INFLUENCE OF SURFACE TEXTURE ON ORANGE PEEL IN ALUMINUM

To investigate the surface finish and roughening behavior of aluminum alloys, we combine the automated analysis of electron back scattered p atterns (EBSP) with surface topography data obtained from an interfere nce microscope. A 6022 commercial aluminum alloy, which is used for au tomobile body panels, was studied in the T4 condition. The sheet tensi le samples were designed to be close to plane strain deformation. Vari ous techniques to generate maps and correlation function are used to s how quantitative results of the correlation. The texture of the alumin um sheets combined rolling and annealing components, with the stronges t component being the cube component ({100} < 001 >). No clear relatio nship was identified between orange peel development and the crystallo graphic orientation of the surface grains. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S .A. All rights reserved.