Residual stress engineering in friction stir welds by roller tensioning

Abstract

The authors investigate the efficacy of applying rolling pressure along the weld line in thin butt welds produced using friction stir welding (FSW) as a means of controlling the welding residual stresses. Two cases are examined and in each case, comparison is made against the as welded condition. First, for FSW of AA 2024 aluminium alloy, roller tensioning was applied during welding using two rollers placed behind and either side of the FSW tool. Very little effect was seen for the down forces applied (0, 50, 75 kN). Second, for FSW AA 2199 aluminium alloy, post-weld roller tensioning was applied using a single roller placed directly on the FS weld line. In this case, significant effects were observed with increased loading, causing a marked reduction in the longitudinal tensile residual stress. Indeed, a load of just 20 kN was sufficient to reverse the sign of the weld line residual stress. Only slight differences in Vickers hardness were observed between the different applied loads. Furthermore, unlike some methods, this method is cheap, versatile and easy to apply.     

Process–microstructure–property correlations in Al–Li AA2199 friction stir welds

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of three friction stir welding process parameters on the residual stresses, hardness and distortion for butt welded aluminium–lithium AA2199 alloy, a novel, low density high strength alloy with potential in the aerospace sector. A systematic set of nine trial welds is examined at different tool rotation and traverse speeds as well as tool downforces. The tensile residual stresses (～50% of parent material yield strength) and the hardness drop in the weld line varied little with any of the friction stir welding process parameters. However, their breadth increased with rotation speed and downforce and decreased with increasing translation speed, which is consistent with increasing heat input. Weld distortion took the form of a saddle with the longitudinal bending distortion correlating strongly with the width of the tensile zone consistent with it being driven by the magnitude of the tensile buckling forces in the weld region.     

Mitigation of welding induced buckling distortion using transient thermal tensioning

Abstract

Welding induces residual stresses in structures and may cause buckling distortion if the stresses exceed the critical buckling stress of the structure. Reducing the welding heat input or increasing the structural stiffness reduces or eliminates buckling distortion. However, where, because of the design constraints, structure geometry and weld size are fixed, the transient thermal tensioning process is effective in reducing buckling distortion. An experimental verification and demonstration of transient thermal tensioning for minimising welding induced buckling distortion is presented. Conventional welding was carried out to demonstrate buckling distortion and establish a baseline case. Buckling distortion was eliminated using transient thermal tensioning during welding under the same welding conditions. After buckling distortion was eliminated, angular distortion became evident, which was eliminated using mechanical restraints alongside transient thermal tensioning. Residual stress measurements were obtained using the blind hole drilling method and a comparison of residual stresses for the baseline panel and for the panel with transient thermal tensioning is presented.     

Microstructure,hardness and residual stress distribution in maraging steel gas tungsten arc weldments

Abstract

The distribution of residual stresses due to welding has been studied in maraging steel welds. Gas tungsten arc welding process was used and the effect of filler metal composition on the nature of residual stress distribution has been investigated using X-ray diffraction technique with Cr K_α radiation. Three types of filler materials were used, they include: maraging filler, austenitic stainless steel and medium alloy medium carbon steel filler metal. In the case of maraging steel weld, medium alloy medium carbon filler, the residual stress at the centre of the weld zone was more compressive while, less compressive stresses have been identified in the heat affected zone of the parent metal adjacent to the weld metal. But, in the case of austenitic stainless steel filler the residual stresses at the centre of the weld and heat affected zone were tensile. Post-weld aging treatment reduced the magnitude of stresses. The observed residual stress distribution across the weldments has been correlated with microstructure and hardness distribution across the weld.     

Finite element simulation and experimental investigation of thermal tensioning during welding of DP600 steel

The locally introduced heating and cooling cycle of welding generates residual stresses and distortion. Costly post-weld heat treatments are required in order to reduce welding residual stresses and distortion. Thermal tensioning is one of the more promising in-process techniques to control welding distortion and can be classified into transient thermal tensioning (TTT) and side heating (SH). In thermal tensioning additional heat sources are applied during welding. If the additional heaters are close to the weld centre line and influence the thermal field of the weld, the process is called TTT. If there is no interference to the thermal field of the weld, the process is called SH. In this work, the SH during welding of 2?mm thick DP600 steels has been extensively investigated using numerical and experimental approaches. The thermal and mechanical fields during conventional welding and SH were examined by means of finite element models, and validated by comparison with experimental observation of temperature, distortion and residual stresses. The microstructure was investigated experimentally.     

Effect of high pressure rolling on weld-induced residual stresses

Abstract

The formation of large residual stresses continues to be a problematic side effect of all common welding processes. In this work, localised high pressure rolling of gas metal arc welds to relieve these residual stresses has been investigated using strain gauging and neutron diffraction. Rolling was found to remove undesirable tensile stresses and even induce large compressive ones, though only when applied after rather than during welding. Strain measurements taken during combined welding and rolling operations show that this is because material at the weld line continues to yield as it cools. This erases any beneficial effect on the stress distribution of rolling at high temperature. A method of rolling using an oscillating force is also presented and found to be just as effective as the equivalent static force process.     

New technique to control welding buckling distortion and residual stress with non-contact electromagnetic impact

Abstract

A new technique using non-contact electromagnetic forces has been proposed for controlling welding buckling distortion and residual stresses in welded thin plates. The experimental results show that the method can successfully eliminate the buckling distortion and reduce the residual stresses. Three-dimensional finite element modelling has been developed to study the evolution of the stress and strain throughout the welding and electromagnetic impacts. The predicted welding distortion and residual stresses are in good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical analyses show that the reduction in distortion and stress is a result of the change of the plastic strain field in the weld region: electromagnetic impacts reduce longitudinal compressive plastic strain in the local region near the weld, and even produce the tensile plastic strain. Moreover, it is found that the residual stress can promote the changes of the longitudinal plastic strain state under electromagnetic impact.     

Effect of low transformation temperature weld filler metal on welding residual stress

Abstract

The effect of weld filler metal austenite to acicular ferrite transformation temperature on the residual stresses that arise during the gas metal arc welding of a low carbon steel has been examined using a finite element model. It was found that the stress levels in the weld can be tailored by the appropriate selection of the filler metal and compressive, near zero or tensile residual stresses produced. Reasonable agreement was obtained between the model and the stresses measured using neutron diffraction both in welds using conventional and low transformation temperature filler metal.     

Modifying residual stress levels in rail flash-butt welds using localised rapid post-weld heat treatment and accelerated cooling

Abstract

Flash-butt welding is used in the manufacture of continuously-welded rails. Finished welds typically exhibit high tensile residual stresses in the rail web and at the upper surface of the rail foot, which may increase the risk of fatigue failure in service. An understanding of the influence of the welding process, including post-weld cooling, on the residual stress distribution is necessary to improve the performance of flash-butt welds by post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), since incorrect treatment may have adverse effects on both residual stress and weld material characteristics. A finite element model has been developed to simulate post-weld cooling in flash-butt welded AS60 kg m^–1 rail. Computed thermal histories for normal (air) cooling, rapid PWHT, and accelerated cooling (water spray) were used as inputs to calculate sequentially coupled stress–time histories, including phase transformations. In addition, the localised influence of the initiation time for rapid PWHT, after final upset, on the reduction of tensile residual stresses was investigated. Heating the rail foot immediately after final upset reduced tensile residual stresses in the web region of the weld. Preliminary numerical predictions showed that water quenching the entire weld region too soon after the austenite–pearlite transformation is completed can induce further tensile residual stresses without affecting the microstructure. The results of the numerical analysis can be used to modify the flash-butt welding procedure to lower residual stress levels, and hence improve weld performance.     

In situ analysis of the strain evolution during welding using low transformation temperature filler materials

ABSTRACT

Compared to conventional welding consumables using low transformation temperature (LTT) filler materials is an innovative method to mitigate tensile residual stresses due to delayed martensite transformation of the weld. For the effective usage of LTT filler materials, a deeper understanding of the complex processes that lead to the final residual stress state during multi-pass welding is necessary. Transformation kinetics and the strain evolution of multi-pass welds during welding were investigated in situ at the beamline HEMS@PETRAIII, Germany. Compared to conventional welds, the total strain was reduced and compression strain was achieved when using LTT filler materials. For an optimal use of the LTT effect in the root of multi-pass welds, the alloying concept must be adapted taking care of dilution.     

基于弹性模量变化的7A52铝合金VPPA-MIG复合焊接残余应力测试

采用虚拟仪器和NI数据采集卡搭建了一种以小孔法为核心的残余应力测试系统,分析了7A52铝合金VPPA-MIG复合焊后残余应力的分布情况. 为降低弹性模量误差对最终测量结果的影响,通过实测复合焊接接头不同区域的弹性模量,拟合弹性模量随测量点位置变化的曲线来修正弹性模量误差. 针对10 mm厚7A52铝合金板材,完成了VPPA-MIG复合焊接残余应力测试试验. 结果表明,焊缝两侧各区域上的残余应力分布基本关于焊缝对称,熔合区出现最大拉应力,最大横向残余应力σ_y与纵向残余应力σ_x分别为118和223 MPa. 从熔合区至热影响区,残余应力均为拉应力,逐渐减小且高于焊缝中心的残余应力. 与单MIG焊相比,复合焊的最大横向残余应力与纵向残余应力大于MIG焊,但高应力区比MIG焊窄.     

Influence of local heat treatment on residual stresses in electron beam welding

Abstract

Electron beam welding (EBW), as a high performance welding method, is also subject to requirements of high integrity welds which particularly include residual stresses affecting distortion and fatigue behaviour. In this context multiple beam technique may provide new applications of specific thermal weld treatment. The present work introduces a promising method of local post-heating in a certain distance to the current welding location applying multiple beams for the reduction in residual stresses in EB welded sheet metals. The conducted investigations include finite element analysis (FEA) and stress measurements in the weld seam area. Using a systematic approach within the FEA decisive process parameters are optimised with reference to the achievable reduction in residual stress. All simulation results are validated by experiments applying strain gauges for the stress measurement. Both simulations and experiments revealed a considerable decrease in residual stress achievable by appropriate positioning of additional heat sources combined with the right power input and beam focusing.     

Effects of dilution and baseplate strength on stress distributions in multipass welds deposited using low transformation temperature filler alloys

Transformation plasticity can be utilised to control residual stresses in steel welds. This requires special filler alloys that transform at a sufficiently low temperature to compensate for accumulated thermal contraction strains. However, the welding parameters needed to optimise the effect in multipass joints have yet to be established. This topic has been investigated by characterising the residual stress distribution in multipass welds fabricated with different welding alloys and baseplates using neutron diffraction to assess the effects of dilution and baseplate strength. While the use of richly alloyed weld metal does enhance fatigue performance in single pass joints, the extent of stress relief that can be derived from transformation plasticity is reduced due to incomplete martensitic transformation when further layers are deposited. For all cases studied, compressive stresses were measured in the weld metal with balancing tensile stress in the heat affected zone of the plate. The magnitude of the tension was observed to be a function of the strength of the baseplate. Recommendations are also presented for the combination of welding and material parameters that lead to the optimum exploitation of transformation plasticity as a method for boosting the fatigue performance of multipass welded joints.     

铝合金搅拌摩擦焊过程热力演变的三维数值模拟

对搅拌摩擦焊过程中搅拌头速度变化进行分析,建立了考虑搅拌摩擦焊过程中焊缝产热的热源模型.对2024铝合金搅拌摩擦焊温度场和应力场进行了三维有限元模拟,表明焊缝两侧温度和应力分布的不对称现象不明显,主要由于焊接速度远小于搅拌头转速所致,但随着焊接速度加快,这种不对称现象逐渐加强.焊接过程中焊缝中心温度低于搅拌头边缘温度,焊接前方和两侧均为压应力,后方为拉应力;焊接结束后与搅拌头接触区的横向和纵向残余应力为较大拉应力,远离焊缝残余应力较小;沿厚度方向上,横向和纵向残余应力均逐渐降低.有限元计算结果与短波长X射线应力测试结果进行对比,结果表明,二者趋势基本吻合.     

Residual stress measurement of Al/steel dissimilar friction stir weld

ABSTRACT

The dissimilar welds between aluminium (Al) alloy, A6061-T6, and stainless steel, type 304, were fabricated by a friction stir welding (FSW) technique. The FSW tool was offset to Al side and the probe was inserted only into Al plate. The softening occurred in Al side due to the heat input during FSW, while the hardness increased by the post-ageing treatment. Tensile strength of dissimilar weld also increased about 8.5% by the post-ageing. The residual stresses were measured based on the cos α method. The residual stresses parallel to the weld line, σ_xr, were predominantly tensile, while those perpendicular to the weld line, σ_yr, were compressive. Post-ageing treatment had little effect on the residual stresses.     

Rolling to control residual stress and distortion in friction stir welds

Abstract

Considerable residual stress and distortion can be produced by friction stir welding, impeding industrial implementation. Finite element analysis has been used to develop three innovative rolling methods that reduce residual stress and distortion in friction stir welds. Of the three methods, post-weld direct rolling where a single roller is applied to roll the top surface of the weld after the weld metal has cooled to room temperature proved the most effective. The residual stress predictions from the model compared favourably with residual stress measurements reported in an accompanying paper. Finally, the effectiveness of using post-weld direct rolling is illustrated with an industrial example of a large integrally stiffened panel, where the distortion was virtually eliminated.     

Simulating the residual deformation of thin-plate butt weldments without wire filling by contact mode

The residual deformation in thin-plate butt weldments without wire filling was investigated by simulative and experimental methods. The good consistency on the residual deformation between the simulation result and test measurement data indicates that the contact mode can be used to simulate the butt welding process of thin plates without wire filling. The longitudinal residual tensile stress in the weld zone lead to the buckling deformation of thin-plate weldments, and the appearance of buckling deformation would in turn reduce the peak value of longitudinal residual tensile stress. As for the thin-plate butt weldments, the tensile stresses in the weld and its neighboring zone are produced in the post-weld cooling process and have not peak until the temperature of the welds dropped to near room temperature.     

Evolution of residual stresses in dissimilar steel surfacing layers during process of post-weld heat treatment

Abstract

Residual stress relaxation during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) is a thermodynamic process, which is affected not only by the heat treatment process, but also by the welding residual stress. In this study, the residual stresses in as welded and heat treated surfacing metal were measured using blind hole and X-ray method. The results reveal that the welding residual stresses are compressive at the surface of the weld and tensile at inner weld. However, after PWHT, the residual stresses at surface and inner weld change to the opposite state. Finite element simulations show that the differences of expansion coefficients between base metal and filler material are the main factor to the changes of stress state. The experimental results verify that the expansion coefficients of base metal and filler materials have been changed greatly after long soaking at high temperature.     

V形坡口和K形坡口Q345/SUS304异种钢对接接头残余应力和变形

以ABAQUS软件为平台,开发热-弹-塑性有限元方法模拟了V形坡口和K形坡口Q345/SUS304异种钢多层焊对接接头的温度场、残余应力和焊接变形.同时采用试验的方法测量了接头的残余应力和角变形.计算结果与试验测量结果吻合良好,验证了计算方法的妥当性.数值结果表明,不同坡口Q345/SUS304异种钢接头的Q345母材与焊缝交界处的应力分布均出现不连续性,且SUS304侧的高拉伸残余应力区明显宽于Q345侧;K形坡口开口朝向Q345侧相较于开口朝向SUS304侧的接头,Q345/焊缝交界处附近的峰值应力和高拉伸残余应力区均明显较小.试验和数值结果表明,坡口形式对接头的角变形有明显的影响.     

New technique of in situ rolling friction stir welding

Abstract

A new technique of in situ rolling friction stir welding (IRFSW) has been developed to reduce the residual stress and distortion. It can eliminate the weld flashes and improve corrosion resistance of the FSW seam. A new kind of FSW tool consisting of rolling balls was designed to achieve IRFSW. The residual stresses across the weld were measured by ultrasonic stress measurement experimental installation. The 3·5%NaCl solution was used to corrode the surface of welded joint, and corrosion current and potential were determined by an electrochemical analyser. The results shown that the residual tensile stress was reduced, the weld flashes were eliminated, and the corrosion resistance was improved. By applying IRFSW, the reduction of distortion was ～34·4% compared with that of conventional FSW joint for aluminium plant with 3 mm in thickness and 300 mm in length.