Process for producing a formed lightweight metal component

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a process for producing a formed lightweight metal component from a 6000 series or 7000 series aluminum alloy, having the process steps of heating a sheet metal blank, then homogenizing a solution annealing temperature, quenching the heated blank, and forming the heated blank into a component.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A process of producing a formed lightweight metal component from a precipitation-hardenable aluminum alloy, the process comprising:
 providing a blank of the aluminum alloy, the blank being a sheet metal strip, a sheet metal blank, an extruded profile or a preformed component,   at least partly preheating the blank by contact heating to a temperature not more than a solution annealing temperature of the aluminum alloy in a first heating station,   subsequently homogenizing the at least partly preheated blank to the solution annealing temperature by heating the at least partly preheated blank in a second heating station,   quenching the heated blank within less than 30 seconds downstream of the second heating station, and   forming the heated blank to a formed component during or after the quenching.   
     
     
         11 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the heated blank is quenched in said quenching within a period of less than 20 seconds after the second heating station and is immediately cold-formed in said forming. 
     
     
         12 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first heating station has contact plates, where the contact plates have a temperature greater than 450° C. in said contact heating. 
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, in the preheating, the aluminum alloy is preheated to a temperature of 200 to 560° C. 
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the blank downstream of the second heating station is maintained at a temperature not less than the solution annealing temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the second heating station is a continuous furnace. 
     
     
         16 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the cycle time for each of the forming and preheating is less than 30 seconds. 
     
     
         17 . The process as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the contact plates of the first heating station are spring-mounted and/or the contact plates are two-dimensional or fitted to a shape of the blank to be preheated. 
     
     
         18 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the heating in the second heating station maintains the solution annealing temperature for a duration of 5 seconds to 5 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the heated blank is quenched in said quenching within a period of less than 10 seconds after the second heating station and is immediately cold-formed in said forming. 
     
     
         20 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the cycle time for each of the forming and preheating is less than 20 seconds. 
     
     
         21 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the cycle time for each of the forming and preheating is between 5 and 15 seconds. 
     
     
         22 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the heating in the second heating station maintains the solution annealing temperature for a duration of 10 seconds to 3 minutes. 
     
     
         23 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the heating in the second heating station maintains the solution annealing temperature for a duration of 20 seconds to 2 minutes. 
     
     
         24 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, in the preheating, the aluminum alloy, which is a 7000 series aluminum alloy, is preheated to not more than 480° C. 
     
     
         25 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, in the preheating, the aluminum alloy, which is a 6000 series aluminum alloy, is preheated to not more than 540° C. 
     
     
         26 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy is a 7000 series aluminum alloy, and the blank downstream of the second heating station is maintained at 460 to 480° C. 
     
     
         27 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the aluminum alloy is a 6000 series aluminum alloy, and the blank downstream of the second heating station is maintained at 520 to 540° C.