Novelis, Inc.

Novell, Inc.

Oculatus LLC

Samuel Robert Wagstaff

Robert Bruce Wagstaff

Rajeev G Kamat

Cyrille Bezencon

David Leyvraz

Guillaume Florey

Sazol Kumar Das

Milan Felberbaum

Simon William Barker

Corrado Bassi

Aude Celine Despois

Wayne J Fenton

Todd F Bischoff

Juergen Timm

Tudor Piroteala

Rajasekhar Talla

Rahul Vilas Kulkarni

Tina J Kosmicki

Hashem Mousavi-Anijdan

David Anthony Gaensbauer

Duane E Bendzinski

Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty

Timothy Francis Stanistreet

William Beck

Peter Lloyd Redmond

Mark Finn

Yudie Yuan

Stephen Lee Mick

Renato Rufino Xavier

Liangliang Li

Brent Opdendries

Yi Wang

Cedric Wu

Ravindra Tarachand Pardeshi

Louis Mitchell Nazro

Kathleen Anna Bennett

Elli Taylor Tindall

Brent M Opdendries

Frank Su

Steve Clerc

John Anthony Hunter

Andrew James Hobbis

Aude Despois

Theresa Elizabeth Macfarlane

Barbara Lucille Hyde

Thomas J Beck

Lasitha Cumaranatunge

Kumar Sundaram

Jürgen Timm

A bottom block for use in direct chill (DC) casting that includes a flared base providing additional surface area for contact with coolant used in the DC casting process. The bottom block includes a first end that substantially fits within a DC mold while a second end has a larger cross-sectional area than the first end. A transition between the first end and the second end provides a surface for coolant to contact despite film boiling and air gaps between the ingot and the coolant.

Bottom block for direct chill casting

Systems and methods may utilize magnetic rotors to heat molten metal in the corner regions of a mold during casting (e.g., casting of an ingot, billet, or slab). The magnetic rotors are positioned adjacent to the corners of the mold and heat the molten metal in the corner region to increase the temperature of the molten metal adjacent the corners. The increased temperature of the molten metal in the mold corners can prevent intermetallics from forming in the molten metal or otherwise reduce such formation.

Mold corner heating during casting

Provided herein are continuously cast aluminum alloy products exhibiting uniform surface characteristics. The aluminum alloy products have a first surface comprising a width, wherein the first surface comprises an average of 50 exudates or less per square centimeter across the width of the first surface. Also provided herein are methods of making aluminum alloy products having improved surface characteristics. Further provided are methods and systems for manufacturing aluminum alloy products, such as sheets, having reduced surface defects.

Metal products having improved surface properties and methods of making the same

Provided are new high strength 6xxx and 7xxx series aluminum alloys and methods of making aluminum products thereof. These aluminum products may be used to fabricate components which may replace steel in a variety of applications including the automotive industry. In some examples, the disclosed high strength 6xxx and 7xxx series aluminum alloys can replace high strength steels with aluminum. In one example, steels having a yield strength below 450 MPa may be replaced with the disclosed 6xxx or 7xxx series aluminum alloys without the need for major design modifications.

High strength 6xxx and 7xxx aluminum alloys and methods of making the same

Grain size of a deliverable metal product can be improved by pre-setting recrystallization-suppressing dispersoids during casting. The outer regions of a direct chill cast embryonic ingot can undergo reheating before casting is complete. Through unique wiper placement and/or other reheating techniques, the temperature of the ingot can be permitted to reheat (e.g., up to approximately 410° C. to approximately 420° C.), allowing dispersoids to form. Stirring and/or agitation of the molten sump can facilitate formation of a deeper sump and desirably fine grain size as-cast. The formation of dispersoids during and/or immediately after casting can pin the grain boundaries at the desirably fine grain size, encouraging the same grain sizes even after a later recrystallization and/or solutionizing step.

Reduced final grain size of unrecrystallized wrought material produced via the direct chill (DC) route

Described herein are techniques for improving the grain structure of a metal product by applying ultrasonic energy to a continuously cast metal product at a position downstream from the casting region and allowing the ultrasonic energy to propagate through the metal product to the solidification region. At the solidification region, the ultrasonic energy can interact with the growing metal grains, such as to deagglomerate and disperse nucleating particles and to disrupt and fragment dendrites as they grow, which can promote additional nucleation and result in smaller grain sizes.

Ultrasonic treatment for microstructure refinement of continuously cast products

Provided herein are new clad aluminum alloy products and methods of making these alloys. These alloy products possess a combination of strength and other key attributes, such as corrosion resistance, formability, and joining capabilities. The alloy products can be used in a variety of applications, including automotive, transportation, and electronics applications.

Clad aluminum alloy products

Provided herein are ultra-high strength aluminum alloys and products prepared therefrom, along with methods of processing the ultra-high strength aluminum alloys. The aluminum alloys described herein are high solute alloys, including significant amounts of zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and other elements in addition to aluminum. The aluminum alloys described herein are amenable to post-aging processing without cracking.

Ultra-high strength aluminum alloy products and methods of making the same

Disclosed herein are aluminum alloy products and methods of making the aluminum alloy products. Specifically, disclosed herein is an aluminum alloy provided in a temper achieved by rapidly quenching the aluminum alloy product after hot rolling. The aluminum alloys provided in the tempers described herein allow an end user to further process the aluminum alloys using less time and requiring less energy.

F* and W temper aluminum alloy products and methods of making the same

Systems and methods are disclosed for using magnetic fields (e.g., changing magnetic fields) to control metal flow conditions during casting (e.g., casting of an ingot, billet, or slab). The magnetic fields can be introduced using rotating permanent magnets or electromagnets. The magnetic fields can be used to induce movement of the molten metal in a desired direction, such as in a rotating pattern around the surface of the molten sump. The magnetic fields can be used to induce metal flow conditions in the molten sump to increase homogeneity in the molten sump and resultant ingot.

Non-contacting molten metal flow control

Techniques are disclosed for casting high-strength and highly formable metal products from recycled metal scrap without the addition of substantial or any amounts of primary aluminum. Additional alloying elements, such as magnesium, can be added to metal scrap, which can be cast and processed to produce a desirable metal coil at final gauge having desirable metallurgical and mechanical properties, such as high strength and formability. Thus, inexpensive and recycled metal scrap can be efficiently repurposed for new applications, such as automotive applications and beverage can stock.

Casting recycled aluminum scrap

Systems and methods for making aluminum alloy products are described including those that decrease the tendency for hot tearing or shrinkage porosity to occur during casting by introducing forced convection during the casting process. The forced convection may result in formation of high circularity grains during the solidification process, thereby increasing the permeability of the liquid aluminum alloy and decreasing the tendency for hot tearing or shrinkage porosity to occur.

Cast metal products with high grain circularity

Techniques are disclosed for reducing macrosegregation in cast metals. Techniques include providing an eductor nozzle capable of increasing mixing in the fluid region of an ingot being cast. Techniques also include providing a non-contacting flow control device to mix and/or apply pressure to the molten metal that is being introduced to the mold cavity. The non-contacting flow control device can be permanent magnet or electromagnet based. Techniques additionally can include actively cooling and mixing the molten metal before introducing the molten metal to the mold cavity.

Mixing eductor nozzle and flow control device

Growing community of inventors

Marietta, GA, United States of America

Samuel Robert Wagstaff