Novelis has recently filed a patent application for a new method of producing aluminum ingots designed to minimize cracking. This innovative approach, detailed in their application filed on March 23, 2023, introduces a direct chill cast aluminum ingot with a composition gradient, a technique poised to enhance the durability and quality of aluminum products.
The invention, credited to Samuel Robert Wagstaff and Kumar Sundaram, focuses on creating a composite ingot that comprises an inner region made of a first aluminum alloy and an outer region of a second, distinct aluminum alloy. A key feature of this ingot is a compositionally gradient zone situated between the inner and outer regions. This gradient zone is characterized by a gradual decrease in the content of at least one alloying element from the inner region towards the outer region, aiming to reduce the incidence of cracking in the final product.
The patent application, bearing the number 202317020312 A, falls under several international classifications including B22D 11/00, B22D 11/049, B22D 11/12, B22D 11/115, and C22C 21/00. The Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks has made the abstract of this patent available, offering insight into a process that could significantly impact the manufacturing of aluminum alloy products by providing a method for casting composite ingots with enhanced structural integrity.
