Method for producing a vehicle component, in particular a motor vehicle component, in particular a B-pillar, including providing a first aluminum alloy and a second aluminum alloy. The second alloy composition substantially matches the first aluminum alloy composition. Performing a heat-treatment of the first alloy to increase the ductility of the first alloy. Performing a heat-treatment of the second alloy. The heat-treatment of the first alloy differing from the heat-treatment of the second alloy. Welding together the heat-treated first alloy and the heat-treated second alloy to obtain a composite part. Shaping the composite parts into a motor vehicle component. The motor vehicle component sub-region of the first alloy can be designed as a predetermined deformation region when a force is applied due to an accident to achieve a good combination of rigid regions for example forming a safety cell, and deformable regions forming a crumple zone for absorbing energy.

An aluminum alloy bare material for a member to be brazed by flux-free brazing to a brazing sheet including a brazing material formed of an aluminum alloy that includes 3.00 to 13.00 mass % of Si and less than 0.10 mass % (including 0 mass %) of Mg with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, in which the aluminum alloy bare material for the member to be brazed is formed of an aluminum alloy including 0.004 to 6.00 mass % of Zn and 0.004 to 3.00 mass % of Mg with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities. According to the present invention, aluminum alloy materials can be provided for members to be well brazed to the brazing sheet when an aluminum material is brazed by flux-free brazing.

A new 7 xxx aluminum alloy provides a unique combination of quantifiable physical characteristics. The alloy may be generally described as a corrosion resistant aluminum-zinc- magnesium based alloy that is copper free or only includes slight amounts of copper as an impurity.

A composition for producing aluminum casting, wrought, and welding filler metal alloys having a chemistry comprising Si varying from approximately 0.1 and 0.9 wt %, Mn varying from approximately 0.05 to 1.2 wt %, Mg varying from approximately 2.0 to 7.0 wt %, Cr varying from approximately 0.05 to 0.30 wt %, Zr varying from approximately 0.05 to 0.30 wt %, Ti varying from approximately 0.003 to 0.20 wt %, and B varying from approximately 0.0010 to 0.030 wt %, and a remainder of aluminum and various trace elements. The alloy is particularly suited to producing high strength structures such as automobiles, truck trailers, rail cars, and ships. It is the first 6xxx series weld filler metal that can be post-weld thermally treated and can weld 3xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx, and 7xxx series base alloys yielding far superior mechanical properties than those attainable from any other aluminum filler metal.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet has high strength, corrosion resistance and elongation, and includes an aluminum alloy clad material. The material includes a core material, one surface of which is clad with a sacrificial material and an other surface of which is clad with an Al—Si-based or Al—Si—Zn-based brazing filler metal. The core material has a composition containing 1.3 to 2.0% Mn, 0.6 to 1.3% Si, 0.1 to 0.5% Fe and 0.7 to 1.3% Cu, by mass, with the balance Al and impurities. The sacrificial material has a composition containing more than 4.0% to 8.0% Zn, 0.7 to 2.0% Mn, 0.3 to 1.0% Si, 0.3 to 1.0% Fe and 0.05 to 0.3% Ti, by mass, with the balance Al and impurities. At least the core material has a lamellar crystal grain structure. Elongation of material is at least 4% and a tensile strength after brazing is at least 170 MPa.

A multi-layered brazing sheet material including an aluminium core alloy layer, a brazing clad layer material on one face of the core layer, an inter-layer between the core layer and brazing clad layer material, and a water-side layer on the other face of the core layer. The core layer made from aluminium alloy having, in wt. %, up to 0.6% Si, up to 0.45% Fe, 0.6% to 1.25% Cu, 0.6% to 1.4% Mn, 0.08% to 0.4% Mg, up to 0.2% Cr, up to 0.25% Zr, up to 0.2% Ti, up to 0.3% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities. The brazing layer made from aluminium alloy having 6% to 14% Si and up to 2% Mg, balance aluminium and impurities. The inter-layer made from 1xxx-series aluminium alloy. The water-side layer made from 3xxx-series aluminium alloy having 0.5% to 1.8% Mn and 1% to 3.5% Zn.

Multilayered brazing sheet material including an aluminium core alloy layer having a first brazing clad layer material on one face of the core layer and a second brazing clad layer material on the other face of the core material, and an inter-layer between the core layer and the first brazing clad layer material, wherein the core layer is 3xxx-series aluminium alloy having, in wt. %, up to 0.4% Si, up to 0.5% Fe, 0.4% to 0.75% Cu, 0.6% to 1.1% Mn, up to 0.04% Mg, up to 0.2% Cr, up to 0.25% Zr, up to 0.2% Ti, up to 0.15% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities, wherein the first brazing layer and the second brazing layer are 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 7% to 14% Si and up to 2% Mg, balance aluminium and impurities, and wherein the inter-layer is aluminium alloy of the 1xxx-series alloys.

Disclosed is an aluminum alloy brazing sheet including a core material, a brazing filler material provided on one surface of the core material and formed of an Al—Si based alloy, and a sacrificial anode material provided on the other surface of the core material, the brazing sheet having a thickness of less than 200 μm, wherein the core material includes more than 1.5% by mass and 2.5% or less by mass of Cu, and 0.5 to 2.0% by mass of Mn, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, wherein the sacrificial anode material includes 2.0 to 10.0% by mass of Zn, an Mg content in the sacrificial anode material being restricted to 0.10% or less by mass, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, and wherein each of the brazing filler material and the sacrificial anode material has a thickness thereof in a range of 15 to 50 μm, and the total of cladding rates of the brazing filler material and sacrificial anode material is 50% or less.

A composition for welding or brazing aluminum comprises silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) along with aluminum in an alloy suitable for use in welding and brazing. The Si content may vary between approximately 4.7 and 10.9 wt %, and the Mg content may vary between approximately 0.20 wt % and 0.50 wt %. The alloy is well suited for operations in which little or no dilution from the base metal affects the Si and/or Mg content of the filler metal. The Si content promotes fluidity and avoids stress concentrations and cracking The Mg content provides enhanced strength. Resulting joints may have a strength at least equal to that of the base metal with little or no dilution (e.g., draw of Mg). The joints may be both heat treated and artificially aged or naturally aged.

An aluminum alloy clad material includes a core material, one side being clad with cladding material 1, the other side being clad with cladding material 2, the core material including an aluminum alloy that includes 0.5 to 1.8% of Mn, and limited to 0.05% or less of Cu, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, the cladding material 1 including an aluminum alloy that includes 3 to 10% of Si, and 1 to 10% of Zn, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, and the cladding material 2 including an aluminum alloy that includes 3 to 13% of Si, and limited to 0.05% or less of Cu, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Si content X (%) in the cladding material 1 and the Si content Y (%) in the cladding material 2 satisfy the value (Y−X) is −1.5 to 9%.