Aluminum-based alloy composition and method of making extruded components from aluminum-based alloy compositions
The present invention involves an aluminum-based alloy composition for vehicle components. The composition consists essentially of between about 0.15 to 0.6% weight silicon to provide recrystallization, between about 0.2 to 0.7% weight iron, between about 0.4 to 0.6% weight copper, between about 1.1 to 1.4% weight manganese, between about 0.15 to 0.3% weight magnesium, between about 0.15 to 0.4% weight zinc, between about 0.1 to 0.15% weight zirconium, and the balance aluminum.
1 . An aluminum-based alloy composition for vehicle components, consisting essentially of:
between about 0.15 to 0.6% by weight of silicon to provide recrystallization;
between about 0.2 to 0.7% by weight iron;
between about 0.4 to 0.6% by weight copper;
between about 1.1 to 1.4% by weight manganese;
between about 0.15 to 0.3% by weight magnesium;
between about 0.15 to 0.4% by weight zinc for reducing grain growth;
between about 0.1 to 0.15% of weight zirconium, and the balance aluminum.
2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the balance aluminum includes a ratio of manganese to iron of between about 1 and 3 for high corrosion resistance and formability.
3 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the zinc is between about 0.25 and 0.4% by weight.
4 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the silicon is of the form of dymagnesium silicide.
5 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the Vickers hardness of the intermetallic phases is between about 5,000 and 10,000.
6 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the grain size of the composition is less than about 60 μm.
7 . An aluminum-based alloy composition for vehicle heat exchanger tubes, consisting essentially of:
between about 0.15 to 0.6% weight silicon;
between about 0.2 to 0.7% weight iron;
between about 0.4 to 0.6% weight copper;
between about 1.1 to 1.4% weight manganese;
between about 0.15 to 0.3% weight magnesium;
between about 0.15 to 0.4% weight zinc;
between about 0.1 to 0.15% weight zirconium, and the balance aluminum, the ratio of manganese to iron is between about 1 and 3, for high corrosion resistance and formability.
8 . The composition of claim 7 wherein the zinc is between about 0.25 and 0.4% weight.
9 . The composition of claim 7 wherein the zinc content is about 0.25% weight.
10 . The composition of claim 7 wherein the silicon is of the form of dimagnesium silicide.
11 . The composition of claim 7 wherein the Vickers hardness number is between about 5,000 and 10,000.
12 . The composition of claim 7 wherein the grain size of the alloy is less than about 60 μm.
13 . A method of conform extruding an aluminum-based vehicle component, the method comprising:
pressing an aluminum-based alloy composition consisting essentially of:
between about 0.15 to 0.6% by weight silicon to reduce die wear of the conform extruder;
between about 0.2 to 0.7% by weight iron;
between about 0.4 to 0.6% by weight copper;
between about 1.1 to 1.4% by weight manganese;
between about 0.15 to 0.3% by weight magnesium;
between about 0.15 to 0.4% by weight zinc;
between about 0.1 to 0.15% by weight zirconium to reduce grain growth, and the balance aluminum; to define a formable alloy for providing formability of the alloy; and
forming the formable alloy to a predetermined configuration of the aluminum-based vehicle component.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing a conform extrusion machine for extruding the aluminum-based vehicle component; and
introducing feedstock of the aluminum-based alloy to the conform extrusion machine.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the feedstock is a feed rod of between about 9 and 12 mm diameter.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein pressing includes:
coining the aluminum-based alloy composition to shear the alloy composition; and
shearing the composition to superheat the aluminum-based composition to define the formable alloy for providing formability of the alloy.
17 . The method of claim 13 wherein the temperature is between about 400° C. and 500° C.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the temperature is about 480° C.
19 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing a conform extrusion machine having an extrusion die through which the formation alloy is pressed.
20 . The method of claim 13 wherein forming includes:
propelling the formable alloy; and
forcing the formable alloy through a die to the predetermined configuration of the aluminum-based vehicle component.