P. Edwards, Boeing Research & Technology, Seattle, WA; T. Morton, G. L. Ramsey, The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA
Laser Beam Welding of ATI 425® Alloy was performed on 2.5 mm thick butt joints. This new alloy could be used in place of standard Ti-6Al-4V for a variety of lower-cost structural solutions. Demonstration of its fusion weldability with laser welding is of particular interest because it is a near-net- shape process, capable of high welding speeds, which will further enable lower cost manufacturing options. It was found that ATI 425® Alloy could be successfully welded using a fiber laser at speeds over 3 m/min. Microstructural, microhardness and tensile property evaluations were performed on the resulting welds. It was found that there was a 15% hardness increase in the weld and the strength of the joints was within 2% of base metal properties.
