Testing of beveled crimp connections made on a prototype stand

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study is to form and test inseparable tight joints, commonly used in the construction of heat exchangers, by crimping operation on designed prototype stand. Crimped joints are made by tools in form of cones with two types of shapes, each of the designed tools have got identical forming angle. This study uses two types of connecting blocks and plates, differing in diameters of hole and flange. Elaboration contains a case study of joints being made by the stand, which in addition to the crimping operations for some cases were glued or brazed. The article presents the features of the formed joints, by examining them by destructive testing: Micrography, tensile strength test, and non-destructive testing: Leakage test. The examined elements have been made of aluminum 6060, which is well suited to indirect or direct operations of forming joints for all kinds of coolers or condensers. Elaborated tests and studies in this study allowed to state, that joining the connection block to plate with the small diameter, was more energy-consuming than in sample sets with bigger diameter, use of glue increasing the strength of the joints by 20%, significant strength increase can be obtained after mechanical clinching with brazing operation or modification of geometrical shape of the jaws