Swiss Aluminium Ltd.

Kurt Neufeld

Kurt Buxmann

Ivan Gyongyos

Martin Bolliger

Heinz Bichsel

Peter Furrer

Willi Kerth

Robert J Dean

An aluminum alloy containing 0.15-0.50% Si, 0.3-0.8%, Fe, 0.05-0.25% Cu, 0.5-1.0% Mn, 2.5-3.5% Mg and up to 0.20% Ti is cast as a 5-10 mm thick strip using a roll-type strip casting machine, and cold rolled to a final thickness of 0.20-0.40 mm. The strip is suitable for manufacture into can lids having high strength and formability requirements.

Process for producing strip suitable for can lid manufacture

The present invention teaches a multi-stepped process for preparing high strength, improved formability, low earing strip stock which is especially suitable for the manufacture of deep drawn and ironed hollow bodies such as cans or the like. The process of the present invention is carried out in two distinct operations. The first operation comprises continuously casting an aluminum melt into strip form on a strip casting machine so as to produce a desired dendritic arm spacing, hot rolling the continuously cast strip at casting speed in a temperature range between 300.degree. C. and the non-equilibrium solidus temperature of the alloy with the total reduction in excess of 70% and finally coiling the hot strip and allowing it to cool in air to room temperature so as to produce a metal strip having properties favorable for subsequent cold rolling operations. The second operation comprises an improved cold rolling operation in which a brief heat treatment at 350.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. for not more than 90 seconds is introduced between a first and second cold rolling operation.

Process for preparing low earing aluminum alloy strip on strip casting

A composition and method whereby aluminum scrap, including consumer scrap, is recycled into aluminum sheet and aluminum containers. Aluminum scrap is melted in a heated furnace to form a melt composition. The melt is adjusted to form the present composition, consisting essentially of silicon, 0.1-1.0%; iron 0.1-0.9%; manganese 0.4-1.0%; magnesium 1.3-2.5%; copper 0.05-0.4%; and titanium, 0-0.2%, the balance being essentially aluminum. Aluminum scrap comprising consumer scrap, plant scrap, and can making scrap is heated to form the melt composition, which requires a minimum amount of adjustment to arrive at the present alloy composition. The composition is then cast and fabricated into sheet having strength and formability properties making it suitable for container manufacture. Container manufacture according to the process and composition of the present invention comprises drawn-and-ironed can body manufacture and easy-opening end manufacture. Sheet fabrication according to the present invention comprises continuously casting the molten composition to produce a moving strip; hot rolling the moving strip at casting speed; coiling and allowing the hot rolled strip to cool; and cold rolling the hot rolled strip to final gauge.

Continuous strip casting of aluminum alloy from scrap aluminum for

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Zurich, Switzerland

Kurt Neufeld