Method and system for producing aluminum alloy parts

Abstract

In production of aluminum alloy members by a plastic working of a heat-treatable aluminum alloy extrusion, cracking during the plastic working is eliminated or minimized at low cost as compared with techniques including solution treatment or restoration treatment. An aluminum alloy production system includes an extruding press, a cutting device disposed downstream from the extruding press, and a conveyer and a plastic working machine each disposed in parallel with the extruding press. The extruding press hot-extrudes a heat-treatable aluminum alloy to give an extrusion. The cutting device cuts the extrusion to a predetermined length and isolates the extrusion from the extruding press. The conveyer conveys the extrusion to the plastic working machine, where the extrusion has been cut by the cutting device to a predetermined length. The plastic working machine imparts a plastic working to the extrusion conveyed by the conveyer to form the extrusion into an aluminum alloy part.

1 . A method for producing aluminum alloy parts, comprising:
 hot-extruding a heat-treatable aluminum alloy using an extruding press to give an extrusion;   cooling and cutting the extrusion to a predetermined length, the extrusion being extruded from a die of the extruding press and moving forward;   conveying the extrusion after cutting to a plastic working machine;   imparting a plastic working to the cut extrusion before the extrusion has a yield strength greater than 120 MPa, where the yield strength increases due to natural aging; and   imparting a temper aging to the extrusion after the plastic working.   
     
     
         2 . The production method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extrusion extruded from the die and moves forward is quenching by air-cooling or water-cooling.   
     
     
         3 . The production method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extrusion has a hollow section, and   wherein the extrusion extruded from the die and moving forward is cooled by inserting a nozzle from front into the cross section of the extrusion and injecting a coolant from the nozzle.   
     
     
         4 . The production method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the extrusion is cut while clamping the extrusion at positions downstream and upstream from a cutting position and, is cooled at the cutting position and in areas downstream and upstream from the cutting position.   
     
     
         5 . The production method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 stretching and straightening the extrusion in the cold after the cutting and before the plastic working.   
     
     
         6 . A production system for producing aluminum alloy parts, comprising:
 an extruding press that hot-extrudes a heat-treatable aluminum alloy to give an extrusion;   a cutting device that is disposed downstream from the extruding press and cuts the extrusion to a predetermined length, to isolate the extrusion from the extruding press; and   a conveyer and a plastic working machine each disposed in parallel with the extruding press,   wherein the cutting device including a cutting tool that is movable forward at a speed approximately equal to an extruding speed of the extrusion,   the conveyer conveying the extrusion to the plastic working machine, where the extrusion has been cut to a predetermined length by the cutting device,   the plastic working machine imparting a plastic working to the extrusion conveyed by the conveyer to form the extrusion into an aluminum alloy part.   
     
     
         7 . The production system according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a cooler is disposed downstream from the extruding press.   
     
     
         8 . The production system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the cooler includes a nozzle that injects a coolant, and   wherein the nozzle is movable back and forth along an extruding direction of the extrusion.   
     
     
         9 . The production system according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the cutting device comprises a pair of clamps, and   wherein the clamps are disposed immediately downstream and upstream from the cutting tool, grasp the extrusion, and move forward synchronously with the cutting tool.   
     
     
         10 . The production system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein at least one of the cutting tool and the pair of clamps comprises a cooling mechanism that cools the extrusion.   
     
     
         11 . The production system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the cutting device functions as a stretcher that stretches and straightens the cut extrusion, and   wherein the cutting device is operable to grasp the rear and front ends of the extrusion by the pair of clamps, to widen the distance between the pair of clamps, and to stretch and straighten the extrusion.   
     
     
         12 . The production system according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a stretcher is disposed downstream from the extruding press,   wherein the stretcher stretches and straightens the cut extrusion.