WELDING OF ALUMINUM VESSELS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS

The transportation and storage of dairy products require vessels that combine mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, hygienic safety, low mass, cleanability, and stable thermal behavior. Aluminum vessels are widely used in mobile milk collection tanks, intermediate storage containers, insulated transport tanks, and small processing equipment because aluminum alloys are light, thermally conductive, and comparatively easy to fabricate. However, the suitability of an aluminum vessel for milk and dairy products depends not only on the base metal, but also on the quality of welding, surface preparation, sanitary design, inspection, and maintenance. Welded joints are the most vulnerable parts of a vessel because they can contain pores, cracks, incomplete penetration, undercuts, oxide inclusions, rough surfaces, or crevices where milk residues and microorganisms may accumulate. For dairy applications, the vessel must be mechanically reliable and hygienically safe at the same time. The technical regulation on milk and dairy safety in Uzbekistan was approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 474 of July 7, 2017, while the Eurasian technical regulation TR TS 033/2013 covers milk and dairy products, including storage and transportation processes in the customs territory of the Customs Union [1,2]. Strength calculation standards for vessels and apparatus include requirements for vessels made of non ferrous metals such as aluminum and its alloys, and they also consider welded joint strength coefficients [6]. This article examines the technological, sanitary, and quality control aspects of welding aluminum vessels intended for the transportation and storage of dairy products. The research is based on analytical comparison of aluminum welding processes, sanitary design requirements, defect risks, and quality indicators. The results show that gas tungsten arc welding and controlled gas metal arc welding can be used effectively when surface preparation, shielding gas purity, heat input, joint geometry, weld finishing, and inspection are properly managed. The article proposes an integrated welding procedure model for dairy aluminum vessels, including material selection, joint preparation, welding parameters, post weld cleaning, leak testing, and hygienic evaluation.