Condition A more susceptible to Stress Corrosion Cracking

Here are three reasons to NOT use 17-4 PH in the Condition A state:
•The structure is untempered martensite. This means low fracture toughness.
•The structure is untempered martensite. This means low ductility.
•Without age hardening, this material is more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking.
17-4 PH properties must be fully developed by age hardening in order to reduce risk of failure and take full advantage of the material’s capabilities.