Airbus (sas)

Aleris Rolled Products Germany Gmbh

Novelis Koblenz Gmbh

Aleris Aluminum Duffel Bvba

Philippe Meyer

Achim Bürger

Sabine Maria Spangel

Sunil Khosla

Bernd Jacoby

Andreas Harald Bach

Fred Brandt

Christian Gerhard Krechel

Aleksandar Lozanov Davidkov

Els Verboom

Petra Backx

Dirk Medard Gerard Florent Van Nieuwerburgh

Johan Petrus Mariette Guido Arras

Svetlana Emirovna Ebzeeva

Johannes Morscheiser

Matthias Rübner

Simon Lachnitt

Matthias Rubner

Dirk Medard Van Nieuwerburgh

Johan Petrus Arras

Philipp Daniel Rumpf

Alexandar Lozanov Davidkov

Florian Landgraf

Johanpetrus Mariette Guido Arras

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the method includes the steps of: (a) providing an aluminum alloy plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 38.1 mm, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is a 7xxx-series alloy provided in an F-temper or an O-temper; (b) optionally pre-machining of the aluminum alloy plate to an intermediate machined structure; (c) high-energy hydroforming of the plate or optional intermediate machined structure against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour in accordance with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high-energy hydroforming causing the plate or the intermediate machined structure to conform to the contour of the forming surface to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature; (d) solution heat-treating and cooling of the high-energy hydroformed structure; (e) machining and (f) ageing of the final integrated monolithic aluminum structure.

Method of producing a high-energy hydroformed structure from a 7xxx-series alloy

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the method including the steps of: (a) providing an aluminum alloy plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 25.4 mm, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is a 7xxx-series alloy provided in a W-temper; (b) optionally pre-machining of the aluminum alloy plate to an intermediate machined structure; (c) high-energy hydroforming of the plate or optional intermediate machined structure against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour in accordance with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high energy hydroforming causing the plate or the intermediate machined structure to conform to the contour of the forming surface to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature; (d) solution heat-treating and cooling of the high-energy hydroformed structure; (e) machining and (f) ageing of the final integrated monolithic aluminum structure.

Method of producing a high-energy hydroformed structure from a 7XXX-series alloy

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure including providing an 7xxx-series aluminum alloy plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 10 mm, and wherein the plate has been solution heat treated and stretched, heat-treating the plate product in a first of a plurality of artificial ageing steps required to achieve a final temper state, high-energy hydroforming the plate against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high energy forming causing the aluminum alloy plate to conform to the forming surface contour to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature, heat-treating the integrated monolithic aluminum structure through a remaining ageing step of the ageing steps to achieve a desired final temper, and machining the high-energy formed structure to a near-final or final machined integrated monolithic aluminum structure.

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the method including the steps of: (a) providing an aluminum alloy plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 3 mm, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is a 2xxx-series alloy provided in an F-temper or an O-temper; (b) optionally pre-machining of the aluminum alloy plate to an intermediate machined structure; (c) high-energy hydroforming of the plate or optional intermediate machined structure against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour in accordance with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high-energy hydroforming causing the plate or the intermediate machined structure to conform to the contour of the forming surface to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature; (d) solution heat-treating and cooling of the high-energy hydroformed structure; (e) machining and (f) ageing of the final integrated monolithic aluminum structure.

Method of producing a high-energy hydroformed structure from a 2XXX-series alloy

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, comprising: providing an aluminum alloy plate with a thickness of at least 38.1 mm, wherein the plate is a 2xxx-series alloy in a T3-temper and has a composition comprising, in wt. %: Cu 3.8-4.5, Mn 0.3-0.8, Mg 1.1-1.6, Si up to 0.15, Fe up to 0.20, Cr up to 0.10, Zn up to 0.25, Ti up to 0.15, Ag up to 0.10, balance aluminum; optionally pre-machining the plate to an intermediate machined structure; high-energy hydroforming the plate or intermediate structure against a rigid die forming surface having a desired curvature contour of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, causing the plate or the intermediate structure to conform to the forming surface contour; machining or mechanical milling the high-energy formed structure to a near-final or final machined integrated monolithic aluminum structure; ageing the final integrated monolithic aluminum structure to a desired temper.

A method of manufacturing an AA2xxx-series aluminium alloy plate product having improved fatigue failure resistance and a reduced number of flaws, the method comprising the following steps (a) casting an ingot of an aluminium alloy of the 2xxx-series, the aluminium alloy comprising (in wt. %): Cu 1.9 to 7.0, Mg 0.3 to 1.8, Mn up to 1.2, balance aluminium and impurities, each 0.05 max, total 0.15; (b) homogenizing and/or preheating the cast ingot; (c) hot rolling the ingot into a plate product by rolling the ingot with multiple rolling passes characterized in that, when at an intermediate thickness of the plate between 100 and 200 mm, at least one high reduction hot rolling pass is carried out with a thickness reduction of at least 15%; wherein the plate product has a final thickness of less than 60 mm. The invention is also related to an aluminium alloy product produced by this method.

Method of manufacturing a 2xxx-series aluminium alloy plate product having improved fatigue failure resistance

The invention relates to a wrought 7xxx-series aluminium alloy product having a composition comprising, in wt. %, Zn 6.40 to 7.50, Mg 2.15 to 2.75, Cu 1.20 to 2.00, and wherein Cu+Mg<4.50, and wherein Mg<2.5+5/3(Cu−1.2), Fe up to 0.25, Si up to 0.25, and optionally one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: (Zr up to 0.3, Cr up to 0.3, Mn up to 0.45, Ti up to 0.25, Sc up to 0.5, Ag up to 0.5), the balance being aluminium and impurities, and having been aged to achieve a conventional tensile yield strength (in MPa) measured in the L-direction measured at quarter thickness of more than 485−0.12*(t−100) MPa (t being the thickness of the product in mm); a minimum life without failure due to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) measured in accordance with ASTM G47-98 of at least 30 days at a short transverse (ST) stress level of 170 MPa; and a minimum Kvalue without crack deviation due to crack propagation testing in standard atmosphere at room temperature in accordance with ASTM E647-13e01 in L-S direction on CT samples of at least 40 MPa√m on average.

7XXX-series aluminium alloy product

The invention relates to a wrought 7xxx-series aluminium alloy product having a composition comprising, in wt. %., Zn 6.20 to 7.50, Mg 2.15 to 2.75, Cu 1.20 to 2.00, and wherein Cu+Mg<4.50, and wherein Mg<2.5+5/3(Cu-1.2), Fe up to 0.25, Si up to 0.25, and optionally one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: (Zrup to 0.3,Crup to 0.3,Mnup to 0.45,Tiup to 0.25, Scup to 0.5, Agup to 0.5), the balance being aluminium and impurities.

A method of casting a metal alloy ingot, including the following steps: providing a one side open-ended mould including a plurality of sides and a bottom plate defining a mould cavity with a mould opening, the open-ended mould being pivotable around a horizontal rotational axis between a position so that the mould opening points upwards and a position so that the mould opening points side-wards or down-wards; positioning the open-ended mould such that the mould opening points side-wards or down-wards; providing a casting container with an upwardly positioned aperture; filling the casting container with molten metal for one casting operation; coupling the casting container to the open-ended mould so that the casting container is located below the mould while the mould opening points side-wards or down-wards; rotating the open-ended mould together with the casting container around the horizontal rotational axis for approximately 90&#xb0; to 180&#xb0; from a position whereby the mould opening points side-wards or down-wards to a position whereby the mould opening points upwards such that the molten metal is conveyed through the mould opening into the open-ended mould until reaching a desired thickness, whereby the molten metal in the open-ended mould is cooled directionally through its thickness where the solidification front remains substantially monoaxial.

Method and device for casting metal alloy ingots

A method for continuously solution heat-treating aluminium alloy sheet by continuously moving heat-treatable 7000-series aluminium alloy sheet through a continuous heat-treatment furnace arranged to heat the moving aluminium sheet to a set soaking temperature (T) in the temperature range of 370&#xb0; C. to 560&#xb0; C., the continuous heat-treatment furnace has an entry section and an exit section, the moving aluminium sheet moves substantially horizontally through the continuous heat-treatment furnace, and the moving aluminium sheet is rapidly cooled on leaving the exit section, and before or near the entry section of the continuous heat-treatment furnace the moving aluminium sheet is pre-heated to a temperature of 5&#xb0; C. to 100&#xb0; C. below the Tusing an average heat-up rate as function of the sheet thickness of at least Y=&#x2212;31&#xb7;ln(X)+50, wherein Y is the heat-up rate in &#xb0; C./sec and X is the sheet thickness in mm.

Method of continuously heat-treating 7000-series aluminium alloy sheet material

A system for adding molten lithium and inert gas in a molten aluminium or aluminium alloy melt including, a crucible defining a chamber for melting and storing molten metal, in particular molten lithium; the crucible having a sealed lid; an inert gas delivery system for maintaining chamber overpressure using inert gas; a conduit for withdrawing a portion of the molten metal from the crucible. The conduit arranged with respect to the crucible or the sealed lid so the conduit inlet can be moved below and above the molten metal surface level and arranged for feeding molten metal from the crucible to a separate holding furnace with the help of overpressure when the conduit inlet is below the molten metal surface level and arranged for feeding inert gas from the crucible to the separate holding furnace when the conduit inlet is above the molten metal surface level.

System and method for adding molten lithium to a molten aluminium melt

The invention relates to a method of forming an AlMg alloy armor plate product, and comprising the steps of: (i) providing a plate product having a gauge of at least 10 mm and a chemical composition, in wt. %: Mg 2.5% to 6%, Mn 0 to 1.2%, Sc 0 to 1%, Ag 0 to 0.5%, Zn 0 to 2%, Cu 0 to 2%, Li 0 to 3%, optionally at least one or more elements selected from the group consisting of (Zr 0.03% to 0.4%, Cr 0.03% to 0.4%, and Ti 0.005% to 0.3%), Fe 0 to 0.4%, Si 0 to 0.25%, inevitable impurities and balance aluminum, and (ii) shaping said alloy plate at a temperature in a range of 200&#xb0; C. to 400&#xb0; C. to obtain a predetermined two- or three-dimensional formed structure.

Method of forming an Al&#x2014;Mg alloy plate product

A method for continuously annealing aluminum alloy sheet at final thickness by continuously moving heat-treatable AlMgSi aluminum alloy sheet through a continuous annealing furnace arranged to heat the moving aluminum sheet to a set soaking temperature (T) in the temperature range of 500&#xb0; C. to 590&#xb0; C., the continuous annealing furnace has an entry section and an exit section, the moving aluminum sheet moves substantially horizontally through the continuous annealing furnace, wherein the moving aluminum sheet is rapidly cooled on leaving the exit section, wherein before or near the entry section of the continuous annealing furnace the moving aluminum sheet is pre-heated to a temperature of 5&#xb0; C. to 100&#xb0; C. below the Tusing an average heat-up rate as function of sheet thickness of at least Y=&#x2212;31&#xb7;ln(X)+50, wherein Y is the heat-up rate in &#xb0; C./sec and X is the sheet thickness in mm.

Method of annealing aluminium alloy sheet material

A method of producing molten aluminum-lithium alloys for casting a feedstock in the form of an ingot, the method including the steps of: preparing a molten first aluminum alloy with a composition A which is free from lithium as purposive alloying element, transferring the first aluminum alloy to an induction melting furnace, adding lithium to the first aluminum alloy in the induction melting furnace to obtain a molten second aluminum alloy with a composition B having lithium as purposive alloying element, optionally adding further alloying elements to the second aluminum alloy, transferring the second alloy via a metal conveying trough from the induction melting furnace to a casting station.

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Koblenz, Germany

Philippe Meyer