Claims
- 1. A method for manufacturing aluminum alloy sheet stock in which the process is carried out in two sequences of continuous-in-line operations comprising, in the first sequence, continuously casting a hot aluminum feedstock and rapidly, without intermediate heat treatment, continuously hot rolling said hot aluminum feedstock to reduce its thickness, rapidly quenching the hot feedstock thereafter to reduce its temperature and rapidly coiling the cooled feedstock, and, in the second continuous, in-line sequence, the steps of uncoiling the coiled feedstock, rapidly heating the feedstock to anneal the feedstock and effect recrystallization thereof without causing substantial precipitation of alloying elements as intermetallic compounds, and quenching the annealed feedstock to avoid substantial precipitation of alloying elements.
- 2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the feedstock is provided by continuous strip or slab casting.
- 3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the feedstock is formed by depositing molten aluminum alloy on an endless belt formed of a heat conductive material whereby the molten metal solidifies to form a cast strip, and the endless belt is cooled when it is not in contact with the metal.
- 4. A method as defined in claim 1 which includes, as a continuous, in-line step, cold rolling the feedstock after quenching in the first sequence.
- 5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the aluminum alloy feedstock is can body sheet stock.
- 6. A method as defined in claim 1 which includes, as a continuous, in-line step, cold rolling the feedstock immediately following annealing and quenching in the second sequence.
- 7. A method as defined in claim 6 which includes the further step of forming cups from the cold rolled sheet stock.
- 8. A method as defined in claim 6 which includes the step of coiling the cold rolled feedstock after cold rolling.
- 9. A method as defined in claim 1 which includes, as an off-line step, cold rolling the annealed feedstock.
- 10. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the hot rolling reduces the thickness of the feedstock by 15 to 99%.
- 11. A method as defined in claim wherein the feedstock is heated to an annealing temperature within the range of 600 to 1200° F.
- 12. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the hot rolling of the feedstock is carried out at a temperature within the range of 300° F. to the solidus temperature of the feedstock.
- 13. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the hot rolling exit temperature is within the range of 300 to 1000° F.
- 14. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the annealing is carried out in less than 120 seconds.
- 15. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the annealing is carried out in less than 10 seconds.
- 16. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the reduced feedstock is quenched to a temperature less than 550° F.
- 17. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the cold rolling step effects a reduction in the thickness of the feedstock of 10 to 85%.
- 18. A method for manufacturing aluminum alloy sheet stock in which the process is carried out in two sequences of continuous, in-line operation comprising, in the first sequence, continuously strip casting an aluminum alloy feedstock between a pair of endless moving belts, and rapidly without intermediate heat treatment, continuously hot rolling the aluminum feedstock to reduce its thickness, rapidly quenching the hot feedstock thereafter to reduce its temperature and rapidly coiling the cooled feedstock, and, in the second continuous, in-line sequence, the steps of uncoiling the coiled feedstock, rapidly heating the feedstock to anneal the feedstock and effect recrystallization thereof without causing substantial precipitation of alloying elements as intermetallic compounds, and immediately and rapidly quenching the annealed feedstock to avoid substantial precipitation of alloying elements.
- 19. A method as defined in claim 18 which includes, as a continuous, in-line step, cold rolling the feedstock after quenching in the first sequence.
- 20. A method as defined in claim 18 wherein the aluminum alloy feedstock is can body sheet stock.
- 21. A method as defined in claim 18 wherein the hot rolling reduces the thickness of the feedstock by 15 to 99%.
- 22. A method as defined in claim 18 wherein the feedstock is heated to an annealing temperature within the range of 600 to 1200° F.
- 23. A method as defined in claim 18 wherein the annealing is carried out in less than 120 seconds.
- 24. A method for manufacturing aluminum alloy sheet stock in which the process is carried out in two sequences of continuous, in-line operating comprising, in the first sequence, continuously strip casting an aluminum alloy feedstock between a pair of endless moving belts to provide a hot aluminum alloy feedstock and, without intermediate heat treatment, rapidly, quenching the feedstock thereafter to reduce its temperature and rapidly coiling the feedstock and, in the second continuous, in-line sequence, rapidly heating the feedstock to anneal the feedstock and effect recrystallization thereof without causing substantial precipitation of alloying elements as intermetallic compounds, and immediately and rapidly quenching the annealed feedstock to substantially avoid precipitation of alloying elements to a temperature for cold rolling.
- 25. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the aluminum alloy feedstock is can body sheet stock.
- 26. A method as defined in claim 24 which includes the step of coiling the quenched feedstock in the first sequence.
- 27. A method as defined in claim 24 which includes the step of hot rolling the aluminum alloy feedstock continuously and in-line immediately following strip casting in the first sequence.
- 28. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein prior to hot rolling in the first sequence, aluminum can scrap is melted and continuously strip cast into said hot aluminum feedstock, the cast strip having a secondary dendrite arm spacing of below 10 μm.
- 29. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the quenching in the first sequence cools the hot rolling feedstock at a rate fast enough to prevent substantial precipitation of alloying elements from solid solution.
- 30. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy is a can body aluminum base alloy having Mn, Cu, Si and Mg as alloying elements therein.
- 31. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the quenching in the first sequence is carried out by spraying a cooling fluid onto the hot feedstock.
- 32. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the quenching in the first sequence cools the hot rolled feedstock from above 600° F. to below 450° F.
- 33. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second sequences are carried out without subjecting the feedstock to solution annealing.
- 34. A method as described in claim 18, wherein the quenching in the first sequence cools the hot rolling feedstock at a rate fast enough to prevent substantial precipitation of alloying elements from solid solution.
- 35. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the aluminum alloy is a can body aluminum base alloy having Mn, Cu, Si and Mg as alloying elements therein.
- 36. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the quenching in the first sequence is carried out by spraying a cooling fluid onto the hot feedstock.
- 37. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the quenching in the first sequence cools the hot rolled feedstock from above 600° F. to below 450° F.
- 38. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the first and second sequences are carried out without subjecting the feedstock to solution annealing.
- 39. A method as described in claim 24, wherein the quenching in the first sequence cools the hot rolling feedstock at a rate fast enough to prevent substantial precipitation of alloying elements from solid solution.
- 40. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the aluminum alloy is a can body aluminum base alloy having Mn, Cu, Si and Mg as alloying elements therein.
- 41. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the quenching in the first sequence is carried out by spraying a cooling fluid onto the hot feedstock.
- 42. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the quenching in the first sequence cools the hot rolled feedstock from above 600° F. to below 450° F.
- 43. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the first and second sequences are carried out without subjecting the feedstock to solution annealing.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/902,718, filed Jun. 23, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,228 and application Ser. No. 08/248,555 filed May 24, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,405, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/902,936 filed Jun. 23, 1992, now abandoned.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07/902936 |
Jun 1992 |
US |
Child |
08/248555 |
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US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07/902718 |
Jun 1992 |
US |
Child |
08/529522 |
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US |
Parent |
08/248555 |
May 1994 |
US |
Child |
07/902718 |
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US |