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GALM  US  2016  

Ground-breaking design freedom from high strength 7000 series aluminium alloys

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Graham, NC

Swinton, UK (2 locations)

Gerzat, France

Shanghai, China

Calgary, Canada

Ratingen, Germany

Manchester, UK

Worcester, UK

Nottingham, UK

Litvinov, Czech Republic

Tamaqua, PA

Flemington, NJ

Lakehurst, NJ

Niagara Falls, Canada Findlay, OH

Shizuoka, Japan

Madison, IL

Riverside, CA

Brigham City, UT

New Delhi, India

Sydney, Australia

1,900 employees

Luxfer operates 22 plants in 7 countries on four continents with joint ventures and/or distribution centers in four more countries.

USA � Canada � UK � France � Czech Republic � Germany � China � Australia � India � Japan

Cincinnati, OH

Riverhead, NY

Luxfer  Group  

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Designing for Light-weight vehicle structures

•  Materials with high Specific Strength and Stiffness •  Minimum material content •  Optimised geometry for stability and stress distribution •  Acceptable costs and manufacturing capability in the context of the

vehicle programme

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1400  Yield  Strength   Specific  Yield  Strength  

Mg Al Ti Steel

Yiel

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treng

th M

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cific

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ngth

Strength to weight comparison of structural alloys

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The Superforming process

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Sheet  is  formed  over  a  heated  single  surface  form  tool  by  controlled  air  

pressure  

“A  manufacturing  process  which  uAlises  the  characterisAcs  of  certain  aluminium  alloys  to  elongate  several  hundred  per  cent  when  subjected  to  controlled  strain  rates  at  a  temperature  in  the  range  450  to  500  ºC”  

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•  Single surface tooling

•  Single draw operation, exploiting high elongation available

•  Inherent stress relieving and zero strain forming possible

•  High formability of material and low flow stress allows complexity and detailing

•  Minimal investment is required to compete with cold forming quality

•  Multiple parts in one tool

•  Low cost tooling

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SRT Viper Fisker Karma

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Application of the process to lightweight BIW •  Weight saving achieved by integration of parts, down-

gauging, stiffer geometry, improved packaging from

complex geometry.

•  Cost competitiveness from part integration (reduced part

count) and reduced assembly.

•  5xxx alloys for stiffness driven structure

•  7xxx alloys for strength driven structure

5083 Integrated bodyside showing part count rduction

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Superforming developed to form 5xxx alloys •  5083 alloy 145MPa as formed with 25% el. •  5456 alloy 165Mpa with 22% el. •  Both alloys achieve over 100% strain during forming •  Deep, highly complex parts possible •  Circa 10% weight save achievable by moving to 5456 •  Numerous chassis applications

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Span of Yield Strength of Aluminium alloy groups

In the foreseeable future 7xxx alloys are likely to offer the ultimate weight saving potential for automotive BIW

Stamping of high strength alloys is challenging •  High yield strength means significant elastic

energy and increased spring back •  Low elongation to failure gives limited draw •  Elevated temperature forming overcomes these

but can significantly reduce mechanical properties

•  Forming complex geometry with high strength alloys is highly challenging

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Late 1980’s Harrier GR7 Gun pods made from Al 7475 T5 •  420MPa Ys •  Circa 500MPa UTS

Solution heat treatment of skin during Superforming process giving T5 condition panel after artificial age

Aircraft have used Superformed high strength alloys for 40 years

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7xxx  T5  condiDon  process  overview  

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7xxx  Blank  

SoluAon  heat  treat  during  Superforming  

Process  Air  quench  

ArAficially  Age  to  opAmum  properAes  

T5 Heat treatment condition defined as: “Cooled from an elevated temperature forming process and then artificially aged”

(Source: ALFED ‘The Properties of Aluminium and its alloys’)

Artificial age process can be optimised to accommodate BIW paint bake and adhesive cure processes

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Al  Alloy  7020  composiAon  

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Al   Si   Fe   Cu   Mn   Cr   Mg   Zn   Zr   Zr  +  Ti   Other   Others  Total  

7020   Bal   0.35   0.40   0.20  0.050  -­‐  0.50  

0.10  -­‐  0.35   1.0-­‐1.4   4.0  -­‐  5.0     0.080  -­‐  

0.20  0.80  -­‐  0.25  

0.05  max   0.15  max  

Bumper beam extruded from 7020

Al Alloy 7020 is a straightforward first choice for T5 high strength components •  Good strength in T5 condition circa 300 MPa Ys, 360 MPa UTS 12% el. •  Solutionising temperature compatible with forming process •  Good corrosion performance (approved as a marine alloy) •  Existing automotive applications •  Negligible (or nil) copper content •  Weldable (T1 condition circa 260MPa Ys)

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Properties of Superformed 7020 T5

Good ductility allows SPR of 7020 T5

AA7020-­‐T5  

AA5083-­‐O  

Accelerated filliform corrosion test pieces showing comparable performance with AA 5083-O

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Approximately 210mm Draw

7020 door forming showing considerable depth of draw achievable in single

Superform tool

Formed 7020 structural component showing complex draw and sharp detail achievable

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Corner of Door Inner panel showing evolution of design from pressed 6xxx to Superformed 7020 T5 •  Yield strength up from approx. 220 to 300 MPa •  Sharper radii facilitate better packaging and stiffer design •  Detailed features reduce the need for additional brackets •  Weight save Circa 1.5 Kg per door

Pressed 6xxx T6 Superformed 7020 T5

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Comparative sections through 6xxx and 7020 designs showing high formability of 7020

6xxx blue 7020 green

High formability of 7020 allows high strain geometry and sharp radii with the potential to improve packaging and reduce the need for ancillary brackets and mounts

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In Summary: •  The next steps in Aluminium BIW mass reduction are

likely to see increasing use of 7xxx alloys. •  7020 Superformed to T5 heat treated condition can

achieve higher strength than almost all 6xxx alloys with significantly greater formability, facilitating part integration and improved packaging.

•  As acceptance of 7xxx alloys for BIW increases, combined with improving surface treatment and paint systems, Copper containing alloys will become acceptable.

•  Close to 500 MPa yield is conceivable given suitable alloy and forming process development.

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Thank  You  

With thanks to Scott Taylor, Tony (AJ) Barnes, Andy Hares and Simon Miller-Jupp