Production of aluminum brazing sheet

Claim 1

A method of producing aluminum flux brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly comprising (i) an ingot of aluminum alloy consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.7 wt.% Mg, max. of 0.25 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Fe, the remainder aluminum; and (ii) a layer of an aluminum brazing alloy on at least one side of the ingot, the layer consisting essentially of 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing on both sides of said composite assembly a second layer of aluminum for rolling purposes, the layer being substantially free of elemental silicon and consisting essentially of 0.2 wt.% Cu max., 0.7 wt.% Fe max., 1.5 wt.% Mn max., up to 1.0 wt.% Mg, the total of Mn plus Mg not to exceed 1.5%, up to 3.0 wt.% Zn, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers to form a composite by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. in a reversing mill; and (d) continuously hot rolling said composite to form brazing sheet.

Claim 2

A method of producing aluminum flux brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly comprising (i) an ingot of aluminum alloy consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.7 wt.% Mg, max. of 0.25 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Fe, the remainder aluminum; and (ii) a layer of an aluminum brazing alloy on at least one side of the ingot, the layer consisting essentially of 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing on both sides of said composite assembly a second layer of aluminum for rolling purposes, the layer being substantially free of elemental silicon and consisting essentially of 0.2 wt.% Cu max., 0.7 wt.% Fe max., 1.5 wt.% Mn max., up to 1.0 wt.% Mg, the total of Mn plus Mg not to exceed 1.5%, up to 3.0 wt.% Zn, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers to form a composite by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. in a reversing mill; and (d) continuously hot rolling said composite to form brazing sheet.

Claim 6

The method of producing aluminum flux brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly containing (i) a core material consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0.2 to 0.5 wt.% Fe, 0.1 to 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Mg, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; and (ii) a layer of aluminum brazing alloy on at least one side of the core, the layer consisting essentially of 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing a layer of aluminum on both sides of the composite assembly for rolling purposes, the layer consisting essentially of max. 0.2 wt.% silicon, max. 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. 0.5 wt.% Fe, max. of 1.5 wt.% Mn, Mg in the range of 0 to 0.3 wt.%, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. to a thickness in the range of 0.75 to 1.5 inches; and (d) continuously hot rolling the composite at a temperature in the range of 500° to 800° F. to form aluminum brazing sheet.

Claim 7

The method of producing aluminum flux brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly containing (i) a core material consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0.2 to 0.5 wt.% Fe, 0.1 to 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Mg, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; and (ii) a layer of aluminum brazing alloy on at least one side of the core, the layer consisting essentially of 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing a layer of aluminum on both sides of the composite assembly for rolling purposes, the layer consisting essentially of max. 0.2 wt.% silicon, max. 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. 0.5 wt.% Fe, max. of 1.5 wt.% Mn, Mg in the range of 0 to 0.3 wt.%, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. to a thickness in the range of 0.75 to 1.5 inches; and (d) continuously hot rolling the composite at a temperature in the range of 500° to 800° F. to form aluminum brazing sheet.

Claim 8

A method of producing aluminum vacuum brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly comprising (i) an ingot of aluminum alloy consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.7 wt.% Mg, max. of 0.25 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Fe, the remainder aluminum; and (ii) a layer of an aluminum brazing alloy on one side only of the ingot, the layer consisting essentially of up to 2.5 w.t% Mg, 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing on both sides of said composite assembly a second layer of aluminum for rolling purposes, the layer being substantially free of elemental silicon and consisting essentially of 0.2 wt.% Cu max., 0.7 wt.% Fe max., 1.5 wt.% Mn max., up to 1.0 wt.% Mg, the total of Mn plus Mg not to exceed 1.5 wt.%, up to 3.0 wt.% Zn, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers to form a composite by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. in a reversing mill; and (d) continuously hot rolling said composite to form brazing sheet.

Claim 9

A method of producing aluminum vacuum brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly comprising (i) an ingot of aluminum alloy consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.7 wt.% Mg, max. of 0.25 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Fe, the remainder aluminum; and (ii) a layer of an aluminum brazing alloy on one side only of the ingot, the layer consisting essentially of up to 2.5 w.t% Mg, 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing on both sides of said composite assembly a second layer of aluminum for rolling purposes, the layer being substantially free of elemental silicon and consisting essentially of 0.2 wt.% Cu max., 0.7 wt.% Fe max., 1.5 wt.% Mn max., up to 1.0 wt.% Mg, the total of Mn plus Mg not to exceed 1.5 wt.%, up to 3.0 wt.% Zn, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers to form a composite by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. in a reversing mill; and (d) continuously hot rolling said composite to form brazing sheet.

Claim 10

The method of producing aluminum vacuum brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly containing (i) a core material consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0.2 to 0.5 wt.% Fe, 0.1 to 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Mg, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; and (ii) a layer of aluminum brazing alloy on one side only of the core, the layer consisting essentially of up to 2.5 wt.% Mg, 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing a layer of aluminum on both sides of the composite assembly for rolling purposes, the layer consisting essentially of max. 0.2 wt.% silicon, max. 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. 0.5 wt.% Fe, max. of 1.5 wt.% Mn, Mg in the range of 0 to 0.3 wt.%, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. to a thickness in the range of 0.75 to 1.5 inches; and (d) continuously hot rolling the composite at a temperature in the range of 500° to 800° F. to form aluminum brazing sheet.

Claim 11

The method of producing aluminum vacuum brazing sheet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a composite assembly containing (i) a core material consisting essentially of 0 to 1.5 wt.% Mn, max. of 0.3 wt.% Si, 0.2 to 0.5 wt.% Fe, 0.1 to 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. of 0.7 wt.% Mg, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; and (ii) a layer of aluminum brazing alloy on one side only of the core, the layer consisting essentially of up to 2.5 wt.% Mg, 5.0 to 13.0 wt.% Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) providing a layer of aluminum on both sides of the composite assembly for rolling purposes, the layer consisting essentially of max. 0.2 wt.% silicon, max. 0.2 wt.% Cu, max. 0.5 wt.% Fe, max. of 1.5 wt.% Mn, Mg in the range of 0 to 0.3 wt.%, the remainder aluminum and incidental impurities; (c) hot bonding said composite assembly and the rolling layers by rolling at a temperature in the range of 850° to 950° F. to a thickness in the range of 0.75 to 1.5 inches; and (d) continuously hot rolling the composite at a temperature in the range of 500° to 800° F. to form aluminum brazing sheet.