About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 AWS Professional Program
|
| Symposium
|
2025 AWS Professional Program
|
| Presentation Title |
Laser Weldability of Inoculated Aluminum Alloy 6061 |
| Author(s) |
Jonah Evan Duch, Brett Tucker Roper, Austin Pisani, Jack Herrmann |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jonah Evan Duch |
| Abstract Scope |
Structural aluminum alloys (eg. AA6061) are excellent materials for strategic lightweighting efforts since they can have a higher strength to weight ratio than steel while maintaining excellent ductility. However, they are very difficult materials to weld due their high susceptibility to solidification cracking, requiring the use of non-structural fillers such as eutectic aluminum alloys (AA4047) to prevent cracking. This complicates joint design for autogenous weld processes such as laser welding. Inoculated AA6061 is used with additive manufacturing (AM) applications and solves the cracking issue by incorporating titanium and boron carbide inoculants.
Our theory is that this crack-preventing mechanism may work for laser welding due to its similarity to laser-based AM. However, a few of the key differences could cause problems. Laser welding is an autogenous process, thus the AA6061–AA6061 joint will need to be pre-prepared with the inoculants, which is difficult as this material is only available in powder and wire form. Additionally, the re-usability of the inoculants in the joint is not well known. To investigate these effects, the laser weldability of both cold sprayed inoculated AA6061 and wire directed energy deposition (W-DED) material was measured.
Welds on cold spray material showed reduction in cracking, but porosity levels are high. A reduction in porosity was achieved by increasing inoculant content and designing the sprayed joint to incorporate more wrought material. The W-DED material was successfully welded without any cracking, including the RAM-to-wrought AA6061 welds. Joints of W-DED material were manufactured for potential production environments. The weldability of the W-DED material was confirmed and provides great promise for future applications. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |