

This is a new slash number to AMS 2759 to cover the stress relief of steel parts.

PREPARED UNDER THE JUSRISDICTION OF AMS COMMITTEE "E" AND AMEC

SAE INTERNATIONAL AMS2759/11 Page 5 of 5

TABLE 1 –Stress Relieving Temperature

Alloy Condition Temperature °F (°C)
Carbon & Low Alloy Steels Annealed or 1150 to 1225 °F (621 to 663 °C)
Normalized
Quenched and 50 °F (28 °C) below tempering
Tempered temperature
Nitrided 800 °F (427 °C)
Tool Steels Unhardened 1150 to 1225 °F (621 to 663 °C)
Quenched and 50 °F (28 °C) below tempering
Tempered temperature
Nitrided 800 °F (427 °C)
Precipitation Hardening Corrosion- Age Hardened 100 °F (56 °C) below aging
Resistant and Maraging Steels temperature
Austenitic Corrosion-Resistant All
Steels (300 series)
Cycle 1 (see 3.4.1)(1,3) 1650 °F (899 °C)
Cycle 2(2,3) 700 °F (371 °C)
Martensitic Corrosion-Resistant Unhardened 1300 °F (705 °C)
Steels (400 series)
Quenched and 50 °F (28 °C) below tempering
Tempered temperature
(1)
Cycle 1 provides maximum stress relief, improvement in stress-corrosion resistance and facilitation of
subsequent forming operations. It is not intended for dimensional stabilization.
(2)
Cycle 2 may be used when it is impractical to use the Cycle 1, or after Cycle 1, or without Cycle 1, to
improve dimensional stability.
(3)
If no cycle is specified, Cycle 1 shall be used.

TABLE 2 –Soaking Time for Stress Relieving

Minimum Soaking
Stress Relieving Part Thickness(1) Time(2,3)
Temperature °F (°C) Sensor Type Inch (mm) Hour
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) Working Up to 1.0 in (25.4 mm) 2
Over 650 °F (343 °C) 1
(4)
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) Working Over 1.0 in (25.4 mm)
(4)
Over 650 °F (343 °C)
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) Load Up to 1.0 in (25.4 mm) 1
Over 650 °F (343 °C) 0.5
(4)
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) Load Over 1.0 in (25.4 mm)
(4)
Over 650 °F (343 °C)
(1)
Thickness is the minimum dimension of the heaviest section.
(2)
The maximum soaking time shall be 2 times the minimum.
(3)
Soaking time starts when all temperature sensors are within 25 °F (14 °C) of the specified temperature.
(4)
The minimum time shall be increased by 0.5 hour for each 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) of thickness over 1 inch
(25.4 mm).