Abstract: The invention concerns a method for improving aluminium alloy blank tensile yield stress and formability comprising the successive steps of: providing a 6xxx series aluminium alloy slab; optionally homogenizing the slab; hot rolling and optionally cold rolling the slab to obtain a sheet; solution heat treating and quenching the sheet; cold rolling the sheet with at least 20% cold work reduction; cutting the sheet into blanks; flash annealing a portion of the flange of the blanks at a temperature between 360° C. and 480° C. for a time sufficient to obtain recrystallization of the portion of the flange and cool to a temperature of less than 100° C. The improved blanks and the stamped product and painted stamped products obtained by the method of the invention are particularly useful for automotive applications because of their high strength.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for improving aluminium alloy blank tensile yield stress and formability comprising the successive steps of: providing a 6xxx series aluminium alloy slab; optionally homogenizing said slab; hot rolling and optionally cold rolling the slab to obtain a sheet; solution heat treating and quenching said sheet; cold rolling said sheet with at least 20% cold work reduction; cutting said sheet into blanks; flash annealing a portion of the flange of said blanks at a temperature between 360° C. and 480° C. for a time sufficient to obtain recrystallization of said portion of the flange and cool to a temperature of less than 100° C. The improved blanks and the stamped product and painted stamped products obtained by the method of the invention are particularly useful for automotive applications because of their high strength.