Effect of post weld aging treatment on tensile properties of electron beam welded AA2219 aluminum alloy

Aluminum alloy 2219 (Al-6.5%Cu) is a favourite age hardenable alloy for aerospace applications because of its excellent welding characteristics. Though AA2219 has got an edge over its 6000 and 7000 series counterparts in terms of weldability, it also suffers from poor joint strength when welded. In this investigation an attempt has been made to improve the welded joint strength through post weld aging treatment. This paper presents the effect of post-weld aging treatment on tensile properties of electron beam welded AA2219 aluminum alloy. Square butt joints were fabricated using an electron beam welding (EBW) machine of 100 kV capacity. The joints were given post-weld artificial aging treatment. Tensile tests were carried out using 100 kN, electro-mechanical controlled universal testing machine. It is found that the post-weld aging treatment is beneficial for improving weld metal hardness and tensile properties. This is mainly due to the uniform distribution of CuAl2 precipitates in the weld metal region in post-weld aged joints compared to as welded joints as evident from weld metal microstructure.