True or False: Heat-treatable aluminum alloys are strengthened through heating after forming.

Heat-treatable aluminum alloys are indeed strengthened through a process known as heat treatment, which occurs after the initial forming stage. This process involves heating the alloy to a specific temperature where the soluble elements dissolve into the aluminum matrix, followed by rapid cooling to retain these elements in solution. After this, a subsequent aging process allows for the precipitation of these elements, which significantly increases the strength of the alloy.

This distinguishes heat-treatable alloys from non-heat-treatable types, which achieve their strength primarily through work-hardening during mechanical deformation rather than through subsequent thermal processes. Therefore, the assertion that heat-treatable aluminum alloys are strengthened through heating after forming aligns perfectly with established metallurgy principles. Thus, the statement is true.