Study of 7075 Aluminium Alloy Joints

Abstract High-strength EN AW 7075 Al-based alloy (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu) is currently employed in many industrial fields where excellent mechanical performances of structural components are required. In contrast to the many positive features this alloy presents, it is not fusion weldable, because it is subjected to solidification and liquation cracking. In this paper, the possibility to weld low thickness plates, made of 7075 aluminum alloy, by the tungsten inert gas welding technique will be presented. Two types of welding have been performed: for the former one, welding involves only one surface, while for the second one, welding has been carried out on both faces of the plates. After welding, microstructural analysis and mechanical properties investigations have been carried out. The present research highlights that the mechanical properties evolution is affected by the welding procedure. In particular, the mechanical strength reached for the samples welded on both faces, in the proposed setting, is comparable to that of the un-welded alloys.