In the world of high-performance industrial components, porosity is the enemy. Even minor voids in a casting can lead to structural failure, fluid turbulence and costly downtime. When a customer encountered significant porosity along the top shroud of an aluminum bronze impeller, they didn’t reach for traditional welding methods, they reached for the ALFlak 900F.
Repairing aluminum bronze is a notoriously delicate balancing act. The material is prized for its corrosion resistance and strength, but it is highly sensitive to heat.
The Risk: Traditional welding often introduces excessive heat, leading to warping, distortion, or even cracking.
The Problem: The impeller in question had developed “honeycomb” areas of porosity along its shroud, compromising the part’s efficiency and lifespan.
The ALFlak is the ideal choice for welding aluminum bronze, offering the minimal heat input and flexibility required to maintain structural integrity without distorting the component.
-
Minimal Heat Input: The laser has a small Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). This allows the operator to fill the porous voids without compromising the structural integrity of the surrounding bronze.
-
Flexibility and Reach: The ALFlak’s long-reaching arm and slim design meant the shroud’s complex geometry wasn’t a barrier.
- Speed without Compromise: Unlike TIG welding, which would have required extensive pre-heating and risked distortion, the ALFlak allowed for a fast, reliable build-up of material.
By using the ALFlak 900F, Phoenix Laser Solutions was able to eliminate the porosity entirely. The repair was seamless, the component remained dimensionally stable (no warping!), and the impeller was returned to service in a fraction of the time a traditional repair would have taken.