The friction weldability of AA6063 tube to AA6082 tube plates using an external tool

Abstract

Aluminum and its alloys are frequently used in industry due to their low density as well as their high strength and corrosion resistance. Although the most common welding methods for aluminum are TIG, MIG, and plasma, due to the high temperatures during welding, the metallurgical precipitates formed in the heat affected zone disrupt the interior and affect the mechanical properties negatively. Friction welding of tube to tube plate using an external tool (FWTPET) which is a fairly new method has been developed to overcome this shortcoming and tube to tube plate welding has started to be made with this method. In this study, aluminum alloy AA6063 tubes were successfully joined to AA6082 plate by FWTPET. The welding groove on the plate, the gap between the tube and the plate, and the tube projection length were studied experimentally. The effects of all parameters on shear strength, micro hardness, and the formation of internal structure of the weld zone were investigated, as a result the optimum welding parameters are founded. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.