Abstract: A method for improving the properties of an alloy is provided. The method includes steps of a) preparing a raw alloy to be worked, b) providing a working apparatus, and c) repetitively kneading the raw alloy in the working apparatus until a desired property is achieved. The present invention also provides the working apparatus and discloses the product produced thereby.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy substrate for an electrolytically grainable lithographic printing plate, consisting of an aluminum alloy cold-rolled sheet, produced by a continuous casting and rolling process, comprising 0.20 to 0.80 wt % of Fe with the balance consisting of aluminum, grain refining elements, and unavoidable impurities including 0.3 wt % or less of Si and 0.05 wt % or less of Cu, grains in a surface layer portion having a width of not more than 150 .mu.m in a direction parallel to the sheet surface and normal to the direction of cold rolling and a length, in a direction parallel to the direction of cold rolling, of not more than 8 times the width.

Abstract: A support for a planographic printing plate support in which variations in the quality of the material of the aluminum support are reduced to thereby improve the yield in an electrolytic graining treatment and which is excellent in susceptibility to graining, has no stripe irregularities, and excellent appearance, and a method for producing such a planographic printing plate. An aluminum plate material is formed through a twin-roller continuous casting apparatus and subjected to cold rolling. Successively, the plate is subjected to heat treatment so as to form a surface portion of a depth of at least 15 .mu.m in the thickness direction having no recrystallization in the surface layer. If necessary, the plate may be subjected to cold rolling again as final rolling. Thereafter, the plate is subjected to correction.

Abstract: An aluminum-alloy rolled sheet is cold preformed and then superplastically formed by: providing a composition which consists of from 2.0 to 8.0% of Mg, from 0.0001 to 0.01% of Be, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of from 0.3 to 2.5% of Mn, from 0.1 to 0.5% of Cr, from 0.1 to 0.5% of Zr, and from 0.1 to 0.5% of V, less than 0.2% of Fe as impurities, as well as aluminum and unavoidable impurities in balance; providing an unrecrystallized structure formed by annealing at a temperature of from 150.degree. to 240.degree. C. for 0.5 to 12 hours or at a temperature of from 250.degree. to 340.degree. C. for 0 to 5 minutes; providing draft of final cold-rolling amounting to 50% or more; and, providing 7% or more of elongation at normal temperature.

Abstract: A process for fabricating an aluminum alloy rolled sheet particularly suitable for use for an automotive body, the process comprising: (a) providing a body of an alloy comprising: about 0.8 to about 1.5 wt. % silicon, about 0.2 to about 0.65 wt. % magnesium, about 0.02 to about 0.1 wt. % copper, about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt. % manganese, about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt. % iron; and the balance being substantially aluminum and incidental elements and impurities; (b) working the body to produce a the sheet; (c) solution heat treating the sheet; and (d) rapidly quenching the sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the solution heat treat is preformed at a temperature greater than 860.degree. F. and the sheet is quenched by a water spray. The resulting sheet has an improved combination of formability, strength and corrosion resistance.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy useful for drawing and/or ironing, particularly of drink cans. The alloy consists essentially of, in weight percent, Fe<0.25; Si<0.25; Mn from 1.05 to 1.6; Mg from 0.7 to 2.5; Cu from 0.20 to 0.6; Cr from 0 to 0.35; Ti from 0 to 0.1; V from 0 to 0.1; other elements: each <0.05; total<0.15; and remainder Al.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy sheet for use in a body panel material, comprising: (a) casting a melted aluminum alloy containing Al, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ti and Zr, having a Mg content of 4 to 10 weight %, and having contents of Fe, Mn, Cr, Ti and Zr which are determined by a value f satisfying the following equation (I), and the balance being Al: 0.4 wt %.ltoreq.f.ltoreq.1.5 wt % (I), wherein, f=(Fe)+1.1 (Mn)+1.1 (Cr)+3 (Ti)+3 (Zr), wherein (Fe), (Mn), (Cr), (Ti), and (Zr) respectively represent the percentage content by weight of Fe, Mn, Cr, Ti and Zr, to form an ingot; (b) hot rolling the ingot to obtain a hot rolled sheet; (c) cold rolling the hot rolled sheet at a cold reduction R satisfying the following equation (II): -log(f-0.2)+8.ltoreq.R.ltoreq.-60 log (f-0.2)+50 (II) to obtain a cold rolled sheet; (d) subjecting the cold rolled sheet to a final annealing treatment including raising the temperature of the rolled sheet to 450.degree. to 550.degree. C. at a rate of 100.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for producing an aluminum alloy in the form of mass includes: preparing as a material to be formed a mixed powder of aluminum and at least one kind of metal or non-metallic substance selected from the elements belonging to Groups 4a, 4b, 5a, 6a, 7a and 8a of the periodic table and boron, or a compact or a cast material formed of the mixed powder; placing the material to be formed in a die, and performing plastic deformation repeatedly on the material to be formed at 100.degree. to 400.degree. in an inert atmosphere while retaining at least part of the material to be formed in a confined state, so as to cause diffusion reaction between phases constituting the material to be formed, thereby forming the quasi-stable phase composed mainly of amorphous phases and/or supersaturated solid solution phases.

Abstract: A method of treating a blank of an aluminium base alloy comprising a combination of heat treatments and cold forming operations to produce a highly recovered semi-fabricated wrought product that is not statically recrystallized and that is inherently non-superplastic and is capable of superplastic deformation only after an initial non-superplastic deformation to achieve dynamic recrystallization.

Abstract: A method of producing aluminum alloy sheet product includes casting a slab, homogenizing the cast slab, and hot rolling the homogenized slab to provide an intermediate gauge product. The temperature and other operating parameters of the hot rolling process are controlled so that the temperature of the intermediate gauge product exiting the hot rolling step is between about 500.degree. F. and 650.degree. F. Preferably, the temperature does not exceed 575.degree. F. The intermediate gauge product is then subjected to a cold reduction of 45% to 70%, annealed, and cold rolled to final gauge. The combination of controlling the hot rolling to provide a desired exit temperature of the intermediate gauge product and annealing prior to cold rolling to final gauge minimizes or eliminates the appearance of ridging or roping line defects in the aluminum sheet product when subjected to further straining in a forming or stamping operation.

Abstract: A method for making aluminum foil comprises providing an aluminum-based alloy composition consisting essentially of about 0.05 to 0.20 weight percent silicon, about 0.02 to 0.50 weight percent iron, about 0.05 to 0.30 weight percent copper and balance aluminum and inevitable impurities and grain refining elements, wherein the ratio of iron to silicon ranges between about 2:1 and 4:1. The aluminum-alloy composition is continuously cast using a unitary and chilled casting wheel to form a cast strip product of desired width and gauge. The cast strip product is then homogenized, cold rolled and recrystallized annealed into an aluminum foil product. The aluminum-based alloy composition produces a single roll cast product having minimum microshrinkage porosity on the air surface thereof. Reducing or eliminating the microshrinkage porosity in the cast product results in an aluminum foil product having a minimum of pinholes in the final foil product.

Abstract: A method of producing a support for a planographic printing plate, which reduces the scattering in the material of the aluminum support, improves the yield of the electrolytic surface graining treatment, and is able to produce lithographic printing plates having superior surface graining aptitude. Aluminum material with a width of 1000 mm and a thickness of 6 mm is formed in the continuous casting twin-roller thin plate device. It is then cold rolled to a plate thickness of 3 mm, and after conducting annealing at 400.degree. C., cold rolling (including correction) is further conducted to bring it to 0.3 mm and form the samples. The temperature distribution of the molten metal at the outlet of the molten metal supply nozzle is kept within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A support for a planographic printing plate support in which variations in the quality of the material of the aluminum support are reduced to thereby improve the yield in an electrolytic graining treatment and which is excellent in susceptibility to graining, has no stripe irregularities, and excellent appearance, and a method for producing such a planographic printing plate. An aluminum plate material is formed through a twin-roller continuous casting apparatus and subjected to cold rolling. Successively, the plate is subjected to heat treatment so as to form a surface portion of a depth of at least 15 .mu.m in the thickness direction having no recrystallization in the surface layer. If necessary, the plate may be subjected to cold rolling again as final rolling. Thereafter, the plate is subjected to correction.

Abstract: A thermo mechanical treatment method for providing super-plasticity to Al--Li alloy being a kind of light and high strength alloys. The thermo mechanical treatment method according the invention comprises steps of, homogenizing Al--Li alloy consisting of Al--Cu--Li--Mg--Zr at a temperature of 500.degree.-500.degree. C. for 10-30 hours, and controlled rolling the alloy at a temperature of 300.degree.-500.degree. C., a rolling speed of 2-20 m/min and a draft percentage per pass of 2-18%. The thermo mechanical treatment of the invention has a wide industrially applicable range and thus an excellent operation efficiency. The thermo mechanical treatment exhibits excellent super-plasticity at a higher strain speed as compared with known treatments.

Abstract: There is claimed an aluminum alloy sheet product having a composition consisting essentially of: about 1.35-1.6 wt. % iron; about 0.3-0.6 wt. % manganese; about 0.1-0.4 (and preferably about 0.22-0.4) wt. % copper; about 0.05-0.1 wt. % titanium; about 0.01-0.02 wt. % boron; up to about: 0.2 wt. % silicon, 0.02 wt. % chromium, 0.005 wt. % magnesium and 0.05 wt. % zinc; and a balance of aluminum, incidental elements and impurities. This composition is cast to an initial thickness greater than about 3 mm (0.12 inch). The end product exhibits improved strength and surface properties through a manufacturing process which includes: heat treating at one or more temperatures above about 450.degree. C. (842.degree. F.), and preferably below about 500.degree. C. (932.degree. F.); before rolling to final gauge. When cold rolled to various thicknesses, this sheet product exhibits ultimate tensile strength values ranging from 11-15 kg/mm.sup.2 for thin and intermediate gauge products, to about 27-30 kg/mm.sup.2 (38.4-42.

Abstract: This invention relates to aluminium alloys containing lithium which are particularly suitable for aerospace construction in that they possess improved cold rolling characteristics optionally with improved damage tolerance. A method of producing sheet or strip material is described which comprises the steps of: (a) providing, in a condition suitable for hot rolling, a billet of an alloy of the composition in weight percent: lithium 1.9 to 2.6; magnesium 0.4 to 1.4; copper 1.0 to 2,2; manganese 9 to 0.09; zirconium 0 to 0.25; at least one other grain-controlling element 0 to 0.5; nickel 0 to 0.5; zinc 0 to 0.

Abstract: A method of producing aluminum can sheet having high strength and low earing characteristics comprises providing an aluminum alloy ingot and then hot rolling the ingot in a single-stand hot reversing mill to produce a first intermediate gauge sheet. The first intermediate gauge sheet is then cold rolled to produce a second intermediate gauge sheet. This second intermediate gauge sheet is passed through a heat source as a single web so that the second intermediate gauge sheet is continuously annealed. After heating, the second intermediate gauge sheet is quenched and coiled again. Finally, the coiled second intermediate gauge sheet is cold rolled again to produce the final gauge aluminum can sheet having high strength and low earing characteristics.

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: An aluminum alloy member is heated to 470.degree.-550.degree. C., and is quenched to room temperature for hardening. Then the aluminum alloy member is heated to 160.degree.-220.degree. C., and is cooled, which is carried out in a cooling process of a tempering treatment. As the aluminum alloy member is in a softening state in the cooling process, plastic working such as shot peening treatment is performed on the surface of the aluminum alloy member. Thereafter, the temperature of the aluminum alloy member falls to room temperature. In this way, it is possible to generate a great amount of compression residual stress in the aluminum alloy member, without performing a severe plastic working treatment on the surface thereof. Since the present invention requires no severe plastic working treatments on the surface of the aluminum alloy member, this causes no severe surface roughness thereon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving aluminum alloy plate product properties by delaying final stretching of the plate product. During processing of the product, a time interval or intentional delay is provided between the final cold rolling step and the final stretching step. By delaying the final stretching procedure, an aluminum alloy plate product is provided with an improved fracture toughness without significant decrease in strength values. The method of intentionally delaying final stretching is particularly adapted for 2000 series aluminum alloys.

Abstract: A method of improving strength in aluminum alloys. The method involves solution heat treating an aluminum alloy product, quenching the alloy product, warm working the alloy product without a pre-aging step, and aging the alloy product at 250.degree.-400.degree. F. (121.degree.-204.degree. C.). The method may be used on forgings, to impart T8-type hardness to alloys that previously could only obtain such hardness levels in non-forging applications, such as by using stretch/cold working techniques.