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Tensile and fracture behavior in 6061-T6 and 6061-T4 aluminum alloys welded by pulsed metal transfer GMAW

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Abstract

In this investigation, mechanical properties, failure mechanism, and microstructural features of 6061-T6 and 6061-T4 aluminum alloy plates welded by gas metal arc welding in pulsed metal transfer mode are analyzed. Samples were submitted to a standard heat pretreatment of solubilization at 350 ∘C (T4) which revealed the presence of β″-phase (Al, Mg, Si) precipitates dissolved in the aluminum matrix. The size of precipitates grew up from 3.58 to 4.12 μ m after the solubilization, while the volumetric fraction increased from 2.35 to 2.97% and Rockwell hardness decreased from 82 HR15T to 61 HR15T as a consequence of the pretreatment process. After welding, the best mechanical properties in tensile strength were found in 6061-T4 samples, reaching 117.48 MPa, in contrast to the 6061-T6 sample processed with similar conditions which reached 73.57 MPa. X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy revealed the presence of Mg and Cu, which are precursors of the formation of the hardening β″-phase, which dissolves in the diffusion zone leading in lower hardness regions due to the diminishing of precipitates and the increase in the grain size; this phenomenon causes a ductile failure mechanism. The best parameters in this study were identified for the sample welded with a current of 250 A, a heat flux of 1.084 KJ/mm and 294 mm/min as feed rate.

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Funding

This study is financially supported by the Secretariat of Public Education, Mexico, by means of the SEP-PRODEP project UACOAH-PTC-430.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Sistemas, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Carretera a México Km. 13, Saltillo, México

    Isidro Guzmán & Yuliana Avila

  2. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario No. 100, Toluca, México

    Everardo Granda

  3. Instituto Tecnológico de Tlalnepantla, Av. Instituto Tecnológico s/n, Tlalnepantla de Baz, México

    Benjamín Vargas

  4. Centro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial, Av. Desarrollo s/n, Cuautitlán Izcalli, México

    Celso Cruz

  5. Corporación Mexicana de Investigación en Materiales, Ciencia y Tecnología No. 790, Saltillo, México

    Jorge Acevedo

Authors
  1. Isidro Guzmán
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  2. Everardo Granda
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  3. Benjamín Vargas
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  4. Celso Cruz
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  6. Jorge Acevedo
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Correspondence to Isidro Guzmán.

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Guzmán, I., Granda, E., Vargas, B. et al. Tensile and fracture behavior in 6061-T6 and 6061-T4 aluminum alloys welded by pulsed metal transfer GMAW. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 103, 2553–2562 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-03673-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-03673-7

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