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Cooling of age-hardening Al-alloys after solution annealing is a critical step with respect to distortion and residual stresses. In order to predict their extent by simulation models, the mechanical behaviour must be known in a wide range of conditions and compositions. Therefore, experimental data is needed both for calibration and validation of the mechanical model. It is known for Al-Mg-Si alloys that supersaturation of the solid solution leads to a significant increase of strength during cooling. In order to understand the influence of single alloying elements on the strengthening effect, the mechanical properties of different binary alloys are investigated experimentally. The precipitation behaviour during cooling was investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry in a wide cooling rate range. A methodology to determine the degree of supersaturation of the solid solution based on the calorimetric results is presented. This approach is compared to atom probe tomography data. The mechanical behaviour of the alloys after various heat treatments was analysed by mechanical tests performed in a quenching and deformation dilatometer. Flow curves with high resolution at small strains (< 3 %) were measured at different temperatures. The results of the different experimental techniques are discussed in comparison and with respect to their testing limitations.