• Rapid cold punching induces rapid dissolution of precipitates, altering the precipitation behavior during subsequent aging.
• Aging temperature critically influences the precipitation sequence: higher temperatures follow the conventional path, while lower temperatures suppress GPB zone formation.
• MD simulations reveal that differences in solute atom diffusion rates at different aging temperatures account for the observed variations in S' phase precipitation.
• The study provides insights into tailoring aging treatments for Al−Cu−Mg alloys to achieve desired precipitate microstructures and properties.