Investigation on the process parameters of TIG-welded aluminum alloy through mechanical and microstructural characterization

Abstract

Multi-pass TIG welding was conducted on plates (15 × 300 × 180 mm3) of aluminum alloy Al-5083 that usually serves as the component material in structural applications such as cryogenics and chemical processing industries. Porosity formation and solidification cracking are the most common defects when TIG welding Al-5083 alloy, which is sensitive to the welding heat input. In the experiment, the heat input was varied from 0.89 kJ/mm to 5 kJ/mm designed by the combination of welding torch travel speed and welding current. Tensile, micro-Vicker hardness and Charpy impact tests were executed to witness the impetus response of heat input on the mechanical properties of the joints. Radiographic inspection was performed to assess the joint’s quality and welding defects. The results show that all the specimens displayed inferior mechanical properties as compared to the base alloy. It was established that porosity was progressively abridged by the increase of heat input. The results also clinched that the use of medium heat input (1–2 kJ/mm) offered the best mechanical properties by eradicating welding defects, in which only about 18.26% of strength was lost. The yield strength of all the welded specimens remained unaffected indicated no influence of heat input. Partially melted zone (PMZ) width also affected by heat input, which became widened with the increase of heat input. The grain size of PMZ was found to be coarser than the respective grain size in the fusion zone. Charpy impact testing revealed that the absorbed energy by low heat input specimen (welded at high speed) was greater than that of high heat input (welded at low speed) because of low porosity and the formation of equiaxed grains which induce better impact toughness. Cryogenic (−196 °C) impact testing was also performed and the results corroborate that impact properties under the cryogenic environment revealed no appreciable change after welding at designated heat input. Finally, Macro and micro fractured surfaces of tensile and impact specimens were analyzed using Stereo and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which have supported the experimental findings.