Patent ID: 7922841

Claim:
A method of producing an aluminum or aluminum-alloy material sheet comprising providing an aluminum or aluminum-alloy metal powder having ultra-fine, submicron grain size by cryomilling an aluminum or aluminum-alloy raw material, agglomerating the aluminum or aluminum-alloy metal powder following the cryomilling and degassing the aluminum or aluminum-alloy metal powder following the agglomerating; consolidating the metal powder following the degassing; and cold-forming the consolidated metal into a sheet comprising: initially cold-forming the consolidated metal into an intermediate form; heating the intermediate form to a temperature between 600° F. and 700° F. following initial cold-forming of the consolidated metal to reduce cold work hardening and to improve ductility, wherein heating the intermediate form to reduce cold work hardening and to improve ductility comprises maintaining the workpiece substantially free of recrystallization or grain growth; and further cold-forming the consolidated metal after heating the intermediate form.