Solid Freeform Fabrication of Al-Li 2199 via Controlled-Short-Circuit-MIG Welding

Abstract:

Aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloys are of interest to the aerospace and aeronautical industries as rising fuel costs and increasing environmental restrictions are promoting reductions in vehicle weight. However, Al-Li alloys suffer from several issues during fusion welding processes including solute segregation and depletion. Solid freeform fabrication (SFF) of materials is a repair or rapid prototyping process, in which the deposited feedstock is built-up via a layering process to the required geometry. Recent developments have led to the investigation of SFF processes via Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) capable of producing functional metallic components. A SFF process via GMAW would be instrumental in reducing costs associated with the production and repair of Al-Li components. Furthermore the newly developed Controlled-Short-Circuit-MIG (CSC-MIG) process provides the ability to control the weld parameters with a high degree of accuracy, thus enabling the optimization of the solidification parameters required to avoid solute depletion and segregation within an Al-Li alloy. The objective of this study is to develop the welding parameters required to avoid lithium depletion and segregation. In the present study weldments were produced via CSC-MIG process, using Al-Li 2199 sheet samples as the filler material. The residual lithium concentration within the weldments was then determined via Atomic Absorption (AA) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The microstructure was analyzed using High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HR-SEM). Finally the mechanical properties of welded samples were determined through the application of hardness and tensile testing.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 409)
• Pages: 843-848
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.409.843
• Online since: November 2011
• Authors: David W. Heard, Julien Boselli, Raynald Gauvin, Mathieu Brochu
• Keywords: Aluminium-Lithium (Al-Li) Alloy, CSC-MIG, Solid Freeform Fabrication, Welding

References

[1] Gupta, R.K., et al. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 2006. 420(1-2): pp.228-234.

[2] Berzina, I.G., et al. International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation. Part D. Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements, 1992. 20(2): pp.261-262.

DOI: 10.1016/1359-0189(92)90046-x

[3] Papazian, J., R. Schulte, and P. Adler. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 1986. 17(4): pp.635-643.

[4] Esposto, F.J., et al. Surface Science, 1993. 290(1-2): pp.93-102.

[5] Giummarra, C., B. Thomas, and R.J. Rioja. Proceedings of the Light Metals Technology Conference 2007, (2007).

[6] Ribeiro, F. and J. Norrish. 1997. Guimaraes, Portugal.

[7] Zhang, Y.M., et al., Automated system for welding-based rapid prototyping. Mechatronics, 2002. 12(1): pp.37-53.

[8] Zhang, Y., et al., Weld deposition-based rapid prototyping: a preliminary study. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 2003. 135(2-3): pp.347-357.

DOI: 10.1016/s0924-0136(02)00867-1

[9] Wang, H., et al. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 2004. 148(1): pp.93-102.

[10] Spencer, J., P. Dickens, and C. Wykes. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 1998. 212(3): pp.175-182.

DOI: 10.1243/0954405981515590

[11] Siminski, M.R. and F.G. De Boer. IIW Asian Pacific International Congress. 2002. Singapore.

[12] Siminski, M.R. and F.G. De Boer. WTIA 50th Annual Conference. 2002. Sydney Australia.

[13] Siminski, M.R. and F.G. De Boer. WTIA 49th Annual Conference. 2001. Adelaide, Australia: Welding Technology Institute of Australia.

[14] Mironenko, V.N., et al. Svar. Proiz., 1977, No. 12, pp.33-35.

[15] Huismann, G. ICAWT 2000: Gas Metal Arc Welding for the 21st Century. 2000. Orlando, Florida.

[16] Joseph, A., et al. Science & Technology of Welding & Joining, 2005. 10(3): pp.311-318.

[17] Kulkarni, G.J., et al. Bull. Mater. Sci., Vol. 12, No. 3 & 4, September 1989, pp.325-340.

[18] Smith, P.M. and M.J. Aziz, Acta Metallurgica et Materialia, 1994. 42(10): pp.3515-3525.

DOI: 10.1016/0956-7151(94)90483-9