AbstractA study has been carried out on the modification of ingot microstructure of commercial Al–Mg alloys by homogenisation treatments. A marked change in the hardness of the alloy ingots was produced after homogenisation. A relatively coarse distribution of the particles was produced by high temperature soaking. In the alloy of high Mn content (AA 5083), a non-uniform distribution of the precipitates was produced. An attempt was made to control this non-uniform distribution by varying the thermal sequences. Changes in the recrystallisation kinetics, the recrystallised structure of subsequent hot rolled material, and the recrystallised structure were also produced in these alloys after homogenisation.MST/843