Laserstrahlschweißen von Titanwerkstoffen unter Berücksichtigung des Einflusses des Sauerstoffes

Influence of the oxygen content in the shielding gas on microstructure and mechanical properties of laser welds of titanium and titanium alloys In the present work, a new tool concept for laser welding of titanium in high volume production has been presented and evaluated. Through the innovative application of a six‐layer metal web it is possible to calm the argon gas flow and avoid pernicious turbulences during welding. The integration of the mentioned metal web at the base of an open welding chamber allows the automated welding of highly reactive materials, such as titanium, under atmospheric pressure and inert shielding conditions. The higher density of argon relative to air offers the unique possibility to leave the chamber open on the top, so that a higher degree of flexibility than gas shielding devices for TIG welding, especially for industrial robots, is attained and can be successfully used for industrial mass production. Furthermore this device is important for welding three‐dimensional contours or to shield the regions of overlap (in overlapped joints) where shielding gas trailers are unsuccessful. By means of the presented gas shielding procedure and a modern laser welding process such as Nd:YAG laser welding, systematic investigations on the effect of oxygen on the microstructure as well as on the mechanical properties of reference bead‐on‐plate weldments could be performed for the first time. As a result of these welding trials it can be concluded that in order to avoid discolorations and hardness increase, lower restrictions to the purity of the shielding gas, in comparison to TIG welding condition, can be allowed. The maximum tolerable value of oxygen in the welding atmosphere was found to be approximately 1000 ppm for laser welding. On the contrary the maximum value for TIG welding is about 30 ppm. Further investigations on the microstructural and mechanical properties of the joints confirm that the optical quality assurance criteria for TIG welding due to the standards of aircraft construction transferable to Nd:YAG welding are.     

Schweißen von Hohlstrukturen und offenporösen Metallschäumen für den Einsatz in Kombi‐Kraftwerken

Welding of Hollow Structures and Open‐Porous Metal Foams for Application in Combined Cycle Power Plants For applications within the scope of novel cooling concepts joining technologies for sandwich composites and open‐porous metal foams are researched in the context of the Collaborative Research Centre 561 “Thermally highly loaded, porous and cooled multi‐layer systems for combined cycle power plants”. The research motivation and application fields of the different structures are defined. Welding processes and strategies for manufacturing these structures are specified as well as the joining technologies’ characteristics. Planned future works for enhancements of the processes and structures are listed.     

On the electropolishing of NiTi braided stents – challenges and solutions

Nickel Titanium (NiTi) alloys possess special mechanical properties and good biocompatibility hence used as base material for the production of vascular stents. Normally, vascular stents are machined from NiTi tubes, using laser cutting processes. Braiding is a promising alternative for the machining of certain NiTi stents. However, a surface finish treatment, such as electropolishing of the braided stents, is still required in order to achieve a medical‐grade surface finish. The thermally‐grown oxide resulting from the shape‐setting heat treatment, following the braiding must be removed. Moreover, electropolishing is required to achieve optimum corrosion resistance. Therefore, the aim of this study is to find suitable parameters for the effective electropolishing of NiTi textile stents. Electropolishing of a device with such a complex geometry is challenging, hence a custom‐designed electrolytic cell was constructed and used in this study. We examined the stent surfaces before and after electropolishing, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Potentiodynamic tests were performed in NaCl 0.9% solution for as‐received and electropolished samples. The results from the present study indicate an improvement in surface quality of the braided stents after electropolishing. Potentiodynamic tests revealed that electropolishing improves the corrosion resistance of the NiTi stents.     

NiTi shape memory alloys coated with calcium phosphate by plasma‐spraying. Chemical and biological properties

Plates of superelastic nickel‐titanium shape memory alloy (NiTi) were coated with calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite) by high‐temperature plasma‐spraying. The porous layer of about 100 μm thickness showed a good adhesion to the metallic substrate that withstood bending of the plate but detached upon cutting the plate. The biocompatibility was tested by cultivation of blood cells (whole blood and isolated granulocytes [a subpopulation of blood leukocytes]). As substrates, pure NiTi, plasma‐spray‐coated NiTi and calcium phosphate‐coated NiTi prepared by a dip‐coating process were used. The adhesion of whole blood cells to all materials was not significantly different. In contrast, isolated granulocytes showed an increased adhesion to both calcium phosphate‐coated NiTi samples. However, compared to non‐coated NiTi or dip‐coated NiTi, the number of dead granulocytes adherent to plasma‐sprayed surfaces was significantly increased for isolated granulocytes (p<0.01).     

PM‐Composites with Nickel‐Titanium Shape Memory Alloys

Starting from NiTi‐powders, composites of nickel‐titanium shape memory alloys (NiTi‐SMA) and different stainless steels as well as of different NiTi‐SMAs were produced by using the process of hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Metallographic investigations focussed on the interface between NiTi‐SMA and stainless steel with special emphasis placed on the characterization of the typical structure of the diffusion zones in both components.     

Mikrostrukturelle und mechanische Eigenschaften von laserstrahlgeschweißtem Magnesiumfeinblech AZ31‐HP mit und ohne Zusatzwerkstoffe

Microstructural and mechanical properties of laser welded sheets of magnesium AZ31‐HP with and without filler wires This paper describes Nd:YAG laser beam welding experiments carried out on rolled 2.5 mm thick magnesium sheet AZ31‐HP. For the butt welds in flat position, filler wires AZ31X and AZ61A‐F were used, diameter 1.2 mm. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the different laser beam welded joints were examined and compared with one another. The obtained results show that the laser beam welding of AZ31‐HP sheet is possible without hot crack formation, both without and with filler wires. The determined tensile strength, ductility, fracture toughness and microhardness of laser beam welded joints without filler wire were not effected by AZ31X nor AZ61A‐F. By use of these filler wires loss of zinc was minimized and the shape of weldments was optimized. The values of fracture strength, yield strength and microhardness of the joints and base material are quite similar. It is found that the ductility of the joints is lower than the base materials due to the heterogeneous microstructure of the fusion zones and geometrical notches of the weld seams. Both, weld and base material of AZ31‐HP, showed stable crack propagation. Furthermore, for base material slightly lower fracture toughness values CTOD than for the joints were determined.     

Residual stress formation after re‐contouring of micro‐plasma welded Ti−6Al−4 V parts by means of ball end milling

During the regeneration of damaged components such as compressor blades, the weld repair is followed by machining processes. Excess weld material is removed in a cutting process in order to reproduce the final contour. Therefore, both processe have to be considered regarding the resulting surface and functional properties of the repaired component. In this study, bead on plate welds are produced on 10 mm Ti‐6Al‐4 V sheets using micro‐plasma welding with different levels of welding current. They are subsequently re‐contoured via ball end milling using tools of different cutting edge radii. The residual stress depth profile is measured using X‐ray diffractometry. It is shown that the final residual stress depth profile is mainly influenced by the milling process when machining with rounded cutting edges.     

Mikrostruktur und mechanische Eigenschaften der reibgeschweißten γ‐TiAl‐Feingusslegierung Ti‐47Al‐3.5(Mn+Cr+Nb)‐0.8(B+Si)

Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction welded γ‐TiAl based alloy Ti‐47Al‐3.5(Mn+Cr+Nb)‐0.8(B+Si) in investment cast condition. This paper describes properties of joints produced by friction welding of the intermetallic γ‐TiAl based alloy Ti‐47Al‐3.5(Mn+Cr+Nb)‐0.8(B+Si) in investment cast and hot‐isostatically pressed condition. The effect of friction welding parameters on microstructure and local properties are examined and discussed. It is found that the properties of the joint are essentially affected by properties of as‐cast Ti‐47Al‐3.5(Mn+Cr+Nb)‐0.8(B+Si) base material, both at room temperature and 700 °C.