Cold-Rolled Aluminum Plate

Cold-Rolled Aluminum Plate: The Foundation of Lightweight & Precision Manufacturing

1. Material Characteristics & Production Process

1. Definition & Classification
Cold-rolled aluminum plate refers to aluminum and aluminum alloy sheets produced through cold rolling (rolling temperature below the recrystallization temperature), featuring high precision, high strength, and excellent surface quality.

• Alloy Systems:

• 1-series Pure Aluminum (Al 99.0%~99.9%): Low-cost, corrosion-resistant, used in packaging and architectural decoration;

• 3-series Al-Mg (e.g., 3003, 3103): Lightweight, tensile strength ≥100 MPa, used in automotive and aerospace;

• 6-series Al-Mg-Si (e.g., 6061, 6063): High strength (≥270 MPa), heat-treatable强化, used in structural       components;

• 7-series Al-Zn-Mg-Cu (e.g., 7075): Ultra-high strength (≥570 MPa), used in aerospace fasteners.

2. Cold Rolling Process Flow

1. Melting & Casting:

• Alloying melting (Al 95%+ alloying elements) → Vacuum degassing → Pouring into T6-state ingots;

• Hot Rolling Slab Preparation:

• Ingot heating to 450℃~530℃ → Hot rolling into slabs (thickness 10~30mm);

• Cold Rolling:

• Multi-pass Rolling: Slab cold-rolled to target thickness (0.1mm~5mm) via 4~20-roll mills with precision ≤±0.01mm;

• Tension Control: Applied 0.5%~5 MN/m during rolling to eliminate internal stresses;

• Heat Treatment & Straightening:

• Solution Treatment (e.g., 6061 alloy: 530℃×30min) → Aging Strengthening (160℃×12h) → Straightening to flatness ≤0.05mm/m;

• Surface Treatment:

• Anodizing: Film thickness 10~20μm, corrosion resistance enhanced 5×;

• Chemical Passivation or Fluorocarbon Coating: Corrosion resistance ≥2,000 hours (GB/T 1771).

2. Core Performance Metrics

3. Applications & Case Studies

1. Automotive Lightweighting

• Tesla Model 3 Body: Uses 6061-T6 cold-rolled aluminum plate,reducing weight by 10% (vs. steel) and improving collision energy absorption by 20%;

• NIO ES8 Battery Pack: Employs 7075-T6 high-strength aluminum plate, achieving torsional rigidity ≥150 kN·m/deg and lifespan ≥10 years.

• Aerospace

• Airbus A350 Wing Ribs: 7075-T7 aluminum cold-rolled plate with fatigue strength ≥380 MPa (ASTM E466);

• Satellite Structural Components: 6061-T6 plate combined with titanium alloy rivets, passing ±150℃ thermal cycling tests.

• Architecture & New Energy

• Dubai Solar Power Station: 3003-H24 cold-rolled aluminum plates for PV supports, meeting IP65 protection grade;

• Shenzhen SEG Plaza Curtain Wall: 6063-T5 aluminum plate reduces self-weight by 40% compared to glass curtain walls.

• Precision Electronics

• Apple iPhone 15 Pro Case: 7075-T6 cold-rolled aluminum plate +  CNC machining, thickness 0.6mm, bending strength ≥350 MPa;

• Semiconductor Device Cavity: 6061-T6 plate electrolytically polished to Ra 0.05μm, meeting ISO 1436 sealing standards.

4. Technical Advantages & Market Competitiveness

1. Lightweight & Energy Efficiency

• Automotive sector: 6%~8% fuel efficiency improvement per 10% weight reduction (U.S. Department of Energy data);

• Architectural sector: Reduces structural load by 30%~50%, lowering steel usage and CO₂ emissions by ≈1.2 tons/1,000㎡.

  High Precision & Functionalization

• Conductive Coating: Carbon black/graphene composite layer (surface resistance ≤10⁴ Ω/sq)      for EMI shielding;

• Antibacterial Coating: Nanosilver particles (0.1wt.%),抑菌率≥99.9% (GB/T 20944.3).

• Micro-meter Rolling Accuracy: Achieves strict dimensional tolerances (±0.005mm) for electronic enclosures;

• Surface Functionalization:

  Sustainability

• Recyclability: Aluminum plate recycling rate ≥95%, with recycled aluminum energy consumption仅5% of primary aluminum;

• Life Cycle Cost: 60% lower than stainless steel (75% reduction in lifecycle CO₂ emissions,  MIT research data).

5. Industry Trends & Challenges

1. Technology Upgrade Directions

• Ultra-Thinning Plates: Developing 0.05mm-grade aluminum sheets for flexible electronics;

• Gradient Functional Coatings: Wear-resistant base layer (≥50HRC) + corrosion-resistant top layer (pH 1~13);

• AI-Driven Process Optimization: Machine learning models for rolling parameter prediction, improving accuracy by 20%.

  Market Growth Drivers

• New Energy Vehicles: Global market expected to reach $250 billion by 2030 (Statista), with cold-rolled aluminum demand占比≥40%;

• Hydrogen Energy Storage: 6061-T6 plates for cryogenic hydrogen tanks (-253℃ impact resistance, ASTM A370).

  Challenges & Solutions

• Forming Limit: Breakthrough via hydroforming technology for complex shapes;

• Cost Pressure: Utilizing recycled aluminum (≥30% content) to reduce material costs by 15%~20%.

Cold-rolled aluminum plate has become an indispensable material in high-end manufacturing due to its lightweight, high-strength, precision-forming, and long-service-life advantages. With global carbon neutrality goals and the explosive growth of new energy industries, its market size is projected to exceed $400 billion by 2035 (CAGR 9.2%). Future technological advancements will focus on intelligent manufacturing and multi-functional integration, propelling the aluminum processing industry toward high-endization, greenification, and globalization.