US 12,215,412 B2
Method and system for heat treatment of metal alloy sheet
Peter Von Czarnowski, West Bloomfield, MI (US); and Armin Von Czarnowski, Orchard Lake, MI (US)
Assigned to ELKEME Hellenic Research Centre for Metals S.A., Athens (GR)
Appl. No. 17/312,253
Filed by ELKEME Hellenic Research Centre for Metals S.A., Athens (GR)
PCT Filed Dec. 12, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/065984
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 9, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/123807, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 18, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/794,881, filed on Jan. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/787,663, filed on Jan. 2, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/778,739, filed on Dec. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0033945 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. C22F 1/04 (2006.01); C21D 9/00 (2006.01); C21D 9/46 (2006.01); C22C 21/00 (2006.01); C22F 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC C22F 1/04 (2013.01) [C21D 9/0006 (2013.01); C21D 9/46 (2013.01); C22C 21/00 (2013.01); C22F 1/002 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing aluminum alloy sheet comprising:
pre-heating a coil of aluminum alloy sheet in a second furnace in a second temperature range prior to inserting the coil into a heat-treatment furnace;
transferring, while the pre-heat-treated coil is fully coiled, the pre-heat-treated coil from the second furnace to the heat-treatment furnace;
heating, in the heat-treatment furnace and at an elevated first temperature, the pre-heat-treated coil to form a heat-treated coil, wherein the first elevated temperature is selected so that an aluminum alloy of the aluminum alloy sheet approximates a first metallurgical state, and wherein a heat-treated portion comprises heat-treated portions successively uncoiled from the heated coil;
while at least a portion of the heat-treated coil remains in the heat-treatment furnace:
uncoiling a heat-treated portion of the aluminum alloy sheet from the heat-treated coil;
passing the uncoiled heat-treated portion of the aluminum alloy sheet through an outlet of the heat-treatment furnace, wherein the uncoiled heat-treated portion, immediately before quenching, has a temperature within about 10° C. of the elevated first temperature and has a temperature at least about 20° C. below a solidus temperature of the uncoiled heat-treated portion; and
continuously quenching, by a quenching unit, the uncoiled heat-treated portion to form a quenched sheet.