Welding of Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al: a comparison of techniques

To maximise the benefit of using high strength titanium alloys in future, whilst maintaining a cost effective manufucturing route, will require the use of metallurgical joining technologies to assemble large components from smaller details. In the work reported here four joining technologies have been assessed manual TIG, EBW, friction, welding and diffusion bonding - for use with the near beta Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al alloy. Measurements of the tensile properties after welding show that the fusion welding techniques impose a strength penalty, compared with the bulk parent material. However, good consistency in the tensile properties was demonstrated fur the EB welds. In contrast, parent metal tensile properties were achieved by the friction welding and the diffusion bonding techniques because of the favourable microstructure developed during joint formation. Low impact energies were measured after diffusion bonding and post bond licit treatment. however, post bond heat treatment of the friction welds gave: a large increase in the toughness, although not to the level of the parent metal in the same licit treatment condition.