Improved process for manufacturing sheet metal made of aluminum-copper-lithium alloy for manufacturing an airplane fuselage

A process for manufacturing a wrought product made of aluminum alloy comprising:

• a. casting a rolling ingot made of alloy comprising:
• 2.1 to 2.8% by weight of Cu;
• 1.1 to 1.7% by weight of Li;
• 0.2 to 0.9% by weight of Mg;
• 0.2 to 0.6% by weight of Mn;
• 0.01 to 0.2% by weight of Ti;
• less than 0.1% by weight of Ag;
• less than 0.08% by weight of Zr;
• a quantity of Fe and of Si less than or equal to 0.1% by weight each, and inevitable impurities at a concentration less than or equal to 0.05% by weight each and 0.15% by weight in total;
• the rest aluminum;
• b. homogenizing said rolling ingot at 480-520° C. for 5 to 60 hours;
• c. hot and optionally cold rolling said homogenized rolling ingot into sheet metal;
• d. solution heat treatment of the sheet metal at 470-520° C. for 15 minutes to 4 hours;
• e. quenching the solution heat treated sheet metal;
• f. controlled stretching of the solution heat treated and quenched sheet metal with a permanent deformation of 1 to 6%;
• g. aging of the stretched sheet metal by heating to a temperature of at least 160° C., optionally at least 165° C., for a maximum time of 30 hours, optionally 25 hours.