Flexible Hot Rolling of Extruded Shapes of Aluminum Alloy EN AW-6082

Abstract

One of the strategies employed to lower weight and to decrease material consumption is reducing part thickness itself. Thus, functionally graded materials in which structural reinforcement is adjusted locally, are of great interest. With regard to conventional industrial processes, such as extrusion or flexible cold rolling, thickness variations can only be achieved either longitudinally or through the cross-section of the semi-finished products. Hence, a combined thickness variation (along both axes) is difficult to generate solely by extrusion or rolling. A simultaneous thickness variation in both directions, however, would enable further weight savings in structural components such as car body parts. In this study, a promising approach with extruded shapes, serving as a billet for a flexible hot rolling process, is elaborated upon. By employing the described process modification, shapes with simultaneous thickness variations in longitudinal as well as in transverse direction are feasible. Initial numerical analysis reveals the weight-saving potential of using these semi-finished products for structural parts in a car body. A demonstration of the production process for the semi-finished parts and the occurring challenges are discussed. To verify and adjust the new technology, a numerical model of the flexible hot rolling process has been created based on the finite element software QForm VX. This model is also employed for tool design optimization to produce semi-finished components with the required geometrical quality. Finally, the results of hot rolling experiments conducted using the adjusted roll design are presented.