New 3xx aluminum casting alloys are disclosed. The aluminum casting alloys generally include from 6.5 to 11.0 wt. % Si, from 0.20 to 0.80 wt. % Mg, from 0.05 to 0.50 wt. % Cu, from 0.10 to 0.80 wt. % Mn, from 0.005 to 0.05 wt. % Sr, up to 0.25 wt. % Ti, up to 0.30 wt. % Fe, and up to 0.20 wt. % Zn, the balance being aluminum and impurities.

New 3xx aluminum casting alloys are disclosed. The aluminum casting alloys generally include from 6.5 to 11.0 wt. % Si, from 0.20 to 0.80 wt. % Mg, from 0.05 to 0.50 wt. % Cu, from 0.10 to 0.80 wt. % Mn, from 0.005 to 0.05 wt. % Sr, up to 0.25 wt. % Ti, up to 0.30 wt. % Fe, and up to 0.20 wt. % Zn, the balance being aluminum and impurities.

An Al-based bearing alloy and a slide bearing incorporating the alloy exhibit high corrosion resistance and maintain high strength for a long period of time even in a high temperature environment. The Al-based bearing alloy and slide bearing includes an Al matrix, and acicular compounds which are needle-shaped that precipitate at a plurality of sites in a structure of the Al matrix, and that have a minor diameter and a major diameter.

An Al-based bearing alloy and a slide bearing incorporating the alloy exhibit high corrosion resistance and maintain high strength for a long period of time even in a high temperature environment. The Al-based bearing alloy and slide bearing includes an Al matrix, and acicular compounds which are needle-shaped that precipitate at a plurality of sites in a structure of the Al matrix, and that have a minor diameter and a major diameter.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet used for brazing of an aluminum material in an inert gas atmosphere or in vacuum is formed of a two-layer material in which a brazing material and a core material are stacked. The core material is formed of an aluminum alloy and has a grain size of 20 to 300 μm, and the aluminum alloy contains Mn of 0.50 to 2.00 mass %, Mg of 0.40 to 2.00 mass %. Si of 1.50 mass % or less, Fe of 1.00 mass % or less, and Ti of 0.10 to 0.30 mass %, with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The brazing material is formed of an aluminum alloy containing Si of 4.00 to 13.00 mass % with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. In a drop-type fluidity test, a ratio α (α=K.sub.a/K.sub.b) of a fluid coefficient K.sub.a is 0.50 or more.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet used for brazing of an aluminum material in an inert gas atmosphere or in vacuum is formed of a two-layer material in which a brazing material and a core material are stacked. The core material is formed of an aluminum alloy and has a grain size of 20 to 300 μm, and the aluminum alloy contains Mn of 0.50 to 2.00 mass %, Mg of 0.40 to 2.00 mass %. Si of 1.50 mass % or less, Fe of 1.00 mass % or less, and Ti of 0.10 to 0.30 mass %, with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The brazing material is formed of an aluminum alloy containing Si of 4.00 to 13.00 mass % with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. In a drop-type fluidity test, a ratio α (α=K.sub.a/K.sub.b) of a fluid coefficient K.sub.a is 0.50 or more.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet used for brazing of an aluminum material in an inert gas atmosphere or in vacuum is formed of a two-layer material in which a brazing material and a core material are stacked in this order. The core material is formed of an aluminum alloy and has a grain size of 20 to 300 μm, and the aluminum alloy contains Mn of 0.50 to 2.00 mass %, Mg of 0.40 to 2.00 mass %, Si of 1.50 mass % or less, and Fe of 1.00 mass % or less, with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The brazing material is formed of an aluminum alloy containing Si of 4.00 to 13.00 mass % with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities, and, in a drop-type fluidity test, a ratio α (α=K.sub.a/K.sub.b) of a fluid coefficient K.sub.a is 0.50 or more.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet used for brazing of an aluminum material in an inert gas atmosphere or in vacuum is formed of a two-layer material in which a brazing material and a core material are stacked in this order. The core material is formed of an aluminum alloy and has a grain size of 20 to 300 μm, and the aluminum alloy contains Mn of 0.50 to 2.00 mass %, Mg of 0.40 to 2.00 mass %, Si of 1.50 mass % or less, and Fe of 1.00 mass % or less, with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The brazing material is formed of an aluminum alloy containing Si of 4.00 to 13.00 mass % with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities, and, in a drop-type fluidity test, a ratio α (α=K.sub.a/K.sub.b) of a fluid coefficient K.sub.a is 0.50 or more.

Described are processes for shaping age hardenable aluminum alloys, such as 2XXX, 6XXX and 7XXX aluminum alloys in T4 temper, or articles made of such alloys, including aluminum alloy sheets. The processes involve heating the sheet or article before and/or concurrently with a forming step. In some examples, the sheet is heated to a specified temperature in the range of about 100-600° C. at a specified heating rate within the range of about 3-600° C./s, for example about 3-90° C./s. Such a combination of temperature and heating rate results in an advantageous combination of sheet properties.

Described are processes for shaping age hardenable aluminum alloys, such as 2XXX, 6XXX and 7XXX aluminum alloys in T4 temper, or articles made of such alloys, including aluminum alloy sheets. The processes involve heating the sheet or article before and/or concurrently with a forming step. In some examples, the sheet is heated to a specified temperature in the range of about 100-600° C. at a specified heating rate within the range of about 3-600° C./s, for example about 3-90° C./s. Such a combination of temperature and heating rate results in an advantageous combination of sheet properties.