Product Code: ICAL08_P112

Laser Welding of A357 Aluminum Alloy
Authors:
M. Theron, Csir South Africa; Pretoria Republic of South Africa
H.P. Burger, Csir; Pretoria Republic of South Africa
C. Van Rooyen, Csir; Pretoria Republic of South Africa
L.H. Ivanchev, Csir; Pretoria Republic of South Africa
Presented at ICALEO 2008

Welding of aluminium alloys poses many problems like porosities, lost of alloying elements, bead geometry and softening of heat affected zone. Laser welding is widely used in industrial production owing to the advantages such as low heat input, high welding speed, formability and high production rate. Due to these unique advantages, the potential of laser welding was evaluated for welding of a hypo-eutectic SSM aluminium alloy. Aluminium alloy Al-7%Si-0.6%Mg alloy was processed with CSIR-Rheo technology to the Semi-Solid Metal state and cast to 4 mm plates with a 50 Ton High Pressure Die Casting machine. Heat treatments T4 and T6 were given to the castings. Laser welding was applied to the heat treated plates as well as to the plates at F condition. Tensile properties, hardness profile, microstructure of the weld, heat affected zone and base metal were examined. Comments on microstructure and mechanical properties of the welds are presented.