The application of a model for isothermal and non-isothermal heat trea
tment on precipitation hardening was investigated. The results demonst
rate that the method allows the determination of changes in precipitat
ion mechanism. The procedure is fairly simple. There is a pronounced d
ifference between isothermal and non-isothermal heat treatment. Probab
ly due to influence on nucleation the precipitation is favoured with n
on-isothermal process. The three alloys (CuNiSi2, AuTi1 and AlMgSi1) i
ncluded in the investigations behave in a different manner. The copper
alloy has a more or less uniform precipitation behaviour The non-isot
hermal effect on this alloy is smaller as with the other alloys. CuNi2
Si is the subject of part 1 of the paper.