Abstract: Described herein is a brazed heat exchanger comprising at least one header, manifold and/or tube structured to hold a coolant or refrigerant; said header, manifold, and/or tube component including a plurality of apertures; a plurality of substantially parallel fluid-carrying tubes each extending substantially perpendicular from one of said plurality of apertures in said header plate, manifold, and/or tube component and structured to receive said coolant or refrigerant therethrough; and a plurality of corrugated aluminium alloy fins being in thermal communication with said plurality of fluid-carrying tubes and structured to transfer heat away therefrom. The header, manifold, and/or tube component is made from an aluminium alloy sheet material comprising, in wt. %: Mn 1.4%-1.8%; Si up to 0.7%; Fe up to 0.7%; Mg up to 0.30%; Cu up to 0.10%; Cr up to 0.25%; Zr up to 0.25%; Zn up to 0.50%; Ti up to 0.2%; balance aluminium and inevitable impurities.

Abstract: Described herein is an aluminium alloy multi-layered brazing sheet product for brazing in an inert-gas atmosphere without a flux that includes a core layer made of a 3xxx alloy that includes <0.2 wt.% Mg, and that provides a covering clad layer that includes 2-6 wt.% Si on one or both sides of said 3xxx alloy core layer and a Al—Si brazing clad layer that includes 7-13 wt.% Si positioned between the 3xxx alloy core layer and the covering clad layer, wherein the covering clad layer has a thickness X1 and the Al—Si brazing clad layer has a thickness X2 and wherein X2 ? 2X1. Also described herein is the use of an aluminium alloy multi-layered brazing sheet product in a flux-free controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) operation to produce a heat exchanger apparatus.

Abstract: Described herein is an aluminium alloy multi-layered brazing sheet product for brazing in an inert-gas atmosphere without a flux, comprising a core layer made of a 3xxx alloy comprising 0.20-0.75 wt. % Mg, and provided with a covering clad layer comprising 2-5 wt. % Si on one or both sides of said 3xxx alloy core layer and a Al—Si brazing clad layer comprising 7-13 wt. % Si positioned between the 3xxx alloy core layer and the covering clad layer, wherein the covering clad layer has a thickness X1 and the Al—Si brazing clad layer has a thickness X2 and wherein X2?2X1. The invention further relates to the use of an aluminium alloy multi-layered brazing sheet product in a fluxfree controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB) operation to produce a heat exchanger apparatus.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminum alloy automotive structural part or a body-in-white (BIW) part of a motor vehicle, including the steps of: providing a rolled aluminum alloy bare or composite sheet product having a gauge of about 0.5 mm to 4 mm, wherein the sheet product includes at least one layer an AA7xxx-series aluminum alloy, the sheet product having been subjected to solution heat treatment and quenching followed by at least 1 day of natural ageing; subjecting the naturally aged sheet product to reversion annealing treatment, namely a heat treatment at a temperature between 100° C. and 350° C. during 0.1 to 60 seconds; optionally subjecting the heated sheet product to forced cooling operation; within 2 hours, preferably within 30 minutes, from the reversion annealing treatment, forming the sheet product to obtain a three-dimensionally formed automotive structural part or body-in-white (BIW) part.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminum alloy structural part or a body-in-white (BIW) part of a motor vehicle. The method includes: providing a rolled aluminum sheet product wherein the aluminum alloy is an AA7000-series aluminum alloy and has a gauge in a range of 0.5-4 mm and is subjected to a solution heat treatment and has been cooled, forming the aluminum alloy sheet to obtain a three-dimensional formed part, heating the three-dimensional formed part to at least one pre-ageing temperature between 50-250° C., and subjecting the formed and pre-aged motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle.

Abstract: A method for producing a joint in at least two overlapping metal work pieces using a joining tool to obtain a mechanical joint between the overlapping work pieces, in particular joining by mechanical folding or pressure joining At least one of the first work piece and second work piece is a sheet material made of an aluminum alloy of the AA7000-series. A heat-treatment is applied to at least the work piece of 7000-series sheet material within 120 minutes prior to the production of the joint and/or for at least part of the time during production of the joint to temporarily reduce the tensile strength in the joining area of at least the work piece of said 7000-series sheet material.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy rolled sheet product for forming into automotive body panels, and having a yield strength of more than 160 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle, and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and preferably 0.7 to 3.5 mm, and having a composition of, in wt. %: Zn 1.5 to 4.0, Mg 0.3 to 1.5, Cu 0 to 1.0, Ti 0 to 0.15, Fe 0 to 0.35, Si 0 to 0.5, other elements and unavoidable impurities, and balance aluminum. An automotive body part formed from such an aluminum sheet. A method of manufacturing an automotive body part. Also, the use of the aluminum alloy sheet product in such a method of manufacturing.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminium alloy automotive structural part or a body-in-white (BIW) part of a motor vehicle, including the steps of: providing a rolled aluminium alloy bare or composite sheet product having a gauge of about 0.5 mm to 4 mm, wherein the sheet product includes at least one layer an AA7xxx-series aluminium alloy, the sheet product having been subjected to solution heat treatment and quenching followed by at least 1 day of natural ageing; subjecting the naturally aged sheet product to reversion annealing treatment, namely a heat treatment at a temperature between 100° C. and 350° C. during 0.1 to 60 seconds; optionally subjecting the heated sheet product to forced cooling operation; within 2 hours, preferably within 30 minutes, from the reversion annealing treatment, forming the sheet product to obtain a three-dimensionally formed automotive structural part or body-in-white (BIW) part.

Abstract: A method for producing a joint in at least two overlapping metal work pieces using a joining tool to obtain a mechanical joint between the overlapping work pieces, in particular joining by mechanical folding or pressure joining At least one of the first work piece and second work piece is a sheet material made of an aluminum alloy of the AA7000-series. A heat-treatment is applied to at least the work piece of 7000-series sheet material within 120 minutes prior to the production of the joint and/or for at least part of the time during production of the joint to temporarily reduce the tensile strength in the joining area of at least the work piece of said 7000-series sheet material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminium alloy body-in-white (“BIW”) part of a motor vehicle, the BIW part having a yield strength of more than 500 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle. The method includes providing a rolled aluminium sheet product of an AlZnMgCu alloy and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm and subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) and quenched following SHT, and wherein the SHT and quenched aluminium sheet product has a substantially recrystallized microstructure, forming the aluminium alloy sheet to obtain a formed BIW part, assembling the formed BIW part with one or more other metal parts to form an assembly forming a motor vehicle component, subjecting the motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle, wherein the aluminium alloy sheet in the formed BIW part has a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminum alloy body-in-white (“BIW”) part of a motor vehicle, the BIW part having a yield strength of more than 500 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle. The method includes (a) providing a rolled aluminum sheet product of an AlZnMgCu alloy and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm and subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) and quenched following SHT, and wherein the SHT and quenched aluminum sheet product has a substantially recrystallized microstructure, (b) forming the aluminum alloy sheet to obtain a formed BIW part, (c) assembling the formed BIW part with one or more other metal parts to form an assembly forming a motor vehicle component, (d) subjecting the motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle, wherein the aluminum alloy sheet in the formed BIW part has a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.

Abstract: An aluminium alloy rolled sheet product for forming into automotive body panels, and having a yield strength of more than 160 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle, and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and preferably 0.7 to 3.5 mm, and having a composition of, in wt.%: Zn 1.5 to 4.0, Mg 0.3 to 1.5, Cu 0 to 1.0, Ti 0 to 0.15, Fe 0 to 0.35, Si 0 to 0.5, other elements and unavoidable impurities, and balance aluminium. An automotive body part formed from such an aluminium sheet. A method of manufacturing an automotive body part. Also, the use of the aluminium alloy sheet product in such a method of manufacturing.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminium alloy structural part or a body-in-white (BIW) part of a motor vehicle. The method includes: providing a rolled aluminium sheet product wherein the aluminium alloy is an AA7000-series aluminium alloy and has a gauge in a range of 0.5-4 mm and is subjected to a solution heat treatment and has been cooled, forming the aluminium alloy sheet to obtain a three-dimensional formed part, heating the three-dimensional formed part to at least one pre-ageing temperature between 50-250° C., and subjecting the formed and pre-aged motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminium alloy body-in-white (“BIW”) part of a motor vehicle, the BIW part having a yield strength of more than 500 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle. The method includes (a) providing a rolled aluminium sheet product of an AlZnMgCu alloy and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm and subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) and quenched following SHT, and wherein the SHT and quenched aluminium sheet product has a substantially recrystallized microstructure, (b) forming the aluminium alloy sheet to obtain a formed BIW part, (c) assembling the formed BIW part with one or more other metal parts to form an assembly forming a motor vehicle component, (d) subjecting the motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle, wherein the aluminium alloy sheet in the formed BIW part has a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.