Papers by Author: Muhammad Faizol Ahmad Ibrahim

Abstract: This paper presents an investigation on microstructure and mechanical properties of welded AA 6061-T6 plate using filler metal ER 4043 in the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) process. Double pass welding technique on both sides of 5 mm thick plate or more is required to provide sufficient weld pool in the joint. The weld metal of the first welding pass exhibits finer microstructure than the second welding pass. The size of Mg₂Si precipitations in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) region is larger than in the base metal due to the welding process that reheats the alloy from the T6 condition above the eutectic temperature. Rapid cooling of the first pass and moderate cooling rate for the second pass during weld metal solidification eventually resulted in significantly change the shape and size in the microstructure that had affected the hardness and mechanical properties. Comparisons made to the base metal on the hardness test results found that the hardness of first pass weld metal dropped by 15%, and by 37.5% for the second weld metal, while the hardness at the boundaries of the first and second weld metals dropped by 32.5%. The ultimate tensile strength and strain of the weld joint with ER 4043 also decreased by 48% and 94% respectively. Based on the findings of the study, it is concluded that even though the double sided welding technique is able to overcome shallow weld penetration to avoid stress concentration that leads to the fatigue failure, the metallurgical changes eventually contributes to degradation of mechanical properties.

Abstract: Effect of porosity distribution in the weld metal of AA 6061-T6 with 6 mm thickness plate using two dissimilar filler metals in the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process was investigated. This paper provides a characterization of the porosity in term of the distribution, location and size of the pores in the weldment region. The porosity characterization was made by using 3D X-Ray Computed Tomography and Scanning Electron microscope. The existing pores resulting from the cause of the filler metal in welded alloy used ER4043 (Al-5Si) was compared with the weldement used ER5356 (Al-5Mg). From this investigation, it is exhibited that the pores only distributed and located mainly at the edges and at the root of the weldment with ER5356 weld metal, however, for weldment with ER4043, the pores were mainly scattered in the centre region. The distribution and location of pores in weld metal is believed due to the effect of convections in the molten metal, solidification rate and also from the gases induced during the weld process. Apart from that, results of tensile test indicated the weldment has affected the strength and ductility of the two different fillers selected. AA6061 with ER5356 are dropped 50% in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and 40 % in elongation; meanwhile AA6061 with ER 4043 was dropped 70% in UTS and 90% in elongation. The different principle alloying element of these two filler metals have play significant role in the distribution of porosity in AA6061 weldment and had influence the strength and ductility of the weld joint.

Abstract: Several different groups of filler metal are known to be compatible in welding of AA6xxx series. The aim of this investigation is to study the effects of different filler alloys toward mechanical properties and microstructure of welded AA6061 aluminium alloy using gas metal arc welding. Single V butt joint configuration has been used for joining the plate’s. Butt-joint welds were made on 6 mm thick plates using 21 – 22 V arc voltage. Tensile test was carried out using 100kN, electro-mechanical controlled hydraulic Instron 8801 universal testing machine. The results showed that the yield strength of base metal were 330 MPa and while the yield strength of ER5356 joints and ER4043 joints were 200 MPa and 235 MPa, respectively. The difference properties of strength in both weld metal was due to the difference major element in the both filler composition. The amount of silicon content in ER4043(Al-Si5%) filler is believed to play a role in the mechanical strength on weld metal. Microstructural examination was carried out using a light optical and electron microscope. The different filler alloys give different weld metal microstructure.

Abstract: The filler metal used during welding process is believed to play an important role on porosity formation in aluminium alloy welded. The present investigation is aimed to study the effect of different fillers ER4043 (Al-5%Si) and ER5356 (Al-5%Mg) on porosity formation of AA6061 alloy welded joints. Butt-joint welds were made on 6 mm thick plates using 21 – 22 V arc voltages by using Gas Metal Arc Welding process (GMAW). The hardness profile of each types of AA6061 welded joints for both fillers were characterized by the Vickers microhardness test. In order to study the formation and distribution of porosity, the images of analysis were obtained using the X- ray CT-Scan. It was observed that, more porosities were found in the alloy AA6061 using ER4043 compared to ER5356 filler metals with the percentage area value of porosity about 18.3 and 8.4%, respectively. The hardness profile of ER5356 and ER4043 welded materials exhibited the similar hardness pattern profile. It is proposed that Si and Mg contents in the filler metal could play significant role in the distribution of porosity. No significant effect was observed on the hardness profile for both filler metals of welded materials.