Hello all-
If you were to take a close look at any aluminum plate fresh in from the supplier, you will always see (almost always) some info stenciled along the length of the plate identifying the manufacturer, alloy and specification. If you look VERY close you will also see very fine scratches going lengthwise.
Based on above typical observations, can the fine longitudinal scratches or the stenciling be a sure fire indicator of the mill rolling direction (stenclling & lengthwise scratches = rolling direction) ?
As you might guess, the question is with concern for setting up PQR tensiles and bends when working with dropoffs.
Thoughts & facts gladly accepted!
You may avoid speculative ambiguity by getting the CMTR for the respective material and contacting the mill's metallurgist.
I don't know if it is the same at all aluminum rolling mills, but on the plates I have checked, the scratches you refer to have indeed been the same as the rolling direction.
Depending on the alloy type (designation/HT or not HT), polishing + macroetch can assert your comment.