Hi there everyone, I'm a designer for a bespoke lighting design company. I'm looking to have made some aluminum U section rings rings of varying size from 300mm diameter to 1000mm. (please see attached JPEG) I have explored the avenue of bending U channel however 300mm is a far too tight radius for the size of section I need to use. Instead I am going to have to fabricate using laser cut doughnut shapes and rolled flat bar or sheet. The joins need to be seamless so the rings would need to be welded all the way around not tacked. I have had problems with aluminum grades in the past being too soft and floppy and also problems with the weld-ability. I was wandering if anybody would be able to suggest the best possible grade of aluminum for a job such as this? Hope that makes sense! T hanks in advance! Leo
It depends on what you mean by "too soft and floppy". The modulus (stiffness) is the same for all aluminum alloys, but the yield and ultimate strengths vary widely. 6061 is the most common grade (at least in the US), is fairly strong, and is readily weldable. If you start with a heat treated allow (e.g. 6061-T6) it will lose strength in the heat affected zone around the weld. Some (but not all) of the strength will return as it ages over a few weeks. The stronger alloys (e.g. 2024 or 7075) are not readily weldable.
Thanks for the help guys! Very helpful! it has worked really well using 6082 grade which our laser cutters sugested.....now onto the next problem! I'm trying to also do a project where I'll be having a ali spinning welded/soldered to some CNC'd aluminum Spinning is half hard - 1050, would it be possible to solder that to 6082 t6 will this be possible???? Thanks again!
It looks like it is possible. http://muggyweld.com/solder-aluminum-to-steel The solder melts at 350 F and is only 20,000 psi so hopefully you app can live with those limitations.
