Title: Investigation on strength of solid state Al6061/30%Al₂O₃ bonds for automotive applications using response surface methodology

Authors: R. Adalarasan; M. Santhanakumar; S. Thileepan

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai – 602105, Tamilnadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai – 602105, Tamilnadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai – 602105, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract: Welding is an important joining operation with widespread applications in automotive components. Liquid state joining of aluminium-based composite materials in applications involving engine valve, drive shaft and axle was observed to create unnecessary metallurgical changes in the parent material, thereby reducing the joint strength. A solid state welding process could offer the required solution for this problem. Hence, the present work explores the possibility of obtaining strong joints with Al6061/30%Al₂O₃ composites by employing the process of friction welding (FW). The selection of proper levels of welding parameters like the rotational speed, burn-off length, frictional and upset pressure was essential to improve the strength of these bonds. Taguchi's L₁₈ orthogonal array was used for conducting the experiments and the tensile strength of the bond was evaluated as the response. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to form a quadratic model for the tensile strength and the prime welding condition for stronger joints was sorted out using the desirability analysis.

Keywords: solid state welding; friction welding; alumina reinforced aluminium alloys; Al2O3; automotive composites; response surface methodology; RSM; orthogonal arrays; desirability analysis; Taguchi methods; tensile strength; bond strength; rotational speed; burn-off length; frictional pressure; upset pressure; welded joints.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAUTOC.2015.071143

International Journal of Automotive Composites, 2015 Vol.1 No.4, pp.364 - 374

Received: 09 Sep 2014
Accepted: 29 Jan 2015
Published online: 13 Aug 2015 *

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