Quote:
Originally Posted by three_d_dave
No matter how skilled a welder, there are material properties to consider.
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Compared to the base (original) material, a welded area in aluminum can be a significant weakness that needs reinforcement.
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Agreed. I actually ran some FEA on the front portion of the frame and felt it was adequate (had it been properly welded) even with the reduced strength in this area. The front was actually lower on my list of concerns as there are fairly large cutouts and holes in a WCD frame that reduce the strength more than 70% in certain areas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesCH95
Unless the welder has (or had) a certification in the weld they did, they have no qualification to make such a statement. Welders are not generally structural engineers, "plenty of penetration" might not be strong enough even if the weld did have full penetration.
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I should have inserted this in quotes or added an icon... I said this rather tongue in cheek. There was virtually no penetration.