Aluminum WeldingAluminum Welding

History and Testing of History and Testing of

Aluminum WeldingAluminum Welding

Adam Robertson

Duke Schimmer

Euft Kruithof

December 10, 2006

ENGR 45, Santa Rosa Junior College, SRJC

HistoryHistory1827 - Friederich Wohler discovers aluminum

1892 - C.L. Coffin described the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) beginnings when a weld was made in non-oxidizing atmospheres

1939 - Aluminum Spot Welding saw application in the Aviation Industry

1940s - With World War II GTAW was found to be useful for welding magnesium in fighter planes, and later found it could weld stainless steel and aluminum.

1946 - High Frequency stabilized AC tungsten-arc welding is used for aluminum alloys

1949 - US Navy uses inert-gas metal arc welding for aluminum hulls of 100 feet in length

More HistoryMore History

1969 - The Russian Welding program in Space began by producing Electron Beam welds, welding an AMG6 And DM-20 aluminum alloys with the Vulkan process.

1973 - The American Astronauts used Electron Beam welding process in June 1973, welding Aluminum Alloy 2219-T87.

1976 - The first welded aluminum sphere for a liquefied natural gas tanker was made.

1991 - TWI of Cambridge England develops the Friction Stir Weld (FSW) process in its laboratory. No shielding gas or filler metal is required. Metals joined successfully include, the 2xxx, 6xxx,and 7xxx series aluminum. NASA is the first Us venture which welded the massive fuel tank for the space shuttle.

IndustriesIndustries

• Aerospace• Automotive• Watercraft• Bicycle • Piping• Cable• Beverage• Marking

The Aluminum AdvantageThe Aluminum Advantage

• Lightweight• Excellent Thermal/Electrical Conductivity• Can be Very Ductile or Rigid• Resistance to Oxidation• Corrosion Resistance• Excellent Strength/Weight Ratio• Reflective • Non-Combustible• Doesn’t Spark• Non-Magnetic

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

(In some applications)

• Difficult to Form

• Difficult to Weld

• Dissipates Heat Quickly

• Material is Expensive

• Susceptible to Cyclic Wear

• Brittle

Aluminum Welding TutorialAluminum Welding Tutorial

• Start by striking an arc on the parent metal in the desired area

• Heat the metal until a sufficiently sized puddle of molten metal is formed

• Begin running a bead by dipping the filler rod into the puddle, while managing the size of the puddle by controlling the amperage of the machine with the foot pedal

• Watch out for burning through the metal by using too much heat, or using too little heat and not getting sufficient penetration

Welding Theory VideoWelding Theory Video

Video DemonstrationVideo Demonstration

PicturesPictures

PicturesPictures

Descriptions of TestsDescriptions of Tests

• Rockwell Hardness Tests– Took Hardness Data for an Aluminum Plate

with a Weld Down the Center

• Tinius Olsen Bend Test– Compared the Bend Displacement of Two

Welded Plates to One Solid Plate

Hardness TestingHardness Testing

Hardness Testing ResultsHardness Testing ResultsRockwell B Hardness Testing

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

-1.750 -1.250 -0.750 -0.250 0.250 0.750 1.250 1.750

Distance From Weld, d, Inches

Ha

rdn

es

s, R

B

Bend TestBend Test

Bend Test ResultsBend Test Results

Bend Test, Welded Aluminum vs. Solid Aluminum

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0 100 200 300 400 500

Displacement, d, 1/1000 Inch

Fo

rce,

F,

lb.

Welded Plates

Solid Plate

Weld WeaknessWeld Weakness• The material weakness in welded metals is not

in the weld itself, but the area immediately surrounding it:

Weld Weakness – The MovieWeld Weakness – The Movie

Thanks for Watching!Thanks for Watching!