Method for manufacturing aluminum alloy wheel

Abstract

A method is disclosed for production of a single-piece type aluminum alloy wheel. Specifically, the method includes one-piece casting by a casting means to form a disk part and a pre-rim part from a certain aluminum alloy, and spinning the pre-rim part formed from the aluminum alloy by the one-piece casting step to form a rim part of a specified shape. Preferably, the method uses gravity-type casting as the casting method by the casting step. The casting step is carried out such that the disk part is set-established horizontally in a lower part of a mold, such that thereafter the pre-rim part is set-established approximately vertically above and circumferentially centered with respect to the pre-disk part. A plurality of gates-risers are thereafter disposed circumferentially or radially on the pre-rim part. Thus, an overall high strength aluminum alloy wheel is produced with good efficiency.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for production of an aluminum alloy wheel, comprising: 
 one-piece casting to form a disk part and a pre-rim part from an aluminum alloy; and    spinning the pre-rim part to form a rim part of a specified shape.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one-piece casting comprises gravity-type casting.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the gravity-type casting comprises: 
 set-establishing the disk part horizontally in a lower part of a mold;    set-establishing the pre-rim part approximately vertically above and circumferentially centered with respect to the disk part; and    disposing a plurality of gates-risers circumferentially on the pre-rim part.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising form-processing the rim part together with the disk part to form a single piece, wherein the disk part is coupled to the rim part, and wherein a distribution of metal grain structure between the rim part and the disk part is controlled and continuous.  
     
     
         5 . A single-piece aluminum alloy wheel, comprising: 
 a rim part; and    a disk part;    wherein the rim part and the disk part are coupled together such that a distribution of metal grain structure between the rim part and the disk part is controlled and continuous.    
     
     
         6 . A single-piece aluminum alloy wheel produced by a process comprising: 
 one-piece casting to form a disk part and a pre-rim part from an aluminum alloy;    spinning the pre-rim part to form a rim part of a specified shape; and    form-processing the rim part together with the disk part to form a single piece;    wherein the disk part is coupled to the rim part,    and wherein a distribution of metal grain structure between the rim part and the disk part is controlled and continuous.