PRODUCTION OF ALUMINUM ALLOY SHEET PRODUCTS IN MULTI-PRODUCTHOT MILLS

摘要

An improved rolling procedure is used for forming aluminum alloy sheet product of critical quality, e.g. can body stock, in a hot rolling mill. The mill is of a type in which the rolls are changed on a routine basis at least once during a production week and a plurality of rolled products of different alloy compositions, including sheet product of critical quality, are fed through the hot rolling mill on a sequential basis. In the improved procedure, the aluminum alloy sheet product of critical quality is fed through the rolling mill within the first 72 hours of production time after the rolls have been changed. Also, the order in which different products are to be produced is selected such that products that generate sufficient heat during rolling to cause micro-annealing of the rolls are processed after the sheet product of the critical quality.