Analysis of Weld strength and Cracking susceptibility in Aluminium Alloys

Abstract

quotAluminium is a non-ferrous corrosive resistant metal mainly used in automotive coolers, intercoolers, radiators and many more engineering applications. They have to experience the sudden rise and fall of the temperature. The working range temperature of different coolers and radiators is ranging from 20° C to 300° C and the pressure ranges from 2.5 bar to 3.5 bar. Welding is used as basic process in aluminium alloys to manufacture such components. newlineDuring the actual working of coolers, the weld joint experiences sudden high level and low-level temperature changes. These will create high thermal stresses in the joints. These thermal stresses will create many imperfections in the joints. It results to cracking in the weld region and cracking is the initialization of failure. So finally, this leads to failure of the weld joints. The weld joint should possess enough strength to avoid such type of failures in joints. newlineTo avoid such type of failures, the most common weldability the Houldcroft weldability testis performed. This research work is focused to an optimization of PCTIG welding process parameters for getting the optimum value of tensile strength by experimental method. AA alloy 6061 T6 material with three different thickness 3.2 mm, 6 mm and 10 mm are selected for experimentation work. Peak current (Ip), base current (Ib) and frequency (f) are considered as three process parameters for process parameter optimization. The regression equations are developed and are used to estimate the value of tensile strength within the factorial space that was utilized. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique is employed to determine the contribution of each parameter to tensile strength. The weldability of the joints is also identified by performing the houldcroft weldability test. The cracking susceptibility index is evaluated from this test. Finally, main objectives of this research work are fulfilled by deriving an optimum value of weld joint strength and cracking susceptibility by optimum process parameters in the selected