Editor’s Note: As daily reported in worldwide news media, business activity in automotive aluminum is facing big challenges with yoyo-like tariffs that threaten aluminum producers, parts manufacturers, and eventual customers. Markets as well as jobs are at risk, not to mention rising product costs, with car and truck buyers most likely to pay for the tariffs. Business press has reported that the U.S. auto industry is already buckling up for tariffs on international imports, including those from Mexico and Canada within the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement) of July 1, 2020. All of this is expected to raise the price of the average automotive vehicle to U.S. customers—not only up front, but also for insurance and maintenance.
Which brings me to compare the present changing rain-then-shine-then-rain tariff climate to the philosophical problems raised by quantum mechanics and speculate on its application to humanity and the universe – bear with me on this. Physicists have categorically concluded that quantum mechanical events may have no cause, in that things can happen for no reason at all. Well, unpredictability and random causeless events also seem to be fundamental to how tariffs seem to be administered presently, a mere coincidence or are we in “The Twilight Zone.”
Although the future of U.S. automotive and aluminum trade is uncertain, over the tumult and shouting, the automotive aluminum community is constantly creating new and promising methods and applications. This is thanks to aluminum’s many positive physical and mechanical properties incorporated into automotive component manufacture, that exceed the performance and economics of competitive materials. Human creativity and invention in automotive aluminum progresses at its own evolutionary pace, as shown by the wide range of recent international patent activity in the field.
The selected patents presented below were granted only within the past 12 months and point to progress made internationally in the automotive industry in using aluminum in cast and wrought form for power and structural automotive components. As is our practice for this column, the invention abstracts are presented in descending order of date of issue. Copies of all U.S. patents are available on-line www.uspto.gov/patents/search.
— Joseph C. Benedyk, Editor
US12276009 — PROCESS FOR LOW-COST TEMPERING OF ALUMINUM CASTING — Magna International Inc. (Canada) — A thermally stable component formed of a tempered aluminum alloy casting which reduced costs is provided. The aluminum alloy typically has an elongation of at least 8% after casting, which is preferred for self-piercing rivet processes. The aluminum alloy leaves a casting facility in the as-cast (F temper) condition. The cast aluminum alloy is then shipped to another entity, such as an OEM, and is subjected to an artificial aging process, such as on the OEM’s existing paint line, rather than at the casting facility. The artificial aging process typically includes electrodeposition coating and curing. The components that can be formed by the reduced cost method include lightweight automotive vehicle components, including structural, body-in-white, suspension, or chassis components, such as front shock towers, front body hinge pillars, tunnels, and rear rails.
US12261315 — BATTERY HOUSING ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES — Ford Global Technologies, LLC (USA) — A battery housing assembly for housing battery components of an electric vehicle includes a battery tray, a lid, and a sealant. The battery tray includes a channel located outwardly relative to the battery components. The lid is secured to the battery tray and includes an end portion within the channel. The lid further includes at least one alignment feature configured to align the lid and the battery tray. The sealant is disposed within a portion of the channel of the battery tray and is configured to secure the battery tray and the lid to each other. The sealant is further configured to seal an internal cavity of the battery housing assembly. In one embodiment the battery tray 30 is made of a metal material such as aluminum, for example, and includes a bottom wall or panel 34 and a side wall 40.
US12252765 — AUTOMOTIVE DOOR BEAM MADE OF ALUMINUM ALLOY EXTRUDED MATERIAL — Kobe Steel, Ltd. (Japan) — A door beam of a motor vehicle includes a 7000 series aluminum alloy extruded material, the 7000 series aluminum alloy extruded material including Zn: 7.5 mass % to 9.0 mass %, Mg: 1.3 mass % to 2.0 mass %, Cu: 0.1 mass % to 0.7 mass %, Si: 0.15 mass % or less, Fe: 0.3 mass % or less, Ti: 0.005 mass % to 0.2 mass %, and at least one of Mn, Cr, and Zr: 0.1 mass % to 0.5 mass %, in which contents of Mn, Cr and Zr satisfy Mn: 0.3 mass % or less, Cr: 0.25 mass % or less, and Zr: 0.25 mass %, respectively, with the remainder being Al and impurities. A Fe-based crystallized product is contained, and an average Cu content of the Fe-based crystallized product is 5.0 mass % or less. The above 7000 series aluminum alloy extruded material exhibits high strength (proof stress of 460 MPa or more) after an artificial aging treatment and the average Cu content of the Fe-based crystallized product is 5.0 mass % or less and SCC resistance is improved.
US12252174 — REINFORCED STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND VEHICLE REAR STRUCTURE INCLUDING THE SAME — Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation (Korea) — An extruded aluminum component may be used as a cross-member of a vehicle, and a penetration pipe and/or a steel reinforcing structure may be attached to the cross-member to improve a rigidity and/or strength of amounting of a seat base, such as a seat rail and/or a seat leg may be improved. A reinforced structural member includes a structural member having a hole and having a closed, and/or partially closed, cross-section, and a reinforcement fixed to the structural member. A portion of the reinforcement may be inserted into the structural member through the hole, and the hole and the reinforcement may be configured to align with a mount portion of an associated component when the associated component is mounted on the structural member.
US12241496 — MEMBER FOR FASTENING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME — Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Japan) — A method of manufacturing a member for fastening by joining a nut with a tubular joint portion extending from a main body formed with an internal thread to a panel with a mounting hole for the nut on an aluminum base material. The joint portion has a rotation-preventing portion with a concave and convex shaped outer peripheral surface and a guide portion extending from the rotation-preventing portion to one side. After the guide portion is inserted into the mounting hole, the nut is energized by electrodes in contact with both nut end surface sides. The nut then generates heat, and the periphery of the mounting hole is heated and softened. When the nut is pressurized with the electrodes, the rotation-preventing portion bites into the mounting hole, and the one end portion of the guide portion is swaged to become a retaining portion on one surface side of the panel.
US12202544 — VEHICLE FRAME STRUCTURE — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Japan) — The disclosure provides a vehicle frame structure capable of achieving light weight and cost reduction while maintaining good structural rigidity. A vehicle frame structure includes a side frame and a support frame. The side frame is disposed at a side portion of a vehicle and extends in a vehicle front-rear direction. The support frame is disposed below the side frame to support a suspension member and includes a body portion, an arm portion extending upwards from the body portion, and a fixing portion disposed on an upper end of the arm portion. The fixing portion of the support frame and a lower end of the side frame are fixed to each other via a fastening member extending in a vehicle up-down direction. The fixing portion has a slit formed towards the outside in a vehicle width direction from a through hole into which the fastening member is inserted.
US12221157 — REAR VEHICLE BODY STRUCTURE — Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation (Korea) — A rear vehicle body structure in which the rear vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, each of the rear side members may be formed of an aluminum material. The rear vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention disclosed includes rear side members respectively disposed along a vehicle body front-rear direction on both sides of a vehicle body rear portion, and each of the rear side members may include a plurality of suspension mounting parts formed to mount the rear suspension and a plurality of radial ribs formed radially from each of the plurality of suspension mounting parts therein.
US12215652 — METHOD FOR MAKING A LIGHTWEIGHT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE PISTON WITH MICRO CHAMBERS — Lean-Burn Combustion, Inc. (USA) — An automotive internal combustion engine piston, e.g., 4032 aluminum alloy in the T6 condition, is formed to have a bowl in the piston crown, at least one micro chamber formed in a side surface of the piston body at a position lower than a floor of the bowl, and extended orifices to provide 2-way communication of gaseous materials between the micro chambers and bowl. The micro chamber volume is defined by a removable casting core that incorporates a strut to secure the core at the circumference of the piston body in the casting mold. After casting and removal of the core material, the cavity from the strut to secure the core is prepared to receive a tapered thread plug that is sealed by circumferential friction stir welding on the outer diameter of the piston body. The micro chamber is thereby isolated except for the extended orifice to the bowl.
US12215412 — METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF METAL ALLOY SHEET — ELKEME Hellenic Research Centre for Metals S.A. (Greece) — A method and system solution heat treat, at an elevated first temperature, a coil of aluminum alloy sheet to form a heat-treated coil and while at least a portion of the heat-treated coil is being solution heat treated, uncoil a heat-treated portion of the aluminum alloy sheet from the heat-treated coil and continuously quenching the uncoiled heat-treated portion to form a quenched sheet. A conventional continuous heat treatment line requires high CapEx (typically >$50,000,000), requires lot of floor space, and requires the strip to be led through long line paths, passing numerous rolls which increase the risk of surface marks. The proposed batch quenching process can fill the gap between conventional strip processes and plate processes regarding gauge by the various embodiments and configurations of the present disclosure for use in automotive and other industrial applications.
US12208837 — INTEGRATED COMPONENTS FOR VEHICLES — Tesla, Inc. (USA) — Some examples relate to the configuration or management of an integrated component that provides structural component functionality for a vehicle, such as a cross member that absorbs loads placed on the vehicle. Additionally, the integrated component illustratively further provides air reservoir functionality for one or more additional vehicle components. In some examples, an integrated component can provide structural component functionality associated with a cross member mounted between shock towers and air reservoir functionality to provide compression air such as for active or semi-active vehicle suspension systems. The integrated component 202 (or portions of the integrated component) is illustratively formed of aluminum such as by extrusion or may be manufactured using high pressure die cast techniques.
US12202324 — BATTERY CASE FOR VEHICLE — Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation (Korea) — A battery case for a vehicle includes a lower panel supporting lower sides of a plurality of battery modules, the lower panel including a sidewall bent and extending upwards from the lower panel, a side member surrounding and supporting the sidewall of the lower panel to protect side surfaces of the battery modules, and a plurality of reinforcing members, each of which is disposed between neighboring ones of the battery modules such that two opposite ends of the reinforcing members are coupled to and supported by the sidewall. The lower panel may be formed as an aluminum plate having a thickness of 2 mm and a cross-sectional structure may be formed by roll-forming an aluminum plate having a thickness of 2.5 mm. The base member, preferably an aluminum extrusion, is and the additional member, preferably formed through aluminum roll forming, are preferably welded together.
US12195120 — CONFIGURABLE VEHICLE CHASSIS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS — Ford Global Technologies, LLC (USA) — An example vehicle frame subassembly for a vehicle is disclosed herein. The example vehicle frame subassembly includes a first frame portion defining a wheel axle, and a second frame portion extending from the first frame portion at an angle from the wheel axle, the wheel axle at a first height, an end of the second frame portion at a second height different from the first height, the vehicle frame subassembly to configure a vehicle for a selected ride height when the vehicle frame subassembly is implemented in the vehicle, the second height corresponding to the selected ride height. The crossmembers and side rails may be composed of aluminum or other suitable materials.
US12187343 — VEHICLE BODY LATERAL SECTION STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING VEHICLE BODY LATERAL SECTION STRUCTURE — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Japan) — A vehicle body lateral section structure includes: a side panel outer (2) that is made of an aluminum alloy; a reinforcing member (4) that is made of steel and overlaps inside the side panel outer (2); an inner panel (3) that is made of steel and overlaps inside the reinforcing member (4); a plurality of mechanical coupling portions (5) that are provided at an interval (P1) of 40 mm or more and 80 mm or less in a longitudinal direction of the opening flange; and resistance welded portions (6) that are provided between the plurality of mechanical coupling portions (5) in the longitudinal direction to join the reinforcing member (4) and the inner panel (3) to each other in a state where the side panel outer (2), the reinforcing member (4), and the inner panel (3) overlap each other in three layers.
US12179840 — NOTCHES OF FRAME RAILS OF THREE-WHEELED VEHICLE — Ford Global Technologies, LLC (USA) — A vehicle includes a vehicle frame including a first frame rail, a second frame rail spaced cross-vehicle from the first frame rail, and a middle frame rail between the first frame rail and the second frame rail. The first frame rail and the second frame rail each have a vehicle-inboard side facing toward the middle frame rail. The vehicle-inboard sides each define a plurality of notches. The middle frame rail has a downward side facing downwardly and perpendicular to the vehicle-inboard sides. The downward side defines a plurality of notches. The vehicle frame has a rear and a front cross-member spaced vehicle-forward of the rear cross-member. The rear cross-member and the front cross-member are between the first frame rail and the second frame rail. The notches of the vehicle-inboard sides and the notches of the downward side are between the rear cross-member and the front cross-member. The vehicle frame 12 and vehicle body 34 may be of aluminum or other suitable material.
US12172210 — SYSTEM OF HIGH-PRESSURE DIE CASTING OF ULTRA-LARGE ALUMINUM CASTINGS — GM Global Technology Operations LLC (USA) — A high pressure die casting (HPDC) system for casting ultra-large single-piece castings for vehicles. The HPDC system includes a clear feeding path from at least one ingate to a predetermined thicker section of a mold cavity, a last to solidify ingate having an equivalent or larger feeding modulus than the highest feeding modulus of the other ingates, and thermal management elements. The clear feeding path, last to solidify ingate, and thermal management elements ensure sufficient supplemental molten metal flow to the thicker portion of the mold cavity to accommodate for shrinkage of the thicker portion of an ultra large casting during the casting and solidification process.
US12168479 — VEHICLE PANEL HAVING A HYBRID COMPOSITE MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION — GM Global Technology Operations LLC (USA) — A vehicle panel includes an outer panel layer formed from a first material such as aluminum. The outer panel layer includes a first side, a second side, and a peripheral edge. A second panel joining surface is arranged inwardly of the peripheral edge. An inner panel layer formed from a second material that is distinct from the first material is arranged across the second side. The second panel includes a first side portion, a second side portion, and a peripheral edge portion. A panel bonding layer is joined to the peripheral edge portion. The panel bonding layer is formed from a third material that is distinct from the second material. A bonding material is disposed between the second panel joining surface and the panel bonding layer creating a chemical bond between the panel bonding layer and the second panel joining surface.
US12168264 — METHOD FOR LASER JOINING TWO BLANKS MADE OF ALUMINUM MATERIAL — Autotech Engineering R&D USA Inc. (USA) — The present invention relates to a method for joining two blanks made of aluminum material, using a laser source, by controlling the laser power distribution. In particular, the method comprises placing the first and second blanks for welding; laser welding the first and second blanks following a welding path and modulating a laser power distribution, wherein the welding path combines a linear movement along a welding direction and oscillating movements substantially transverse to the welding direction, wherein the oscillating movement has a frequency between 50 Hz and 1500 Hz and an amplitude ranging from 0.3 mm and 3.0 mm, and wherein the laser power distribution is dynamically controlled during the oscillating movement, and wherein said power is modulated between 0 and 100% of the maximum laser power.
US12162332 — FRAME STRUCTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE EXTERIOR PANEL — Nippon Steel Corporation (Japan) — A frame structure of an automotive exterior panel includes a sheet-like outer panel, a plurality of first members, each of which has an elongated shape, and which are disposed on a vehicle inside with respect to the outer panel, and a second member that has an elongated shape and intersects with the plurality of first members, in which each of the plurality of first members extends in a first direction along a sheet surface of the outer panel, and has a groove part recessed from the vehicle outside toward the vehicle inside at a portion thereof in a longitudinal direction, the second member extends in a second direction along the sheet surface of the outer panel, and has a thickness in a vehicle inside-outside direction, which is uniform at a portion closer to the center than at both end portions in the longitudinal direction, and at an intersection portion where each of the plurality of first members and the second members intersect with each other, the second member is in contact with the inside of the groove part provided in each of the plurality of first members. With respect to the material of the reinforcing member 120, in addition to steel, other materials such as aluminum or a resin material or the like may be used.
US12146202 — PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING THIN SHEETS MADE OF 7XXX ALUMINUM ALLOY SUITABLE FOR SHAPING AND ASSEMBLY — Constellium Neuf-Brisach (France) — The invention relates to the process for manufacturing a rolled product based on an aluminum alloy for the automotive industry wherein, successively, a bath of liquid metal made from an aluminum-based alloy. The invention also relates to the products obtained by this process and the use thereof for the manufacture of a motor vehicle. The process according to the composition claimed, wherein said alloy is one of AA7010, AA7012, AA7022, AA7122, AA7023, AA7032, AA7033, AA7040, AA7140, AA7050, AA7050A, AA7150, AA7250, AA7075, AA7175, AA7475.
US12128463 — METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR COOLING ON A REVERSING HOT ROLLING MILL — Constellium Neuf-Brisach (France) — The invention relates to a hot reversing mill equipped with one or more cooling systems consisting of bars of nozzles spraying an aluminum blank. It also relates to the hot rolling process associated with this hot reversing mill wherein the cooling system serves at least once making it possible to produce aluminum sheets advantageously. It also relates to the process for rolling an AA6xxx series aluminum alloy wherein a blank is cooled during the hot rolling and a sheet obtained with this process. The invention makes it possible to enhance the productivity of reversing mills by enhancing the metallurgical quality and/or the productivity of the other fabrication steps. The invention is particularly useful for providing superior quality 6xxx alloy sheets intended for the automotive industry.
US12115847 — BATTERY HOUSING ASSEMBLY HAVING STRIKE BAR — Ford Global Technologies, LLC (USA) — A battery housing assembly for an electric vehicle includes a battery housing, at least one mounting structure, and a strike bar, which may be made of aluminum. The battery housing is configured to house battery components. The mounting structure is secured to the battery housing and is configured to mount the battery housing to a vehicle frame. The mounting structure includes a recess. The strike bar is disposed within the recess and is secured to the mounting structure. The strike bar extends beyond an exterior profile of the battery housing and includes an upper end portion that tapers inwardly within the recess. The strike bar is configured to detach from the mounting structure in a downward direction during a vehicle impact event.
US12110575 — HIGH STRENGTH AND TOUGHNESS DIE-CASTING ALUMINUM ALLOY WITHOUT HEAT TREATMENT, PREPARATION METHOD AND ARTICLE THEREOF — Guangdong Hongtu Auto Parts Co., Ltd. and Guangdong Hongtu Technology (Holdings) Co., Ltd. (China) — A high strength and toughness die-casting aluminum alloy without heat treatment, a preparation method and an article thereof are provided. Aluminum alloy includes the following components in percentage by mass: 7.0-10.0 wt. % of silicon, not more than 0.05 wt. % of copper, not more than 0.4 wt. % of magnesium, 0.3-0.7 wt. % of manganese, not more than 0.2 wt. % of iron, not more than 0.07 wt. % of zinc, not more than 0.2 wt. % of titanium, 0.015-0.03 wt. % of strontium, 0.01-0.1 wt. % of vanadium, 0.01-0.1 wt. % of zirconium, and other unavoidable impurity elements, each not more than 0.05 wt. %. The total amount of other unavoidable impurity elements is not more than 0.25 wt. %, and the rest is aluminum. The aluminum alloy castings produced by the present invention can avoid deformation caused by the heat treatment process, not only reducing the scrap rate of casting products, but also saving energy consumption during the heat treatment, thereby achieving the effects of energy conservation and emission reduction.
US12097555 — REPAIR ULTRA-LARGE CASTING — GM Global Technology Operations LLC (USA) — Ultra-large high pressure die castings of an Al-Si alloy vehicle body components are advantageous in that the die casting process can form light weight and high strength components with intricate and complex details, e.g., a battery tray of intricate geometry to house rechargeable batteries. A disadvantage of an ultra-large casting in a vehicle body is that the entire casting is typically removed and replaced when damaged. Thus, there is a need for an ultra-large casting designed to be repairable. A design for repair casting having a repairable ultra-large single-piece casting and a replacement part. The ultra-large single-piece casting includes a main body portion, at least one predefined replaceable portion integrally cast with the main body portion, and a cut-guide delineating the predefined replaceable portion from the main body portion. The cut-guide includes a continuous channel defined on an exterior surface of the single-piece casting. The cut-guide further includes a rib extending from a channel wall on the main body portion. A damaged replaceable portion is excisable from the main-body portion by cutting through the single-piece casting along the cut-guide. The excised damaged replaceable portion may be replaced with the replacement part, which has substantially the same geometry, dimensions, and mechanical properties as an undamaged replaceable portion. The replacement part may be joined to the main body portion by mechanical means or by welding.
US12090957 — STRUCTURAL IMPACT ASSEMBLY AND VEHICLE HAVING STRUCTURAL IMPACT ASSEMBLY — Ford Global Technologies, LLC (USA) — A structural assembly for use in a motor vehicle includes a rocker and a running board. The motor vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a door. The rocker extends in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. The running board is movably coupled to the vehicle frame between a deployed position and a stowed position in which an upper portion of the running board extends vertically above the rocker. The running board is configured to be positioned underneath the door and substantially flush with a lower portion of the door when the door is in a closed position and the running board is in the stowed position. A structural assembly for use in a motor vehicle includes a rocker and a running board. The motor vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a door. The rocker extends in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. The running board 70 can be a rectangular shape and may be made of a metal material (e.g., aluminum). The running board 70 may be movably coupled (e.g., rotatably coupled) to the respective rocker 28 between a deployed position in which the running board 70facilitates access into the vehicle 10 and a stowed position (in which the running board 70 acts an energy absorption member during a side impact event.
US12077840 — 6XXX ALUMINUM ALLOY FOR EXTRUSION WITH EXCELLENT CRASH PERFORMANCE AND HIGH YIELD STRENGTH AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION THEREOF — Constellium Singen GMBH (Germany) — The invention relates to an extruded product particularly suitable for manufacturing automotive, rail or transportation structural components with excellent crash performance, made of 6xxx aluminum alloy comprising 0.40-0.80 wt. % Si, 0.40-0.80 wt. % Mg, 0.40-0.70 wt. % Cu, up to 0.4 wt. % Fe, up to 0.30 wt. % Mn, up to 0.2 wt. % Cr, up to 0.2 wt. % V, up to 0.14 wt. % Zr, up to 0.1 wt. % Ti, up to 0.05 wt. % each impurity and total 0.15 wt. %, remainder aluminum, wherein the ratio Mg/Sifree is between 0.8 and 1.2 where Sifree is calculated according to the equation Sifree=Si−0.3*(Mn+Fe) where Si, Mn and Fe correspond to the content in weight % of Si, Mn and Fe of said 6xxx aluminum alloy and to the corresponding extruded product particularly suitable with a tensile yield strength higher than 280 MPa, and excellent crash properties. The invention also relates to the manufacturing process to obtain such an extruded product.
US12054810 — AL—MG—SI-BASED ALUMINUM ALLOY SHEET EXCELLENT IN FORMABILITY — Kobe Steel, Ltd. (Japan) — To provide an Al—Mg—Si-based aluminum alloy sheet for automotive structural panels excellent in formability with excellent breaking elongation and work hardenability. An Al—Mg—Si-based aluminum alloy sheet excellent in formability contains Mg: 0.3 mass % or more and 0.45 mass % or less and Si: 0.6 mass % or more and 1.75 mass % or less with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, in which, when content of the Mg is expressed [Mg] in terms of mass % and content of the Si is expressed [Si] in terms of mass %, [Si]/[Mg] is more than 2.5, a height of a first exothermic peak appearing in a temperature range of 210°C or above and below 260°C in a differential scanning thermal analysis curve is 20 μW/mg or more, and a height of a second exothermic peak appearing in a temperature range of 260°C or above and 370°C or below in a differential scanning thermal analysis curve is 18 μW/mg or more.
US12043886 — THERMOMECHANICAL AGEING FOR 6XXX EXTRUSIONS — Constellium Singen GMBH (Germany) — The present invention relates to extrusions for structural components, such as bumper, side impact beam, seat sill in vehicles and more particularly to a method for optimizing strength and energy absorption of 6XXX aluminum alloys extrusions by variations in thermomechanical ageing (TMA) consisting in i) an artificial pre-ageing treatment with a duration t1 at a temperature T1 selected to increase the yield strength of said extrusion between 5% and 20%, said temperature T1 being typically between 120°C and 180°C and said duration t1 being typically between 1 and 100 hours, to obtain an artificially preaged extrusion, ii) a plastic deformation of said artificially preaged extrusion between 1% and 80% to obtain a deformed extrusion, iii) a final artificial ageing treatment of said deformed extrusion with a duration t2 at a temperature T2, said temperature T2 being typically between 140°C and 200°C and said the duration t2 being typically between 1 and 100 hours.
US12024759 — ALUMINUM ALLOY FOR HIGH PRESSURE DIE CASTING APPLICATIONS — Magna International Inc. (Canada) — An improved aluminum alloy for blending with a recycled aluminum alloy to form a material for high pressure vacuum die casting is provided. The improved aluminum alloy includes 10 to 12 wt. % silicon, 0.65 to 0.85 wt. % manganese, less than 0.05 wt. % iron, less than 0.05 wt. % magnesium, 0.2 to 0.4 wt. % strontium, less than 0.05 wt. % titanium, and less than 0.02 wt. % copper, based on the total weight of the improved aluminum alloy. The recycled aluminum alloy typically includes 0.60-1.0 wt. % silicon, ≤0.35 wt. % iron, ≤0.20 wt. % copper, 0.05-0.20 wt. % manganese, 0.40-0.8 wt. % magnesium, ≤0.20 wt. % chromium, ≤0.15 wt. % zinc, ≤0.05 wt. % titanium, ≤0.05 wt. % others (each), and ≤0.15 wt. % others (total). The material meets the specifications for an Aural 5S alloy.
US12024231 — CROSS-MEMBER STRUCTURE FOR A VEHICLE — Shanghai Yanfeng Jinqiao Automotive Trim Systems Co. Ltd. (USA) — A cross-member structure/assembly for a vehicle providing an instrument panel is disclosed. The assembly may comprise a composite structure/assembly comprising a plastic beam structure and a metal structural support section to reinforce the plastic beam structure. The assembly may comprise a metal structural member and/or metal bracket member. The assembly may provide structural reinforcement and integrate vehicle systems/subsystems with the instrument panel. The assembly may comprise a set of sections/segments such as an arrangement of beam/structure sections, mounting sections, and structural elements including members, webs, flanges, stiffeners, reinforcement, plates, walls, surfaces, etc. The assembly may comprise an intermediate structural support section configured to support the beam structure. The metal structural support section may be assembled with the plastic beam structure; the metal structural member may be formed with the plastic beam structure (e.g. insert molding, over-molding, etc.). The metal may comprise an alloy such as steel, aluminum, magnesium, etc.
US12023957 — METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MOTOR VEHICLE RIM FROM ALUMINUM OR AN ALUMINUM ALLOY FOR A WHEEL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND CORRESPONDING MOTOR VEHICLE RIM — Audi AG (Germany) — A method for producing an automobile rim made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy for a wheel of an automobile, the automobile rim having a rim bed bounded on opposite sides by an outer flange and an inner flange, a hub with a center recess and a bolt circle, as well as a rim center connecting the rim bed and the hub to one another, the rim center being designed with a plurality of spokes spaced apart in the circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the automobile rim. The automobile rim is produced in one piece and continuously in a casting mold by die casting of a casting material, wherein the automobile rim has, at least in some areas, a low wall thickness not exceeding 15 mm.
US12017701 — CAST STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT SUSPENSION ARM AND MOTOR — Ford Global Technologies, LLC (USA) — A single cast (e.g., an aluminum casting) that performs the function of the suspension trailing arm attachment structure and drive unit front mount is provided herein. The cast structure comprises a first fixing point attachable to a first mounting feature of a first crossmember of a vehicle frame, a first feature configured to receive the suspension arm of the vehicle in an assembled configuration, and a first portion configured to support a motor of the vehicle in an assembled configuration. The disclosure replaces the current structure, which comprises 13 welded pieces, with a single cast component that provides fixing locations for both suspension connections, as well as a support structure to connect to the primary bush of the primary drive unit. As such, tool clearances can be predesigned into the casting for faster assembly.
US12000031 — METAL PRODUCTS HAVING IMPROVED SURFACE PROPERTIES AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME — Novelis Inc. (USA) — Provided herein are continuously cast aluminum alloy products exhibiting uniform surface characteristics. The aluminum alloy products have a first surface comprising a width, wherein the first surface comprises an average of 50 exudates or less per square centimeter across the width of the first surface. Also provided herein are methods of making aluminum alloy products with improved surface characteristics. Further provided are methods and systems for manufacturing aluminum alloy products, such as sheets, having reduced surface defects. The aluminum alloy products described herein can be used in automotive applications and other transportation applications, including aircraft and railway applications.
US12000026 — ALUMINUM ALLOY SHEET FOR AUTOMOTIVE STRUCTURAL MEMBER, AUTOMOTIVE STRUCTURAL MEMBER, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ALUMINUM ALLOY SHEET FOR AUTOMOTIVE STRUCTURAL MEMBER — Kobe Steel, Ltd. (Japan) — Provided are an aluminum alloy sheet for automotive structural member which is excellent and well-balanced in strength, formability, and crushability, an automotive structural member, and a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy sheet for automotive structural member. An aluminum alloy sheet for automotive structural member is an Al—Mg—Si-based aluminum alloy sheet containing, in mass %, Mg: 0.4% or more and 1.0% or less, Si: 0.6% or more and 1.2% or less, and Cu: 0.6% or more and 1.3% or less with the remainder being Al and inevitable impurities and having an earing ratio of −13.0% or less.
US11939655 — ALUMINUM ALLOY BLANKS WITH LOCAL FLASH ANNEALING — Constellium Neuf-Brisach (France) — The invention concerns a method for improving aluminum alloy blank tensile yield stress and formability comprising the successive steps of: providing a 6xxx series aluminum alloy slab; optionally homogenizing the slab; hot rolling and optionally cold rolling the slab to obtain a sheet; solution heat treating and quenching the sheet; cold rolling the sheet with at least 20% cold work reduction; cutting the sheet into blanks; flash annealing a portion of the flange of the blanks at a temperature between 360°C and 480°C for a time sufficient to obtain recrystallization of the portion of the flange and cool to a temperature of less than 100°C. The improved blanks and stamped product and painted stamped products obtained by the method of invention are particularly useful for automotive applications because of their high strength.
US11939654 — METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CORROSION AND HIGH TEMPERATURE RESISTANT ALUMINUM ALLOY EXTRUSION MATERIAL — Hydro Extruded Solutions AS (Norway) — The invention relates to a process for manufacture of a high corrosion resistant aluminum alloy extrusions, especially extruded tubes intended to be used for manufacture of automotive and HVAC & R air conditioning units, such as heat exchanger tubing or refrigerant carrying tube lines. The method includes providing molten alloy with a composition comprising ≤0.30, % by weight of silicon, ≤0.40, % by weight of iron, 0.01-0.6% manganese, ≤0.30, % magnesium, ≤0.70, % zinc, 0.05-0.35% chromium, 0.02-0.20% zirconium, ≤0.25% titanium, ≤0.20% vanadium, ≤0.10% copper, up to 0.15% by weight of other impurities, each not greater than 0.03% by weight, and the balance aluminum. The method includes casting the alloy into an extrusion billet, subjecting the billet to a homogenization treatment at a holding temperature of 550 to 620°C for 6 to 10 hours, heating the billet to a temperature of 400 to 550°C, and extruding the billet into a tube.
