Friction Welding of 6061 Aluminum Alloy to Steels

Friction welding of 6061 aluminum alloy to steels was conducted, the effects of welding conditions and various heat treatments of the welded joint on the joint strength were examined. Under the same welding conditions, the tensile strength of A6061/steeI joints were much alike for all the steels used. Tensile strength was seen to increase when the upset pressure was raised. In the case of joints welded at upset pressure not less than 80MPa, tensile fracture occurred in thermal softened A6061 area and the tensile fracture surface approached closer to the weld interface according to increases in the upset pressure, because softened A6061 was exhausted with burr under the action of upset pressure. It was concluded that joint strength depends on the width of the softened A6061 area. The whole A6061 area of T62 heat treated joint hardened to the same extent as the received material of A6061-T6, and tensile strength of this joint was high compared with that of the weld joint.