Improving of the wear resistance of aluminium alloys by plasma transferredarc welding

Aluminium alloys are extensively used materials which can be found in a wid e range of industrial applications. They have distinctive advantages such a s a high strength/weight ratio, an excellent workability and good corrosion behaviour. However, aluminium alloys possess wear resistance properties wh ich limitate their usage in heavy wear applications. Besides many technolog ies applying thin film wear resistant layers on aluminium alloys there is h ardly a technology which can produce strengthened surfaces in a range of se veral millimeters. Plasma Transferred Are (PTA) Welding using a modified po larity DCCP (Direct Current Combined Polarity) was used for enhancing the w ear properties of wrought and cast aluminium alloys by alloying and dispers ing. Hardness and wear resistance of the plasma welded surfaces could be im proved significantly.