Improving of the wear resistance of aluminium alloys by plasma transferred arc welding

Aluminium alloys are extensively used materials which can be found in a wide range of industrial applications. They have distinctive advantages such as a high strength/weight ratio, an excellent workability and good corrosion behaviour. However, aluminium alloys possess wear resistance properties which limitate their usage in heavy wear applications. Besides many technologies applying thin film wear resistant layers on aluminium alloys there is hardly a technology which can produce strengthened surfaces in a range of several millimeters. Plasma Transferred Are (PTA) Welding using a modified polarity DCCP (Direct Current Combined Polarity) was used for enhancing the wear properties of wrought and cast aluminium alloys by alloying and dispersing. Hardness and wear resistance of the plasma welded surfaces could be improved significantly.