PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING THE DYNAMIC STRENGTH OF VEHICLE WHEEL DISCS MADE FROM HARDENABLE ALUMINIUM ALLOYS

摘要

A vehicle wheel formed of a heat treatable aluminum alloy and including an axially center area and opposite axially end areas is subjected to a solution heat treatment and then is cooled in a controlled manner to improve the dynamic strength of the wheel. Specifically, cooling is achieved by cooling the center area faster than the end areas. More particularly, a cooling medium first is sprayed on the center area and then is sprayed on the end areas.