Welding and Additive Manufacturing with Nanoparticle-Enhanced Aluminum 7075 Wire.

Aluminum alloy 7075 (Al 7075) with a T73 heat treatment is commonly used in aerospace applications due to exceptional specific strength properties. Challenges with manufacturing the material from the melt has previously limited the processing of Al 7075 via welding, casting, and additive manufacturing. Recent research has shown the capabilities of nanoparticle additives to control the solidification behavior of high-strength aluminum alloys, showcasing the first Al 7075 components processed via casting, welding, and AM. In this work, the properties of nanoparticle-enhanced aluminum 7075 are investigated on welded parts, overlays and through wire-based additive manufacturing. The hardness and tensile strength of the deposited materials were measured in the as-welded and T73 heat-treated conditions showing that the properties of Al 7075 T73 can be recovered in welded and layer-deposited parts. The work shows that Al 7075 now has the potential to be conventionally welded or additively manufactured from wire into high-strength, crack-free parts.

Effect of Surface Texture on the Structural Adhesive Joining Properties of Aluminum 7075 and TEPEX®.

In the process of continuous improvement of manufacturing processes, this study was developed within the framework of the Ecovoss project, based on the inclusion of lightweight and new materials parts in the automotive sector. The objective was based on the replacement of aluminum welding operations with the option of adhesive operations with other types of materials such as polyamides or, in this case, a TEPEX® composite material (Dynalite 202-c200/50% TYP 13). The aim of this work is to test the best texturing of substrate made in 7075 aluminum specimens manufactured by robotic polishing with an ABB 6640 robot. Another substrate is TEPEX composite. A structural adhesive film AF-163-2 from the 3M company (St Paul, MN, USA) is used, which must be applied according to the manufacturing procedure. The tests carried out are based on the topographic measurement of the surfaces to be joined with an Alicona focus variation microscope, and the uniaxial shear tests of adhesive samples have been analyzed. The texture of the surface failure has been analyzed, and the results confirm a significant correlation between the texture parameters of initial surfaces and maximum shear stress. The expected results should provide a better understanding of the surfaces aimed to optimize the adhesion of the studied materials.