Effect of Welding Parameters and Metal Arrangement of the AA2024-T3 on the Quality and Strength of FSW Lap Joints for Joining Elements of Landing Gear Beam

• Published in: Archives of metallurgy and materials Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 1205 - 1216
• Main Authors: Myśliwiec, P., Śliwa, R.E., Ostrowski, R., Bujny, M., Zwolak, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Warsaw Polish Academy of Sciences 01.01.2020
• Subjects: aluminum alloys; Aluminum base alloys; Configurations; Fatigue tests; Friction stir welding; fsw lap joints; Joining; Laboratories; Laboratory tests; Landing gear; landing gear beam; Lap joints; Low cycle fatigue; low cycle fatigue test; Metal sheets; Microhardness; Process parameters; Riveting; Welding parameters
• ISSN: 2300-1909; 1733-3490; 2300-1909
• DOI: 10.24425/amm.2020.133240

The paper presents the possibility of using FSW technology for joining elements of a landing gear beam of the M28 aircraft. The FSW process was performed on a 4-axis numerical machine under industrial conditions. However, before welding was carried out under industrial conditions, preliminary experimental tests were carried out under laboratory conditions. Preliminary research was carried out for AA2024-T3 aluminum sheets of 1 mm and 3 mm in thickness, joined in a lap configuration. The influence of technological and geometric parameters of the process on the quality and strength of the weld was examined. Sheet metal arrangement was analyzed. Tests were carried out for two configurations. The first of which with 1 mm sheet on the top and 3 mm sheet on the bottom and in reverse order. It has been shown that setting a thicker plate on the top gives a 40% better strength. The microhardness and microstructure of the weld were tested. During the laboratory tests, low-cycle fatigue tests of the FSW lap joint were performed. It has been shown that the FSW method can be an alternative to the riveting process in the production of aviation structure elements.