Investigation of the Weldability of Copper-Magnesium Alloy Wire by Cold Pressure Welding After Wire Drawing

Abstract

In the wire drawing industry, alloyed wires are widely used due to their superior mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance compared to pure copper wires. Although coppermagnesium alloys exhibit lower electrical conductivity than pure copper, they are frequently preferred in electrical and electronics, automotive, railway, and aerospace applications thanks to their excellent mechanical performance. These alloys also demonstrate good cold formability and drawability to fine diameters. In this study, the weldability of CuMg0.2 alloy copper wire, containing 0.12–0.20 wt.% magnesium and drawn cold with a deformation ratio of 99.99% to a diameter of 0.155 mm, was investigated using the cold pressure welding technique. The effects of process parameters in cold pressure welding on the mechanical and electrical properties of the CuMg0.2 wire were examined in detail. Experimental studies focused on the number of strokes and the waiting time between strokes. When comparing average measurements, the ultimate tensile strengths of welded and unwelded wires were found to be 738 MPa and 864 MPa, respectively. The elongations at break for welded and unwelded wires were measured as 1.4% and 2.7%, respectively. The electrical resistances were obtained as 1141.18 Ohm/km and 1123.40 Ohm/km, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the cold pressure welding technique is applicable to CuMg0.2 alloy copper wires that have undergone strain hardening during the wire drawing process. Considering both process efficiency and operator convenience, the optimum welding parameters were determined to be 15 strokes and a 2-second waiting time between strokes.