Joining sheet aluminum AA6061-T4 to cast magnesium AM60B by vaporizing foil actuator welding: Input energy, interface, and strength. (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Bert; Vivek, Anupam; Daehn, Glenn S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of manufacturing processes. Volume 30(2017)
• Page Start: 75
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Impact welding -- Vaporizing foil actuator welding -- Dissimilar metal joining -- Sheet aluminum -- Cast magnesium; Production management -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Manufacturing processes -- Periodicals; Procestechnologie; Productietechniek; Production -- Gestion -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Fabrication -- Périodiques; Manufacturing processes; Production management -- Data processing; Periodicals; 670.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmapro.2017.09.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1526-6125

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: AA6061 was successfully welded to AM60B by vaporizing foil actuator welding. 22.40 N/mm peel strength and failure in base Al in lap-shear were obtained. Weld interfaces had clear waves without voids or thick intermetallics. Al residuals were transferred ductilely to Mg side during peel, indicating strong bond. SEM EDS indicated small chunks of metastable or mixed intermetallics at interface. Abstract: Dissimilar joining of sheet aluminum AA6061-T4 to cast magnesium AM60B was achieved by vaporizing foil actuator welding (VFAW). Three input energy levels were used (6, 8, and 10 kJ), and as a trend, higher input energies resulted in progressively higher flyer velocities, more pronounced interfacial wavy features, larger weld zones, higher peel strengths, and higher peel energies. In all cases, weld cross section revealed a soundly bonded interface characterized by well-developed wavy features and lack of voids and continuous layers of intermetallic compounds (IMCs). At 10 kJ input energy, flyer speed of 820 m/s, peel strength of 22.4 N/mm, and peel energy of 5.2 J were obtained. In lap-shear, failure occurred in AA6061-T4 flyer at 97% of the base material's peak tensile load. Peel samples failed along the weld interface, and the AM60B-side of the fracture surface showed thin, evenly-spaced lines of Al residuals which had been torn out of the base AA6061-T4 in a ductile fashion and transferred over to the AM60B side, indicating very strong AA6061-T4/AM60B bond in these areas. This work demonstrates VFAW's capability in joining dissimilar lightweight metals such as Al/Mg, which is expected to be a great enabler in the ongoing push for vehicle weight reduction.