METHOD FOR WARM SWAGING AL-MG ALLOY PARTS

Production of pressed aluminum alloy parts comprises fabricating an aluminum alloy strip 0.5-5 mm thick, cutting a blank from the strip, heating the blank to 150-350[deg]C in less than 30 seconds, and pressing out the part with a heated tool at 150-350[deg]C in the presence of a lubricant. The alloy contains 1-6% magnesium and defined amounts of other elements. Production of pressed aluminum alloy parts comprises fabricating an aluminum alloy strip 0.5-5 mm thick, cutting a blank from the strip, heating the blank to 150-350[deg]C in less than 30 seconds, and pressing out the part with a heated tool at 150-350[deg]C in the presence of a lubricant. The alloy comprises (wt.%): magnesium (1-6), manganese (less than 1.2), copper (less than 1), zinc (less than 1), silicon (less than 3), iron (less than 2), chromium (less than 0.3), zirconium (less than 0.3), other elements (less than 0.1 each, less than 0.5 in total) and aluminum (to 100). An independent claim is also included for a part pressed from a blank as above, in which the elastic limit or Vickers hardness of the least deformed zones is at least 30% greater than that of the most deformed zones.