11.10.2024 | Aluminium Association

'New in Welding and Surfacing in the Manufacture of Aluminium and Aluminium Alloy Products' 7th Research and Practice Conference on Aluminium Welding was held as part of the business agenda of the Weldex 2024 23rd International Specialised Exhibition of Welding Materials, Equipment and Technologies at Crocus Expo.

The conference was organised by the Aluminium Association in collaboration with the ITE Group.

The annual conference hosted by the Aluminium Association is a popular event among professionals. Since 2017, the event has attracted over 500 participants from 150 manufacturing companies, research centres, and industry unions interested in developing competencies in welding semi-finished aluminium products.

The conference is attended by representatives of the professional community, research and engineering companies, manufacturers and suppliers of welding equipment, production companies, higher education institutions, and heads of companies producing aluminium materials and equipment.

Experts speaking at the conference noted that interest in welding technologies in Russia is growing. The number of organisations developing competencies in welding methods using various materials, including aluminium, is increasing. The use of new types of welding is expanding; for example, friction stir welding (FSW) is now used in bridge construction, railcar building, and so on. Welding has gone way beyond simple joints, as we are now seeing a transition to additive surfacing technologies.

One of the most pressing issues is the development of new antifriction materials with improved physical and technical properties and high wear resistance. This is because the characteristics of the traditional alloys have reached their maximum potential. Dispersoid composite coatings are the solution. They are made up of highly plastic metal matrices, such as aluminium-based alloys, and high-melting fillers, like ceramic particles. The research shows that these materials meet and even exceed the regulatory requirements.

The conference speakers talked about the advantages of using modern aluminium wire materials in additive technologies used in various fields, such as civil shipbuilding, aircraft construction, and the manufacturing of engine parts. The advantages are the size of the parts it can produce (up to 5 metres), the low cost of equipment and wire, and the printing speed (up to 10 kilograms per hour). Scientists have developed alloys based on the Al-Mg-Zr-Sc and Al-Cu systems, doped with transition elements and rare earth metals. They allow to achieve the desired material properties at all production stages and ensure high physical and mechanical characteristics in the final product.

The conference featured presentations by experts from renowned research institutes and companies.