Process for producing aluminum sheet product having controlled recrystallization

A process for producing an aluminum alloy sheet product having a controlled recrystallization using a twin belt caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) providing a twin belt caster for continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a hot rolled sheet product;
• (d) continuously annealing said sheet product at an anneal temperature in a controlled temperature range to provide recrystallization of said hot rolled sheet product;
• (e) monitoring said anneal temperature;
• (f) measuring degree and type of recrystallization of said sheet product on a continuous basis to provide a recrystallization related signal;
• (g) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (h) in said controller, comparing said signal to previous signals relating to degree and type of recrystallization of said sheet product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (i) in response to said comparison, maintaining said anneal temperature or changing said anneal temperature upwardly or downwardly to produce aluminum alloy sheet product having desired recrystallization for high levels of formability.

A control method for continuously producing highly recrystallized, aluminum alloy sheet product having high levels of formability using a twin belt caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a molten aluminum alloy selected from the group consisting of AA1XXX, AA3XXX, AA5XXX, and AA6XXX alloys;
• (b) continuously casting the molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a flat product at a hot rolling starting temperature in the range of 700° to 1100° F.;
• (d) continuously annealing said flat product at an anneal temperature in a temperature range of 600° to 1100° F. to effect recrystallization of the flat product;
• (e) monitoring at least one of said hot rolling starting temperature and annealing temperature;
• (f) measuring degree of recrystallization of said flat product after annealing on a continuous basis to provide a recrystallization related signal;
• (g) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (h) in said controller comparing said signal to previous signals relating degree of recrystallization of said flat product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (i) in response to said comparison maintaining or changing at least one of said starting temperature and said anneal temperature upwardly or downwardly sufficient to produce aluminum alloy sheet having the recrystallization necessary to provide high levels of formability and desired earing.

A control method for producing recrystallized aluminum alloy sheet product using a continuous caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a flat rolled product in a temperature range;
• (d) continuously annealing said flat rolled product at a temperature in the range of 600° to 1100° F. to provide a recrystallized, annealed, flat rolled product;
• (e) measuring recrystallization of said annealed flat rolled product to provide a recrystallization related signal;
• (f) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (g) in said controller comparing said signal to signals relating degree of recrystallization of said annealed, flat rolled product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (h) in response to said comparison maintaining temperature of one of said slab or increasing or decreasing temperature of said slab to produce a flat rolled product having a recrystallized structure.

A process for producing an aluminum alloy sheet product having a controlled recrystallization using a twin belt caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) providing a twin belt caster for continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a hot rolled sheet product at a temperature in a hot rolling temperature range;
• (d) monitoring hot rolling temperature;
• (e) measuring degree and type of recrystallization of said sheet product on a continuous basis to provide a recrystallization related signal;
• (f) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (g) in said controller, comparing said signal to previous signals relating to degree and type of recrystallization of said sheet product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (h) in response to said comparison, maintaining said hot rolling temperature or changing said hot rolling temperature upwardly or downwardly to produce aluminum alloy sheet product having desired recrystallization for high levels of formability.

A control method for continuously producing highly recrystallized, aluminum alloy sheet product having high levels of formability using a twin belt caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a molten aluminum alloy selected from the group consisting of AA1XXX, AA3XXX, AA5XXX and AA6XXX alloys;
• (b) continuously casting the molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a flat product at a hot rolling starting temperature in the range of 700° to 1100° F.;
• (d) monitoring said hot rolling starting temperature;
• (e) measuring degree and type of recrystallization of said flat product after hot rolling on a continuous basis to provide a recrystallization related signal;
• (f) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (g) in said controller comparing said signal to previous signals relating degree and type of recrystallization of said flat product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (h) in response to said comparison, maintaining or changing said starting temperature upwardly or downwardly sufficient to produce aluminum alloy sheet having the recrystallization necessary to provide high levels of formability and desired earing.

A control method for producing recrystallized aluminum alloy flat rolled product using a continuous caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a flat rolled product in a temperature range to produce a flat rolled product;
• (d) measuring recrystallization of said flat rolled product to provide a recrystallization related signal;
• (e) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (f) in said controller comparing said signal to signals relating degree and type of recrystallization of said flat rolled product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (g) in response to said comparison maintaining temperature of said slab or increasing or decreasing temperature of said slab to produce a flat rolled product having a recrystallized structure.

A process for producing an aluminum alloy sheet product having a controlled grain structure and texture using a continuous caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) providing a caster for continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) rolling said slab into a sheet product;
• (d) continuously annealing said sheet product at a temperature in a controlled temperature range;
• (e) measuring grain structure and texture of said sheet product on a continuous basis to provide a grain structure and texture related signal;
• (f) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (g) in said controller, comparing said signal to previous signals relating grain structure and texture of said sheet product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (h) in response to said comparison, maintaining or changing said temperature in said temperature range upwardly or downwardly to produce aluminum sheet product having desired grain structure and texture.

A process for producing an aluminum alloy sheet product having a controlled grain structure and texture using a twin belt caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) providing a twin belt caster for continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a hot rolled sheet product;
• (d) continuously annealing said sheet product at an anneal temperature in a controlled temperature range to provide grain structure and texture of said hot rolled sheet product;
• (e) monitoring said anneal temperature;
• (f) measuring grain structure and texture of said sheet product on a continuous basis to provide a grain structure and texture related signal;
• (g) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (h) in said controller, comparing said signal to previous signals relating to grain structure and texture of said sheet product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (i) in response to said comparison, maintaining said anneal temperature or changing said anneal temperature upwardly or downwardly to produce aluminum alloy sheet product having desired grain structure and texture for high levels of formability.

A control method for continuously producing highly recrystallized, aluminum alloy sheet product having high levels of formability using a twin belt caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy into a slab comprising:

• (a) providing a molten aluminum alloy selected from the group consisting of AA1XXX, AA3XXX, AA5XXX and AA6XXX alloys;
• (b) continuously casting the molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a flat product at a hot rolling starting temperature in the range of 700° to 1100° F.;
• (d) continuously annealing said flat product at an anneal temperature in a temperature range of 600° to 1100° F. to effect grain structure and texture of the flat product;
• (e) monitoring at least one of said hot rolling starting temperature and annealing temperature;
• (f) measuring grain structure and texture of said flat product after annealing on a continuous basis to provide a grain structure and texture related signal;
• (g) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (h) in said controller comparing said signal to previous signals relating grain structure and texture of said flat product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (i) in response to said comparison maintaining or changing at least one of said starting temperature and said anneal temperature upwardly or downwardly sufficient to produce aluminum alloy sheet having the grain structure and texture necessary to provide high levels of formability and desired earing.

A control method for producing recrystallized aluminum alloy sheet product using a continuous caster to cast a molten aluminum alloy comprising:

• (a) providing a source of molten aluminum alloy;
• (b) continuously casting said molten aluminum alloy into a slab;
• (c) hot rolling said slab into a flat rolled product in a temperature range;
• (d) continuously annealing said flat rolled product at a temperature in the range of 600° to 1100° F. to provide a recrystallized, annealed, flat rolled product;
• (e) measuring grain structure and texture of said annealed flat rolled product to provide a grain structure and texture related signal;
• (f) relaying said signal to a controller;
• (g) in said controller comparing said signal to signals relating grain structure and texture of said annealed, flat rolled product to provide a comparison;
• and
• (h) in response to said comparison maintaining temperature of one of said slab or increasing or decreasing temperature of said slab to produce a flat rolled product having a desired recrystallized structure.