Aluminum Forming by Vaporizing Foil Actuator Welding

Abstract

Aluminum, has a wide range of uses, from industry to medical industrial products such as automotive, defense-aviation, and space. Aluminium has become a preferred material in applications where weight needs to be reduced. It is also used as a material in metal cladding and shaping applications. However, the high thermal conductivity coefficient of aluminum may cause some difficulties in the production process. These difficulties due to thermal conductivity may not allow to manufacture of desired products. In this study formability of aluminum with vaporizing foil actuator welding (VFAW) has been investigated as an alternative process to the traditional and solid state welding processes. By using different voltage values and separation distance parameters, the effects of these parameters on the formability of aluminum and copper sheet metal pairs with VFAW were examined experimentally. Experimental data show that voltage value is an important parameter in the VFAW process where a DC capacitor is used. In the VFAW process, where a 375 V voltage value is used, it has been determined that welding occurs in processes performed with three different separation distances (0.4 mm- 0.9 mm -1.5 mm). It was determined that 0.4 mm and 0.9 mm separation distances were effective in joining Al/Cu metal sheets with 0.1 mm thickness.