Experimental study on ultrasonic consolidation process parameters of Ti-Al metal foil

The additive manufacturing technology for ultrasonic consolidation(UC) is to make use of piezoelectric properties of piezoelectric transducer which produces high frequency vibration applied to the metal foil surface and form solid state bonds between metals under certain pressure. In order to obtain better consolidation process parameters, 0.2 mm thick Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy and 6061 aluminum alloy were consolidated with the UC method, experiments of peeling and surface hardness for consolidation joints were carried out. Firstly, the regularity of peeling strength and surface hardness for consolidation joints with the change of consolidation pressure, oscillator amplitude and heating plate temperature was analyzed, and key process parameters which could improve mechanical properties of the consolidation interface were obtained. Secondly, the microstructure of the consolidation interface was observed by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and the effect of different process parameters on the consolidation interface, and the formation of intermetallic compounds were analyzed, and good consolidation process parameters were obtained. It is found that the larger consolidation pressure, oscillator amplitude and heating plate temperature can result in stronger bonding. The optimum UC pressure of Ti-Al foil is 2.5 kN, the oscillator amplitude is 60 μm, and the heating plate temperature is above 200 ℃. This paper not only focuses on peeling strength and surface hardness, but also analyzes the microstructure of Ti-Al consolidation interface, which can give an opportunity to satisfy the effective consolidation of different materials.