Manipulating heat density to enhance the performance of Aluminium Alloy-Steel joints using arc oscillations in the GTAW process

• Published in: Materials letters 2022-01, Vol.306, p.130897, Article 130897
• Main Authors: Kumar, Tinku, Venkata Kiran, Degala, Arora, Navneet, Chitral, Srihari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum base alloys; Arc heating; Arc oscillations; Base metal; Fe-Al joints; Flux density; Gas tungsten arc welding; Interfaces; Intermetallic alloys and compounds; Intermetallic compounds; Iron; Lap joints; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Metals and alloys; Microhardness; Oscillations; Steel; Weaving; Welded joints; Welding current
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2021.130897

•Arc oscillation reduces the heat energy density on base metal, resulting in lower peak temperatures.•Arc oscillations improve the weld bead profile and wetting behavior of the molten filler metal on steel sheets.•A decrease in intermetallic layer thickness occurred in weaving conditions.•Mechanical properties like microhardness and failure strength have increased by using arc oscillations. The present study shows the effect of arc oscillations in improving the mechanical properties of Steel/Aluminium lap joints in the GTAW process. Arc oscillations produce the weaving pattern to manipulate the heat energy density on the base metal. Fe-Al joints were prepared with different heat inputs by varying the welding current and welding speed. The thermal profile and the intermetallic compound layer results indicate the decrease in heat energy density with arc oscillations. Further, the mechanical properties of the joints were compared with no weaving condition and found the enhancement in aesthetics, microhardness, and failure strength of the Fe-Al joints with arc oscillations.