Unrecrystallized aluminum plate product by ramp annealing
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorAlex Cho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method of producing an unrecrystallized A1-Zn-Mg thin gauge flat rolled product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness. The method comprising the steps of providing a body of a Zn-Mg containing aluminum base alloy, working the body to a flat rolled product and then subjecting the product to a ramp anneal followed by solution heat treating, quenching and aging.
Claims78
A method of producing an unrecrystallized aluminum based thin gauge flat rolled, heat treated product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of a aluminum base heat treatable alloy;
- (b) working the body to a wrought product;
- (c) subjecting said product to a ramp anneal wherein the anneal is started at a temperature of less than 750.degree. F. and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr.;
- and
- (d) solution heat treating, quenching and aging said final gauge flat rolled product to provide a substantially unrecrystallized product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness.
A method of producing an unrecrystallized Al-Zn-Mg thin plate or sheet product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of an alloy consisting essentially of 1.0 to 12 wt. % Zn, 0.5 to 4.0 wt. % Mg, max. 3.0 wt. % Cu, max. 1.0 wt. % Mg, max. 0.5 wt. % each of Si, Fe, Cr, Ti, Zr, Sc, Hf, the balance aluminum and impurities;
- (b) hot rolling the body to a flat rolled product;
- (c) subjecting said product to a ramp anneal wherein the anneal temperature is started at a temperature of less than 750.degree. F. and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2.degree. to 100.degree./hr;
- and
- (d) solution heat treating, quenching and aging said flat rolled product to provide a substantially unrecrystallized product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness.
A method of producing an unrecrystallized Al-Zn-Mg type thin plate or sheet product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of an alloy consisting essentially of 7.0 to 9.0 wt. % Zn, 1.5 to 2.5 wt. % Mg, 1.9 to 2.7 wt. % Cu, 0.08 to 0.14 wt. % Zr, max. 0.12 wt. % Si, max, 0.15 wt. % Fe, max. 0.10 wt. % Mn, max. 0.06 wt. % Ti, max. 0.04 wt. % Cr, the balance aluminum and incidental elements and impurities;
- (b) hot rolling the body to a final gauge product;
- (c) subjecting said product to a ramp anneal wherein the anneal temperature is started at a temperature of less than 750.degree. F. and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr;
- and
- (d) solution heat treating, quenching and aging said final gauge product to provide a substantially unrecrystallized product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness.
A method of producing an unrecrystallized type aircraft structural member having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of a heat treatable aluminum base alloy selected from AA2000 and 7000 type aluminum alloys;
- (b) working the body to a flat rolled product;
- (c) subjecting said product to a ramp anneal wherein the anneal is started at a temperature of less than 750.degree. F. and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr.;
- (d) solution heat treating, quenching and aging said product to provide a substantially unrecrystallized product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness;
- and
- (e) forming said unrecrystallized product into said aircraft structural member.
A method of producing an unrecrystallized type aircraft structural member having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body of an aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 7.0 to 9.0 wt. % Zn, 1.5 to 2.5 wt. % Mg, 1.9 to 2.7 wt. % Cu, 0.08 to 0.14 wt. % Zr, max. 0.12 wt. % Si, max. 0.15 wt. % Fe, max. 0.10 wt. % Mn, max. 0.06 wt. % Ti, max. 0.04 wt. % Cr, the balance aluminum and incidental elements and impurities,
- (b) working the body to a flat rolled product;
- (c) subjecting said product to a ramp anneal wherein the anneal is started at a temperature of less than 750.degree. F. and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr.;
- (d) solution heat treating, quenching and aging said product to provide a substantially unrecrystallized product having improved levels of strength and fracture toughness;
- and
- (e) forming said unrecrystallized product into said aircraft structural member.
An aluminum alloy unrecrystallized aircraft structural member comprised of an aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 1.0 to 12 wt. % Zn, 0.5 to 4.0 wt. % Mg, max. 3.0 wt. % Cu, max. 1.0 wt. % Mn, max. 0.5 wt. % each of Si, Fe, Cr, Ti, Zr, Sc, Hf, the balance aluminum and impurities, the structural member formed from unrecrystallized plate resulting from ramp annealing said product where the temperature is increased from a temperature less than 750.degree. F. to a temperature of less than 850.degree. F. and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr.
An unrecrystallized thin gauge plate product suitable for fabricating into aircraft structural panel members, the unrecrystallized thin gauge plate product comprised of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 5.7 to 6.9 wt. % Zn, 1.9 to 2.7 wt. % Mg, 1.9 to 2.6 wt. % Cu, 0.05 to 0.15 wt. % Zr, max. 0.12 wt. % Si, max. 0.15 wt. % Fe, max. 0.10 wt. % Mn, max. 0.06 wt. % Ti, max. 0.04 wt. % Cr, the balance aluminum and incidental elements and impurities, the thin gauge plate product having a thickness in the range of 0.25 to 0.5 inch and resulting from subjecting the plate to a ramp anneal starting at a temperature below 725.degree. F. and ending at a temperature above 775.degree. F., the temperature being increased at 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr followed by solution heat treatment, cold water quench and aging.
An unrecrystallized thin gauge plate product suitable for fabricating into aircraft structural members, the unrecrystallized thin gauge plate product comprised of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 7.0 to 9.0 wt. % Zn, 1.5 to 2.5 wt. % Mg, 1.9 to 2.7 wt. % Cu, 0.08 to 0.14 wt. % Zr, max. 0.12 wt. % Si, max. 0.15 wt. % Fe, max. 0.10 wt. % Mn, max. 0.06 wt. % Ti, max. 0.04 wt. % Cr, the balance aluminum and impurities, the thin gauge plate product having a thickness in the range of 0.25 to 0.5 inch and resulting from subjecting the final gauge plate to a ramp anneal starting at a temperature below 725.degree. F. and ending at a temperature above 775.degree. F., the temperature being increased at 2.degree. to 100.degree. F./hr followed by solution heat treatment, cold water quench and aging.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.