US20030056362A1 - Process for producing thick sheet from direct chill cast cold rolled aluminum alloy - Google Patents
Process for producing thick sheet from direct chill cast cold rolled aluminum alloy Download PDFInfo
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- US20030056362A1 US20030056362A1 US09/957,852 US95785201A US2003056362A1 US 20030056362 A1 US20030056362 A1 US 20030056362A1 US 95785201 A US95785201 A US 95785201A US 2003056362 A1 US2003056362 A1 US 2003056362A1
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- sheet
- aluminum alloy
- ingot
- cold rolled
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- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 33
- 229910000838 Al alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims abstract description 17
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 238000005266 casting Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 238000005097 cold rolling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 238000005098 hot rolling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 229910052749 magnesium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 9
- 229910052748 manganese Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 8
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 claims description 8
- 238000000137 annealing Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 5
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000007669 thermal treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052804 chromium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000003973 paint Substances 0.000 abstract description 3
- 239000011777 magnesium Substances 0.000 description 6
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 5
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000011572 manganese Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000004593 Epoxy Substances 0.000 description 2
- FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Magnesium Chemical compound [Mg] FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 description 2
- -1 aluminum-manganese Chemical compound 0.000 description 2
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009749 continuous casting Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910001148 Al-Li alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910000861 Mg alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000914 Mn alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000676 Si alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 1
- SNAAJJQQZSMGQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminum magnesium Chemical compound [Mg].[Al] SNAAJJQQZSMGQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002826 coolant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000110 cooling liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000945 filler Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000001989 lithium alloy Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003754 machining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000002739 metals Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000003801 milling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003908 quality control method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007858 starting material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009966 trimming Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
- B21B3/00—Rolling materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special rolling methods or sequences ; Rolling of aluminium, copper, zinc or other non-ferrous metals
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
- B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
- B21B1/38—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling sheets of limited length, e.g. folded sheets, superimposed sheets, pack rolling
- B21B2001/383—Cladded or coated products
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
- B21B3/00—Rolling materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special rolling methods or sequences ; Rolling of aluminium, copper, zinc or other non-ferrous metals
- B21B2003/001—Aluminium or its alloys
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
- B21B15/00—Arrangements for performing additional metal-working operations specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills
- B21B15/0007—Cutting or shearing the product
- B21B2015/0021—Cutting or shearing the product in the rolling direction
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
- B21B45/00—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills
- B21B45/02—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills for lubricating, cooling, or cleaning
- B21B45/0203—Cooling
- B21B45/0209—Cooling devices, e.g. using gaseous coolants
- B21B2045/0212—Cooling devices, e.g. using gaseous coolants using gaseous coolants
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
- B21B45/00—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/4998—Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
- Y10T29/49988—Metal casting
- Y10T29/49991—Combined with rolling
Definitions
- the present invention relates to producing thick sheet from direct chill cast aluminum alloy using major cold rolling reductions which are effective to eliminate any furnace annealing step.
- stabilizing low temperature thermal treatment designed to prevent age-softening in certain strain hardened aluminum alloys containing magnesium.
- the ingot is cast by well known direct chill casting.
- Additional steps can include tension leveling, that is, a process designed to level, or mechanically flatten, by continuously stretching uniaxially with the assistance of bending, and trimming the edges of the sheet to a desired width and coating the sheet preferably both sides with paint or the like protective material.
- tension leveling that is, a process designed to level, or mechanically flatten, by continuously stretching uniaxially with the assistance of bending, and trimming the edges of the sheet to a desired width and coating the sheet preferably both sides with paint or the like protective material.
- the heat generated from the tandem cold rolling reductions, preferably two passes, is sufficient to stabilize the aluminum sheet without having to anneal it in a furnace, adding greatly to energy savings.
- This cold reduction of thick sheet is essential to the process.
- the sheet produced is thick sheet 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm, useful for example for truck trailer sheet rather than for example cans and the like which require a sheet thickness of less than about 0.5 mm.
- truck trailer sheet skin sheet on the trailers of tractor trailers and other van-type mobile carriers as a trailer or truck.
- the sheet in this process is of such a gauge that the thickness of the hot milled coil and the passes on the cold mill do not require an intermediate anneal.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of the method of this invention.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram detailing the cold rolling steps.
- molten aluminum metal 10 which can be melted aluminum scrap which has been magnetically separated, for example to remove iron and steel contaminants, at about 716° C. (1,320° F.) is passed through a casting device 12 , preferably a direct chill casting apparatus or machine, to provide an aluminum ingot.
- Suitable alloys for the practice of the present invention include aluminum-manganese alloys of the AA 3,000 series; aluminum-magnesium alloys of the AA 5,000; and aluminum-magnesium-silicon alloys of the AA 6,000 series.
- the aluminum ingot is 3004 aluminum alloy which contains about 0.8-1.3% Mg, 1.0-1.5% Mn, 0.7% Fe and 0.3% Si, 0.25% Cu, 0.25% Zn, up to 0.15% others and remainder Al; or 5052 aluminum alloy which contains about 2.2-2.8% Mg, 0.1% Mn, 0.4% Fe, 0.25% Si, 0.1% Cu, 0.15-0.35% Cr, 0 . 1 % Zn, up to 0.15% others and remainder Al. Any aluminum alloy containing at least 95.75% Al and at least 0.1% Mn and 2.2% Mg; or at least 95.55% Al and at least 1.0% Mn and 0.8% Mg is useful.
- the preferred direct chill (D.C.) casting of ingot is well known in the art and, for example, can be any of those processes described in the Jacoby et al. patents previously mentioned, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,740, herein incorporated by reference; although the Jacoby patent deals with the DC casting of Al—Li alloys and uses a hydrocarbon coolant with minimal water (moisture) content, whereas our preferred process for DC casting utilizes water as the primary component with some additives.
- the ingot is then cooled 15 by natural convection or a fan to ambient temperatures to allow the optional “scalping” of the surface in step 14 .
- This is a process in which at least two opposing faces of the ingot are machined. The removal of the material may be necessary to produce a smooth rolling surface and to remove the liquation zone from the surface left from the casting operation. In some cases this scalping step may be eliminated if unusually smooth surfaces result from the casting.
- the prepared ingot heated 16 to a hot rolling temperature, about 38° C. (1,000° F.) and passed through hot rolls 18 to provide the thick sheet desired, about 3.2 to 5.8 mm. As shown in FIGS.
- the sheet is then coiled into a coil 20 from about 1 to 2.7 meters in diameter and cooled via natural convection or forced air, with no water.
- the cooling 21 is to above ambient temperature, preferably 54° C. to 60° C. (129° F. to 140° F.). This cooling step 21 (shown by arrows in FIG. 2) before uncoiling for cold milling in step 22 and step 24 is critical.
- the sheet 32 having a minimum thickness of about 2.5 mm is cold rolled at least once in step 22 , and optionally twice or more as in step(s) 24 to a maximum thickness of about 1.5 mm. Also, the final cold rolled sheet is finally cooled in step 25 .
- the minimum reduction is from 2.5 mm to 1.5 mm or 40% with a maximum reduction of from 5.8 mm to 0.9 mm or 84%.
- the use of thick sheet 32 cooled to a maximum temperature of 60° C. coupled with dramatic 40% to 84% cold reduction to a minimum exit temperature of 120° C., providing at least a temperature increase of 60° C., and up to 110° C. (50° C.
- the term “stabilize” as used herein is defined as a low temperature thermal treatment designed to prevent age-softening in strain hardened aluminum alloys containing magnesium.
- the finally reduced sheet 34 is then wrapped into a suitably sized coil 36 and cooled, to less than, preferably, 54° C.
- the sheet is tension leveled, that is, a process designed to level, or mechanically flatten, by continuously stretching uniaxially with the assistance of bending, and then trimmed in step 28 .
- the sheet can be finally coated in step 30 with a paint, epoxy or other resin with or without filler particles and baked to cure, then usually rolled into a coated coil for shipment.
- the alloy contained at least 95.75% aluminum.
- the molten aluminum alloy was then cast using a direct chill caster (Wagstaff caster), into ingots measuring from 760 cm (300 inches) in length, 56 cm (22 inches thick), and 137 cm (54 inches) wide. Once cast, the ingots were then allowed to cool to ambient temperatures, about 22° C.
- the ingots were prepared for hot rolling by scalping two opposing surfaces for a smooth surface from about 56 to 51 cm (22 inches to 20 inches).
- the scalping operation was simply a machining operation designed to remove rough surface from the ingot.
- Some direct chill casting offer surfaces that are smooth enough to skip this step.
- the scalped ingots were then loaded into a furnace and heated to about 540° C. (1000° F.). Once the ingot had been allowed enough time to fully come to temperature, the ingot was then presented to the hot mill. The ingot was then passed through the hot mill, (Davy 4 high reversing hot mill.) The ingot was subjected to 21 passes. Once at final gauge of 4.06 cm (0.160 inches), the coil was removed from the mill to allow for further processing of ingots. The coil exits the hot mill from 290° C. to 345° C. (550° F. to 650° F.). Once in coil form, the coil was then cooled. The cooling was then supplemented by fan to decrease the time required for natural convection cooling in air to any temperature below 60° C. (140° F.). This is an internal quality control temperature to prevent scratches at the cold mill operation down stream.
- the coil was transferred to the cold mill (a single stand nonreversing Davy).
- the cold mill in the second pass reduced the thickness further to about 1.2 mm (0.0475 inches) with a temperature of about 150° C. (300° F.).
- the coil was subjected to further operations to meet customer specifications.
- the coil was trimmed to 124.5 cm (49 inches) wide and leveled to a particular flatness and coil-set.
- the coil was coated with a top and bottom coat.
- the coating was an epoxy with a certain color and hardness specification that is applied to the coil via roll coater and exposed to heat for cure before being packaged for shipment to the customer.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to producing thick sheet from direct chill cast aluminum alloy using major cold rolling reductions which are effective to eliminate any furnace annealing step.
- Continuous casting of aluminum is well known and taught for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,106,429; 5,329,688; 5,356,495; 5,634,991; and 5,993,573 (McAuliffe et al.; Arvedi et al.; Wyatt-Maer et al.; Kamat; and Selepark et al., respectively). Most of these processes require some sort of an intermediate annealing process. Direct chill casting of aluminum is also well known and taught for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,582,118; 4,610,295; 4,709,740; 4,724,887 (all Jacoby et al.) and 4,282,044 (Robertson et al.), as well as Kent R. Van Horn,Aluminum Vol. 3 “Fabrication and Finishing” Amer. Soc. For Metals, 1967, pp 18-20 and 40-43; and E. Herrmann et al. Handbook on Continuous Casting, Alcominimum-Verlag, 1980, pp. 1-6. Most of the processes also use various hot rolling and cold rolling processes to produce final sheet, for example, Seidel, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,384 B1 provides an additional hot roll between the end of a cooling section and coiling and Sivilotti et al. applies cooling liquid only to the lower surface of continuously moving metal strip.
- Of all the steps in fabricating thin or thick metal sheet, the thermal treatment or annealing steps are extremely energy intensive. In today's energy crisis there is a need to reduce consumption of natural gas or electricity (or other energy sources) needed to heat the metal, during strip fabrication, to a temperature sufficient for stabilizing the metal.
- It is one of the main objects of this invention to provide an energy efficient strip fabrication process. It is another object of this invention to eliminate the need for any furnace annealing, thereby saving energy, especially for thicker strip fabrication such as used for truck trailer skins and the like where thickness of from about 1 to 1.5 mm is required.
- These and other objects are solved by providing a process for producing thick aluminum sheet consisting of: casting an aluminum alloy ingot; and then cooling and optionally scalping the ingot to provide a smooth surface suitable for hot rolling; and then heating the ingot to from 500° C. to 600° C. (930° F. to 1110° F.); and then hot rolling the ingot into a coilable sheet having a thickness of from 3.2 mm to 5.8 mm; and then wrapping the hot sheet into a coil; and then cooling the coiled sheet to less than 60° C., preferably; and then cold rolling the cooled sheet from the coil between two opposing rolls to reduce the thickness to from 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm and to provide sheet with a temperature of from 120° C. to 160° C. (250° F.-320° F.), where sufficient heat is generated during the cold rolling, to stabilize the aluminum sheet; and then wrapping the reduced sheet into a coil; and then cooling the coiled sheet, preferably, to ambient temperature. This process can use aluminum scrap as a starting material. By “stabilizing” is meant low temperature thermal treatment designed to prevent age-softening in certain strain hardened aluminum alloys containing magnesium. Preferably, the ingot is cast by well known direct chill casting.
- Additional steps can include tension leveling, that is, a process designed to level, or mechanically flatten, by continuously stretching uniaxially with the assistance of bending, and trimming the edges of the sheet to a desired width and coating the sheet preferably both sides with paint or the like protective material. The heat generated from the tandem cold rolling reductions, preferably two passes, is sufficient to stabilize the aluminum sheet without having to anneal it in a furnace, adding greatly to energy savings. This cold reduction of thick sheet is essential to the process. The sheet produced is thick sheet 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm, useful for example for truck trailer sheet rather than for example cans and the like which require a sheet thickness of less than about 0.5 mm. By truck trailer sheet is meant skin sheet on the trailers of tractor trailers and other van-type mobile carriers as a trailer or truck. The sheet in this process is of such a gauge that the thickness of the hot milled coil and the passes on the cold mill do not require an intermediate anneal.
- Other aspects and advantages of the invention will occur to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description.
- For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the following non-binding figures in which:
- FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of the method of this invention; and
- FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram detailing the cold rolling steps.
- Referring now to FIG. 1,
molten aluminum metal 10, which can be melted aluminum scrap which has been magnetically separated, for example to remove iron and steel contaminants, at about 716° C. (1,320° F.), is passed through acasting device 12, preferably a direct chill casting apparatus or machine, to provide an aluminum ingot. Suitable alloys for the practice of the present invention include aluminum-manganese alloys of the AA 3,000 series; aluminum-magnesium alloys of the AA 5,000; and aluminum-magnesium-silicon alloys of the AA 6,000 series. Preferably the aluminum ingot is 3004 aluminum alloy which contains about 0.8-1.3% Mg, 1.0-1.5% Mn, 0.7% Fe and 0.3% Si, 0.25% Cu, 0.25% Zn, up to 0.15% others and remainder Al; or 5052 aluminum alloy which contains about 2.2-2.8% Mg, 0.1% Mn, 0.4% Fe, 0.25% Si, 0.1% Cu, 0.15-0.35% Cr, 0.1% Zn, up to 0.15% others and remainder Al. Any aluminum alloy containing at least 95.75% Al and at least 0.1% Mn and 2.2% Mg; or at least 95.55% Al and at least 1.0% Mn and 0.8% Mg is useful. The preferred direct chill (D.C.) casting of ingot is well known in the art and, for example, can be any of those processes described in the Jacoby et al. patents previously mentioned, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,740, herein incorporated by reference; although the Jacoby patent deals with the DC casting of Al—Li alloys and uses a hydrocarbon coolant with minimal water (moisture) content, whereas our preferred process for DC casting utilizes water as the primary component with some additives. - The ingot is then cooled15 by natural convection or a fan to ambient temperatures to allow the optional “scalping” of the surface in
step 14. This is a process in which at least two opposing faces of the ingot are machined. The removal of the material may be necessary to produce a smooth rolling surface and to remove the liquation zone from the surface left from the casting operation. In some cases this scalping step may be eliminated if unusually smooth surfaces result from the casting. Next, the prepared ingot heated 16 to a hot rolling temperature, about 38° C. (1,000° F.) and passed throughhot rolls 18 to provide the thick sheet desired, about 3.2 to 5.8 mm. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet is then coiled into acoil 20 from about 1 to 2.7 meters in diameter and cooled via natural convection or forced air, with no water. Thecooling 21 is to above ambient temperature, preferably 54° C. to 60° C. (129° F. to 140° F.). This cooling step 21 (shown by arrows in FIG. 2) before uncoiling for cold milling instep 22 andstep 24 is critical. - After cooling, the
sheet 32 having a minimum thickness of about 2.5 mm is cold rolled at least once instep 22, and optionally twice or more as in step(s) 24 to a maximum thickness of about 1.5 mm. Also, the final cold rolled sheet is finally cooled instep 25. The minimum reduction is from 2.5 mm to 1.5 mm or 40% with a maximum reduction of from 5.8 mm to 0.9 mm or 84%. Very importantly, the use ofthick sheet 32 cooled to a maximum temperature of 60° C. coupled with dramatic 40% to 84% cold reduction to a minimum exit temperature of 120° C., providing at least a temperature increase of 60° C., and up to 110° C. (50° C. to 160° C.) in a short time span of about less than 30 minutes, generates sufficient heat to stabilize the aluminum/aluminum alloy sheet without furnace or other type annealing. As previously described the term “stabilize” as used herein is defined as a low temperature thermal treatment designed to prevent age-softening in strain hardened aluminum alloys containing magnesium. The finally reducedsheet 34 is then wrapped into a suitably sizedcoil 36 and cooled, to less than, preferably, 54° C. Inoptional step 26 the sheet is tension leveled, that is, a process designed to level, or mechanically flatten, by continuously stretching uniaxially with the assistance of bending, and then trimmed instep 28. If desired, the sheet can be finally coated instep 30 with a paint, epoxy or other resin with or without filler particles and baked to cure, then usually rolled into a coated coil for shipment. - The following example is presented to help illustrate the invention, and should not be considered in any way limiting.
- Aluminum stock, primary and scrap, was melted and alloyed. The alloy contained at least 95.75% aluminum. The molten aluminum alloy was then cast using a direct chill caster (Wagstaff caster), into ingots measuring from 760 cm (300 inches) in length, 56 cm (22 inches thick), and 137 cm (54 inches) wide. Once cast, the ingots were then allowed to cool to ambient temperatures, about 22° C.
- The ingots were prepared for hot rolling by scalping two opposing surfaces for a smooth surface from about 56 to 51 cm (22 inches to 20 inches). The scalping operation was simply a machining operation designed to remove rough surface from the ingot. Some direct chill casting offer surfaces that are smooth enough to skip this step.
- The scalped ingots were then loaded into a furnace and heated to about 540° C. (1000° F.). Once the ingot had been allowed enough time to fully come to temperature, the ingot was then presented to the hot mill. The ingot was then passed through the hot mill, (Davy 4 high reversing hot mill.) The ingot was subjected to 21 passes. Once at final gauge of 4.06 cm (0.160 inches), the coil was removed from the mill to allow for further processing of ingots. The coil exits the hot mill from 290° C. to 345° C. (550° F. to 650° F.). Once in coil form, the coil was then cooled. The cooling was then supplemented by fan to decrease the time required for natural convection cooling in air to any temperature below 60° C. (140° F.). This is an internal quality control temperature to prevent scratches at the cold mill operation down stream.
- Once cool, the coil was transferred to the cold mill (a single stand nonreversing Davy). The cold mill, in the second pass reduced the thickness further to about 1.2 mm (0.0475 inches) with a temperature of about 150° C. (300° F.).
- Once cool, the coil was subjected to further operations to meet customer specifications. The coil was trimmed to 124.5 cm (49 inches) wide and leveled to a particular flatness and coil-set. After the level/trim operation, the coil was coated with a top and bottom coat. The coating was an epoxy with a certain color and hardness specification that is applied to the coil via roll coater and exposed to heat for cure before being packaged for shipment to the customer.
- This process met all expectations and provided excellent results without using an annealing step, thus saving time and costs as well as reducing energy requirements. The process essentially followed the process set forth in FIGS. 1 and 2.
- The present invention may be modified in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and accordingly reference should be made to both the appended claims and the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.
Claims (13)
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US09/957,852 US6543122B1 (en) | 2001-09-21 | 2001-09-21 | Process for producing thick sheet from direct chill cast cold rolled aluminum alloy |
PCT/US2002/028261 WO2003026812A1 (en) | 2001-09-21 | 2002-09-05 | Process for producing thick sheet from direct chill cast cold rolled aluminum alloy |
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2002
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