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After the forming/quenching operation, the parts were subjected to an artificial aging process to regain the properties of the T6-temper. The results show that hot stamping, followed by an adequate artificial aging treatment, produces a high strength component with material properties equivalent to the as-received T6 properties delivered by the material sheet supplier. ...The results show that hot stamping, followed by an adequate artificial aging treatment, produces a high strength component with material properties equivalent to the as-received T6 properties delivered by the material sheet supplier.

The results have indicated that alloy composition and artificial aging practice influence the material response to the various paint bake cycles.

This work applied the breaking load method for SCC evaluation of hot stamped AA7075-T6 B-pillar panels that had been artificially aged by two different artificial aging practices (one-step and two-step). The breaking load strength of the specimens provided quantitative data that was used to compare the effects of tensile load, duration, alloy, and heat treatment on SCC behavior.

In particular, quench rate after solution heat treatment impacts the extent of grain boundary precipitation and the formation of precipitate free zone (PFZ) during later artificial aging. Cu-containing 6XXX alloys used for high strength automotive applications are quench sensitive as the Cu addition leads to Q-phase precipitation at grain boundaries, resulting in loss of ductility, which can negatively affect downstream manufacturing steps such as automotive joining and forming processes.