Electron beam welding in atmosphere of aluminum die casting alloys made of different qualities

Abstract

The increased use of electromobility due to ecological and financial motives confronts many enterprises and scientific communities with new challenges. The future viability of this technology is, among other things, depending on the electric range and on the purchase price of the electric vehicle. In addition to research work in the field of battery technology, the automotive industry is focusing on the reduction of the overall weight, the production complexity, and the production costs in order to increase fuel consumption and the range of electric vehicles and, moreover, to make electromobility more affordable. Due to the favorable ratio of strength and dead weight, aluminum die casting parts provide, in combination with the appropriate joining technology, the required preconditions for lightweight construction. The die casting process allows a large-scale manufacture. In the present study, the welding of the aluminum die casting alloy AlSi10MnMg, which is frequently used in automotive engineering, is investigated using the electron beam in atmosphere. At that, different casting quality scenarios are set with the aid of the die casting process and the robustness of the joining method is investigated with regard to die casting imperfections. The analyses are based on results of mechanical and chemical test methods.