Multi-stage aluminum alloy forming and thermal processing method for the production of vehicle components
AssigneeShape Corp.
InventorHelen Weykamp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming and processing a high strength aluminum alloy for the production of a vehicle component includes providing a metal sheet that was rolled from an aluminum alloy. The sheet is heat treated through a first aging step of a set of aging steps that are necessary to achieve a T6 or a T7 temper state. Prior to achieving the T6 or a T7 temper state, the sheet is formed to a desired shape and welded in the desired shape to produce a desired vehicle component. Once formed, the vehicle component is heat treated through a remaining aging step to achieve a T6 or T7 temper state homogeneously throughout the vehicle component.
Claims19
A method of forming and processing an aluminum wrought product for the production of a component, said method comprising:
- providing a wrought product comprising an aluminum alloy, wherein the wrought product has been heat treated through a first aging step of a plurality of aging steps necessary to achieve a final temper state;
- processing the wrought product to provide a component having a desired shape;
- and
- heat treating the processed component through a remaining aging step of the plurality of aging steps to achieve the final temper state.
A method of forming and processing an aluminum wrought product for the production of a vehicle component, said method comprising:
- rolling an aluminum alloy to form a sheet product having a W temper state;
- heat treating the sheet product through a first aging step of a plurality of aging steps that are necessary for the sheet product to achieve a T6 or a T7 temper state;
- forming the sheet product to a desired shape;
- welding the sheet product in the desired shape to provide a vehicle component;
- and
- heat treating the vehicle component through a remaining aging step of the plurality of aging steps to achieve a T6 or a T7 temper state homogeneously throughout the vehicle component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.