| "CAN ELECTRON BEAM WELDING BE USED TO WELD A357 OR A356 CAST ALUMINUM PARTS?" |
|---|
| Yes, these cast aluminum alloys can be electron beam welded. Care must be taken as to the quality of the cast material (pores, inclusions, etc) as well as any surface contamination of the aluminum from the casting process as these items will influence the quality of the weld. For a good fit-up, the cleaner the faying surfaces the better. Modern EB welding systems have 5-axis contouring ability making it easy to follow complicated weld paths as well as slope the weld power to penetrate through varying thicknesses. EB welding can make for a viable approach to produce larger composite cast parts when the sizes of individual castings are limited. |