Method of fusion welding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016107265-A1
Application number	US-201514884382-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method comprises fusion welding a filler metal to a first aluminum component; wherein the first aluminum component comprises a 7xxx series aluminum alloy; and wherein the filler metal comprises an aluminum alloy, in weight percent: up to 0.15 Fe; up to 0.15 Si; from 2.3 to 2.7 Mg; from 1.4 to 1.8 Cu; from 6.0 to 9.0 Zn; and from 0.06 to 0.14 Zr. In some embodiments, the 7xxx series aluminum alloy comprises 0.5-2.6 wt. % Cu. In some embodiments, the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.45 Sc.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
a. fusion welding a filler metal to a first aluminum component;
i. wherein the first aluminum component comprises a 7xxx series aluminum alloy;
ii. wherein the filler metal comprises an aluminum alloy, in weight percent:
1. up to 0.15 Fe;
2. up to 0.15 Si;
3. from 2.3 to 2.7 Mg;
4. from 1.4 to 1.8 Cu;
5. from 6.0 to 9.0 Zn; and
6. from 0.06 to 0.14 Zr.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the 7xxx series aluminum alloy comprises 0.5-2.6 wt. % Cu.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal consists essentially of, in weight percent:
a. up to 0.15 Fe;
b. up to 0.15 Si;
c. from 2.3 to 2.7 Mg;
d. from 1.4 to 1.8 Cu;
e. from 6.0 to 9.0 Zn;
f. from 0.06 to 0.14 Zr; and
g. optionally, up to 0.45 Sc,
h. the remainder being aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.45 Sc.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, 0.25-0.35 Sc.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.10 Fe.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.10 Si.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, 7.3 to 7.7 Zn.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, 0.10 to 0.12 Zr.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.03 B.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, 0.015 to 0.025 B.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the 7xxx series alloy comprises one of: 7x09, 7x10, 7x12, 7x14, 7x16, 7x20, 7x21, 7x22, 7x23, 7x24, 7x25, 7x26, 7x28, 7x29, 7x30, 7x32, 7x33, 7x34, 7x35, 7x36, 7x37, 7x40, 7x41, 7x42, 7046, 7x49, 7x50, 7x55, 7x56, 7x60, 7x64, 7x65, 7x68, 7x75, 7x76, 7x78, 7x79, 7x81, 7x85, 7x90, 7x93, 7x95 and 7x99.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the 7xxx series alloy comprises one of: 7x09, 7x10, 7x12, 7x14, 7x16, 7x22, 7x23, 7x24, 7x25, 7x26, 7x29, 7x32, 7x33, 7x34, 7x36, 7x37, 7x40, 7x41, 7x42, 7x49, 7x50, 7x55, 7x56, 7x60, 7x64, 7x65, 7x68, 7x75, 7x76, 7x78, 7x79, 7x81, 7x85, 7x90, 7x93, 7x95 and 7x99.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the 7xxx series alloy comprises, in weight percent:
a. up to 0.06 Si;
b. up to 0.08 Fe;
c. 1.3 to 2.0 Cu;
d. up to 0.04 Mn;
e. 1.2 to 1.8 Mg;
f. up to 0.04 Cr;
g. 7.0 to 8.0 Zn;
h. up to 0.15 Ti; and
i. 0.08 to 00.15 Zr.

15 . A method comprising:
a. abutting a first aluminum component against a second aluminum component, wherein an abutment is formed, and b. fusion welding a filler metal to the first aluminum component and to the second aluminum component so that a welded joint is formed at the abutment;
i. wherein the first aluminum component comprises a 7xxx series alloy;
ii. wherein the filler metal is an aluminum alloy comprising, in weight percent:
1. up to 0.15 Fe;
2. up to 0.15 Si;
3. from 2.3 to 2.7 Mg;
4. from 1.4 to 1.8 Cu;
5. from 6.0 to 9.0 Zn; and
6. from 0.06 to 0.14 Zr.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.45 Sc.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the 7xxx series alloy comprises 0.5-2.6 wt. % Cu.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the welded joint is one of a: butt, corner, edge, lap, and tee.

19 . A method comprising:
a. locating a surface defect of a mold block;
i. wherein the surface defect has a first volume;
ii. wherein the surface defect is at least partially surrounded by an original volume;
iii. wherein the mold block includes the original volume;
iv. wherein the mold block is made of an aluminum alloy; and
b. wherein the aluminum alloy is a lox series aluminum alloy; c. repairing the surface defect, wherein the repairing comprises fusion welding a filler metal to at least a portion of the original volume to produce a repaired volume;
i. wherein the repaired volume includes the first volume of the surface defect and at least a portion of the original volume; and
ii. wherein the filler metal is an aluminum alloy comprising, in weight percent:
1. up to 0.15 Fe;
2. up to 0.15 Si;
3. from 2.3 to 2.7 Mg;
4. from 1.4 to 1.8 Cu;
5. from 6.0 to 9.0 Zn; and
6. from 0.06 to 0.14 Zr.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the filler metal comprises, in weight percent, up to 0.45 Sc.

21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the 7xxx series aluminum alloy comprises0.5-2.6 wt. % Cu.

Assignees

• Alcoa Inc

Inventors

• Lin Jen C
• Stol Israel
• Williams Kyle L
• Yan Xinyan
• Smith Philip E
• Drieling Heather

Classifications

• B23K9/04 Primary

  Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding · CPC title

• B23K28/00 Primary

  Welding or cutting not covered by groups B23K5/00 - B23K26/00 · CPC title

• B23K35/288

  with Sn or Zn · CPC title

• B23K2203/10

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• C22C21/10

  with zinc as the next major constituent · CPC title