Study of the elaboration of a practical weldability window in magnetic pulse welding

• Published in: Journal of materials processing technology 2013-08, Vol.213 (8), p.1348-1354
• Main Authors: Raoelison, R.N., Buiron, N., Rachik, M., Haye, D., Franz, G., Habak, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum base alloys; Assembly; Charging; Destructive tests; Fracture; Impact velocity; Interface; Magnetic pulse welding; Plastic deformation; Weldability; Weldability window; Welded joints; Welding
• ISSN: 0924-0136
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2013.03.004

•A potentially permanent weld has a wavy shape interface and is able to undergo plastic deformation.•The wave height increases with the increase of both charging voltage and gap.•The weld variance in terms of wave height isovalues provides an operative welding range.•The welding range in a charging voltage–gap diagram is determined by a lower straight/wavy transition limit and an upper critical limit.•The weldability window has a potential convex shape and is determinable by the impact velocity isovalues. This work investigates the elaboration of a weldability window of an aluminium alloy 6060T6 tubular assembly welded by magnetic pulse welding. A destructive test is used to characterize the weld quality. The fractographic analysis of the fracture surface combined with the analysis of the macrographic section of the welded joint allows characterizing two typical weld cases: a potentially permanent weld enabling to undergo plastic deformation and a weld with interfacial discontinuous voids. The presentation of the weld variance in a charging voltage–air gap width diagram gives an operative welding range. The analysis of the impact velocity isovalues in this diagram allows understanding the shape of the weldability window which is potentially convex. The measurement of the wave height at the interface of the welded joint corroborates the qualitative weldability window.