Method of making 6XXX aluminium sheets

A method for producing a 6xxx series aluminium sheet comprising

• homogenizing an ingot made from a 6XXX series aluminum alloy comprising 0.3-1.5 wt. % of Si, 0.3-1.5 wt. % of Mg and 1.5 wt. % or less of Cu, Mn 0.03-0.5 wt. % and/or Cr 0.01-0.4 wt. %, Fe 0.03 to 0.4 wt. %, Ti up to 0.1 wt %, rest aluminium and unavoidable impurities up to 0.05 wt. % each and 0.15 wt. % total,
• wherein the aluminum alloy ingot comprises at least 250 mm in thickness, from 1000 to 2000 mm in width, and from 2000 to 8000 mm in length;
• a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces, wherein the top and bottom surfaces have a larger surface area than the side surfaces;
• and a head and a foot corresponding to extremities in a longitudinal direction,
• cooling the homogenized ingot with a cooling rate at mid-thickness and/or at quarter thickness in a range from 150° C./h to 2000° C./h directly to a hot rolling starting temperature, wherein a thermal differential of less than 40° C. over the entire ingot, which is cooled from the homogenization temperature, is obtained when hot rolling is started,
• hot rolling the ingot to a hot rolling final thickness and coiling at the hot rolling final thickness with such conditions that at least 50% recrystallization is obtained, wherein the hot rolling starting temperature is between 350° C. and 450° C. and a hot rolling exit temperature is at least 310° C. and wherein the thickness reduction during a last hot rolling pass is at least 25%,
• cold rolling to obtain a cold rolled sheet.