Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding of X90 Pipeline Steel: Effect of Laser Power on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

In this work, hybrid laser-arc welding process was applied to X90 pipeline steel which has wide potential applications in the future pipeline project. The effect of different laser power (1.0, 1.5 and 2.5 kW) on microstructure and mechanical properties of weld joints was investigated. It has been found that a macroscopic morphology of “wine cup like” is observed in the weld joint with increasing laser power, where fusion zone (FZ) and heat-affected zone (HAZ) can be clearly identified. The FZ microstructure mainly includes massive ferrite, acicular ferrite (AF), and increased laser power resulting in a decrease in AF content. The HAZ consists of coarse-grained HAZ (CGHAZ), fine-grained HAZ (FGHAZ) and mixed-grained HAZ (MGHAZ). The hardness ranging from the weld center to base metal decreases and then increases, and the effect of laser power on hardness is not significant. The increased laser power leads to an evident decrease in the ultimate tensile strength and impact toughness of weld joint. The highest ultimate tensile strength and impact energy are 815 MPa, 239.1 J respectively at a laser power of 1.0 kW. A number of inclusions are observed at the bottom of dimples, which may be the (Ti,Mn)₂O₃ particles.     

1800 MPa热成形钢与CR340LA低合金高强钢激光焊接性能

采用光纤激光焊接设备对1800 MPa级热成形钢与CR340LA低合金高强钢进行对接激光拼焊,研究了不同激光焊接功率和焊接速度下焊接接头的组织演变规律及热冲压成形性能,并对焊接接头的力学性能和硬度进行了分析。结果表明,3种焊接工艺下激光拼焊原板综合力学性能相差较小,由焊接接头造成的伸长率和抗拉强度的损失均在母材的28.3%和9.1%以内。激光焊接后焊缝区均为粗大、高硬度的马氏体结构;两侧热影响区组织主要为铁素体和马氏体,接头未出现明显的软化区。激光拼焊原板拉伸试样均断裂于CR340LA母材区,距离焊缝12 mm左右,且存在焊缝隆起现象。选取焊接功率和焊接速率分别为4000 W和0.18 m·s?1的焊接试样在高温下进行热冲压成形检测,未出现焊缝开裂,热成形后拼焊板具有良好性能,满足汽车激光拼焊板使用要求,拉伸结果表明,试样断裂位置与未热冲压成形前一致,均位于CR340LA母材区,拉伸过程中,焊缝向高强度母材侧偏移,在弱强度母材侧产生应力集中并缩颈断裂。      

Study of welding ultra‐fine grained ferrite steel by CO2 laser

Ultra‐fine grained ferrite steels have higher strength and better toughness than the normal ferrite steels because of their micrometer or sub‐micrometer sized grains. In this paper the ultra‐fine grained steel SS400 is welded by CO₂ laser. The shape of weld, cooling rate of HAZ, width of HAZ, microstructures and mechanical properties of the joint are discussed. Experimental results indicate that laser beam welding can produce weld with a large ratio of depth to width. The cooling rate of HAZ of laser beam welding is fast, the growth of prior austenite grains of HAZ is limited, and the width of weld and HAZ is narrow. The microstructures of weld metal and coarse‐grained HAZ of laser beam welding mainly consist of B_L + M (small amount). With proper laser power and welding speed, good comprehensive mechanical properties can be acquired. The toughness of weld metal and coarse‐grained HAZ are higher than that of base metal. There is no softened zone after laser beam welding. The tensile strength of a welded joint is higher than that of base metal. The welded joint has good bending ductility.     

Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded Cast Al–Mg–Sc Alloys

Friction Stir (FS) welding promises joints with low porosity, fine microstructures, and low vaporization of volatile elements compared with conventional welding techniques. FS weld was carried out on Vacuum Induction Melted 5?mm thick cast Aluminum?CMagnesium?CScandium (Al?CMg?CSc) alloy plates. Microstructural evaluation revealed that due to FS welding, fine and fragmented dynamically recrystallized grains have been formed in the weld nugget. Tensile fracture occurred out side the weld zone. The tensile strength of the welded joint is more than the cast base metal. The hardness of the FS welded joint is less than the hardness of the cast base metal. The minimum hardness was located on the retreating side of the weld. These results clearly show that FSW process is amenable to join cast Al?CMg?CSc alloy.     

含钪Al-Zn-Mg-Zr合金薄板材MIG焊接接头的组织与性能

采用新型Al-Mg-Sc-Zr焊丝对含钪Al-Zn-Mg-Zr合金薄板材进行MIG焊,借助显微硬度及拉伸性能测试、OM,SEM,TEM等检测手段对焊接接头的微观组织和性能进行研究。结果表明:焊缝区为典型的铸态组织;热影响区靠近焊缝一侧呈现大量细小等轴晶组织,靠近基材区为纤维状组织和少量再结晶组织;基材区为纤维状组织。焊接接头的显微硬度以焊缝为中心呈近似对称,且中心处硬度值最低;抗拉强度为481 MPa,屈服强度为320MPa,伸长率为10.1%,焊接系数约0.83。同时,焊丝和基材中微量的Sc和Zr元素在合金中形成大量细小且与基体共格的Al3(Sc,Zr)粒子,能显著细化晶粒组织,有效抑制再结晶发生,大大改善焊缝区的力学性能。     

Fiber Laser Welded AZ31 Magnesium Alloy: The Effect of Welding Speed on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

This study was aimed at characterizing microstructural change and evaluating tensile and fatigue properties of fiber laser welded AZ31B-H24 Mg alloy with special attention to the effect of welding speed. Laser welding led to the formation of equiaxed dendrites in the fusion zone and columnar dendrites near the fusion zone boundary along with divorced eutectic Mg₁₇Al₁₂ particles and recrystallized grains in the heat-affected zone. The lowest hardness across the weld appeared in the fusion zone. Although the yield strength, ductility, and fatigue life decreased, the hardening capacity increased after laser welding, with a joint efficiency reaching about 90 pct. A higher welding speed resulted in a narrower fusion zone, smaller grain size, higher yield strength, and longer fatigue life, as well as a slightly lower strain-hardening capacity mainly because of the smaller grain sizes. Tensile fracture occurred in the fusion zone, whereas fatigue failure appeared essentially in between the heat-affected zone and the fusion zone. Fatigue cracks initiated from the near-surface welding defects and propagated by the formation of fatigue striations together with secondary cracks.     

Effect of Activated Flux on the Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Residual Stresses of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel Weld Joints

A novel variant of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding called activated-TIG (A-TIG) welding, which uses a thin layer of activated flux coating applied on the joint area prior to welding, is known to enhance the depth of penetration during autogenous TIG welding and overcomes the limitation associated with TIG welding of modified 9Cr-1Mo steels. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a specific activated flux for enhancing the depth of penetration during autogeneous TIG welding of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. In the current work, activated flux composition is optimized to achieve 6 mm depth of penetration in single-pass TIG welding at minimum heat input possible. Then square butt weld joints are made for 6-mm-thick and 10-mm-thick plates using the optimized flux. The effect of flux on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and residual stresses of the A-TIG weld joint is studied by comparing it with that of the weld joints made by conventional multipass TIG welding process using matching filler wire. Welded microstructure in the A-TIG weld joint is coarser because of the higher peak temperature in A-TIG welding process compared with that of multipass TIG weld joint made by a conventional TIG welding process. Transverse strength properties of the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld produced by A-TIG welding exceeded the minimum specified strength values of the base materials. The average toughness values of A-TIG weld joints are lower compared with that of the base metal and multipass weld joints due to the presence of δ-ferrite and inclusions in the weld metal caused by the flux. Compressive residual stresses are observed in the fusion zone of A-TIG weld joint, whereas tensile residual stresses are observed in the multipass TIG weld joint.     

Microstructure and Properties Analysis of Laser Welding and Laser Weld Bonding Mg to Al Joints

Laser welding and laser weld bonding (LWB) Mg to Al joints were obtained in different welding parameters. The penetrations and microstructures of these kinds of joints changed with the increasing of pulse laser power density. Both laser welding and LWB Mg to Al joints with the best properties were obtained in conductive welding mode. In laser welding Mg to Al joint, several intermetallics formed at the bottom of the fusion zone, where some cracks were generated. In laser weld bonding Mg to Al joint, the decomposition of the adhesive caused a baffle effect on the diffusion between the Mg and the Al. The intermetallics formed in the middle of the fusion zone, and the thickness of Mg₁₇Al₁₂ layer was approximately 10 to 20 μm and the Mg₂Al₃ layer was less than 5 μm, which influenced the property of the joint less.     

CO2 laser beam welding of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy thin plate

Laser beam welding is an attractive welding process for age-hardened aluminum alloys, because its low heat input minimizes the width of weld fusion and heat-affected zones (HAZs). In the present work, 1-mm-thick age-hardened Al-Mg-Si alloy, 6061-T6, plates were welded with full penetration using a 2.5-kW CO₂ laser. Fractions of porosity in the fusion zones were less than 0.05 pct in bead-on-plate welding and less than 0.2 pct in butt welding with polishing the groove surface before welding. The width of a softened region in the-laser beam welds was less than 1/4 times that of a tungsten inert gas (TIG) weld. The softened region is caused by reversion of strengthening β″ (Mg₂Si) precipitates due to weld heat input. The hardness values of the softened region in the laser beam welds were almost fully recovered to that of the base metal after an artificial aging treatment at 448 K for 28.8 ks without solution annealing, whereas those in the TIG weld were not recovered in a partly reverted region. Both the bead-on-plate weld and the butt weld after the postweld artificial aging treatment had almost equivalent tensile strengths to that of the base plate.     

40CrNiMoA钢同质焊条焊接接头组织和性能研究

分析了焊接电流70A、80A、90A对40CrNiMoA钢焊缝接头组织和力学性能的影响。随着焊接电流的增大,焊缝外观质量较好。随着焊接电流的增大,熔池区温度升高,奥氏体晶粒尺寸增大,导致马氏体组织粗大。焊缝的显微组织为马氏体及少量残余奥氏体。焊缝的硬度远高于母材的硬度,且波动较大。热影响区的硬度从母材向沿焊缝方向逐渐升高。焊接接头纵向应力在焊缝中心为压应力,向外压应力减小。焊接颜色区边界处纵向应力为拉应力,且该点拉应力最大。焊接接头横向应力在焊缝中心为拉应力,向外逐渐增大,焊接颜色区边界处变横向拉应力达到最大。焊接电流和热输入增大,降低了材料的韧性,组织中铁素体增多及焊接残余应力是诱发脆性断裂的原因。焊接电流80A是40CrNiMoA同质焊条平板对接焊接工艺的最佳的焊接电流。     

Microstructural, compositional, and microhardness variations across a gas-metal arc weldment made with an ultralow-carbon consumable

An experimental gas-metal arc (GMA) weldment of HSLA-100 steel fabricated with an ultralowcarbon (ULC) consumable of interest for United States Navy applications, designated “ARC100,” was studied to determine the relationships among the microstructure, the solute redistributions at various positions across the weldment, and the local properties (microhardness). These relationships were investigated by a variety of techniques, including microhardness mapping, optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) (including compositional X-ray mapping), and parallel electron energy-loss spectroscopy (PEELS). The microconstituents observed in this weld include lath ferrite, degenerate ferrite, lath martensite, retained austenite, and oxide inclusions; no carbides or other solid-state precipitates are present within the weld metal. Microhardness mapping indicates an undermatched weld metal (lower hardness as compared to the base plate) in which the hardest regions are in the first and last top beads, the root passes, and between highly ferritic soft bands associated with the outer portion of each weld bead’s heat-affected zone (HAZ) (within the fusion zone). The majority of the gradient in the substitutional alloying elements (Ni, Cu, Mn, and Cr) occurs within a region of less than about 0.5 mm of the fusion boundary, but the composition still changes even well into the fusion zone. Appreciable segregation of Ni and Cu to solidification cell boundaries occurs, and there is appreciable enrichment of C, Ni, Cu, and Mn in thin films of interlath retained austenite. This ULC weld metal is softer than the base plate due to the preponderance of lath ferrite rather than lath martensite, even at the high cooling rates experienced in this low-heat-input weld. Alternatively, the strength of the weld metal is due to the presence of at least some untempered lath martensite and the fact that the majority of the ferrite is lath ferrite and not polygonal ferrite. The interlath retained austenite might enhance toughness, but might also serve as a source of hydrogen in solution, which could potentially contribute to hydrogen-assisted cracking.     

Studies on Characteristics of Ti6Al4V/AA2024 Dissimilar Weld Joint Using Laser Beam Focusing from AA2024 Side

Laser beam welding is based on interaction between the laser beam and parent metals. Methods have been developed in recent years to produce joints of most light metals and their combinations. It provides good weld joint to simplify the structure and reduce the weight and cost to meet the main concerns of the aircraft industry. To achieve these, Ti6Al4V and AA2024 alloy sheets with a thickness of 1.0 mm have been welded with butt joint configuration using pulsed Nd:YAG laser beam welding without groove and filler metal. The weldment has been subjected to testings such as surface roughness, microstructure, hardness, tensile strength and distortion. Test results reveal that laser beam welding is very much suitable for joining Ti6Al4V/AA2024 alloys, while focusing from aluminium side.     

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Electro-slag welding with heat input of 530kJ/cm was applied to 60mm thick shipbuilding plate EH40, and microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld joint were characterized. Different regions such as heat affected zone, fusion zone, weld metal and base metal are found across the weld joint by microstructure analysis. A narrow coarse grain heat affected zone consisting of acicular ferrite, polygonal ferrite and grain boundary ferrite is found, width of which is less than 1mm. Acicular ferrite (?? 10??m) and grain boundary ferrite is observed at weld metal, while fusion zone have a complex structure of acicular ferrite, grain boundary ferrite and ferrite side plate. Mechanical property tests show that the absorbed energy of WM, FL and CGHAZ at -20?? during Charpy impact test is more than 60J, no evident softening phenomenon occurred at heat affected zone, and other properties met the requirement.     

Laser Welding of Ultra-Fine Grained Steel SS400

Steeliswidelyusedbecauseofitsgoodcompre hensive properties ,plentyofresourceandlowerprice .Thestrengthandtoughnessaretwoimpor tantpropertiesofsteels ,andpeoplemakeeffortstoincreasetheirvalues .Addingalloyingelementandcontrollingmicrostructurearetwobasicwaystoac complishtheaim .Therefinedmicrostructureob tainedbyprocessingtechniqueenablesthestrengthandtoughnessofsteeltobeincreasedwithoutaddingalloyingelementandtheratioofperformance costtobeincreased .Theultra finegrainedsteelshavefer ritegrains…     

Statistic distribution characterization of compositions,microstructure and microhardness in surfacing area

The distribution characterization of compositions, microstructure and hardness in surfacing fusion zone of X80 pipeline steel was done by laser induced breakdown spectrum original position analyzer, automatic metallographic and micro Vickers hardness instruments. The results show that the content distributions are very different for some elements in the surfacing area. There is a cricoid enrichment zone of Ti in the fusion area of base metal and welding material, and significant change for the content distribution of C is not found. The microstructures in different fusion area are also very different. The grain is fine and there are a lot of strip ferrite and a little pearlite in the matrix organization of pipeline steel. In heat affected zone, recrystallization of the grain occurs and a large number of granular bainites appear. At the junction of weld melted metal, the grains get larger and a lot of lath martensites and bainites come into being. Vickers hardness of base metal is lower than welding material and a cricoid zone with higher Vickers hardness appeared in the fusion area. The micro- hardness distribution has close relationship with the composition distributions of the elements and microstructure distribution in welding area of pipeline steel.     

含铝304和316L奥氏体不锈钢热轧板材焊接性能

 对加Al质量分数为4%的304、2%的316L不锈钢热轧板材的焊接性能进行了研究。采用手工氩弧焊（TIG）的焊接方法,利用光学显微镜对焊缝的显微组织进行分析,利用电子探针（EMPA）分析焊接母材的元素分布,并对焊接接头进行力学性能测试。组织和力学性能的研究结果表明：含铝304和含铝316L合金热轧板分别选用ER308L,ER316L作为焊接材料,经TIG焊接后,焊缝无裂纹、气孔等缺陷,接头具有良好的强度和塑性,焊接接头力学性能接近于其母材;热影响区组织与母材组织基本一致,焊缝与母材熔合良好,组织良好,加铝304和316L不锈钢具有良好的焊接性能。     

Characteristics of a pulsed-current, vertical-up gas metal arc weld in steel

The performance of the pulsed-current gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process for vertical-up weld deposition of steel has been found to be superior over the use of the short-circuiting arc GMAW process with respect to the tensile, impact, and fatigue properties of the weld joint. The microstructure, weld geometry, and mechanical properties of a pulsed-current weld joint are largely governed by the pulse parameters, and correlate well to the factor φ, defined as a summarized influence of pulse parameters such as peak current, base current, pulse-off time, and pulse frequency. The increase of φ has been found favorable to refine the microstructure and enhance the tensile strength, C _v toughness, and fatigue life of a weld joint. The fatigue life of a short-circuiting arc weld joint has been found to be markedly reduced due to the presence of an undercut at the weld toe and incomplete side-wall fusion of the base material.     

Characterization of Microstructures across the Heat-Affected Zone of the Modified 9Cr-1Mo Weld Joint to Understand Its Role in Promoting Type IV Cracking

In the postweld heat-treated (PWHT) fusion welded modified 9Cr-1Mo steel joint, a soft zone was identified at the outer edge of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the base metal adjacent to the deposited weld metal. Hardness and tensile tests were performed on the base metal subjected to soaking for 5 minutes at temperatures below Ac₁ to above Ac₃ and tempering at the PWHT condition. These tests indicated that the soft zone in the weld joint corresponds to the intercritical region of HAZ. Creep tests were conducted on the base metal and cross weld joint. At relatively lower stresses and higher test temperatures, the weld joint possessed lower creep rupture life than the base metal, and the difference in creep rupture life increased with the decrease in stress and increase in temperature. Preferential accumulation of creep deformation coupled with extensive creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ led to the premature failure of the weld joint in the intercritical region of the HAZ, commonly known as type IV cracking. The microstructures across the HAZ of the weld joint have been characterized to understand the role of microstructure in promoting type IV cracking. Strength reduction in the intercritical HAZ of the joint resulted from the combined effects of coarsening of dislocation substructures and precipitates. Constrained deformation of the soft intercritical HAZ sandwich between relatively stronger constitutes of the joint induced creep cavitation in the soft zone resulting in premature failure.     

Effect of GTAW Parameters on Structure and Mechanical Properties of C86300 Weld Joint

In this study, the effects of heat input variation in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), on structure and mechanical properties of commercially C86300 (containing addition of 0.6 wt% silicon) weld joint were investigated. Following microstructural characterization of Base metal, GTAW has been performed at welding currents 50 and 60 A and flow rates of argon shielding gas (10, 14 and 18 l/min) using the same filler metal composition. Therefore six GTAW samples were performed with various welding specifications. By structural investigations and hardness profiles, effects of increasing heat input on increasing average grain size in weld zone, heat affected zone width, penetration depth and alloying element losses were indicated. However increasing heat input increases penetration depth and has a positive effect on hardness and strength of the joint. In considering wear application of this alloy castings and probable GTAW for them, pin-on-disc wear test was performed and revealed better wear resistance of weld metal in comparison with base metal. Hence the optimum values of welding current and argon flow rates (in GTAW with the same composition filler) was determined for this alloy.     

Nitrogen desorption by high-nitrogen steel weld metal during CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser welding

Nitrogen desorption by high-nitrogen steels (HNSs) containing 0.32 and 0.53 pct nitrogen during CO₂ laser welding in an Ar-N₂ gas mixture was investigated and the obtained data were compared with those for arc welding and at the equilibrium state predicted by Sieverts’ Law. Although the nitrogen content in the weld metal during CO₂ laser welding was lower than that in the as-received base material in all conditions, the nitrogen desorption was larger in the top part of the weld metal than in the keyhole region. The nitrogen desorption in the Ar atmosphere was less during CO₂ laser welding than during arc welding. With the increase in nitrogen partial pressure, the nitrogen content in the weld metal sharply increased during arc welding, but only slightly increased during CO₂ laser welding. The nitrogen absorption and desorption of the HNS weld metal were much smaller during CO₂ laser welding than during arc welding.