# US 2019/0169726 A1 · Optimization of aluminum hot working > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0169726 A1 - Document ID: US20190169726A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/266,240 - Filed: 2019-02-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-08 - Assignees: Novelis Inc. - Applicants: Novelis Inc. - Inventors: Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty; Duane E. Bendzinski; Rahul Vilas Kulkarni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169726A1 ## CPC - C22F 1/053: of alloys with zinc as the next major constituent - B21B 3/00: Rolling materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special rolling methods or sequences {; Rolling of aluminium, copper, zinc or other non-ferrous metals}(altering special metallurgical properties of alloys, other than structure consolidation or mechanical properties resulting therefrom C21D, C22F) - B21B 45/004: {Heating the product} - B21D 22/022: {by heating the blank or stamping associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)} - C22C 21/10: with zinc as the next major constituent - B21B 2003/001: {Aluminium or its alloys} - C22F: CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass, C23F17/00) - B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04) - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract A method of hot forming an aluminum alloy component may include heating the aluminum alloy component in a heating furnace to a solutionizing temperature, cooling the aluminum alloy component to a desired forming temperature, deforming the aluminum alloy component into a desired shape in a forming device while the aluminum alloy component is at the desired forming temperature, maintaining a constant temperature during the deformation of the aluminum alloy component, and quenching the aluminum alloy component to a low temperature below a solvus temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of hot forming an aluminum alloy component, the method comprising: heating the aluminum alloy component in a heating furnace to a solutionizing temperature; cooling the aluminum alloy component to a desired forming temperature; transferring the aluminum alloy component from the heating furnace to a forming device; deforming the aluminum alloy component into a desired shape in the forming device while the aluminum alloy component is at the desired forming temperature; and quenching the aluminum alloy component to a low temperature below a solvus temperature, wherein the low temperature is in a range of approximately 0° C. to approximately 280° C., wherein the heating of the aluminum alloy component to the solutionizing temperature occurs over a period of approximately 5 minutes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy component comprises a 7xxx alloy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the aluminum alloy component comprises a 7075 alloy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the desired forming temperature is in a range of approximately 400° C. to approximately 440° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solutionizing temperature is in a range of approximately 400° C. to approximately 600° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the solutionizing temperature is approximately 480° C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising artificially aging the aluminum alloy component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a constant temperature during the deformation of the aluminum alloy component, wherein the constant temperature is held to within ±10° C. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the aluminum alloy component is an ingot; the forming device is a rolling mill; and the desired shape is a plate or a sheet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the forming device is a forming press. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the aluminum alloy component at the solutionizing temperature for a predetermined time, wherein the predetermined time is up to approximately 30 minutes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quenching comprises die quenching with water flowing internally through a die such that the aluminum alloy component is cooled at a rate between approximately 50° C./second and approximately 500° C./second. ### Claim 13 A method of hot forming an aluminum alloy component, the method comprising: heating the aluminum alloy component in a heating furnace to a solutionizing temperature; cooling the aluminum alloy component to a desired forming temperature in a range of approximately 380° C. to approximately 470° C.; deforming the aluminum alloy component into a desired shape in a forming device while the aluminum alloy component is at the desired forming temperature; and quenching the aluminum alloy component to a low temperature below a solvus temperature, wherein the low temperature is in a range of approximately 0° C. to approximately 280° C., wherein heating the aluminum alloy component in the heating furnace results in an approximate grain size of 10-35 microns for the aluminum alloy component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the desired forming temperature is in a range of approximately 400° C. to approximately 440° C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the heating of the aluminum alloy component to the solutionizing temperature occurs in a range of approximately 10 seconds to 15 minutes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the heating of the aluminum alloy component to the solutionizing temperature occurs in approximately 5 minutes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising maintaining a constant temperature during the deformation of the aluminum alloy component, wherein the constant temperature is held to within ±10° C. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein: the aluminum alloy component is an ingot; the forming device is a rolling mill; and the desired shape is a plate or a sheet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the forming device is a forming press. ### Claim 20 A method of hot forming an aluminum alloy component, the method comprising: heating the aluminum alloy component in a heating furnace to a solutionizing temperature, wherein the heating is performed at a rate such that (i) the aluminum alloy component reaches the solutionizing temperature after a period of at least 5 minutes and (ii) the aluminum alloy component comprises an approximate grain size of at least 10 microns; cooling the aluminum alloy component to a desired forming temperature in a range of approximately 380° C. to approximately 470° C.; deforming the aluminum alloy component into a desired shape in a forming device while the aluminum alloy component is at the desired forming temperature; and quenching the aluminum alloy component to a low temperature below a solvus temperature, wherein the low temperature is in a range of approximately 0° C. to approximately 280° C.