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    3 views34 pages

    11 Welding

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    khairur
    11 welding

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 34
    WELDING ALUMINUM Chapter 1: Introduction to Aluminum Welding Superb strength-to-weight ratio, immunity to corrosion, and intrinsic recyclability render alu- ‘minum and its alloys desirable for many manu facturing applications. But to be competitive in the modern industrial world, a structural metal must be readily weldable. The earliest welding techniques suitable for aluminum included oxy-fuel gas welding and re~ sistance welding. Arc welding of aluminum was ‘mainly restricted to the shielded metal arc process with a flux-coated electrode which created corro- sion problems when the flux was inadequately re- moved The breakthrough for aluminum as a struc- tural metal occurred with the introduction in the 1940s of the inert gas welding processes, such as Gas Metal Are Welding (GMAW, also referred to as Metal Inert Gas or MIG) and Gas Tungsten Are Welding (GTAW, also referred to as Tungsten In- ext Gas of TIG). It became possible to make high strength welds without corrosive fluxes at high speeds and in all positions. Today, aluminum and its alloys are readily weldable using a variety of techniques. This book will thoroughly explain the traditional joining methods for aluminum, such as GMAW and GTAW, and will introduce the latest technologies, such as laser welding. This book is dedicated to exposing North American industry to up-to-date knowledge of aluminum welding so that full ad- vantage may be taken ofthe unique and beneficial properties of this useful metal Welded Aluminum Applications Aluminum and its alloys are highly suitable for many manufacturing applications. Aluminum alloys have prevailed in the aerospace industry since its inception. Aluminum is used for a wide range of aerospace applications from rocket cas- ings to space station modules. Today the automotive industry, faced with increasing demands for fuel economy, has seri- ‘ously begun to incorporate aluminum alloys into Vehicles. Integration of aluminum alloys in clo- sures, body structure, and frames provides desired light-weighting without compromising perfor- mance or safety. Highway truck bodies and some cabs are fabricated of welded aluminum, provid- ing larger capacities without adding to gross ‘weight. Fire engines are also built of aluminum to reduce weight and improve performance. Overhead highway signs, lighting poles and protective railings are common on our highways. ‘Aluminum for these applications offers good ap- pearance, durability, and ease of handling during assembly. ‘A growing number of corrosion-resistant gon- dola ral cars is being built for service in the trans- portation of coal and other bulk commodities. Pas- senger vehicles for inter-city rail service, rapid transit, subway systems and for specialized people movers are commonly of welded aluminum. ‘The marine uses of aluminum include all types of work and pleasure craft as well as spe- cialized military craft. In addition, there are many ‘unusual applications such as helicopter recovery systems for marine vessels, ‘Welded aluminum pipelines are used where the corrosion resistance, weldability and other unique properties of aluminum are beneficial for transporting oil, gas, water and other chemical products. ‘The use of welded aluminum is also preva- lent in other industries such as electronics, pack~ aging, and architecture, There are numerous ex amples of the advantages of aluminum fabricated by welding, Justa few ofthese are temporary build- ings, glass houses for plant nurseries, pedestrian bridges, specialized architectural components and storage tanks. ‘Aluminum's Properties Contrary to popular belief, aluminum alloys are not difficult to weld. However, aluminum al- loys have unique characteristics that must be con- idered for successful joining ‘Chemical Properties: Aluminum alloys are highly susceptible to hydrogen porosity during fusion welding. Sources of hydrogen include water, die and rolling lubri- ‘ants, and ai. Hydrogen dissolves readily into the molten weld pool and produces gas pores upon solidification, as shown in Figure 1.1. Hydrogen WELDING WELDING ALUMINUM porosity can be avoided by using proper gas shield- ing during welding, Keeping the aluminum clean and dry, and avoiding temperature fluctuations that lead to condensation. Allaluminum alloys have a thin but tenacious surface oxide, This oxide layer can be removed mechanically or chemically, but it immediately reforms. The essentially instantaneous thickness is about 1SA, but the subsequent growth rate de- creases so that on normal metal the oxide thick- ress may be 25-50A. (An angstrom, A, is about 4 billionths of an inch.) While the oxide layer is extremely thin, itis sufficient to protect the metal against further oxida~ tion as well as most corrosive attacks. For extra protection or for certain other benefits, such as decorative coatings, the surface may be anodized to produce much greater thicknesses (1000 times ormore). Thermally treated metal also has a thicker oxide. The oxide is very hard, being the hardest ‘material after diamond. For this reason aluminum oxide is often used forthe grit in grinding wheels. ‘The melting point ofthe oxide is3725°F (2052°C), which is about 3 times that of aluminum. The ox- ide is relatively table and chemically inert; fluxes to remove it normally contain chloride and fluo- ride compounds and consequently pose a continu- ing corrosion hazard to the meta ifnot completely removed after joining. ‘The oxide is an electrical insulator. Normal oxide thicknesses are not sufficient to prevent tion of an electric welding arc, but anodizing ‘may produce a film thickness that prohibits arc welding ‘The surface of aluminum ox- prior to welding since it can introduce hydrogen and other contaminants into the weld pool. Physical Properties ‘Aluminum is light; it has roughly one-third the weight of stel. Pure aluminum melts at 1220°F (660°C), which is less than one-half the melting point for steel. Thermal conductivity is about 6 times that of steel, which means that the heat to produce melting must be more intense for efficient ‘welding. Thermal expansion is about twice that for steel and solidification shrinkage is 6% by volume, increasing both distortion and weld cra- ter size. ‘Aluminum's electrical conductivity is high— about 65% that of pure copper. Aluminum does not change color as itis heated, which means care has to be taken not to touch what appears to be cold metal. Aluminum is non-magnetic. This elim nates problems of “are blow,” but it also means that magnetic ling devices are not effective. Mechanical Properties ure aluminum is a weak but highly ductile metal, However, by alloying with one or more el- cements, the strength can be greatly increased while still retaining acceptable levels of ductility. The ‘modulus of elasticity is approximately 10,000,000 psi (70,000 MPa), which is one-third that for ste! Thus, for the same applied force aluminum de- flects three times more than steel, which gives it the ability to absorb greater energy under impact loadings. {de is quite porous, and it can re- tain moisture or contaminants that ‘may result in weld porosity. This is especially tue of alloys contain- ing magnesium because magne- sium oxide or magnesium-alumi- num oxide readily hydrates. Thus, it is good practice to keep alumi- num clean and dry and to avoid temperature fluctuations that lead to condensation, Metal stored in the presence of high humidity and fluctuating temperatures may grow a thick oxide called a “wa ter stain.” This thick, contami- He SOLUBILITY (non nated oxide should be removed Figure 1.4 Hydrogen Solubility in Pure Aluminum WELDING Chapter 1: Introduction to Aluminum Welding ‘Aluminum’s toughness is not compromised at low temperatures. Infact, ductility increases as the temperature decreases, down to cryogenic tem- peratures, Forms of Aluminum Wrought aluminum is available in a wide range of forms, including sheet, plate, foil, rod, bar and wire. It can also be extruded into a variety of products such as structural shapes (angles, chan~ nels, 's, Z's, H-beams, I-beams) and into pipe and tubing. The metal can be forged for products re- ‘quiring the unique properties afforded by forgings. Aluminum castings are also very common, whether ‘sand cast, permanent mold cast or vacuum die cast, depending on the product requirements. Sheet and plate can be clad with aluminum of different alloys to obtain superior corrosion re sistance or for brazing filler metal. Almost any form that can be conceived is possible. Indeed, ‘even alurninum joined to other metals such as steel, stainless steel and copper is available for special applications WELDING WELDING WELDING ALUMINUM Chapter 2: Alloy and Temper Designation Systems Table 2.8 Weldability and Properties of Heat-Treatable Wrought Aluminum Alloys Wetdabity * Physi Properties Typical Mechanica Properties Ne Blt Elongation ‘Brinnet we With Approximate Thermal Conductivity timate Wilds, _— sin in) Fotigue Hardness! Aurioum with tert Soldering Density Ming Range Conductivity ACS. Tensie Su. 02% Oiset —i716in. Rian, —«“Shear Su, Stang’ (OOK, Ay cas Flux Gas_—Resstance Pressure Brazing With Fiat (tsseu.in) CF) (Engsh Units) (Equal Vol Temper | (psix162) (psx 103) Sheet’ Round (psix 103) psi 03) lad) O68) 2a x c c 8 c x c oor oes Te0 1310 80 2 a « 8 8 8 6 330 4 a 2 2 : 2» 3 2 105 1070 « 36 7 6 - 6 2 8 135 a7 x ° ° 8 ° x ° ror 955.1185 1340 50 2 a 10 2 8 8 5 0 36 4 @ o 2 3% 8 65, ee x ° ° 8 c x c oro 95-1100 1340 50 2 a 0 2 2 8 3 ra 240 0 % 70 50 18 E a 2 0 240 20 1% a a 20 9 a 20 10 240 30 381 2 sr 3 E 2 18 10 2098, x ° 8 8 c x c 0.100 tog01200 1100 a a a 2% By - - 18 - 2090 x x 8 8 c x c 00034-1001 610 7 18 78 R 15 6 = 5 2218 x ° cB c x c O11 96-1100 1070 “ ame 8 ar ~ " »” - 229 x ° a 8 c x c 01s 910-180 ‘160 “4 2 2B " 8 5 720 2 31 2 8 7 E Bs 5 240 20 62 © 2 0 : 8 : 340 2» 181 cs st 0 : E 5 : 0 » 187 o 57 0 : E 5 : 2510 x © 8 8 c x c owe 101180 920 3 87 n o 0 “ a5 12 218, x c c 8 c x c 0100 040-185, 1040 2° 61 6 a : 10 3 18 15, 05 a A A a 8 A 8 007125210, 1250 a m 2% 8 = 18 5 es : ‘310 ° 15 “4 a : 2 2% : ooo c © 8 8 8 x © ome to-1200 1160 “ m4 3% 8 a 2 ” oto c e 8 8 8 x c oe 10-1200, 1040 2° 4 2 B By 2% 8 ora e e 8 a a x e oe sors-1200 040 38 um 8 a 2 5 cs : 1130 @ 16 2 5 9 - ao = ~ et A a A A 8 a 8 0058 080-205 1250 a 0 8 3 8 » 2 9 0 170 o 1 8 a 2 a 2% “ 5 1160 6 16 s a 2 7 30 “ 5 aca A a a A 8 a 8 oo aos210 1510 sa 0 8 7 0 8 a 10 0 m 2 3 ” : 4 9 2 1450 5 % 2 a 2 : 7 10 0 13980 3 % s 3 2 2 10 % 6070 ° © 6 8 8 x ° 008 1050-1200 1190 “« 1 5 5t 10 3 7 : 6101 a a A a a a a oor is0-210 S Hit in S = : 1510 sr 16 2 28 5 ~ n eee © c 8 a 8 e 8 008 tog 1190 “4 . 8 55 0 35 18 10 681 a A a 8 8 A 8 008 105-105, 1220 6 15 «6 a 2 a S 20 6 16 8 % " 2 : est A A A a A A a 008 401210 180 56 2 6 6 » " 8 1370 2 1 2 3 a 2% @ 08 x x A a 8 8 8 0.100 5 sr 8 - ea = 05 x x a A 8 8 8 010126185 : 153 59 a 2 a 88 x x A a a c 8 oo 070-180 1070 Py 784 cs 55 0 0 38 129 075 x x ce 8 c x c oxo aa0.75 1190 ra 0 2 8 7 6 2 0 00 3 18 & % " " 8 2 150 1010 2 173 B 3 - 3 “4 2 - 078 x x c 6 c x c 009 ooo-180 5 0 % 15 " 6 = = 370 2 6 % a “ 5 2 45, m8 x x c 8 c x ° ome aao-es ° % 5 6 8 2 S 0 st % 8 % 10 4 Es 2 160 NOTES 1. Wlésbity ratings are based on the moet weil torper | Rawal welatle 8 Weldble nest apcatons, may equi special tiger olny so eb welling proede andl paomance ©. Lined wea, X. Patiala ing metodo econ. ‘Alloys canbe adbesve banded. vtasoncay welder mechanical lasted Engle una 77E BTN. Ae. Feaiue song rune specimens nd 500 ion ces Om bat use. WELDING WELDING Wrought Alloys Nonheat-Treatable Alloys ‘These are the 1xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx and Suxx se- ries alloys. Increasing their strength is possible through strain hardening (commonly called cold ‘working). This calls for mechanical deformation of the metal structure to cause crystallo- ‘graphic slip, which in turn results in in- creased resistance to further strain and thus gives higher strength and lower duc- tility. Tensile properties are significantly improved. Work-hardening curves have been established for all the common nonheat-treatable alloys (Figure 3.2). It should be noted that the increase in yield strength with strain hardening is greater than the increase in ultimate strength A desired hardiness may be achieved from the as-fabricated or annealed condi- tion by a controlled amount of strain hard- ening, or alternately it may be reached by strain hardening to full hardiness followed by partial annealing. Isothermal anneal- ing curves for 5052 alloy are shown in Fig- ure 3.3. A full annealing is necessary if strain hardening is to be completely re- moved. Note that for partial annealing both time and temperature must be tightly controlled. Ixax Series Alloys Although the Ixxx series are almost pure aluminum, they re- spond to strain hardening and especially so if they contain appreciable amounts of impurities such as iron and silicon. They are weldable withthe fusion processes, although their narrow melting ranges can cause lack-of-fusion and certain other weld defects i care isnot taken. They are Chiefly used structurally for ther superior corrosion resistance in chemical tanks and Piping and for their high electrical con- ductivity in electrical bus conductors. However, itshould be noted that there are competing alloys in other series having excellent, though slightly inferior, corro- sion resistance and electrical conductiv- ity but at much higher strengths. The Ixxx series alloys can be soldered and brazed very satisfactorily. They can be resistance spot welded but with some difficulty because of their high electrical conductivity and low resis- tance to deformation, Chapter 3: Welding Metallurgy 3xxx Series Alloys Adding manganese to alu- ‘minum increases its strength somewhat and im- proves its response to strain hardening while not appreciably reducing its ductility or corrosion re- sistance. Al alloys inthis series are fusion weld- able and not prone to hot cracking. However, their ‘moderate strengths prevent their more common use in structural applications. They are, however, commonly used in welded and/or brazed fabrica- tion of radiators, air conditioning condensers, evaporators, heat exchangers, and associated pip- ing systems. ‘The 3xxx series alloys can be soldered and brazed satisfactorily and resistance welded easily 4x Series Alloys Silicon added to aluminum reduces its melting point and improves its fui which are desirable characteristics in filler metal for fusion welding or brazing. Thus, this series is used for fusion welding and brazing filler metal in a range of forms including wire, rod, sheet and as 8 cladding on other alloys. SuxxSeriesAlloys Alloys based on magnesium have the highest strengths ofthe nonheat-treatable ‘aluminum alloys and thus this series is very im- portant for structural applications. These alloys are produced mainly as sheet and plate and only oc- casionally as extrusions. Ths is because these al- loys strain harden quickly and are therefore diffi- cult and expensive to extrude. This series of alu- minum alloys contains a number of materials that have substantially different magnesium contents (from around 0.2 up to 6.0% Mg.) All these alloys are fusion welded with a minimum loss of strength; however, they differ with regard to their crack sen- sitivity. Cracking difficulties have been reported ‘when autogenously welding the lower Mg content alloys such as 5052. In general, the lower Magne- sium content alloys have higher crack sensitivity ‘The solution to this difficulty, when welding the Tower Magnesium base materials (up to around 2.5% Mg), is to use a high Magnesium filler alloy, such as 5356, or to use a Silicon filler alloy such as 4043. Caution should be taken not to use the 4xxx series filler alloys on the high Magnesium base alloys. The maximum recommended Mag nesium content of a base alloy that can be suc- cessfully welded withthe 4xxx series filler alloys is that of 5052 (around 2.54% Mg). ‘These alloys have a full range of structural applications particularly in the transportation field WELDING Alloys in this series with more than 2.5% Mg have very poor soldering and brazing characteris- tics. All alloys in the series can be resistance spot ‘welded but because of their heavy oxide films, extra care in surface preparation is necessary. Heat-Treatable Alloys ‘These are the 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series al- loys. They contain elements (copper, magnesium, silicon and zinc) that either individually or in com- bination, show a marked increase in solid solubil- ity in aluminum with increasing temperature, and this makes it possible to subject the alloys to heat treatment to strengthen them, ‘The heat-treating cycle consists of heating the ‘metal t0 @ high temperature to put the alloying element(s) into solid solution (approximately 1050°F) and quenching it to hold the alloying el- {ements in solid solution at room temperature. This produces the T4 temper. The T'4 material can then be heat treated at a lower temperature (typically 350°F - 400°F) long enough to allow a controlled amount of precipitation of the alloying elements. This is termed solution heat-treating and aging, which produces the T6 temper, and is used to pro- duce peak hardness and strength. Depending on the alloy and the properties desired, aging may be either at room temperature (natural aging) or at an elevated temperature (arti ficial aging). In special cases, strain hardening may bbe added to the heat-treating as part ofa manufac- turing process or for enhanced properties. Table 24 gives the designations for the various tempers that can be achieved 2xxx Series Alloys ‘These are high strength al- Joys used mainly for aerospace applications. Most are considered poor for are welding because of their sensitivity to hot cracking, butalloys such as, 2014, 2219 and 2519 are easily welded. All 2xxx series alloys are poor for soldering and brazing but are easily resistance spot welded. 6xxx Series Alloys The combination of magne- sium and silicon alloying elements produces a ‘compound, magnesium-silicide, which imparts to Ue alloys in this series their heat-treatability and medium strength. They are readily extruded and thus form a complementary system with the 5xxx sheet and plate alloys for structural applications. ‘The 6xxx alloys are prone to hot cracking. Thisis readily overcome by correct choice of joint design and filler alloy. Also there isa significant loss of strength in heat-affected zones, which calls for care in joint and component design. However, postweld heat-treatment may be used to increase the HAZ strengths. The HAZ and its properties are discussed in some detail later in this chapter. ‘The 6xxx series alloys are suitable for sol- dering, brazing and resistance spot welding. TxxxSeries Alloys This series includes the est strength aluminum alloys. Like the 2xxx se- ries, the 7xxx series includes alloys that are both unweldable and weldable by fusion welding. Al- loy 7075 is pethaps the best example of an alloy considered to be unweldable by fusion welding because, although it has high strength after heat- treatment, welding heat drops the strength to un- acceptable levels. Its wide melting range and low solidus temperature make it extremely sensitive to hot cracking unless a compressive load is ap- plied (as in resistance spot welding). ‘On the other hand 7xxx series alloys having low copper content like 7004, 7005 and 7039, while not being quite so strong, can be fusion welded and the heat-affected zones will age to re- cover some of the strength lost by welding, The ‘Tax series alloys can be rolled into sheet and plate, orextruded, and they find application in high performance structures particularly in the aero- space industry. Alloys 7004, 7005 and 7039 can be soldered and brazed; however, other 7xxx series alloys are not suitable for these methods. All can be ef- fectively resistance spot welded by using forge pressure. ‘xxx Series Alloys As described in Chapter 2: Alloy and Temper Designation Systems, the 8Xxx series is reserved for “other elements.” Most of these alloys are not commonly welded, and many are unweldable using fusion processes... The weldability of these alloys is proving to be accept- able; they are being considered for welded aero- WELOING WELDING ALUMINUM Table 3.4 Casting Types, Heat-Treaablity and Weldabily of ‘Common Aluminum Cast Alloys Alloy Casting Type Heat-Treatable Weldabilty 3180 Sand Yes Excelent Perm Mold 355.0 Sand Yes Excelent Perm Mold 3560 Sand Yes Excolent Perm Mold 4430 Sand No Excelent Perm Mold Mts Perm Mold No Excaent 5200 Sand Yes Excelent 535.0 Sand No Excelent 7100 Sand No Good 7120 Sand No Good sitivity. Alloys that show little cracking tendency are found to have chemistries well away from these peaks. In fact, the crack sensitivity of an alloy de- pends primarily on its chemistry. In the same manner, the crack sensitivity dur- ing welding depends primarily on the chemistry of the solidifying weld pool. Our goal, then, in choosing filler metals is: 1) For materials that exhibit low crack sensitiv Weld Cracking ity, choose a filler metal similar in chemistry. ‘A number of cracking mechanisms operate in metallic alloys. Fortunately, in aluminum alloys ‘many of them, such as hydrogen cracking (also known as cold cracking), are inoperative, Almost all cracking in aluminum alloys is caused by hot cracking. That is, the weld cracks as it solidifies due to the effects of the solidification stresses 2) For materials that exhibit high crack sensitiv- ity, use a filler metal which is very different in chemistry to try to get a weld chemistry away from the cracking peak. ‘This methodology can be illustrated by con- sidering the SXXX series and 6XXX series of al- loys and the filler metals commonly used for them. on the microstructure. In order to understand why aluminum welds crack and how choice of filler metal influences crack sensitivity, itis helpful to look at Figure 3.4 This figure shows the effects of four dif- ferent alloy additions (Si, Cu, Mg and Mg and Si) on the crack sensitivity of aluminum. Itis important to note that all alloying additions affect crack sensitivity in the same way. As small additions are made, the crack se ity becomes more severe, reaches a maximum, and then falls off to relatively low levels. Most of the alloys we consider to be [ALLOY CONTENT vs. CRACK SENSITIVITY| ‘COMPOSITION OF WELD- RELATIVE CRACK SENSITIVITY oe 3 4 6 6d "ERCENT ALLOYING ELEMENT ‘unweldable autogenously are found to have chemistries at or near the peaks of crack sen- Figure 3.4 Relative Crack Sensitivity versus Weld Composition {or Various Binary Aluminum Systems. WELDING Most of the SXXX alloys. show litte crack sensitivity. In fact, they can almost all be welded autogenously. The peak of cracking sensitivity is at approximately 11% Mg. All of these alloys, except 5052, contain considerably more than 1¥% “Mg and lie well away from the cracking peak. Al- ly 5052, however, les right on the cracking peak and shows relatively high cracking sensitivity In choosing filler metals for the SXXX al- loys, the general rule (except for 5052) s to choose a5XXX filler with just slightly more Mg than the parent material. This gives a weld with good crack resistance and a solidus temperature a bit lower than the parent material. For 5052, we want to bring the chemistry of the solidifying weld away from the cracking peak by choosing a filler with much higher Mg, such as 5356. Most of the 6XXX Al-Mg-Si alloys are very crack sensitive. In fact, their chemistry falls al- most exactly at the peak shown at the bottom of Figure 3.4. None of these alloys can be welded autogenously. IF we try to do so, they will crack every time, unless significant compressive stresses are imposed on the weld, as is done in resistance spot welding, Choosing filer metals for these crack sensi- tive OXXX alloys, therefore, involves using filler metals of very different chemistries to obtain a weld with @ chemistry away from the cracking peak, We use high-Mg fillers like 5356 or high Si fillers like 4043 to do this. For this reason, you will never see 6061 filler. If we were t0 use it to weld 6061 parent material, the weld would ine tably crack, It's important to remember that most of the XXX alloys cannot be welded autogenously. It is also important to remember that, even when add- ing filler metal, if an insufficient amount is added, cracking will occur. Other manifestations of this crack sensitivity are that concave fillet welds and thin or concave root passes in butt welds tend to crack. Common Filler Alloys Filler metal alloy designations follow the sys- fem described in Chapter 2: Alloy and Temper Designation Systems. Table 3.5 lists the common filler alloys with their nominal compositions, They are used to weld both wrought and cast base metal although occasionally a casting will be welded with a filler metal of the same alloy as the cast base metal. Filler alloys 4047 and 4145 can both Chapter 3: Welding Metallurgy bbe used for aluminum brazing as well as for weld- ing and are sometimes encountered under the braz~ ing alloy designations of 718 and 716, respectively Filler Alloy Selection ‘The selection of the most suitable filler alloy for each welding circumstance is both simple and complex. It is simple when structures are to be built of the common alloys using common fabri- cation practices and when they are to be exposed to common service conditions. However, special base alloys, special fabricating procedures or spe- cial service conditions may call for special filler alloys in which case the selection is more com- plex. ‘The factors that influence the filler alloy se~ lection include the following: ‘* freedom from hot cracking ‘weld metal strength weld metal ductility corrosion resistance weld performance at elevated temperatures weld metal fluidity GMAW electrode wire feedability weld metal color match with base metal after anodizing ‘The filler alloy selection chart (Table 3.6) covers both wrought and cast alloys and has taken ‘most of the above factors into account. However, some explanationof how the recommendations ‘were made and of the possible results of selecting a wrong filler alloy will prove helpful. Thus, the following descriptions of the filler alloy group- ings and their applications are given. WELOING WELDING ALUMINUM Table 35 ‘Nominal Compositions of Common Aluminum Filler Alloys (percent by mass) Approximate A Siu Mh Mg GT Melting Range * 00 = O00 TOTS 188, 99.88min 1215-1220 9 = 63090 = = tS 0.1017 Remainder 0101190 we 5015 =D ~ Remainder ‘4016-1750 ao 700 03 = = Remainder 1005-1195 wi 700 = 0s te Remainder wi 2 = - Remainder 1065-1170 7 120 = = = Remainder 1070-1080 4s 100 Remainder 570-1085 24 02% = = Remainder 10651175 53 = O57 ONS = mainder 1075-1180 5858 0 = = O25 ate 03 Femainder 1060-1175 5854 ; 270 aR = Remainder 11154195 5556 - Bian 02 Remainder 1065-1175 SBA 35025 010 mainder 1100-1190 2080 48 0 = om Remainder 03550 50125 oo = - H Remainder e660 70 = =O Remainder 37070 = 8 : Remainder 357.0" 7.0 - 055 = 0.12 - Remainder 1. Coniains 0.055 82 Alloy 5654 Alloy 5554 5454 base alloy was developed for high tem- perature applications without becoming sensitive to stress corrosion cracking. Alloy 5554 filler was developed to match it. Alloys 5454 and 5554 con- tain less than 3% Mg, which makes them suitable for elevated temperature service. Alloy 5554 is also suitable for welding 5454 base alloy to the 6xxx Because it has the best combination of high solidus temperature and low sensitivity (o crack- ing when reheated, 5554 alloy isthe preferred filler alloy when tack welding is used to fixture 6xxx series components for brazing, ‘One application for welded aluminum is the storage and transportation of hydrogen peroxide. This chemical is very active and thus high purity- based aluminum is needed for it Filler alloy 5654 is high purity metal with low Cu and Ma impuri- ties so that the welds will also be suited for hydro- ‘gen peroxide service. The Mg content of 5654 al- loy exceeds 3% and thus this alloy is not suited for sustained elevated temperature service. Alloys 4043, 4643, 4047 and 4145 The first of these alloys (4043) was devel- ‘oped forthe welding ofthe heattreatable base al- loys and specifically the 6xxx series. Ithasa lower ‘melting point and more fluidity than the Sxxx se- ries filler alloys, and is preferred by most welders because it “wets and flows better” and is less sen- sitive to weld cracking with the 6xxx series base alloys. Italso makes brighter looking GMA welds, ice., with ess smut, and this contributes tothe weld- ers’ preference. However, these filler alloys are not well suited to welding ALMg alloys. They definitely should not be used with high Mg con- tent alloys such as 5083, 5086 or 5456 because excessive magnesium-silicide (Mg, i) can develop WELDING 4 rey Table 3.6 Guide to the Choice of Filler Metal for General Purpose Welding woane — staasad 76708 ennai: to Stassee Mapas sugstzo Tomo eornst gt aoe Pe uals! Gsoaeo 480 SURG Ten”? com Sanam sue tse Se» sxe toner sted urease) ee ee ee ry ee ee mam aes wee vas mune ee esse oer 09 we sso oer oe) a ee eC ase oo eee a a ry ee re eC eee CES 2c eve don nh tna val a pects ruta bit eee ‘rose e150 my cnn as he soe 8 18, ead ve event ‘enemas aie eae rete ‘Trauma nbn onan ble cee Fas wag 10,118, {edocs ao ee. a eee eerste ig a See ramen i a pee neem 3 = eae ee ie meee ncerretnememtee lp ne Seca Ao vee , Soren : a 3 = i Reames 5 a i Roose g = { even 3 ee ow a + Rimteteamee ie ive t actos : a en 5 aa oi en areoaaaternete i § é é 2 Special Cases 4043 is the normally preferred filler alloy for welding the 6xxx series base alloys, in architectural applications where the components are to be anodized after welding, the welds turn a very dark grey after anodizing and are very no- ticeable. This is usually unacceptable and an al- ternative filler alloy is sought. A Sxxx series filler is better but the color match can never be perfect because the weld, being cast metal, will always be a different shade of grey from the wrought base metal. In the welding of electrical bus conductor systems, the selection of the filler alloy is often not as straightforward as might be expected. Bus conductor in a 1xxx series alloy would appear to need 1100 filler alloy but, because of the dif culty of feeding 1100 alloy GMAW electrode and the tendency with this alloy to lack of fusion and other internal weld defects, some have chosen i stead to use 4043 or even a Sxxx series filler al- loy. Even though this increases the electrical re- sistivity of the weld metal, its effect on a total bus system may be negligible. Having a lower yield strength, the 4xxx se~ ries electrode wires are notas easily fed through a GMAW flexible conduit and gun as the Sxxx se- ries and occasionally this is sufficient justfica- tion to choose the later. Metallurgical Effects of Welding Unless the base metal is in the annealed or as-cast condition, fusion welding decreases the strength of both heat-treatable and nonheat-treat- WELDING a Chapter able alloys. A weld is normally thought of as hav- ing two zones. One is the weld bead, which is a casting of mixed filler and base metal composi- tion, The other is the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the base metal on either side of the weld where it has been affected by the welding heat. The HAZ in turn may be divided into sub-zones which de- pend on the alloy and on the temperature and time experienced by the metal. Weld Bead ‘The properties ofthe bead are influenced by quality, composition and rate of solidification. The higher the solidification rate, the finer the micro- structure and the better the mechanical properties. While small weld beads usually have superior properties, care has to be taken in reducing weld sizes because if a weld bead is too small it may crack during welding from the stress produced by base metal restraint. Weld Heat-Affected Zones The effects of welding heat upon an alumi- ‘num base alloy vary with the distance from the weld and may be divided roughly into areas re- flecting the different temperatures reached by the metal. The length of time at each temperature is also significant for the heat-treatable alloys. The width of the heat-affected zone and the degree of metallurgical change in the heat-treatable alloys depend on thickness and geometry of the joint, the welding process, the welding procedure, preheat and interpass temperatures and the thermal effects of backing and fixtures, ‘The HAZ in welds made with the inert ga shielded processes seldom extends more than Y inch (12.7 mm) from the weld centerline, but for design purposes it is assumed to be I-inch (25.4 mm) wide on each side of the weld (see Chapter 13: Design for Welding). Nonheat-Treatable Alloys Tn nonheat-treatable alloys, the HAZ is con- sidered to be a single zone where the metal has seen a range of temperatures, but at some point it has reached the annealing temperature, typically 650°F (345°C). Since recrystallization occurs very rapidly, and especially in strain-hardened metal, as illustrated in Figure 3.3, the minimum strength of this zone will approach the fully annealed strength of the alloy and will have increased duc- ty. Time at temperature and cooling rate are not large factor in the annealing of these alloys. Thus, for a design based on ultimate tensile strength, the minimum annealed strength of the alloy is used for the transverse tensile strength of butt welds in nonheat-treatable alloys This is an important concept that many designers and engineers miss. Regardless of the starting temper of the parent alloy, the HAZ, ofthe weld will have tensile properties of the annealed “O" temper. Therefore, there are instances when the design should be based on the “O” temper ‘mechanical properties ofthe base material and not the strain hardened properties. Because of this condition it is sometimes convenient to fabricate with the nonheat-treatable alloys in the “O” temper. In act, welding of “O” temper nonheat-treat- able alloys is really the only time we can produce ‘a weld as strong as the parent material. In most other cases, the weld and/or HAZ, will be weaker than the starting material. ‘The populacity of the higher strength Sxxx series alloys—such as 5083, 5086 and 5456—for welded structures is due to their high annealed strengths and good ductility. In general, the me- ‘chanical properties ofthese alloys are much less affected by the base metal temper and other fac- tors, such as metal thickness, than are the heat- treatable alloys. ‘Welds in nonheat-treatable alloys have ex- cellent ductility. They are capable of withstand- ing extensive deformation prior to failure due to their ability to redistribute stress. The higher strength members of the Sxxx series are particu- larly good in this regard becuse of the relative uniformity of strength and duétility across the weld zones. - A typical metallurgical structure of a weld in 5083 alloy is illustrated in Figure 3.5. The change in microstructure ofthe base metal caused by weld- ing is evident; however, it has lst little of its origi- nal strength, Heat-Treatable Alloys, In heat-treatable alloys, the HAZ created ad- jacent to the fusion zone results in local degra- dation of base metal properties. The microstruc- ture inthis zone is modified by the elevated tem- peratures it experiences during welding. In these precipitation-hardenable alloys, the HAZ. repre- sents either dissolution or growth of precipitates. In the 2xxx series it represents dissolution, while in the 6xxx series itis primarily a growth of pre- Cipitates. Although the nature of these HAZs may bo «6 5 wert 408 irs 5 : : : zaioenter 2310 (3528 3 1s (ss 8 7 5 zieTaiTs7 219 [3528 3 15 [40 33) 20) 120) ee) 4 15 (se 55 ; Bi8TsT 19 41@) 400 502) eos 40g fe 20 a : : eooTs = 40s feat o - eonrs = 08 fer 8 8 Cn rc) so se [9 nos |. : : ws fe 8 16 [ss 2aa) 32 ws jo 2 8 16 fo 8 " sso [2 eo |} : 5355 fom) 24 8 x | : se [aay wo 3 [so 8 4 Pa ss [a7 o 4 | 1 02% otsetin2n.gaugolongth 2 Posteld aged only 3. Forhickness grater than 05in, 4643 ers required, 4 Nataly aged 2 to 4 wees. 22 WELDING strengths. For thicker metal where multiple passes are required, a number of string beads is prefer- able to a few large beads to minimize the time at welding temperature. Preheating is rarely recommended for weld- ing the heat-treatable alloys. It tends to extend the time at welding temperature by reducing the cool- ing rate, and this has an adverse effect on weld properties. Strengths are reduced and corrosion resistance can also be affected. The subject of pre- heating, its legitimate uses and necessary precau- tions, is covered more fully in Chapter 5: Addi- tional Operations. Repair welding may lower joint strengths somewhat in the heat-treatable alioys as a result of the additional thermal cycles applied to the heat affected zones. Also because of the microstruc- tural changes during the original welding and the greater joint restraint usually associated with re- pair welding, the heat-treatable alloys may exhibit more tendency to crack in the heat affected zones ot in the weld metal than might be expected other- wise. Chapter 11: Weld Performance Abnormal microstructure in aluminum, as with other metals, may sometimes cause welding difficulties. Areas of segregation such as stringers of low melting constituents can lead to porosity or cracking. Grain size and orientation can have a ‘marked effect on weldability and weld perfor- ‘mance. Figure 1.1 illustrates the effect of adverse ‘grain size and orientation in a 2014-T6 alloy forg- ing, which has intergranular cracking of the low ‘melting temperature grain boundary constituents, Design Properties It may be confusing to some to find that the nonheat-treatable and the heat-reatable alloys are treated quite differently when it comes to setting ‘weld qualification tensile strengths, which in tum are used to set design strengths. In order to ex- plain this difference, it is necessary to compare the two alloy systems and see how they achieve their welded strengths. ‘Table 11.3 compares the properties of two al- loys (5083 and 6061), which are typical of the nonheat-treatable and heat-reatable systems. WELDING 23 WELDING ALUMINUM With the nonheat-treatable alloys, the heat of welding always produces a HAZ with the me- chanical properties of the annealed “O” temper alloy. Ifthe weld beads are sound, there is mini- ‘mal scatter in tensile test results as shown by the ‘minimum expected strength given in Table 11.3, and thus design strengths can be selected with con- fidence, With the heat-treatable alloys, welding heat produces a relatively large drop in heat affected zone strength, and longer times at welding tem- perature increase that drop. Welded 6061-T6 al- loy gives typical weld strengths that are only about % ofthe base metal strength; at longer weld- ing times this ratio can be even lower as shown by the values in Table 11.3. Welds qualified by re- duced section tensile testing usually fail in the HAZ, where the properties can vary depending on the details of the welding process. Thus, even with sound welds, there can be wide scatter inthe ten- sile test results. This helps to explain why alloys from these two systems (nonheat-treatable and heat-treatable) may have similar unwelded prop- erties, but their as-welded design strengths may be very different Additionally, it should be noted that, when samples with sig- nificant variations in ten- sile strength along the length of the sample are tested, spurious indica tions of elongation are of- ten obtained. For ex- ample, when a weld in 6061-T6 is tested, the HAZs are significantly weaker than the surround- ing material and the plas- tic strains of testing are all concentrated in these weak regions. However, ‘when the strain to failure is measured using a strain ‘gage, extensometer, ec, the (false) assumption is made that the elongation is uniform along the gage length. This makes it appear that the elongation is very low. Postweld Heat-Treatment ‘The heat-treatable alloys may be heat-treated after welding to increase the strength of the heat affected zones to approach that of the base metal The weld metal usually will not respond as ef- fectively to this treatment so that, with the bead reinforcements removed, tensile failure will now ‘occur in the cast weld metal. With the bead rein- forcements intact, failure will usually occur in the fusion zone at the edge of the weld bead. The strength improvement achieved by postweld heat- treatment depends to some degree on the filler al- loy used for the weld, If filler has been used, as opposed to autogenous welding, the amount of dilution of the weld metal will also affect the final Table 113 ‘Comparing Properties of 5083 and 6061 Alloys Alloy Typical UTS Typical UTS Min. Expected Ratio of ME. UTS to and (unwelded) (wolded) UTS (welded) Unwelded UTS: Temper (ksi) (Pa) (ksi)__(MPa)__(ksi) (MPa) 50G-H921 6 3743 SCOMGCSCSSC« 087 or t16 6061-16 46 300 80 OTS 053 24 WELDING strength. Although postweld heat-treatment in- creases strength, it also reduces weld ductility In very thick metal the properties of a fully postweld heat-treated weld may be disappointing if the filler metal is not heat-treatable, and must rely on dilution from the base metal for those al- loying elements necessary to respond to heat-treat- ing. This effect is shown on line F of Table 11.4 for a single V groove weld in 3-inch (76.2 mm) thick 6061 alloy plate. When the joint design and alloys do not provide the constituents to make postweld heat-treatment effective, a filler alloy such as 4643, used in place of 4043 alloy, will provide additional magnesium to the weld metal to enhance its postweld heat-treatability. Complete postweld heat-treatment of a weldment is often not practical. It requires heat- ing the metal to a high temperature, where it loses almost all of its strength and must be supported against sagging or deforming, It also requires rapid ‘quenching, which can produce deformation. ‘An alternative technique for increasing weld strengths in heat-treatable alloys is to weld the ‘metal in the solution heat-treated condition, and then artificially age it after welding. This requires heating to a relatively low temperature with much less risk of distortion. Even so, the method can Chapter 11: Weld Performance give a substantial increase in strength, and espe- cially if the weld has been made by a procedure ‘ensuring rapid cooling, As an example, 4 in. thick 6061 welded in the T4 temper followed by artfi- cial aging to the T6 temper (line C of Table 11.4) gavea tensile strength of 41 ksi (282 MPa), which is.a large improvement over the 34 ksi (234 MPa) as-welded tensile strength. Additionally, welding in the solution heat-treated temper has little ten- dency to hot cracking, due to the more uniform microstructure because the alloying constituents are in solution. Although the strengths from aging after welding do not approach those achieved by fully heat-treating after welding, the aging from the T4 temper method is usually the more practi- cal, Weld “C” in Table 11.4 illustrates all three conditions for a DCEN GTAW in 44 in, (3.2 mm) 6061 T4 alloy. ‘The Txxx series heat-treatable alloys contain- ing low copper (such as 7004, 7005 and 7039) ‘combine good weldability with high as-welded strengths. They require lower solution heat-reat- ing temperatures than the other heat-treatable al- loy systems, and are less sensitive to the quench rate from those temperatures. They naturally age quite rapidly at room temperature, and are usually considered to be essentially fully aged after 35 Table 11.4 Effect of Welding Conditions on 6061 Welded Strength with 4043 Filler Asides an Soto Hea Tata aver en ‘oe ater Wag Wold ne Ttnas dng Foe Ya Tessie jon] Tai Yo Bongaton (Gow. Most fray Press| tog Seg) “in zn” Steg singh’ “nz | Stengh Seong) main mu Ce) ndtone a eae as Si 5 em Si © gam we ono} oo fw ww 5 Ce ed “8 s Sogorass © wn mw awa | roe | | 5 Case ‘ See - Vee © woe 3 rwocuw |r ow oo |e -|[s ‘ tas 12 oti gun oh 2 Stina WELDING days. Following welding, the weld zones also age naturally, and quite high joint efficiencies result. However, artificial aging will bring even higher yield strengths, and also improve corrosion resis- tance of the weld zones. A full postweld solution heat-treatment followed by artificial aging pro- duces the highest strengths. Shear Strength Fillet welds are designed on the basis of the shear strength of the weld metal. The area used for determining the weld strength is a product of the effective weld throat and the weld length. Fil- let welds are usually not much dituted by the base ‘metal, so that for design purposes they are consid- ered to be pure filler alloy. Typical shear strengths of fillet welds in several filler alloys, under longitudinal shear, are shown in Figure 11.2 and under transverse shear in Figure 11.3. Minimum fillet weld shear strengths for a range of filler al- loys are given in Table 11.5. Note that the direc tion of loading has a significant effect on shear strength. The longitudinal shear strength is used as the basis for minimum design values. The 5xxx series have by far the highest as-welded shear strengths of any of the filler alloys, while Sxxx fillers and 4xxx fillers exhibit similar strengths ‘when loaded in tension Impact Strength ‘Aluminum weldments stand up quite well under impact loadings, especially the nonheat- treatable alloys. Aluminum and its alloys do not exhibit a brittle transition range at low tem- peratures, as some ferrous materials do. Rather Table 115 Minimum Shear Strengths of Filet Welds Filer Moy Longin! Strength Transvere Seng ‘Shear ‘Sheer iP t Pa 1100 1s 18 si, aime feo M02 e010 sia zo sis aot ‘oss sme soa. 663 ns 0 mot sia 2 mS 01828 55 mo 4 oR 54 oo 85 56 mo | ia 00 at8T 54 nn a than Pel Eecain cone eee) 26 WELDING Chapter 11: Weld Performance Fillet Size (ram) 32. 64 95 127 «189 19.0 25000 1124 endo wat ge 70000 i a oa , ; ooo Riso oe i 4 2 € a 2000 # 0000 3 nl 6 in os joo & oo 1300 ° 18 1481288 Longitudinal fillet - size, in, “Figure 11.2 ‘Typical Shear Strengths of Longitudinal Fillet Welds Fillet Size(mm) 25000 3264 95127159190

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