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

A method of producing an integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an 7xxx-series aluminum alloy solution heat-treated, cooled and stretched plate with a predetermined thickness of at least 10 mm;
• heat-treating the aluminum alloy plate in a first artificial ageing step of a plurality of artificial ageing steps required to achieve a final temper state;
• optionally, either before or after the first ageing step, a pre-machining operation of the aluminum alloy plate to an intermediate machined structure;
• high-energy hydroforming the aluminum alloy plate or the intermediate machined structure against a forming surface of a rigid die having a contour at least substantially in accordance with a desired curvature of the integrated monolithic aluminum structure, the high energy forming causing the aluminum alloy plate or the intermediate machined structure to substantially conform to the contour of the forming surface to at least one of a uniaxial curvature and a biaxial curvature;
• heat-treating the integrated monolithic aluminum structure through a remaining artificial ageing step of the plurality of artificial ageing steps to achieve a desired final temper, the desired final temper selected from the group of T6 and T7;
• and
• machining or mechanical milling the high-energy formed structure to a near-final or final machined integrated monolithic aluminum structure,
• wherein a time delay between solution heat-treatment of the 7xxx-series aluminum alloy plate material and the first artificial ageing step of a plurality of ageing steps required to achieve a final temper state is at least 168 hours.