Lightweight Battery Housings from Thin-Walled, Large-Scale Aluminum Profiles by Hot Extrusion

The transition towards sustainable mobility demands lightweight and modular carrier systems for high-voltage batteries and fuel cells that combine structural efficiency with effective thermal management. This study examines the feasibility of producing thin-walled, large-scale aluminum extrusion profiles for modular battery housings using AA6063. Numerical simulations and experimental trials are conducted to optimize die design and define process limits along the relation between circumscribing circle diameter ( CCD ) and minimal wall thickness t min . Furthermore, different quenching methods are used to investigate the influence on surface distortion and final mechanical properties. A streamlined die design with reduced mandrel deflection has enabled defect-free extrusion under controlled conditions for the extrusion of a thin-walled, large-scale profile with a CCD -to- t min ratio of 138. A narrow process window is identified for extrusion of defect-free profiles. Quenching studies have shown that active cooling methods affect surface deformation but have negligible influence on mechanical properties or microstructure due to efficient heat extraction inherent to thin-wall geometries for the investigated alloy. Scaling experiments using an enlarged cross section by a factor of 2.5 have confirmed similar process stability without wall thickness adjustments, achieving up to 38 % weight reduction compared with conventional designs under industrial conditions.