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AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorShawn J. Murtha
Estimating the term…
An improved high strength aluminum alloy product having good combinations of strength, toughness, corrosion resistance and the ability to be subjected in sheet or strip form to roll forming or shaping operations to produce elongate stringer or other aerospace structural reinforcing members. The alloy consists essentially of about 7.6 to 8.4% zinc, about 1.8 to 2.2% magnesium, about 2 to 2.6% copper and at least one element selected from zirconium, vanadium and hafnium present in a total amount not exceeding about 0.5%, preferably about 0.05 to 0.25% zirconium, the balance aluminum and incidental elements and impurities. The improved strip is preferably produced by homogenizing, hot rolling and thermally treating or annealing at about 750.degree. to 850.degree. F., preferably around 800.degree. F., followed by cold rolling to a reduction in thickness of between about 20 and 50 or 60%, preferably in the neighborhood of about 25 to 35% which, in turn, is followed by a two-stage thermal annealing treatment including heating, preferably within about 650.degree. to about 700.degree. F. followed by controlled cooling or ramping down to one or more temperatures within preferably around 425.degree. to 475.degree. F. The sheet or strip so produced can be taper rolled to vary the thickness along the length of the strip which, following such taper rolling, if employed, is preferably solution heat treated and quenched, straightened, roll shaped in a plurality of roll shaping operations to produce a structural shape cross section which is then artificially aged to develop the desired properties for the aerospace application.
The method of producing an aerospace elongate structural shape cross section comprising:
The method of producing an aerospace elongate structural shape cross section comprising:
The method of producing an aerospace elongate structural shape cross section comprising:
In a method of producing a roll shaped elongate structural shape from aluminum alloy strip wherein aluminum alloy strip is solution heat treated, quenched and roll shaped into an elongate structural shape section which is thereafter artificially aged, the improvement wherein said aluminum alloy strip is provided by a method comprising:
In a method of producing a roll shaped elongate structural shape from aluminum alloy strip wherein aluminum alloy strip is solution heat treated, quenched and roll shaped into an elongate structural shape section which is artificially aged, the improvement wherein said aluminum alloy strip is provided by a method comprising:
An improved roll shapable annealed aluminum alloy sheet product of an alloy consisting essentially of about 7.6 to 8.4% zinc, about 1.8 to 2.2% magnesium, about 2 to 2.6% copper, at least one element selected from zirconium, vanadium and hafnium present in a total amount not exceeding about 0.5%, the balance substantially aluminum and incidental elements and impurities, said product ranging from about 0.03 to 0.25 inch thick, said sheet in annealed 0 temper having a minimum tensile elongation of about 18%, a minimum uniform elongation of about 11%, a minimum r/t in a guided bend test of about 0.5 or less, and further having a recrystallized grain texture in the sheet surface regions extending about 0.01 inch or more into the metal, the recrystallized grains having a cube:goss ratio greater than 1 and a grain size of 100 grains/mm.sup.2 or finer in a longitudinal cross section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.