The present application relates to the technical field of aluminum alloy, and more particularly to a 6××× series aluminum alloy, including: 0.7-1.1 wt. % of magnesium, 0.5-1.1 wt. % of silicon, 0.5-1.0 wt. % of copper, 0<manganese≤0.15 wt. %, 0<iron≤0.1 wt. %, 0<chromium≤0.1 wt. %, 0<titanium≤0.05 wt. %, less than or equal to 0.05 wt. % of zinc, and a balance of aluminum. A total weight percentage of Mn, Cr, and Ti is 0.02-0.25 wt. %, and a total weight percentage of Mn and Fe is 0.02-0.2 wt. %. The 6××× series aluminum alloy provided by the present application has excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strength and yield strength, as well as good plasticity, high corrosion resistance, and good welding processability.

The present application relates to the technical field of aluminum alloy, and more particularly to a 6××× series aluminum alloy, including: 0.7-1.1 wt. % of magnesium, 0.5-1.1 wt. % of silicon, 0.5-1.0 wt. % of copper, 0<manganese≤0.15 wt. %, 0<iron≤0.1 wt. %, 0<chromium≤0.1 wt. %, 0<titanium≤0.05 wt. %, less than or equal to 0.05 wt. % of zinc, and a balance of aluminum. A total weight percentage of Mn, Cr, and Ti is 0.02-0.25 wt. %, and a total weight percentage of Mn and Fe is 0.02-0.2 wt. %. The 6××× series aluminum alloy provided by the present application has excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strength and yield strength, as well as good plasticity, high corrosion resistance, and good welding processability.

An aluminum alloy according to the present invention includes 1.2% by mass to 4.0% by mass of copper, 4.0% by mass to 14.0% by mass of zinc, 0.5% by mass to 4.0% by mass of magnesium, 0.01% or less of silicon, and 0.01% or less of iron, with the balance containing aluminum and inevitable impurities, and has an average equivalent circle crystal grain size of 500 nm or less.

Aluminum alloy with preferred mechanical property and preferred electrical and thermal conductivity is provided by a manufacturing method. The aluminum alloy consists of Si about 0.33˜0.37 wt %, Mg about 0.45˜0.55 wt %, and Fe about 0.07˜0.15 wt %, and the rest weight of the aluminum alloy is Al. A ratio of Mg to a different between Al and one third Fe is ranged between 1.45˜1.75.

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.

The invention provides a component formed of an aluminum alloy for use in a vehicle, for example an automotive vehicle component requiring high strength, light-weight, and a complex three-dimensional shape, and a method of manufacturing the component. The method begins by providing a blank formed of an aluminum alloy which is already solution heat treated and tempered, and thus has a temper designation of about T4. The method further includes heating the blank to a temperature of 150° C. to 350° C., preferably 190° C. to 225° C. The method next includes quickly transferring the blank to a hot or warm forming apparatus, and stamping the blank to form the complex three-dimensional shape. Immediately after the forming step, the component has a temper designation of about T6, but preferably not greater than T6, and thus is ready for use in the vehicle without any post heat treatment or machining.

The invention provides a component formed of an aluminum alloy for use in a vehicle, for example an automotive vehicle component requiring high strength, light-weight, and a complex three-dimensional shape, and a method of manufacturing the component. The method begins by providing a blank formed of an aluminum alloy which is already solution heat treated and tempered, and thus has a temper designation of about T4. The method further includes heating the blank to a temperature of 150° C. to 350° C., preferably 190° C. to 225° C. The method next includes quickly transferring the blank to a hot or warm forming apparatus, and stamping the blank to form the complex three-dimensional shape. Immediately after the forming step, the component has a temper designation of about T6, but preferably not greater than T6, and thus is ready for use in the vehicle without any post heat treatment or machining.

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.

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.