Method for producing a component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517960-B2
Application number	US-202017031160-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2020
Priority date	Sep 24, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A method for producing a component from an aluminum alloy using a semisolid method is provided. The alloy contains less than 1.3% by weight of iron and no more than 0.2% by weight of silicon, and the component has sufficient ductility such that the component can be joined to other components by self-piercing riveting, flow drilling, high-speed tack setting, friction welding and/or weld riveting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a component, the method comprising:
preparing an alloy based on aluminum and converting the alloy into a semisolid state including solid particles of pure aluminum suspended in a liquid metal, the semisolid state free of solid aluminum-iron particles; and
forming the component with a semisolid method, wherein the alloy contains less than 1.3% by weight of iron and no more than 0.2% by weight of silicon.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the component is produced by rheocasting by introducing the alloy in the semisolid state into a predominantly closed mold cavity via at least one transfer opening and solidifying the alloy in the mold cavity.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 0.05% by weight of silicon.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 1.0% by weight of iron.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy contains at least 0.1% by weight of iron and no more than 1.0% by weight iron.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy contains magnesium.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the alloy contains 3.0-4.6% by weight of magnesium.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 1.0% by weight of additional elements which differ from aluminum, magnesium, iron and silicon.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 0.05% by weight of silicon, at least 0.1% and no more than 1.0% by weight of iron, and 3.0-4.6% by weight of magnesium.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the alloy contains about 4.3% by weight of magnesium, about 1.0% by weight of iron, about 0.1% by weight of copper, and about 0.075% by weight of manganese.

11. The method according claim 1 , wherein the component is a motor vehicle component.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 1.0% by weight of additional elements which differ from aluminum, magnesium, iron and silicon.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising heating the alloy to a liquid state having a temperature below 655 degrees Celsius to prevent formation of the solid aluminum-iron particles and then cooling the liquid alloy to convert the liquid alloy to the semisolid state.

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising heating the alloy to a temperature exceeding 620 degrees Celsius and below 633 degrees Celsius to form the solid aluminum particles suspended in the liquid metal and to prevent formation of solid aluminum-iron particles before formation of the solid aluminum particles.

15. A method for producing a component, the method comprising:
rheocasting an aluminum alloy containing less than 1.3% by weight of iron and no more than 0.2% by weight of silicon and forming the component, the aluminum alloy including solid particles of pure aluminum suspended in a liquid metal and free of solid aluminum-iron particles suspended in the liquid metal.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 0.05% by weight of silicon.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 1.0% by weight of iron.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the alloy contains at least 0.1% by weight of iron and no more than 1.0% by weight iron.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the alloy contains no more than 0.05% by weight of silicon, at least 0.1% and no more than 1.0% by weight of iron, and 3.0-4.6% by weight of magnesium.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the alloy contains about 4.3% by weight of magnesium, about 1.0% by weight of iron, about 0.1% by weight of copper, and about 0.075% by weight of manganese.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Youssef Mohamed
• Warkentin Matthias

Classifications

• C22C1/12

  by processing in a semi-solid state, e.g. holding the alloy in the solid-liquid phase · CPC title

• B22D21/007 Primary

  with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C · CPC title

• B22D17/2023

  Nozzles or shot sleeves · CPC title

• B22D17/007 Primary

  Semi-solid pressure die casting · CPC title

• B22D21/04

  Casting aluminium or magnesium {(no material; see B22D21/007)} · CPC title