EP0269773B1 - Herstellung von Blechen aus einer Aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte Gegenstände - Google Patents
Herstellung von Blechen aus einer Aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte Gegenstände Download PDFInfo
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- EP0269773B1 EP0269773B1 EP86309497A EP86309497A EP0269773B1 EP 0269773 B1 EP0269773 B1 EP 0269773B1 EP 86309497 A EP86309497 A EP 86309497A EP 86309497 A EP86309497 A EP 86309497A EP 0269773 B1 EP0269773 B1 EP 0269773B1
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- sheet
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- 229910000838 Al alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims description 11
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title abstract description 17
- 230000032683 aging Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 94
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 64
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 55
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 45
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 32
- 238000005097 cold rolling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 229910021365 Al-Mg-Si alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 54
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 claims description 54
- 238000010791 quenching Methods 0.000 claims description 13
- 230000000171 quenching effect Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910019752 Mg2Si Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 9
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 229910052804 chromium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004922 lacquer Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052748 manganese Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 17
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 description 12
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 description 11
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 8
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 8
- 238000005266 casting Methods 0.000 description 7
- 238000005098 hot rolling Methods 0.000 description 7
- 229910018464 Al—Mg—Si Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- 238000000137 annealing Methods 0.000 description 6
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000005482 strain hardening Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000009286 beneficial effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000000265 homogenisation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000006735 deficit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000765 intermetallic Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 238000010409 ironing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 0 CC(C)NCC1*C1 Chemical compound CC(C)NCC1*C1 0.000 description 1
- 229910019641 Mg2 Si Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000003483 aging Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010923 batch production Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000013405 beer Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
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- 230000001427 coherent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000018109 developmental process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001747 exhibiting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011049 filling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012467 final product Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011888 foil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009928 pasteurization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004064 recycling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002791 soaking Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000014214 soft drink Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000007858 starting material Substances 0.000 description 1
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- 230000001550 time effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22F—CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
- C22F1/00—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working
- C22F1/04—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon
- C22F1/05—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of aluminium or alloys based thereon of alloys of the Al-Si-Mg type, i.e. containing silicon and magnesium in approximately equal proportions
Definitions
- This invention relates to processes for producing Al-Mg-Si alloy sheet and articles fabricated therefrom, and to the products of such processes.
- Al-Mg-Si alloys as herein contemplated are alloys having a major content of Al and a minor content of Mg and Si, and are exemplified by known alloys identified by Aluminum Association designations in the 6000 series, e.g. the alloys having Aluminum Association (AA) designations 6009, 60l0, 60ll, 606l, and 6063.
- AA Aluminum Association
- sheet is broadly used herein to mean rolled products, without limitation to any particular gauge; thus it includes products at plate and foil gauges as well as products at conventional sheet gauges.
- the invention is directed to processes for producing Al-Mg-Si sheet in so-called T8 temper, which is the temper achieved by performing successively the steps of solution heat treatment, quenching, cold working, and artificial aging, sometimes with a natural aging period interposed between the quench after solution heat treatment and the following cold working step. It has heretofore been known to provide Al-Mg-Si products, including sheet, in T8 temper, for various purposes.
- the invention is directed to the production of aluminum alloy can body and lid stock, viz. aluminum alloy sheet for forming one-piece drawn and ironed can bodies and can lids for such bodies, as well as to the formation of bodies can and lids from such sheet and to the articles thus formed.
- Present-day metal cans as used for beverages such as soft drinks, beer and the like are commonly constituted of a seamless one-piece body (which includes the bottom end and cylindrical side wall of the can) and a top end bearing a ring or other opening device.
- the body is produced from a blank of cold-rolled aluminum alloy sheet (having a gauge, for example, of about 0.014 inch (0.36 mm)) by a now-conventional forming technique known as drawing and ironing, which involves drawing the blank into a cup and then passing it through a succession of dies to achieve the desired elongated cylindrical body configuration, with a side wall of reduced thickness relative to the bottom end.
- the top end is separately produced from another sheet aluminum alloy blank, by different but also conventional forming operations, and is secured around its circumference to the top edge of the side wall of the body to provide a complete can.
- a conventional sheet for can body blanks has been constituted of the alloy having the Aluminum Association designation AA3004, and has been produced from conventionally direct-chill-cast ingot up to 24inches (0.61m) thick by scalping and homogenizing the ingot, and successively hot rolling and cold rolling to the desired final gauge; often an anneal treatment is used between the hot and cold rolling operations, with the annealing gauge so selected that the amount of cold reduction to final gauge after annealing is about 85%, thereby to provide can body blanks in H19 (extra hard) temper.
- This practice imparts the combination of properties currently required for commercial can body stock.
- the aluminum alloy designated AA 5182 is extensively used for the manufacture of the can top ends or lids, can lid stock (sheet) of such alloy being produced in a manner similar to that described above for production of AA3004 can body stock in that similar steps of direct chill casting, homogenization, hot rolling, annealing and cold rolling to the H19 temper are employed; cold rolling may also be performed between the hot rolling and annealing steps.
- the final can lid stock e.g. at a gauge of about 0.013 inch (0.33 m), is lacquered and then formed into lids, the lacquering operation again involving a stoving (heating) step.
- the present invention broadly contemplates the provision of a process for producing aluminum alloy sheet of predetermined final gauge, comprising the steps of providing a sheet article of a heat-treatable Al-Mg-Si alloy (having a composition as defined below) at an intermediate gauge from which a reduction of between about 25% and about 71% is required to achieve the predetermined final gauge; solution-heat-treating the sheet article at the intermediate gauge by heating and quenching, for effecting at least substantially complete solution of the Mg and Si therein; after quenching, and without intervening heat treatment, naturally aging the sheet article by maintaining it at ambient temperature for at least about one day; after natural aging, and without intervening heat treatment, cold rolling the sheet article to the final gauge (i.e.
- the alloys used in the process are those having a major content of Al and a minor content of Mg and available Si such that on a rectangular graph of % Mg plotted against % available Si, the point representing the Mg and available Si content lies within the area of a pentagon defined by the coordinates 0.2% Si, 0.4% Mg; 0.2% Si, 0.9% Mg; 0.4% Si, l.2% Mg; l.2% Si, l.2% Mg; and l.2% Si, 0.4% Mg, all composition percentages here and elsewhere set forth in the present specification being expressed as percentages by weight.
- available Si means Si which has not been taken up by Fe, which is ordinarily present in the alloy.
- the process of the invention differs from procedures heretofore known (for producing Al-Mg-Si articles in T8 temper) in that, in the artificial aging step, heating is terminated before the article attains its maximum yield strength.
- the formability represented by % elongation
- the yield strength initially increases, although with continued heating, the % elongation begins to decrease at a time when the yield strength is still increasing.
- the steps of natural aging after solution heat treatment, subsequent cold rolling between about 25% and about 7l%, and artificial aging with observance of the special conditions just described cooperatively provide artificially aged sheet having a superior combination of strength and formability properties.
- the process of the invention further includes the step of forming the artificially aged sheet article into a component of a can, viz. a one-piece drawn and ironed can body having an open end or a lid for closing the open end.
- the stoving (heating) operation performed after lacquering of the lid stock may be conducted under conditions selected to constitute the artificial aging step of the present process, although it is at present preferred to perform the artificial aging on the sheet stock prior to lacquering.
- the predetermined final gauge to which the sheet is reduced before artificial aging is a desired and e.g. conventional gauge for can body or lid stock.
- the invention can be embodied in a process for the production of cans wherein both lid and body are fabricated of sheet of the same alloy produced by the foregoing sequence of steps so that the metal of the can (when recycled) may be remelted and reused to produce new can bodies and lids without major adjustment of alloy composition.
- the sheet products of the invention may be produced at various final gauges, since the combination of strength and formability achieved by the present process is beneficial for diverse uses.
- a preferred upper limit of final sheet gauge for products of the present process is 1/2 inch (1.27 cm).
- the alloy composition employed in the practice of the invention is selected to have at least a slight excess of available Si over that stoichiometrically required for combination (as Mg2Si) with all the Mg present, and (especially for production of can body or lid stock) the amount of Mg in the alloy is selected to insure a total Mg2Si content between about 1.35 and about 1.50%.
- the amount of cold reduction between solution heat treatment and artificial aging is at least about 35%, and most preferably (again, for production of can body and lid stock) the amount of such cold reduction is between about 50 and about 7l%, this condition being provided by appropriate selection of the aforementioned intermediate gauge with reference to the desired predetermined final gauge.
- the invention also embraces sheet articles, and can components, produced by the foregoing process, and possessing the advantageous combination of mechanical properties thereby achieved.
- Alloys suitable for the practice of the present invention broadly include Al-Mg-Si. alloys having a minor content of Mg and available Si such that on a rectangular graph of % Mg plotted against % available Si (i.e. the graph of Fig. l) the point representing the Mg and available Si content of the alloy lies within the area of pentagon l0 in Fig. l, viz. a pentagon defined by the coordinates 0.2% Si, 0.4% Mg; 0.2% Si, 0.9% Mg; 0.4% Si, l.2% Mg; l.2% Si, l.2% Mg; and l.2% Si, 0.4% Mg.
- the alloy consists essentially of Mg and available Si in amounts (%) defined by pentagon l0, optionally also containing up to 0.9% Cu, up to l.0% Fe, up to 0.8% Mn, up to 0.35% Cr, up to 0.25% Zn, up to 0.20% Ti, balance Al with usual impurity levels not materially affecting the combination of strength and formability properties with which the present invention is concerned.
- alloys having the Aluminum Association designations AA 6009, 60l0, 60ll, 606l, and 6063 are particularly preferred, especially for embodiments of the invention providing drawn-and-ironed-can body stock and can lid stock; currently most preferred for these embodiments is an alloy having the nominal composition 0.25% Fe, 0.30% Cu, 0.65% Si, 0.05% (max.) Mn, 0.90% Mg, 0.05% (max.) Zn, 0.l7% Cr, 0.25% (max.) Ti, others 0.l0% (max.), balance aluminum, the designation "(max.)” being used to indicate that the value given is a maximum and that the element so designated is merely optional or tolerable as an impurity up to the stated maximum.
- the alloy should contain a slight excess of available Si (at least about 0.05%) over that needed to stoichiometrically form Mg2Si with a weight ratio (Mg/Si) of l.73/l; as mentioned above, when making this calculation, it is usual to assume that a percentage of the total Si content equal to l/3 of the Fe content is lost to the intermetallic compounds. It is also usual with AA606l to ensure a total Mg2Si content between about l.35 and about l.50.
- a further example of alloys suitable for can stock are those having a minor content of Mg and available Si such that on the graph of Fig. 1, the point representing the Mg and available Si content of the alloy lies within the area of a parallelogram defined by the coordinates 0.3% Si, 0.8% Mg; 0.55% Si, 1.2% Mg; 1.05% Si, 1.2% Mg; and 0.8% Si, 0.8% Mg, this parallelogram being represented in Fig. 1 by the chain lines 14 and a portion of the top (horizontal) line of pentagon 10.
- Preferred alloy compositions within this parallelogram are those for which the point representing Mg and available Si content lies to the right of the aforementioned line 12; of these, the most preferred compositions are those (again within the parallelogram) for which the point representing Mg and available Si content lies above and to the left of the dotted lines 16, and to the right of line 12, i.e. within the quadrilateral defined by the coordinates 0.7% Si, 0.9% Mg; 0.875% Si, 1.2% Mg; 0.69% Si, 1.2% Mg; 0.52 Si, 0.9% Mg.
- the starting material for the practice of the present process is a body of an alloy having a composition as defined above, in the form of a strip of appropriate gauge for the initial cold-rolling step of the process, such strip being herein termed "reroll stock.”
- the reroll stock is prepared by casting a conventionally dimensioned sheet ingot of the alloy, e.g. by so-called direct chill casting, scalping and homogenizing the ingot, and hot rolling to the reroll gauge, all in accordance with well-known and wholly conventional procedures.
- the reroll stock can be produced by continuous strip casting techniques, viz.
- the alloy by casting the alloy as a continuous, relatively thin strip in a casting cavity defined between chilled endless moving steel belts, between chilled rolls, or between chilled walls of a stationary mold, again as is well-known in the art.
- Such continuously cast strip either can be cast sufficiently thin to enable direct cold rolling, or can be hot-rolled to reroll gauge.
- the reroll stock, however produced, is cooled and ordinarily coiled; thus, preferably in at least most instances, the reroll gauge is sufficiently thin to enable direct coiling.
- reroll stock prepared as described above is cold rolled (employing procedure entirely conventional for cold rolling of Al-Mg-Si alloys) to reduce it to strip of an intermediate gauge at which the strip is to be solution heat treated.
- This intermediate or solution-heat-treatment gauge is selected, with reference to the predetermined desired final gauge of the sheet to be produced, such that a reduction of between about 25% and about 7l% from the intermediate gauge is required to achieve the final gauge.
- the intermediate gauge is selected to provide for further cold reduction of about 25% to about 7l% by cold rolling after solution heat treatment, as described below; preferably, the amount of cold reduction after solution heat treatment is between about 35% and about 7l% and indeed most preferably (especially for production of can body or can lid stock) between about 50% and about 7l%, and for such preferred practice the intermediate gauge is selected accordingly.
- the reason for selecting the intermediate gauge to provide for the specified amount of cold reduction after solution heat treatment is to enable development of desired properties in the strip by post-solution-heat-treatment cold work. Selection of a particular intermediate gauge within the stated ranges is dependent on the specific properties sought to be attained in the final product.
- the reroll gauge is not critical but is conveniently selected to be appropriately larger than the aforementioned intermediate gauge, so that a substantial amount of reduction will be performed in the initial cold rolling step.
- the intermediate (solution-heat-treatment)gauge is selected to be between 0.026 inch (0.66mm) and 0.045 inch (1.14mm), such that the cold reduction to final gauge after solution heat treatment is between 50% and about 71%, depending upon the particular final properties desired; the reroll gauge in this instance is conveniently between about 0.120 inch (3 mm) and about 0.160 inch (4 mm).
- the invention does not require that the sheet article be brought to intermediate gauge by cold rolling, but embraces the provision of the sheet article in intermediate gauge in other ways as well; for example, in some instances the intermediate gauge can be attained directly by hot rolling, without any cold rolling before solution heat treatment.
- the initially cold-rolled strip article, at the aforementioned intermediate gauge, is solution heat treated (by heating and quenching) under conditions selected to effect at least substantially complete solution of the Mg and Si therein.
- the steps and conditions employed may, again, be entirely conventional, and as such are well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art.
- Batch-type solution heat treatment may be used; although the time/temperature conditions are dependent on the coarseness of the Mg2Si phase, a batch process wherein the strip is heated for one hour at 530°C is completely satisfactory.
- continuous solution heat treatment of the intermediate gauge strip e.g. performed on a continuous annealing line
- a peak metal temperature of 570°C with a very short soak period of less than one minute, has been found adequate.
- the metal To retain the Mg and Si in solution, the metal must be rapidly cooled to room temperature (quenched) from the solution heat treatment temperature, viz. in a time of no more than 60 seconds, and preferably less than 30 seconds. If the intermediate gauge is sufficienty small, air quenching can be employed, but water quenching is necessary for heavier gauges and is suitable for all gauges.
- the as-quenched strip article at the intermediate gauge is subjected to natural aging by standing at ambient temperature (e.g. about 0° to about 40°C) for at least about one day, and preferably for at least about three days. Natural aging periods in excess of three days (regardless of how long) are also acceptable.
- the reason for performing this natural aging step, in the process of the invention, is to attain a state wherein the strength of the strip becomes relatively stable owing to the formation of lattice coherent nuclei of the Mg2Si phase.
- the strip After natural aging, and again without any intervening heat treatment, the strip is subjected to cold rolling to effect work hardening while reducing it to the predetermined final gauge.
- the extent of cold reduction in this cold rolling step in accordance with the invention, is between about 25% and about 71%, preferably at least about 35% and, as already stated, most preferably (especially for production of can body or lid stock) between about 50% and about 71%, the intermediate gauge being selected to provide for this extent of cold reduction after solution heat treatment and natural aging.
- the equipment and procedures employed to perform the cold reduction may be entirely conventional for cold rolling of aluminum alloy strip.
- This cold rolling operation after solution heat treatment produces a strip or sheet article which is at the final gauge and has been enhanced in strength by work hardening (the as-rolled final gauge sheet being in T3 temper), and which has not been subjected to any applied heat treatment following the quench from the solution heat treatment.
- Typical or exemplary final gauges are 0.013 inch (0.33mm) for can lid stock and 0.014 inch (0.36mm) for can body stock, or higher gauges (e.g. 0.040 inch (1.02 mm)) for other end products.
- the as-rolled strip at final gauge (usually, as noted, after some further incidental natural aging) is subjected to artificial aging, for increasing the yield strength thereof, by heating the strip to a predetermined elevated temperature for a time shorter than that required to achieve the maximum yield strength attainable by heating the same strip to the same temperature, and such that the % elongation of the strip after artificial aging is within 20% of the maximum value attainable by heating the same strip to the same temperature.
- the expression "heating to,” as used herein, will be understood to embrace both raising the strip to, and maintaining the strip at, the predetermined elevated temperature.
- the yield strength and % elongation (as well as other properties) of Al-Mg-Si strip artificially aged from T3 temper are both dependent on time of heating to elevated temperature, for any given elevated temperature, in the artificial aging step. More particularly, it has now been found that during such heating, the % elongation (a measure of formability) as well as the yield strength initially increases to a maximum and then declines, although the peak elongation is achieved earlier than the peak yield strength.
- the present step of artificially aging the strip by heating to an elevated temperature for a time shorter than that required to achieve peak yield strength in contrast to the prior conventional practice of heating at least long enough to achieve peak yield strength
- an advantageous combination of high strength and good formability i.e. the relatively short heating time effects beneficial enhancement of yield strength (as compared to the yield strength in T3 temper) without undue impairment of % elongation (as compared to the % elongation in T3 temper).
- Fully adequate enhancement of strength for such purposes as the fabrication of drawn-and-ironed cans can be achieved by artificial aging for a time such that the % elongation is within 20% of the maximum value attainable upon artificially aging the same strip at the same temperature.
- the artificial aging time can be selected to provide an actual increase in % elongation (as compared to the % elongation of the strip in T3 temper, viz. just before artificial aging) as well as a satisfactory enhancement of yield strength.
- Other pertinent mechanical properties are also found to be at suitable levels (e.g. for can stock and other uses) in T8 strip after subjection to this duration of artificial aging.
- aging time and yield strength and % elongation is illustrated, for exemplary treatments, in Figs. 2-4.
- These figures show properties obtained upon artificial aging of strip of an AA 6061 alloy having the following composition: 0.26% Cu, 0.26% Fe, 0.89% Mg, 0.04% Mn, 0.64% Si, 0.027% Ti, 0.20% Cr, balance essentially aluminum.
- the strip was produced from a direct chill cast ingot which was homogenized, hot rolled and coiled at 0.13 in. (0.33 mm) (reroll gauge), cold rolled to an intermediate gauge of 0.046 in. (1.17 mm), and solution heat treated on a continuous annealing line (60 seconds, 570°C).
- the strip was naturally aged at ambient temperature for at least one day, and cold rolled to final gauges of 0.030 in. (0.76 mm) strip sample of Fig. 2) or 0.0135 in.(0.34 mm) (strip samples of Figs 3 and 4).
- the 0.030 in. (0.76 mm) final gauge strip sample was artificially aged at 160°C, different portions of the sample being thus heated for different times; the 0.0135 in. (0.34 mm) final gauge samples were artificially aged at 160°C (Fig. 3) or 185°C (Fig. 4), with different portions of these samples again being heated for different times.
- both yield strength and % elongation exhibit an initial increase (compared to the T3 temper values) during artificial aging.
- elongation begins to decrease, while yield strength continues to increase for some further period before starting to decline.
- the times to peak % elongation and peak yield strength during artificial aging are dependent on alloy composition; efficiency of solution heat treatment, as affected by time, temperature, quenching rate, and prior influence from homogenization treatment of the ingot (e.g., whether the homogenization treatment dissolved all coarse Mg2 Si); % of cold reduction following solution heat treatment; extent of natural aging, and whether natural aging precedes or follows the cold reduction after solution heat treatment; and aging temperature.
- the above factors, and also the final gauge affect the magnitude of the peak % elongation during artificial aging.
- the proper heating time for the artificial aging step is determined, after selection of the foregoing factors, by aging for different periods a series of samples of strip for which all these factors are held constant, thereby to establish the artificial aging time dependency of the yield strength and % elongation of such strip.
- An aging time at which suitable values of yield strength and % elongation are achieved can then be immediately determined, and employed as the artificial aging time for commercial production of the same strip.
- the procedure involved in thus establishing the aforementioned time dependency is simple and straightforward and can readily be practiced by persons of ordinary skill in the art.
- the artificial aging step of the present process can be performed as a batch artificial aging treatment, by heating a coil of the strip at final gauge (and initially in T3 temper) to a temperature in the range of, say, l60°C for a period of l-3 hours.
- aging can be performed by stoving the T3 strip for a much shorter time at a substantially higher temperature, e.g., by stoving for about l0 to about 20 minutes at about 200°C.
- such a stoving step may also be used to perform some other function; for example, in the production of can lids, the stoving of the lid stock after lacquering can be performed under the just-mentioned conditions so as to constitute the artificial aging step of the present process.
- the artificial aging step effects an increase in yield strength and provides a % elongation (in the artifically aged strip) within 20% of the maximum value attainable during stoving at the selected temperature, such value being commonly or preferably higher than the % elongation of the T3 temper strip before stoving.
- the product of the present process after completion of the artificial aging step, is a sheet article of Al-Mg-Si alloy in T8 temper, exhibiting a combination of high strength and good formability achieved by the above described succession of steps, in particular including the artificial aging step performed under the specified conditions of aging for a time less than that required to achieve peak yield strength.
- Such sheet may be produced in various final gauges, for a wide variety of different end uses for which this combination of strength and formability properties is necessary or advantageous.
- the final gauge of the T8 strip resulting from the practice of the above-described steps is selected to be appropriate for direct formation of can bodies (e.g. (0.014 inch (0.36 mm) final gauge strip) or lids (e.g. 0.013 inch (0.33 mm) final gauge strip), and the artificial aging treatment is followed by a step of forming the T8 strip into a one-piece can body or a can lid, in accordance with forming procedures now wholly conventional for forming such bodies and lids. Ordinarily the process in each instance (bodies and lids) will include a lacquering step, followed by stoving.
- the lacquer and stove the sheet stock from which the lid is made prior to the lid-forming operation.
- the lacquer in such case may be applied while the sheet is in T3 temper and as already stated, the subsequent stoving of the lacquered sheet may be performed under conditions (e.g. heating for about 10-20 minutes at about 20°C) selected to effect the special artificial aging treatment of the invention.
- the lacquered and stoved (T8 temper) sheet is conventionally formed into can lids.
- the T3 temper sheet may first be artificially aged in accordance with the invention and subsequently lacquered, stoved, and formed into lids.
- the forming (drawing and ironing) operations precede lacquering and stoving, and the stock in final gauge is subjected to the artificial aging step of the invention before being formed into can bodies, i.e. the stoving after lacquering is a separate heat treatment performed subsequent to artificial aging.
- the stoving after lacquering is performed as a separate treatment, it ordinarily occasions some reduction in strength, but causes relatively less strength reduction than is caused by stoving of AA 3004 lacquered cans.
- the products of these embodiments of the present process are, respectively, a drawn-and-ironed can body and a can lid of Al-Mg-Si alloy having the beneficial properties developed by the combination of treatments described above.
- a lid and body of the same alloy composition are produced and assembled to provide a can wherein both components (lid and body) are constituted of a single composition as desired to facilitate recycling and reuse of the metal.
- AA 6061 can stock prepared in accordance with the present process and conventional AA 3004 and AA 5182 can body and lid stock, set forth in Table II wherein the AA 6061 stock at T8 temper (which is at a gauge of 0.013 inch (0.33 mm)) represents the product of the invention:
- the AA 606l stock represented in the foregoing table was produced by successively direct chill casting and homogenizing an ingot, hot rolling, cold rolling to an intermediate gauge, solution-heat-treating and quenching, natural aging for at least one day, and cold. rolling (with 50-7l% reduction) to final gauge, followed by artificial aging, as indicated, for 3 hours at l60°C.
- the lacquering treatment referred to in the table followed artificial aging (in the case of the AA 606l stock,) and in each instance involved stoving the lacquered metal at l95°C for l0 minutes.
- the AA 606l-T8 strip produced by the invention has earing and Erichsen values comparable to conventional AA 3004 body stock, better bendability, and yield strength l4 k.s.i. (thousands of pounds per square inch) 96,5 N/mm2 higher than the AA 3004 body stock before lacquering; after lacquering, though yield strength falls in both instances, the yield strength differential is even greater (17 k.s.i.) 117,2 N/mm2 in favor of the AA 606l-T8 stock.
- This lacquered strength is particularly important for can bodies as it directly affects the pressure at which the bottom of the filled can will buckle outwardly.
- 606l-T8 can bodies were shown to develop bottom buckle pressures in excess of 130 p.s.i. (0,9 N/mm2)
- 606l-T8 can body stock produced by the process of the invention may be reduced in gauge, as compared to 3004-Hl9 stock, with consequent reduction in metal cost per can, and still exceed buckle pressure requirements.
- lacquered 606l-T8 stock produced in accordance with the invention has higher yield strength (7 k.s.i. higher, (48 N/mm2) in the example represented by the table), higher Erichsen cup values, and the same bendability, although the 606l-T8 stock may be slightly less formable than 5l82-Hl9 stock under severe draw conditions, and the higher yield strength of 6061-T8 does not provide improved buckle pressure performance, owing to the higher work hardening rate of the 5182 alloy, which results in a strength equivalent to 6061 in the formed areas of the lid which actually control buckle performance. Nevertheless, as the comparison of properties in the table illustrates, the properties exhibited by the 6061-T8 sheet are fully adequate for use as both lid and body stock, and are generally equivalent to or better than the properties of the conventional alloys used for lids and bodies.
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Claims (14)
- Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Blattes aus einer Aluminiumlegierung mit einem zuvor bestimmten Endmaß mit folgenden Schritten:
(a) Schaffen eines Blattgegenstandes mit einem Zwischenmaß, das um etwa 25% bis etwa 71% reduziert werden muß, um das Endmaß zu erreichen, aus einer wärmebehandelbaren Al-Mg-Si-Legierung mit einem Hauptanteil an Al und einem geringeren Anteil an Mg und verfügrarem Si, so daß auf einem rechtwinkligen Diagramm, bei dem %Mg über % an verfügbarem Si aufgetragen ist, der Punkt, der den geringeren Gehalt darstellt, innerhalb der Fläche eines Pentagons liegt, das durch die folgenden Koordinaten definiert ist: 0.2% Si, 0,4% Mg, 0,2% Si, 0,9% Mg; 0,4% Si, 1.2% Mg; 1.2% Si, 1,2% Mg; und 1.2% Si, 0,4% Mg;(b) Lösungs-Wärmebehandlung des Blattgegenstandes mit dem Zwischenmaß durch aufeinanderfolgende Erhitzung und Abschrecken des Gegenstandes, zur Bewirkung von zumindest im wesentlichen vollständiger Lösung des Mg und Si darin;(c) nach dem Abschrecken und ohne eine dazwischenliegende Wärmebehandlung, natürliches Altern des Blattgegenstandes durch Aufbewahren des Blattgegenstandes bei Umgebungstemperatur für zumindest etwa 1 Tag;(d) nach dem natürlichen Altern und ohne eine dazwischenliegende Wärmebehandlung, Kaltwalzen des Blattgegenstandes auf das Endmaß; und(e) künstliches Altern des kaltgewalzten Blattgegenstandes mit dem Endmaß zur Erhöhung der Formänderungsfestigkeit davon durch Erhitzen des Gegenstandes auf eine vorherbestimmte Temperatur für eine Zeit, die kürzer ist als die Zeit, die zum Erreichen der maximalen Formänderungsfestigkeit erforderlich ist, die durch künstliches Altern des kaltgewalzten Blattgegenstandes mit Endmaß bei dieser Temperatur erreichbar ist, und so, daß der Dehnungswert in % des Gegenstandes nach dem künstlichen Altern innerhalb von 20% des maximalen Wertes liegt, der durch das künstliche Altern des gewalzten Blattgegenstandes mit Endmaß bei dieser Temperatur, mit anschließendem Ausmaß an Kaltreduktion, die in Schritt (d) durchgeführt wird, erreichbar ist. - Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der verfügbare Si-Gehalt der Legierung größer ist als der Gehalt, der zum vollständigen Kombinieren mit dem Mg-Gehalt, ausgedrückt als Mg₂Si, erforderlich ist.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der verfügbare Si-Gehalt um eine Menge von wenigstens 0,05 Gew.-% der Legierung größer ist als der , der zur vollständigen Kombination mit dem Mg-Gehalt der Legierung wie zuvor gesagt erforderlich ist.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Legierung Fe enthält, und daß der Si-Gehalt von der Legierung um eine Menge von wenigstens 0,05 Gew.-% der Legierung plus zumindest etwa einem Drittel an Gewichtsprozent des Fe, das in der Legierung vorhanden ist, größer ist, als der Gehalt, der zur vollständigen Kombination mit dem Mg-Gehalt der Legierung erforderlich ist.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Mg-Gehalt der Legierung ausgewählt ist, um einen Gesamtgehalt an Mg₂Si zwischen etwa 1.35% und etwa 1.50% zu schaffen.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet,daß der natürliche Alterungsschritt durchgeführt wird, indem der Blattgegenstand bei Umgebungstemperatur für wenigstens etwa 3 Tage aufbewahrt wird.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Zwischenmaß so ist, daß eine Reduktion von wenigstens etwa 35% davon zur Erreichung des Endmaßes erforderlich ist.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Zwischenmaß so ist, daß eine Reduktion von wenigstens etwa 50% davon zur Erreichung des Endmaßes erforderlich ist.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der künstliche Alterungsschritt durch Erhitzen des Gegenstandes auf eine vorher bestimmte Temperatur für eine Zeit, bei der der Dehnungswert in % des Gegenstandes größer ist als der Dehnungswert in % des Gegenstandes unmittelbar vor dem künstlichen Alterungsschritt, durchgeführt wird.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß es weiterhin den Schritt der Bildung des Blattgegenstandes in eine Komponente einer Dose umfaßt, wobei die Dose im wesentlichen aus einem einstückigen gezogenen und abstreckgezogenen Körper mit einem offenen Ende und aus einem Deckel zum Schließen des offenen Endes besteht, wobei der Körper und der Deckel die Komponenten der Dose sind.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Komponente ein Dosendeckel ist, wobei der Blattgegenstand nach dem Walzen zu dem Endmaß mit einem Lack beschichtet und unter Bedingungen getempert wird, die ausgewählt werden, um ein künstliches Altern des Gegenstandes wie zuvor gesagt, zu bewirken und daß der Schritt, den Blattgegenstand in den Deckel zu formen, nach dem Tempern durchgeführt wird.
- Verfahren nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
die Komponente ein einstückiger gezogener und abstreckgezogenen Dosenkörper ist und daß der Schritt, den Blattgegenstand in den Körper zu formen, nach dem künstlichen Alterungsschritt durchgeführt wird. - Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Legierung im wesentlichen aus etwa 0.2% bis etwa 1.2% verfügbarem Si, etwa 0,4% bis etwa 1.2% Mg, bis zu 0,9% Cu, bis zu 1.0% Fe, bis zu 0,8% Mn, bis zu 0,35% Cr, bis zu 0,25% Zn, bis zu 0,20% Ti, bezogen auf Al besteht.
- Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Aluminumlegierungsdose, die im wesentlichen aus einem einstückigen gezogenen und abstreckgezogenen Körper mit einem offenen Ende und aus einem Deckel zum Schließen des offenen Endes besteht, wobei das Verfahren folgende Schritte umfaßt:
(a) Herstellen eines ersten Blattgegenstandes mit einer T3-Härte aus einer wärmebehandelbaren Al-Mg-Si-Legierung;(b) Herstellung eines zweiten Blattgegenstandes mit T3-Härte aus der gleichen Al-Mg-Si-Legierung;(c) künstliches Altern eines jeden Blattgegenstandes zur Erhöhung der Formänderungsfestigkeit davon durch Erhitzen des Gegenstandes auf eine vorherbestimmte Temperatur für eine Zeit, die kürzer ist als die Zeit, die zur Erreichung der maximalen Formänderungsfestigkeit erforderlich ist, die durch künstliches Altern des gleichen Gegenstandes bei dieser Temperatur erreichbar ist und so, daß der Dehnungswert in % des Gegenstandes nach dem künstlichen Altern innerhalb von 20% des maximalen Wertes liegt, der durch künstliches Altern des gleichen Gegenstandes bei der Temperatur erreichbar ist;(d) Bilden eines einstückigen gezogenen und abstreckgezogenen Dosenkörpers mit einem offenen Ende aus einem der Gegenstände;(e) Bilden eines Deckels zum Schließen des offenen Endes aus dem anderen der Gegenstände; und(f) Verbindung des Körpers und des Deckels zum Bilden einer geschlossenen Dose.
Priority Applications (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US06/588,945 US4637842A (en) | 1984-03-13 | 1984-03-13 | Production of aluminum alloy sheet and articles fabricated therefrom |
AT86309497T ATE69067T1 (de) | 1986-12-05 | 1986-12-05 | Herstellung von blechen aus einer aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte gegenstaende. |
EP86309497A EP0269773B1 (de) | 1986-12-05 | 1986-12-05 | Herstellung von Blechen aus einer Aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte Gegenstände |
ES198686309497T ES2026135T3 (es) | 1986-12-05 | 1986-12-05 | Procedimiento para producir chapas de una aleacion de aluminio, y articulos fabricados con estas chapas. |
DE8686309497T DE3682289D1 (de) | 1986-12-05 | 1986-12-05 | Herstellung von blechen aus einer aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte gegenstaende. |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP86309497A EP0269773B1 (de) | 1986-12-05 | 1986-12-05 | Herstellung von Blechen aus einer Aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte Gegenstände |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0269773A1 EP0269773A1 (de) | 1988-06-08 |
EP0269773B1 true EP0269773B1 (de) | 1991-10-30 |
Family
ID=8196240
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP86309497A Expired EP0269773B1 (de) | 1984-03-13 | 1986-12-05 | Herstellung von Blechen aus einer Aluminiumlegierung und damit hergestellte Gegenstände |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0269773B1 (de) |
AT (1) | ATE69067T1 (de) |
DE (1) | DE3682289D1 (de) |
ES (1) | ES2026135T3 (de) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US7191032B2 (en) | 2004-05-14 | 2007-03-13 | Novelis Inc. | Methods of and apparatus for forming hollow metal articles |
MX360869B (es) | 2012-05-31 | 2018-11-14 | Rio Tinto Alcan Int Ltd | Aleación de aluminio que combina alta resistencia, alargamiento y extruibilidad. |
US11905583B2 (en) * | 2021-06-09 | 2024-02-20 | Applied Materials, Inc. | Gas quench for diffusion bonding |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB856182A (en) * | 1958-05-17 | 1960-12-14 | Aluminium Walzwerke Singen | Improvements relating to the production of lacquered sheets |
CH624147A5 (de) * | 1976-12-24 | 1981-07-15 | Alusuisse | |
DE2810958A1 (de) * | 1977-12-30 | 1979-07-05 | Alusuisse | Verfahren zur waermebehandlung von aushaertbaren aluminiumlegierungen |
DE2929724C2 (de) * | 1978-08-04 | 1985-12-05 | Coors Container Co., Golden, Col. | Verfahren zum Herstellen eines Bandes aus einer Aluminiumlegierung für Dosen und Deckel |
JPS58224141A (ja) * | 1982-06-21 | 1983-12-26 | Sumitomo Light Metal Ind Ltd | 成形用アルミニウム合金冷延板の製造方法 |
US4637842A (en) * | 1984-03-13 | 1987-01-20 | Alcan International Limited | Production of aluminum alloy sheet and articles fabricated therefrom |
-
1986
- 1986-12-05 ES ES198686309497T patent/ES2026135T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1986-12-05 DE DE8686309497T patent/DE3682289D1/de not_active Revoked
- 1986-12-05 AT AT86309497T patent/ATE69067T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1986-12-05 EP EP86309497A patent/EP0269773B1/de not_active Expired
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0269773A1 (de) | 1988-06-08 |
ATE69067T1 (de) | 1991-11-15 |
ES2026135T3 (es) | 1992-04-16 |
DE3682289D1 (de) | 1991-12-05 |
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