What You Need to Know About Hot Rolled Aluminum Sheet
Whether you are considering investing in hot rolled aluminum sheet for your project, or you simply want to know more about it, you can learn everything you need to know about it right here. In this article, we'll talk about the difference between cold-rolled and hot-rolled aluminum, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each. We'll also look at how the quality of the sheet can be affected, including how it's treated during the manufacturing process, its surface imperfections and its pre-stretching ability.
Cold-rolled vs hot-rolled aluminum sheet
Cold-rolled and hot-rolled aluminum sheet have different properties and performance. Hot-rolled products are usually brighter in color, ductile, and have better mechanical properties than cold-rolled.
Hot rolled aluminum sheet is produced by heating and rolling aluminum ingots. In this process, the internal structure is recovered and the material is elongated. This type of sheet is commonly used in molding, stamping, and stretching. It also shows good surface quality.
Hot rolled aluminum plate has better bending and deep drawing performance. It is ductile and has a high hardness. The surface is brighter and the oxidation effect is good.
The main difference between cold-rolled and hot-rolled aluminum is the raw materials. For instance, cold-rolled sheets are made with CC materials, while hot-rolled sheets are made with DC materials. As a result, cold-rolled aluminum sheet is cheaper than hot-rolled sheet.
In the manufacturing process, cold-rolled aluminum is usually less brittle than hot-rolled aluminum. Therefore, it is easier to fracture. Furthermore, it has a weak tensile strength. However, it has better ductility and elongation.
The other difference is in the way the material is formed. Cold-rolled aluminum is spread by the casters to form a strip, while hot-rolled aluminum is rolled into a slab.
5000 series
In 5000 series aluminum plate, magnesium is the main element. It has high tensile strength and good corrosion resistance. This grade has a low density and good processing performance. The alloy is also non-heat treatable, easy to weld and has good creep resistance.
5000 series alloys are ideal for use in marine applications. They have good corrosion resistance in marine atmospheres. These metals are not affected by sediments at deep depths.
Aluminum wrought alloys in the 5000 series have high strength and formability. They are commonly used in automobiles, marine equipment, pressure vessels, automotive body panels, and street lamp brackets.
Several studies have investigated the corrosion resistance of aluminum in deep waters. Aluminium does not go bad unless it is exposed to salt. However, magnesium, a common alloying element in 5000 series alloys, can cause stress corrosion cracking. Therefore, magnesium-containing 5000 series alloys can be cracked when rolling.
5000 series aluminum alloys are available in different shapes and sizes. Some of the typical alloys include AA, AS, GB, AISI, ANSI, and SS. Alloys in the 5000 series range offer excellent corrosion resistance and good welding characteristics.
Various applications have been developed for 5000 series aluminum. A common application is in aircraft fuel tanks. Other applications include architectural decorations, automotive, hardware products, and building materials.
7075
Aluminum plate 7075 is an aluminum alloy that has a superior strength to weight ratio. This aluminum alloy is commonly used in applications that require the highest levels of strength. In addition to its high tensile strength, it also has a low density.
Aluminum 7075 has a fine grain structure and good mechanical performance. It is a durable metal that is ductile and easy to mold. The hardness of the material makes it an excellent choice for aircraft structures.
The corrosion resistance of the alloy allows it to withstand exposure to harsh chemicals. It is widely used in the aerospace and marine industries. Other industries that utilize this alloy include transportation and tooling.
The main alloying element in this metal is zinc. Zinc provides the alloy with a higher strength and durability. It is also an excellent heat-treatable alloy. A few percent of the alloy may contain copper and chromium.
Alloy 7075 is a versatile and strong metal that can be formed into various shapes and sizes. The best uses for the alloy are in airframe structures, aviation fixtures, and truck parts. Adding magnesium can improve the corrosion resistance and tensile strength of the metal.
Grain size, microstructure and hardening of high-purity aluminum plates during the cold rolling process
The present paper reports experimental and numerical results on the process of static recrystallization of cold-worked commercial purity aluminum. It includes an overview of the process, including heat treatment, annealing, stabilization and recovery.
During annealing, the main mechanism is grain growth. As the processing strain increases, the average aspect ratio of grains decreases. A typical fully annealed equilibrium grain structure is shown in Figure 2a. However, the microstructure still possesses thermodynamically unstable grain boundaries.
Grain size refinement is achieved by annealing at a recrystallization temperature. Refinement is not achieved with processing strains exceeding 200.
Grain refinement begins to be visible at the equivalent processing strain of 30. This is the point at which the average aspect ratio of grains reaches the low saturation value of 1.6. At this level, the HAGB fraction (as a percent of total atoms) is higher than in typical SPD microstructures. The HAGB fraction is close to a fully recrystallized structure with random orientation of 97%.
After t-HPS, the high-angle grain boundaries are no longer straight and misorientation becomes significant. Despite this, the overall grain size remains the same. On the other hand, the spacing between HAGBs is larger along both vertical and radius.
Surface imperfections
There are many surface defects a hot rolled aluminum plate can exhibit. These include nitrate marks, wrinkles, chip marks, etc. The following article will discuss some of the most common of these imperfections.
Nitrate marks are irregular white patches on the plate. They can be quite serious when they are jagged.
Wrinkles are surface irregularities caused by incomplete fusion of the metal. They are also a manufacturing defect.
Chip marks are usually surface indentations or cracks in the surface of the material. These can be a problem in grinding operations.
Other typical surface defects are veins and scabs. Veins are linear ridges on the surface of the cast product. Scabs are raised defects on the cast surface.
One of the most common surface defects is the erosion spot. This type of spot is formed by the erosion of a porous layer of metal by external forces.
A cold-rolled plate is usually lubricated with water-based emulsion. This lubrication allows for the formation of a thick oxide layer that can be seen on the eroded areas.
Several of these imperfections can be prevented or removed by proper process optimization. Typically, these imperfections will be eliminated by grinding the surface.
Pre-stretched
In order to study the effect of pre-stretching on the strength of aluminum alloys, rectangular hollow section (RHS) profiles were heated in air circulation quenching furnace and solution heat treated. Stress-strain curves were obtained. The yield stress, ultimate tensile stress, and failure strain were lower for pre-stretched profiles. However, the residual stress in length direction was released after unloading stretch force. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the residual stress elimination mechanism and the optimum stretch rate. This will allow optimizing the pre-stretching process.
For the characterization of the grain structures, 2219 aluminum alloy sheets were firstly pre-stretched with different deformation degrees before being heated in an air circulation quenching furnace for solution treatment. After being treated, grain structures were investigated using electron back scattering diffraction.
Several typical regions were observed and compared. Region A contained many fine grains, while region B had relatively coarse grains. The relative final thickness of the aluminum strip was around 15% to 24%.
Pre-stretching of 3% was found to have a significant influence on strength enhancement, microstructure improvement, and ductility. However, if the pre-stretching degree is too high, it may lead to abnormal grain growth.
Haomei
Haomei Aluminum is an aluminum supplier in China. They mainly produce series-1, series-2, series-3 and series-5 aluminum plate. Their stock range includes hundreds of sizes and tempers.
Aluminum plates are widely used in various industrial applications. For example, airplane oil tanker, transportation vehicles, and other sheet metal parts. Therefore, it is important to choose a reputable manufacturer. By choosing an experienced aluminum producer, you can ensure that you will get superior quality products.
The main differences between cold and hot rolled aluminum sheet are surface and mechanical properties. Hot rolled aluminum sheets have higher ductility, better oxidation effect, and more favorable deep drawing performance. In addition, they have a better casting defect recovery.
Cold rolled aluminum sheet is generally less expensive than hot rolled aluminum sheet. However, cold rolled sheet has lower mechanical properties. It is a casting machine processing method.
Hot rolled aluminum sheet is made from a cast ingot. As the ingot is heated at a high temperature, it undergoes 90% thermal deformation. During this process, its surface is rougher than cold rolled sheet.
Besides, the thickness of the aluminum sheet is greater than the cold rolled sheet. Therefore, the production costs are higher.