International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

This study examines how thermal and mechanical effects influence hardness distribution in 4, 6, and 8 mm AA5754 aluminum plates welded using TIG with AC and DC currents. Vickers hardness (HV0.01) was measured alongside tensile tests to evaluate weld performance. Results show that AC welding produces higher but more variable hardness, while DC welding yields more stable profiles. Notably, thinner plates (4 mm) showed minimal hardness differences between current types due to faster cooling. Strain hardening increased hardness up to 125 HV and reduced variation. The extent of hardness stabilization and heat-affected zone size depended on plate thickness. Although current type influenced hardness distribution, it had little effect on fracture toughness.

The paper presents the results of an investigation focused on the analysis of the wear of moulds for high-pressure casting with Al alloy. In order to repair and refurbish the mould parts of moulds for high-pressure casting of aluminium alloys, samples of experimental welds were prepared on the base material of grade 1.2343 (Dievar) of dimensions 150x130x30 mm refined to the hardness value of 44-48 HRC. A TruDisk 4002 solid-state disk laser with BEO D70 focusing optics was used for surfacing. Mat.No.1.2343 (Dievar), Mat.No.1.6356 (Dratec) and Mat.No.1.6356 (UTPA 702 and NIFIL NiCu7/Dievar) wires were used as additional material. Light microscopy technique was used to inspect the microstructures on the cross-sections of the welds. Microhardness measurements were performed with a Vickers indenter at a load of 500 g and a mutual indentation distance of 0.4 mm between the indenter impressions.

An experimental study was carried out to develop a technique for manufacturing a high silicon Al-Si-Ni sintered alloy with a coefficient of thermal expansion close to steels. A stage of hot forging was added to overcome porosity and improve silicon inclusions morphology to obtain better mechanical properties. Liquid and solid phase regimes of sintering were studied for the material made of the elemental components powders mixture as well as of a pre-alloyed powder. The impracticality of liquid-phase sintering modes is shown for this type of material primarily because of the tendency to liquid-phase exudation. It was proposed to carry out a solid-state vacuum sintering with subsequent hot deformation. Only the pre-alloyed powder is suitable for the technique; the other way, it leads to the course and sometimes, not equilibrium intermetallic inclusions will form in place of nickel particles because of the insolubility of Ni in solid Al. It is shown the possibility of successful plastic deformation of this material after sintering despite its extremely low ductility, which helps successfully overcome porosity and improve the characteristics of the microstructure of the material.