Abstract The effects of solutionising time, cooling rate in quenching and aging time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of age hardenable cast Al alloy A356 have been experimentally investigated using the Jominy end quench method. The results indicate that the solutionising time for permanent mould cast alloys can be reduced from 10 to <4 h depending on the as cast microstructure and secondary dendrite arm spacing. The aging time increases the hardness of cast Al alloy A356 in the range of 2 up to 10 h. The experimental quenching rates and Meyer hardness along a Jominy end quench bar were used as inputs for quench factor modelling. The kinetic parameters were estimated using multiple linear regression analysis. A time–temperature property curve for a cast Al alloy A356 has been generated using the kinetic parameters and this result was experimentally verified. The predicted property data agreed well with that experimentally measured. Quench factor analysis has been proved to be applicable to ...