Effect of Ultrasonic Impact on the Microstructure of Welded Joint of 2195 Al–Li Alloy

It is known that an ultrasonic impact during tungsten inert gas welding can refine the grains and improve the mechanical properties of the welded joints of aluminum alloys. However, the influence mechanism of the ultrasonic impact on the microstructures is still unclear. In this research, the effects of the mechanical and ultrasonic impact on the microstructures of the welded joint of 2195 Al–Li alloy are analyzed. It is found that the mechanical impact could not refine the grains, but the ultrasonic impact could refine the grains. The grains become smaller in the weld center with an increase in the ultrasonic amplitude. Possible mechanisms for the grain refinement are discussed. The results show that the small temperature gradient promotes formation of the equiaxed grain and the cavitation promotes heterogeneous nucleation.     

The arc characteristic of ultrasonic assisted TIG welding

Many applications of ultrasonic-assisted methods were used during metal solidification, but they could not be introduced into weld pool. In this paper, a way of ultrasonic assisted TIG welding is introduced. By directly imposed ultrasonic vibration on welding arc, the vibration interacts with arc plasma and passes to the weld pool. Measurement results show that arc pressure is significantly increased with the ultrasonic vibration and the arc pressure distribution models are changed. Bead-on-plate welding tests on SUS304 confirm that this technology can influence the style of metal melting and increase weld penetration depth.     

Mechanism analysis of free formation of backing weld by the pulsed MAG-TIG double arc tandem welding

Because of the presence of lower-level automation and efficiency in the backing welding of medium–thick plates, pulse-metalactive-gas–metal-inert-gas(MAG–MIG) dual-arc welding was applied to backing welding of 24-mm-thick Q235-B plate and the process and mechanism of root welding with back formation were investigated. The heating position of the MAG-arc at the front of the molten pool could be adjusted by using the electromagnetic force between the MAG-arc and the MIG-arc, and part of the arc energy could work on the root face directly. By combining the arc-discharge behaviour and analysis of flow in the molten pool, the shear stress of a tungsten inert gas(TIG) arc to the molten pool could make the liquid metal flow backwards. Thus, the quality of the front and bottom liquid metal were reduced, which favored the balance and stability. Continuous and stable back formation with uniform penetration could be achieved by using the pulse MAG–TIG dual-arc welding technology.     

Vision-based detection of weld pool width in TIG welding of copper-clad aluminum cable

In order to realize automatic control of the width of weld pool, a visual sensor system for the width of weld pool detection is developed. By initiative arc light, the image of copper plate weld pool is taken back of the torch through the process of weakening and filtering arc light. In order to decrease the time of processing video signals, analog circuit is applied in the processing where video signals is magnified, trimmed and processed into binary on the datum of dynamic average value, therefore the waveform of video signals of weld pool is obtained. The method that is used for detecting the width of weld pool is established. Results show that the vision sensing method for real-time detecting weld pool width to copper-clad aluminum wire TIG welding is feasible. The response cycle of this system is no more than 50 ms, and the testing precision is less than 0. 1 mm.     

Welding deviation detection method based on weld pool image contour features

Automatic on-line detection of welding deviation based on machine vision is one of the key technologies of arc welding robot tracking welding,in which obtaining high quality weld pool image and accurate welding deviation detection algorithm are two important steps of tracking welding.Through the research and analysis of the weld pool image of gas metal arc welding(GMAW),it was found that the weld pool contains abundant welding information.First,the average gray value of the weld pool image can reflect the interference degree of arc to weld pool image and the heat input of welding process.Secondly,the tip of the weld pool image contour can reflect the center of the groove gap.Finally,the horizontal distance between the center coordinate of the wire contour and the tip coordinate of the weld pool image contour can reflect the welding deviation.On the basis of analyzing the characteristics of weld pool image,this paper proposes a new method of weld seam deviation detection,which includes the collection of weld pool image,image preprocessing,contour extraction and deviation calculation.The results of the tests and analyses showed that the maximum error of the on-line welding deviation obtained was about 2 pixels(0.17 mm) when the welding speed was ≤60 cm/min,and the algorithm was stable enough to meet the requirements of real-time deviation detection for I-groove butt welding.The method can be applied to the on-line automatic welding deviation detection of arc welding robot.     

Formative mechanism of the undercut defect in horizontal variable polarity plasma arc welding

Abstract Horizontal welding is important for heavy or huge welding structures. Keyhole mode variable polarity plasma arc welding of aluminum alloy plates with medium thickness was carried out in horizontal position. The characteristic of welding defects was introduced. Preliminary experiments indicated that the undercut defect could not be eliminated easily. The relationship between welding parameters and the undercut defect showed that this deject could be lessened by using higher heat input. The fluid flow of weld pool was observed by a high speed camera. The fluid flow in weld pool was not symmetric and much of molten metal gathered in the lower part. The fluid flow velocity in the lower part was bigger than that in the upper part. To this end, the formative mechanism of the undercut defect was proposed. The flowability of the molten metal was an influential factor for the undercut defect. A preheating method was designed to verify the formative mechanism.     

Comparison of Microstructure and Residual Stress Between TIG and MAG Welding Using Low Transformation Temperature Welding Filler

A Cr–Ni type of low transformation temperature(LTT) welding filler was devised in the present study. The LTT weld microstructures of the tungsten inert gas(TIG) and metal active gas(MAG) weldings were investigated by using electron-backscattered diffraction and orientation imaging microscopy. The results showed that the LTT weld microstructures prepared by TIG and MAG weldings were primarily martensite with 17.5% and 8.0% retained austenite,respectively. The LTT weld metal using TIG welding had larger grain size than using MAG. In addition, based on the Taylor factor calculation, the weld metal using MAG welding was more competent in repressing fatigue crack initiation.Meanwhile, the high angle and coincidence site lattice grain boundaries were dominant in the LTT weld metal using MAG welding. Moreover, the hardness of the LTT weld metal using MAG welding was higher than that of using TIG. Based on heat input and phase transformation, finite element method was applied to analyzing the tensile residual stress(RS)reduction in welded joints prepared by both conventional and LTT welding fillers, respectively. The corresponding outcome confirmed that the LTT weld metal using MAG welding was more beneficial to tensile RS reduction.     

Characteristics of arc in variable polarity plasma arc welding of aluminum alloy

A double invert variable polarity plasma arc （VPPA） power source based on 16-bit MCU applied for aluminum alloys was developed. Mechanics, electrical and the produced heat mechanism of VPPAW arc were tested and analyzed. Results indicate that during the VPPA welding procedure of aluminum alloy, the arc of electrode negative （EN） has more effect on force, whereas the arc of electrode positive （ EP ） has more effect on heat. It should be noted that keeping the balance of the force and heat is the critical element of VPPAW. This power source had been successfully used to weld aluminum alloy with a 15 mm thickness in vertical welding. The conclusions are applicable to the variable polarity plasma arc welding technique used in the aerospace industry.     

Characteristics of 5A90 Aluminum-lithium Alloy by YAG-MIG Hybrid Welding

The characteristics of 5A90 Aluminum-Lithium alloy by YAG laser and MIG arc hybrid welding (Hybrid welding) were studied.Compared with the laser beam welding (LBW),the hybrid welding could not only improve the weld appearance significantly,but also have better engineering compatibility.The obvious microstructure characteristics of joint by the hybrid welding are fine-grained layer near fusion-line and the equiaxed grain in most area of welded seam.The subgrains of the equiaxed grains,located in the weld center,tend to coarse from bottom to top of weld joint.The microhardness of welded seam by the hybrid welding (83.57HV0.2) is lower than that by LBW (95.65HV0.2),but the uniformity of the former is better than that of the latter.The ultimate strength and the elongations after fracture of the joint by the hybrid welding are lower than that by LBW.The tensile fracture always occurs in HAZ or weld centerline,and the fractography presents mixture rupture.Therefore,if the combined mechanical properties of joint by the hybrid welding meet the operation requirements,it should be improved by reasonable artificial aging or heat treatment after welding,and it also should develop a better filler wire matched with the base metal.     

Influences of the Welding Heat Input and the Repeated Repair Welding on Ti–3Al–2.5V Titanium Alloy

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effects of gas tungsten arc welding heat input on the high-temperature tensile properties, toughness, and microstructural features of titanium alloy Ti–3Al–2.5V. The secondary objective was to examine the effect of the repeated repair welding on the properties of the alloy. It was also found that the mechanical properties progressively decreased with increasing the repair welding cycles, especially in the case of the weldment after the first welding repair. It was observed that the sizes of the acicular α' and prior β grain boundaries as well as the volume fraction of the acicular α' phases increased with increasing the welding heat input. In addition, the amount and size of the acicular α' phases were found to increase with increasing the repair welding cycles.     

Analysis of weld pool vibration characteristics in pulsed gas metal arc welding

Using highspeed camera image measuring and processing, the contour of the weld pool was extracted accurately in pulsed metal inert gas (P-MIG) welding. Based on this extraction method, time and frequency domain characteristics at different points along the contour of the weld pool were analyzed for one pulse one droplet and one pulse two droplets, respectively. The results show that, because of the wave super position that was created by the pulsed arc and droplet impacting the weld pool, the oscillation amplitude along the weld pool fluctuated and decreased with an increase in distance from the point to the arc center. The oscillation near the arc center was complex and intense for one pulse two droplets, and the amplitude were relatively small because the oscillation caused by the pulsed arc could be offset by the molten droplet impact. The weld pool oscillation that was caused by the pulsed arc was stronger than that caused by the droplet.     

Study on stress and deformation of keyhole gas tungsten arc-welded joints

Keyhole gas tungsten arc welding(K-TIG)of Q345 low alloy steel plates was simulated by using SYSWELD software.The temperature field of the K-TIG welding process was simulated with three different combined heat sources and was compared with the weld profile that was obtained experimentally.The temperature field that was obtained by a combination of a double ellipsoid heat source on the upper half and a three-dimensional Gauss heat source on the lower half was similar to the real situation.The effects of plate thickness,gap and welding speed on the deformation and stress of the K-TIG welded joints were investigated by K-TIG welding numerical simulation.A reduction in the thickness of the weld plates reduced the z-direction deformation and transverse residual stress;an appropriate gap reduced the residual stress and an increase in the welding speed reduced deformation after welding,but did not help to control the residual stress after welding.     

Numerical analysis of temperature profile and weld dimensions in laser ＋ GMAW hybrid welding of aluminum alloy T-joint

The temperature fields in the transient state and weld dimensions in laser ＋ gas metal arc welding （GMAW） hybrid welding of aluminum alloy T-joint for different welding conditions were calculated using the developed heat source model, and the effect of welding speed on them was analyzed. The results show that the temperature field for the first weld pass only shows the feature of GMAW and the one for the second weld pass has the characteristics of both laser welding and GMAW. Welding speed can affect greatly weld dimensions and temperature distribution. When welding speed reaches 3.5 m/min, the fusion zones of two weld passes are separated and the maximum peak temperature of thermal cycle on the workpiece surface decreases largely.     

Simultaneous observation of keyhole and weld pool in plasma arc welding with a single cost-effective sensor

The dynamic behaviors of the keyhole and weld pool are coupled together in plasma arc welding, and the geometric variations of both the keyhole and the weld pool determine the weld quality. It is of great significance to simultaneously sense and monitor the keyhole and the weld pool behaviors by using a single low-cost vision sensor in plasma arc welding process. In this study, the keyhole and weld pool were observed and measured under different levels of welding current by using the near infrared sensing technology and the charge coupled device （CCD） sensing system. The shapes and relative position of weld pool and keyhole under different conditions were compared and analyzed. The observation results lay solid foundation for controlling weld quality and understanding the underlying process mechanisms.     

Joint Characteristics and Corrosion Properties of Bypass-Current Double-Sided Arc-Welded Aluminum 6061 Alloy with Al–Si Filler Metal

Sheets of aluminum 6061 alloy were welded using bypass-current double-sided arc welding with Al–Si filler wire to investigate the effect of Al–Si intermetallic compounds on the microstructure, microhardness and corrosion behavior of weld joint. Experimental results indicated that the Al_(4.5)FeSi phase in the topside of the weld joint was finer than that in the backside and newly formed phase of Al_(0.5)Fe_3Si_(0.5)was observed in the backside. The formation of reinforcing phases of Al–Fe–Si in the weld improved the microhardness of the weld by about 18%. The corrosion resistance of the weld zone was greater than that of the base metal, while the corrosion current displayed opposite, and the corrosion resistance of the weld region was better than that of the base metal.     

Different grain refinement mechanisms of minor zirconium and cerium in magnesium alloys

Zirconium and rare earth element cerium were added in magnesium and magnesium alloys to study their different grain refinement mechanisms. The results show that zirconium has an obvious refinement effect on the cast grain of magnesium and its alloys without the alloy element Al because the crystal structure of zirconium is the same as magnesium matrix, and the lattice parameters are close to magnesium. Zirconium can decrease the grain size of magnesium from 150 to 20 pm. The rare earth cerium also has a grain refinement effect on Mg and Mg-Al alloy. The cerium atoms tend to remain in the liquid rather than solidify with the solvent atoms magnesium at the solid-liquid interface. The liquid constitutional undercooling can provide a heterogeneous crystal nucleation. The grain is refined from 200 μm to 40-80 μm. These two elements have different grain refinement mechalfism on Mg alloy. The mechanism of zirconium is that it acts as the nuclei of α-Mg. But the mechanism of cerium is that it increases the liquid constitutional undercooling that can provide a heterogeneous crystal nucleation for the alloy.     

Edge detection of molten pool and weld line for CO2 welding based on B-spline wavelet

Due to the disturbances of spatters, dusts and strong arc light, it is difficult to detect the molten pool edge and the weld line location in CO2 welding processes. The median filtering and self-multiplication was employed to preprocess the image of the CO2 welding in order to detect effectively the edge of molten pool and the location of weld line. The B-spline wavelet algorithm has been investigated, the influence of different scales and thresholds on the results of the edge detection have been cornered and analyzed. The experimental results show that better performance to extract the edge of the molten pool and the location of weld line can be obtained by using the B-spline wavelet transform. The proposed edge detection approach can be further applied to the control of molten depth and the seam tracking.     

MODELING OF AUSTENITE GRAIN SIZE IN LOW-ALLOY STEEL WELD METAL

The size of austenite grain has significant effects on components and proportions of various ferrites in low-alloy steel weld metal.Therefore, it is important to determine the size of austenite grain in the weld metal. In this paper, a model based upon the carbon diffusion rate is developed for computing austenite grain size in low-alloy steel weld metal during continuous cooling. The model takes into account the effects of the weld thermal cycles,inclusion particles and various alloy elements on the austenite grain growth.The calculating results agree reasonably with those reported experimental observations.The model demonstrates a significant promise to understand the weld microstructure and properties based on the welding science.     

激光辅助活性焊接法

提出了激光辅助活性焊接的方法,研究了焊接参数对激光熔化处理后TIG焊接熔深、熔宽的影响.首先,使用极小功率激光在氧气保护下熔化焊件表面,使焊缝表面的氧含量增加.然后使用普通的TIG焊接,覆盖激光焊缝,达到增加熔深的目的.利用此方法,不使用活性剂就可以使TIG焊焊接熔深增加约2倍,与A-TIG焊相比没有表面熔渣,表面成形较好.小功率激光处理后焊缝中O元素含量增加,熔池表面张力温度系数由负变正,导致激光辅助活性焊熔深增加.

Abstract：

On the bases of the study for the mechanism of the increasing of A-TIG welding penetration, a new method of activating TIG welding, the laser aided activating TIG welding was proposed. At first, the surface of weld was melt by the mini power laser protected by oxygen. As a result, the oxygen content increases in the weld pool surface. Then the conventional TIG welding was used to cover the weld. The oxygen could change the direction of fluid flow in molten pool, which leads to the weld beads with narrower width and deeper penetration. Without the activating flux, the penetration can be increased by 2 times. There is no slag in the surface of weld and the appearance is good. The oxygen can change the temperature dependence of surface tension gradient from a negative value to a positive value; and cause the significant changes in the weld penetration. Fluid flow could be inward along the surface of the weld pool toward the center and then down. This fluid flow pattem transfers heat to the weld root and produces a relatively deep and narrow weld efficiently. This change is the main cause to increase the penetration.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of wrought magnesium alloy AZ31B welded by laser-TIG hybrid

The laser-TIG hybrid welding was mainly used to weld the wrought magnesium alloy AZ31B. The tech-nical characteristics of laser-TIG hybrid welding process was investigated and the interactional mechanism between laser and arc was discussed, at the same time the microstructure and mechanical properties of the wrought magnesi-um alloy AZ31B using laser-TIG hybrid welding were analyzed by optical microscope, EPMA, SEM, tensile ma-chine, hardness machine. The experimental results show that the presence of laser beam boosts up the stability of the arc during high speed welding and augments the penetration of weld； the crystal grains of magnesium alloy weld are fine without porosity and cracks in the best welding criterion and the microstructure of HAZ does not become coarse obviously. The elements profile analysis reveals that Mg content in the weld is lower than that of the base metal, but Al content is higher slightly. Under this experimental condition, the wrought magnesium alloy AZ31B joint can be achieved using laser-TIG hybrid process and the tensile strength of the joint is equivalent to that of the base metal.