Abstract: Nowadays, the production of metallic parts, namely sheet metal, with high strength and formability, represents a big challenge for automotive, aerospace and assembling industries. The present invention deals with a new plastic deformation process that allows, by controlling the strain path change, the production of sheet metals with a grain size of 1-2 micron and, consequently, with a yield stress 3-4 times than the ones obtained with conventional processes, keeping the same formability. The process is easy for industrialization and its optimization requires only two fundamental parameters that characterize the ratio of thickness reduction, shear strain and amplitude in the change of strain path.

Abstract: An Al—Mg based alloy sheet product in which the crystallographic texture exhibits a ratio of the volume fraction of grains in the S orientation {123}<634> to the volume fraction of grains in the CUBE orientation {100}<001> (S/Cube) being 1 or more, and is comprised of grains with a volume fraction of about 10% or less in the GOSS orientation {110}<001>, wherein the grain size is in a range of about 20 to 100 &mgr;m demonstrates good formability.

Abstract: By careful control of composition and processing, Al—Mg based alloy sheets with preferred grain sizes and crystallographic textures that result in good press formability are disclosed. The Al—Mg alloy preferably contains 2-6 wt % Mg, and at least 0.03 wt % of at least one element selected from Fe, Mn, Cr, Zr, and Cu. The crystallographic texture is comprised of grains with a volume fraction in a range of about 30-50% in the CUBE orientation {100}<001>, and a volume fraction in a range of about 10 to 20% in the BRASS orientation {110}<112>, wherein the grain size is within a range of about 50 to 100 &mgr;m.

Abstract: By careful control of composition and processing, Al--Mg based alloy sheets with preferred grain sizes and crystallographic textures that result in good press formability are disclosed. The Al--Mg alloy preferably contains 2-6 wt % Mg, and at least 0.03 wt % of at least one element selected from Fe, Mn, Cr, Zr, and Cu. The crystallographic texture is comprised of grains with a volume fraction in a range of about 5% to 20% in the CUBE orientation {100} <001>, a volume fraction in a range of about 1% to 5% in the GOSS orientation {110} <001>, a volume fraction in a range of about 1% to 10% in each of the BRASS orientation {110} <112>, S orientation {123} <634>, and COPPER orientation {112} <111>, wherein the grain size is in a range of about 20 to 70 .mu.m.