Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding Process Optimization for Double Lap Joint Configuration of Aluminum 5754 Sheet Material Using OTC/Daihen Equipment

Aluminum alloys are becoming more lucrative in automotive structural applications. In recent automotive history, 5xxx and 6xxx aluminum alloys are being used in various structural applications. Various joining methods are also popular for joining 5xxx, and 6xxx series alloys. In this study, gas metal are welding (GMAW) also referred as metal inert gas (MIG) welding is used to join a non-heat-treatable alloy. The objective of this paper is to develop optimum weld process factors for double lap joint configuration for non-heat-treatable 5754 aluminum alloy. Ultimately, these optimum weld factor settings (also referred as weld schedules) will be used in the plant level for joining 5754 alloy materials. Also, the MIG welding equipment used in this study is OTC TP 350 DF weld power supply and DR-4000 robotic system. The weld factors selected for this study to understand the influence on lap shear load failure are power input (torch speed, voltage, current, wire feed), and gas flow rate. A full factorial design of experiment (DOE) was conducted to understand the main and interaction effects on joint load to failure. The joint strengths are tested at various operating ranges of weld factors. From the analysis, it was found that power input is statistically significant on joint load to failure. No two way interaction effect (between power input and gas flow rate) was observed.