Abstract: A process of producing an aluminum alloy sheet product suitable for forming into automotive parts and exhibiting reduced roping effects. The process involves producing an aluminum alloy sheet product by direct chill casting an aluminum alloy to form a cast ingot, homogenizing the ingot, hot rolling the ingot to form and intermediate gauge product, cold rolling the intermediate gauge product to form a product of final gauge, and subjecting the final gauge product to a solutionizing treatment by heating the product to a solutionizing temperature, followed by a pre-aging step involving cooling the product to a coiling temperature above 50.degree. C., coiling the cooled product at the coiling temperature, and cooling the coiled final gauge product from the coiling temperature above 50.degree. C. to ambient temperature at a rate less than about 10.degree. C. per hour to improve T8X temper characteristics of the product.

Abstract: A process of producing solution heat treated aluminum alloy sheet material comprises subjecting hot- or cold-rolled aluminum alloy sheet to solution heat treatment followed by quenching and, before substantial age hardening has taken place, subjecting the alloy sheet material to one or more subsequent heat treatments involving heating the material to a peak temperature in the range of 100.degree. to 300.degree. C. (preferably 130.degree.-270.degree. C.), holding the material at the peak temperature for a period of time less than about 1 minute, and cooling the alloy from the peak temperature to a temperature of 85.degree. C. or less. The sheet material treated in this way can by used for automotive panels and has good a good "paint bake response", i.e. an increase in yield strength from the T4 temper to the T8X temper upon painting and baking of the panels.

Abstract: An alloy of aluminum containing magnesium, silicon and optionally copper in amounts in percent by weight falling within one of the following ranges:(1) 0.4.ltoreq.Mg.ltoreq.0.8, 0.2.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.0.5, 0.3.ltoreq.Cu.ltoreq.3.5;(2) 0.8.ltoreq.Mg.ltoreq.1.4, 0.2.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.0.5, Cu.ltoreq.2.5; and(3) 0.4.ltoreq.Mg.ltoreq.1.0, 0.2.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.1.4, Cu.ltoreq.2.0; said alloyhaving been formed into a sheet having properties suitable for automotive applications. The alloy may also contain at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of Fe in an amount of 0.4 percent by weight or less, Mn in an amount of 0.4 percent by weight or less, Zn in an amount of 0.3 percent by weight or less and a small amount of at least one other element, such as Cr, Ti, Zr and V.

Abstract: The invention provides an aluminum alloy material consisting essentially of, by weight percent, 1% to 1.8% Cu, 0.8% to 1.4% Mg, 0.2% to 0.39% Si, 0.5% to 0.4% Fe, 0.05% to 0.40% Mn, with the balance aluminum with normal impurities. The alloy forms two precipitation phases during heat treatment and age hardening: a beta phase of Mg.sub.2 Si and an S' phase of Al.sub.2 CuMg. The alloy has improved formability without significant sacrifice of strength, and is particularly suited to be formed into automobile sheet metal parts such as hood lids, trunks lids, and fenders.

Abstract: A process is described for producing a corrosion resistant aluminum composite sheet product for use in brazing. The process steps comprise:(a) casting an aluminum-base core material containing no more than 0.4% iron, no more than 0.15% silicon, from about 0.1% to about 0.6% copper and from about 0.7% to about 1.5% manganese,(b) cladding the as-cast core material with an aluminum-base brazing alloy, with hot rolling to form a sheet product, and(c) directly cold rolling the sheet product to final gauge. When this product is subjected to a brazing heat cycle, a band of dense precipitate is formed in the core alloy immediately adjacent the cladding which protects the core against corrosion.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant aluminum article is described. It includes a main body portion formed of an aluminum alloy containing no more than 0.4% iron, no more than 0.15% silicon, from about 0.1% to about 0.6% copper and from about 0.7% to about 1.5% manganese. The corrosion resistance is provided by a silicon-rich band of dense precipitate formed in the alloy adjacent at least one face thereof. This band has a thickness of about 20-50 .mu.m and there is substantially less manganese in solid solution in the band than in the alloy outside the band. To form the band, a silicon-containing layer is applied to a surface of the alloy body to be protected and the composite thus formed is heat treated at a temperature of at least 550.degree. C.