Annealed (gegloeid)
The material is heated and then slowly cooled to remove internal stresses, relax the structure, and improve formability. This results in a softer and more workable material.

Solution annealed
The material is heated to a temperature at which alloying elements fully dissolve into the matrix and then rapidly cooled (quenched). This creates a homogeneous structure and a stable starting condition for further heat treatment.

Solution annealed and aged (STA)
After solution annealing, the material is reheated at a lower temperature (aged), causing fine precipitates to form. This leads to a significant increase in strength and hardness while maintaining a controlled structure.