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.

An aluminum alloy thick plate is formed of an aluminum alloy including Mg of 2.0 to 5.0 mass %, and has a plate thickness of 300 to 400 mm. A is 700 pieces/cm.sup.2 or less and B is 1.3 times or more as large as A, where (i) A (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at a center portion in a thickness direction and at positions of 0.39 Wa to 0.48 Wa in a plate width direction; and (ii) B (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at the center portion in the thickness direction and at positions of 0.12 Wa to 0.30 Wa in the plate width direction.

An aluminum alloy thick plate is formed of an aluminum alloy including Mg of 2.0 to 5.0 mass %, and has a plate thickness of 300 to 400 mm. A is 700 pieces/cm.sup.2 or less and B is 1.3 times or more as large as A, where (i) A (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at a center portion in a thickness direction and at positions of 0.39 Wa to 0.48 Wa in a plate width direction; and (ii) B (pieces/cm.sup.2) is a maximum value in numbers of crystallized products with a maximum length of 60 μm or more per unit area in each of positions located at the center portion in the thickness direction and at positions of 0.12 Wa to 0.30 Wa in the plate width direction.

New aluminum alloys having an improved combination of properties are disclosed. In one approach, anew aluminum alloys may include from 0.50 to 3.0 wt. % of X, wherein X comprises (wt. % Bi+wt. % Sn), from 0.50 to 4.0 wt. % Si, from 0.30 to 2.5 wt. % Mg, up to 1.5 wt. % Cu, up to 2.0 wt. % Zn, from 0.05 to 1.5 wt. % Mn, up to 0.70 wt. % Fe, up to 0.35 wt. % of Cr, up to 0.25 wt. % each of Zr and V, and up to 0.15 wt. % Ti, the balance being aluminum, incidental elements and impurities. The new aluminum alloys may comprise at least 0.20 wt. % excess silicon.

A method for forming a component to a target shape from an aluminium blank workpiece is disclosed, the method comprising: (a) cold forming an aluminium blank workpiece between a set of dies, thereby producing a component fully or partially formed to a target shape; (b) solution heat treating the fully or partially formed component by heating to or above a solution heat treatment (SHT) temperature and substantially maintaining that temperature until SHT has been completed, thereby producing a solution heat treated fully or partially formed component; and (c) quenching the solution heat treated fully or partially formed component whilst held between a set of dies, wherein holding between the dies may provide additional forming at the same time as quenching, to produce a component fully formed to the target shape.

Provided is an aluminum alloy diecast that can be unlikely to crack at a part to be press-fitted while the proof stress of a main body part is being secured, and can eliminate the need for heat treatment to the main body part at the time of production. The aluminum alloy diecast (11) includes a part to be press-fitted (13) into which a joining member (20) is press-fitted and a main body part (14) in which the part to be press-fitted (13) is integrally formed, in which an average hardness of the part to be press-fitted (13) is lower than an average hardness of the main body part (14) or an average roundness of crystals other than a primary crystal of Al in the part to be press-fitted (13) is larger than an average roundness of crystals other than a primary crystal of Al in the main body part (14).

Provided is an aluminum alloy diecast that can be unlikely to crack at a part to be press-fitted while the proof stress of a main body part is being secured, and can eliminate the need for heat treatment to the main body part at the time of production. The aluminum alloy diecast (11) includes a part to be press-fitted (13) into which a joining member (20) is press-fitted and a main body part (14) in which the part to be press-fitted (13) is integrally formed, in which an average hardness of the part to be press-fitted (13) is lower than an average hardness of the main body part (14) or an average roundness of crystals other than a primary crystal of Al in the part to be press-fitted (13) is larger than an average roundness of crystals other than a primary crystal of Al in the main body part (14).

The invention relates to a manufacturing process for obtaining 6xxx-series aluminium alloy solid extruded products, comprising Si: 0.3-1.7 wt. %; Mg: 0.1-1.4 wt. %, Cu: 0.1-0.8 wt. %, Zn 0.005-0.7 wt %, one or more dispersoid element, from the group consisting of Mn 0.15-1 wt. %, Cr 0.05-0.4 wt. % and Zr 0.05-0.25 wt. %, Fe at most 0.5 wt. %, other elements at most 0.05 wt. % the rest being aluminium, having particularly high mechanical properties, typically an ultimate tensile strength higher than 400 MPa, preferably 430 MPa, and more preferably 450 MPa without the need for a post-extrusion solution heat treatment operation. The invention also concerns a manufacturing process for obtaining a bumper system in which is integrated a towing eye, said towing eye being made with said high mechanical properties aluminium alloys.