Quick plastic forming of aluminum alloy sheet metal
USRE43012E1 · kind E1 · reissue
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 15, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 13, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC —)General
Abstract
A method is disclosed for stretching magnesium-containing aluminum alloy sheet stock into intricate shapes such as are required in automotive body panels. The sheet stock, at a temperature in the range of about 400° C. to about 510° C., is stretched under the pressure of a working gas into conformance with the surface of a forming tool. The sheet forming pressure is increased continually in a controlled manner from ambient pressure to a final forming level in the range of about 250 psi to about 500 psi or higher. A portion of the sheet can experience strain rates substantially higher than 10−3 sec−1 and the forming of the sheet can be completed within 12 minutes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.