Low gauge, levelled can body stock and methods of making the same

Abstract

Described herein are levelled and degreased aluminum alloys with a reduced gauge for can body stock production. The aluminum alloys exhibit improved formability. Also described herein are methods for processing the aluminum alloys to produce beverage can bodies. The aluminum alloys and sheets described herein are suitable for manufacturing cups and beverage can bodies at high production rates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing an aluminum alloy product, comprising:
 casting an aluminum alloy comprising about 0.05-0.4 wt. % Cu, 0.25-0.9 wt. % Fe, 0.8-3.0 wt. % Mg, 0.1-2.0 wt. % Mn, 0.2-0.7 wt. % Si, up to 0.1 wt. % Ti, up to 0.25 wt. % Zn, up to 0.4 wt. % Cr, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al, to form a cast aluminum alloy;   heating the cast aluminum alloy;   hot rolling the cast aluminum alloy to produce a rolled product;   cold rolling the rolled product to produce an aluminum alloy product; and   levelling the aluminum alloy product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein casting is performed by semi-continuous direct chill ingot casting or strip casting. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heating the cast aluminum alloy comprises homogenizing the cast aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising degreasing the aluminum alloy product. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing aluminum fines, rolling oil, and debris from the aluminum alloy product. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising lubricating the aluminum alloy product with a cupping lubricant. 
     
     
         7 . An aluminum alloy product prepared according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy comprises a 3xxx series or 5xxx series aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy product is a sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 9 , wherein the sheet has a longitudinal yield strength of at least about 260 MPa. 
     
     
         11 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 9 , wherein the sheet is thermally-levelled at a temperature ranging from about 170° C. to about 280° C. 
     
     
         12 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 9 , wherein the sheet is tension-levelled in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         13 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises a thickness of less than about 240 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein one or more surfaces of the aluminum alloy product has a texture aspect ratio of 0.1 to 0.7. 
     
     
         15 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein one or more surfaces of the aluminum alloy product comprise cupping lubricant in an amount at least about 200 mg of per square meter per side (mg/m 2 /side). 
     
     
         16 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more surfaces of the aluminum alloy product comprise a post-lubricant in an amount of from about 5 mg/m 2 /side to about 100 mg/m 2 /side. 
     
     
         17 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 16 , wherein the post-lubricant comprises dibutyl adipate, dibutyl sebacate, dihexyl adipate, dihexyl sebacate, dicyclohexyl adipate, dicyclohexyl sebacate, dioctyl adipate, dioctyl sebacate, diisodecyl adipate, diisodecyl sebacate, diundecyl adipate, diundecyl sebacate, didodecanyl adipate, didodecanyl sebacate, diphenyl sebacate, or diphenyl adipate. 
     
     
         18 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy product is substantially free of aluminum fines and debris. 
     
     
         19 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 7 , wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises a beverage can body. 
     
     
         20 . An aluminum alloy product, comprising:
 an aluminum alloy comprising about 0.05-0.4 wt. % Cu, 0.25-0.9 wt. % Fe, 0.8-3.0 wt. % Mg, 0.1-2.0 wt. % Mn, 0.2-0.7 wt. % Si, up to 0.1 wt. % Ti, up to 0.25 wt. % Zn, up to 0.4 wt. % Cr, up to 0.15 wt. % impurities, and Al,   wherein the aluminum alloy product comprises a thickness of less than about 240 μm.   
     
     
         21 . The aluminum alloy product of  claim 20 , wherein one or more surfaces of the aluminum alloy product has a texture aspect ratio of 0.1 to 0.7.