Patent ID: 7997110

Claim:
A method of successively forming a series of heated aluminum alloy sheets with improved visible surfaces by deforming them, one after another, against one or more heated steel forming surfaces of a heated forming tool carried in a forming machine, where, from time to time, particles of aluminum alloy material from the aluminum sheets adhere to a steel forming surface and mar surfaces of subsequently formed aluminum alloy sheets; the method comprising: periodically inspecting the heated steel forming surface for adhering aluminum particles and determining when it is necessary to remove such adhering particles, and then, without cooling or removal of the heated forming tool from the forming machine; chemically transforming the particles of aluminum alloy material adhering to the heated steel forming surface to an altered composition in which they may be removed from the heated steel forming surface; removing the transformed particles from the steel forming surface; and, thereafter, continuing the forming of aluminum alloy sheets against the steel forming surface.