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In this study surface hardening by laser peening was used for improving mechanical properties
of TIG weld joint of 6061 T6 aluminium alloy. TIG have been carried out on rolled sheet of 6mm
thickness to obtain many welding joints with dimensions of (100 *50* 5)mm using ER4043 (Al
Si5 ) as a filler metal and argon as shielding gas were made . The welded pieces were tested
by X-ray radiography and faulty pieces were excluded. Tensile test specimens were prepared
from weld joint in the dimensions according to ASTM 176000 and then subjected to laser peen
pulse without coating. The specimens subjected to X-ray diffraction to measure the
compressive residual stresses and microstructure examination to show the weld zone crystal
distribution. Then all specimens subjected to tensile test, Vickers hardness test to show the
effect of surface hardening on the mechanical properties of weld joint. Results showed a
general decay of mechanical properties of TIG joints comparing with base alloy that is due to
the microstructure change during the welding process. While the laser peen welds joint shows
an improving in mechanical properties than the TIG welded joint, Due to the arising of
compressive residual stresses.
Kew words: TIG welding, laser peening, residual stress, aluminium alloy 6061-T6, Mechanical
properties.
related to the presence of a tenacious oxide layer,
high thermal conductivity, high coefficient of thermal
expansion, solidification shrinkage and, above all,
high solubility of hydrogen, and other gases, in
molten state[1]. Further problems can arise when
attention is focused on heat-treatable alloys, since
heat, provided by welding process, is responsible of
the decay of mechanical properties, due to phase
transformations and softening induced in alloy [3]
INTRODUCTION
Gas metal arc welding is a process that melts and
joins metals by heating them with an arc established
between a continuously fed filler wire electrode and
the metals. Shielding of the arc and the molten weld
pool is often obtained using inert gases such as
argon and helium. This is the most widely used arc
welding process for aluminium alloy. With TIG
welding using alternating current (AC) polarity and
high heat generation end is continuously changing an
electric arc is formed between inconsumable
tungsten Electrode and the work piece. The arc
provides the thermal energy to melt the work piece as
well as the filler material. For Al alloys due to their
elevated thermal conductivity, the weld penetration
remains very shallow [1] [2]
134
Si
Fe
Cu
Mn
Mg
Cr
Zn
Al
0.6
0.4
0.3
0.12
1.0
0.2
0.18
Rem.
Slandered value
0.4-0.8
0.15-0.4
Max 0.15
0.8-1.2
0.04-0.35
Max 0.25
Rem.
Max 0.7
Table (2) Chemical composition of the filler metal (Filer wire ER 4043) (Al Si5) [11]
Elements
w%
Measured
value
Slandered
value
Si
Fe
Cu
Mn
Mg
Zn
Al
5.0
0.4
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.15
93.4
4.5-6
<0.6
<0.3
< 0.15
< 0.2
< 0.1
Rem.
135
condition
As received
W
M
HAZ
BM
Sample (A) Base metal
Laser peening
Specimens subjected to the Laser peening
Processes by laser tattoo removal under these
conditions
=1064 nm
Focal length=13mm
No. of pluses 1/mm
Hardness test: Macro Hardness test was
implemented on all specimens in Table (3) by using
Vickers hardness method. The result are shown in
Table (4) by using
equation (1)
Hv = 1.854
---------- (1)
u N/mm
A
B
C
D
350.4
325
181
161
Yield stress y
N/mm
295.3
295
145
81
135
Elongation
%
10
12.5
5.5
7.5
Hardness
Hv(kg\2 )
100
85
70
62
speceimen C
50
Speceimen D
0
-20
-10
10
20
Sample
Surface roughness
Ra (m)
residual stress
MPa
0.18
-18.14
2.1
-89.130
0.7
-46.798
3.2
-97.934
136
Specimen D
Fig. 4 photo graph of residual stress
Specimen A
CONCLUSIONS
1-laser shock can increase the compressive residual
stresses induced by laser shock. However, it is not
effective on the growth of plastically affective depth.
This can be overcome by incorporating it with the
multiple LSP in the same position.
2- The tensile strength has been increased by an
amount of 34% and at weld laser shot peen in
comparison with weld specimen without laser shot
peen.
3-Hardness change in the welded material is affected
by the amount of the heat input during the welding
process
4-In the HAZ both tensile strength and hardness
reduce to a minimum, presumably due to over-aging
consequent to the transformation of the strengthening
metastable precipitate.
Speceimen B
Specimen C
137
138