Aluminum Company of America

Arconic Corporation

Alcoa Inc.

Edward L Colvin

Roberto J Rioja

Dustin M Bush

Ralph R Sawtell

Brandon Hendrickson Bodily

Larry N Mueller

Eric V Roegner

Gary H Bray

Paul E Magnusen

Robert W Westerlund

Diana K Denzer

Andre L Wilson

Jocelyn I Petit

Asuri K Vasudevan

Les A Yocum

Todd K Cogswell

Stephen F Baumann

Alex Cho

Robert W Hyland, Jr

Joel A Bowers

Brian A Cheney

Kenton P Young

Methods for producing forged products and other worked products are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method comprises using additive manufacturing to produce a metal shaped-preform and, after the using step, forging the metal shaped-preform into a final forged product. The final forged product may optionally be annealed.

Methods for producing forged products and other worked products

High strength forged aluminum alloys and methods for producing the same are disclosed. The forged aluminum alloy products may have grains having a high aspect ratio in at least two planes, generally the L-ST and the LT-ST planes. The forged aluminum alloy products may also have a high amount of texture. The forged products may realize increased strength relative to conventionally prepared forged products of comparable product form, composition and temper.

High strength forged aluminum alloy products

Improved aluminum-copper-lithium alloys are disclosed. The alloys may include 3.4-4.2 wt. % Cu, 0.9-1.4 wt. % Li, 0.3-0.7 wt. % Ag, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mg, 0.2-0.8 wt. % Zn, 0.1-0.6 wt. % Mn, and 0.01-0.6 wt. % of at least one grain structure control element, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The alloys achieve an improved combination of properties over prior art alloys.

Aluminum-copper-lithium alloys

There is claimed an aerospace alloy having improved corrosion resistance performance, particularly intergranular corrosion resistance. The alloy consisting essentially of: about 0.6-1.15 wt. % silicon, about 0.6-1.0 wt. % copper, about 0.8-1.2 wt. % magnesium, about 0.55-0.86 wt. % zinc, less than about 0.1 wt. % manganese, about 0.2-0.3 wt. % chromium, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities. While it is preferably made into sheet or plate product forms, it can also be extruded. Products made from this alloy exhibit at least about 5% greater yield strength and about 45% or greater resistance to intergranular corrosion attack than their 6013-T6 counterparts, as measured by average depth of corrosion after 24 hours exposure to an aqueous NaCl&mdash;H O solution per ASTM Standard G110 (1992).

Corrosion resistant 6000 series alloy suitable for aerospace applications

An aluminum alloy product for use as a damage tolerant product for aerospace applications, including fuselage skin stock. The aluminum alloy composition contains about 3-7 wt % magnesium, about 0.03-0.2 wt % zirconium, about 0.2-1.2 wt % manganese, up to 0.15 wt % silicon and about 0.05-0.5 wt % of a dispersoid-forming element selected from the group consisting of: scandium, erbium, yttrium, gadolinium, holmium and hafnium, the balance being aluminum and incidental elements and impurities.

Aluminum magnesium alloy product containing dispersoids

A method of producing a sheet product and improved products having improved levels of toughness and fatigue crack growth resistance at good strength levels. The method comprises providing an aluminum base alloy containing 4 to 4.5% Cu, 1.2 to 1.5% Mg, 0.4 to 0.6% Mn, 0.12% max. Fe, 0.1% max. Si, the remainder aluminum, incidental elements and impurities and hot rolling the alloy, heating the alloy to above 910.degree. F. and additionally hot rolling it in a range of about 600.degree. to 900.degree. F., solution heat treating, preferably for a time of less than about 15 minutes at a solution heat treating temperature, and rapidly cooling and naturally aging. The invention products have very good combinations of strength together with high fracture toughness or low fatigue crack growth rate, or both, making them well suited for aerospace applications such as fuselage skin. The products preferably include a corrosion protecting cladding of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

Damage tolerant aluminum alloy products useful for aircraft applications

Disclosed is an aluminum base alloy suitable for forming into a wrought product having improved combinations of strength, corrosion resistance and fracture toughness. The alloy is comprised of 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Li, 0.05 to 6.0 wt. % Mg, at least 2.45 wt. % Cu, 0.01 to 0.16 wt. % Zr, 0.05 to 12 wt. % Zn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities.

Aluminum-lithium alloys

A method for thermally treating an article made from an aluminum alloy having a first temperature at which solute atoms cluster to yield nuclei for the formation and growth of strengthening precipitates, and a second higher temperature at which the strengthening precipitates dissolve. The method comprises: heating the article to allow substantially all soluble alloy components to enter into solution; rapidly cooling the article in a quenching medium; and precipitation hardening the article by aging at or below the first temperature for a few hours to several months; then aging above the first temperature and below the second temperature until desired strength is achieved. A method for imparting improved combinations of strength and fracture toughness to a solution heat treated-article which includes an aluminum-lithium alloy is also disclosed. This method comprises aging the article at one or more temperatures at or below a first temperature of about 93.degree. C. (200.degree. F.) for a few hours to several months; and further aging the article at one or more temperatures above the first temperature and below a second temperature of about 219.degree. C. (425.degree. F.) for at least about 30 minutes.

Aluminum alloy two-step aging method and article

Disclosed is a method of making aluminum base alloy flat rolled product substantially free of Luder's lines after stretching, the method comprising the steps of providing a body of a lithium-containing aluminum base alloy and working the body to produce a flat rolled product prior to solution heat treating and quenching. The flat rolled product is preaged for a time and temperature which does not substantially affect mechanical properties but which permits stretching the flat rolled product without formation of Luder's lines. Thereafter, the preage flat rolled product is stretched and aged to a condition having a substantially stable level of mechanical properties.

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Newport, VA, United States of America

Edward L Colvin