Joining of CP-Ti to 304 stainless steel using friction stir welding technique

Friction stir welding parameters were adjusted in order to achieve defect-free dissimilar lap joint of CP-Ti to 304 stainless steel. Titanium as a softer material was selected to be on the lap top side. The joint stir zone was found to be consisted of two main regions; the dominant fine dynamically re-crystallized titanium grains at the upper region and a minor composite-type microstructure of fragments of 304 stainless steel in a matrix of fine dynamically re-crystallized titanium grains in the lower region. The stir zone was separated from the 304 stainless steel side by an interface layer of TiFe-based crystal structure. Joint shear strength was measured; a maximum failure load of ∼73% of that of CP-Ti was achieved. This was associated with the occurrence of fracture at the joint intermetallic-based interface. The failure load value of the fabricated joints is related to the thickness of the intermetallic interface.     

Solid state crack repair by friction stir processing in 304L stainless steel

Friction stir processing (FSP) was investigated as a method of repairing cracks in 12 mm thick 304L stainless steel plate. Healing feasibility was demonstrated by processing a tapered crack using a PCBN/W-Re tool with a 25 mm diameter shoulder and a pin length of 6.4 mm. The experiment showed that it was possible to heal a crack that begins narrow and then progressively grows up to a width of 2 mm. Bead on plate experiments were used to find the best parameters for creating a consolidated stir zone with the least amount of hardness difference compared to the base metal. Grain refinement in some specimens resulted in much higher stir zone hardness, compared to base metal. A plot of grain size versus microhardness showed a very strong inverse correlation between grain size and hardness, as expected from the Hall-Petch relationship. Corrosion testing was carried out in order to evaluate the effect of FSP on potential sensitization of the stir zone. After 1000 h of intermittent immersion in 3.5% saline solution at room temperature it was found that no corrosion products formed on the base material controls or on any of the friction stir processed specimens.     

A temperature dependent slip factor based thermal model for friction stir welding of stainless steel

This paper proposes a new slip factor based three-dimensional thermal model to predict the temperature distribution during friction stir welding of 304L stainless steel plates. The proposed model employs temperature and radius dependent heat source to study the thermal cycle, temperature distribution, power required, the effect of process parameters on heat generation per mm length of the weld and peak temperature during the friction stir welding process. Simulations of friction stir welding process were carried out on 304L stainless steel workpieces for various rotational and welding speeds. The predicted thermal cycle, power required and temperature distributions were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The heat generation per mm length of weld and peak temperature were found to be directly proportional to rotational speed and inversely proportional to welding speed. The rate of increase in heat generation per mm length of the weld and peak temperature are found to be higher at lower rotational speeds and lower at higher rotational speed. The heat generation during friction stir welding was found to be 80.8 % at shoulder, 16.1 % at pin side and 3.1 % at the bottom of the pin.     

Microstructure and interface characterization of dissimilar friction stir welded lap joints between Ti–6Al–4V and AISI 304

The feasibility of dissimilar friction stir welding (FSW) in overlap configuration between Ti–6Al–4V alloy (Ti64) and AISI 304 austenitic stainless steels (304SS) was investigated. Sound joints were achieved when placing titanium as the upper workpiece. Joints were successfully produced by employing a welding speed of 1 mm/s and rotational speeds of 300 and 500 rpm. A lamellar microstructure was formed in the stir zone of Ti64, where grain size was found to increase with increasing rotational speed, and austenitic equiaxed grains were obtained near the interface of 304SS coupon. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) of the interface revealed a thin intermixed region and suggested intermetallic compound formation. Microhardness data in the titanium weld zone for both rotational speeds exhibited slightly lower values than the base material, with the lowest values in the heat affected zone, whereas the microhardness values in the stainless steel side around the weld center were found to be higher than those obtained for the base material.     

Microstructural analysis of friction stir welded ferritic stainless steel

High-quality, defect-free welds were successfully produced in 409 ferritic stainless steel by friction stir welding. A remarkably fine-grained microstructure was observed in the stir zone, and the fraction of low angle grain boundary in the stir zone significantly increased as compared to that in the base material. An increase in plunging depth led to an increase of the fraction of low angle grain boundary, a decrease in grain size, and an increase in hardness in the stir zone.     

Analysis of sensitization phenomenon in friction stir welded 304 stainless steel

This study evaluates the degree of sensitization (DOS) of 304 stainless steel joined by friction stir welding (FSW). Single-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation tests were performed using a 0.5 mol/L H₂SO₄ + 0.01 mol/L KSCN solution. Sensitization was promoted by exposition of the stainless steel at temperatures between 400°C and 850°C. The microstructure was characterized using optical microscopy to identify the weld zone and the base metal. The samples treated at 550°C showed the most severe intergranular corrosion. The DOS was lower in the weld zone than in the base metal after heat treatments. This reduction in the DOS for the weld zone indicates that FSW is a beneficial process in joining stainless steel.     

Comprehensive analysis of minimum grain size in pure aluminum using friction stir processing

A friction stir processing (FSP) technique has been developed for use with aluminum and magnesium alloys, with the goal of high-strain-rate processing. In this study, we treat the microstructures of aluminum samples, of three levels of purity, manipulating their grain sizes, making them finer, using FSP. Grain sizes decreased with an increase in the Zener-Hollomon parameter, at all purity levels. However, the recrystallized grain of FSP-ed ultra-high-purity (99.999%) aluminum was particularly large, compared to the grain sizes of lower-purity (99% and 99.99%) aluminum, when subjected to the same processing conditions. The grain size reached a certain minimum value at high-strain-rates of processing, which we report for each purity level herein.     

储能缝焊工艺对304不锈钢接头性能的影响

为研究电容储能缝焊工艺对304不锈钢接头性能的影响规律,对0.5 mm厚304不锈钢板进行了缝焊工艺实验,通过接头拉剪力检测和金相显微组织观察,对比了不同焊接速度、充电电容和放电频率下的缝焊接头组织特点,并分析了各工艺参数对接头拉剪力、熔核宽度、焊缝重叠量和焊透率的影响.结果表明:储能焊焊缝中心晶粒细小,熔合区为柱状晶,重叠部位晶粒粗大,接头组织呈现不均匀性,随着充电电容的增大晶粒变得更细密,组织不均匀程度显著降低,焊接速度和放电频率增大导致晶粒组织粗化并出现缩孔缺陷,提高电极压力可克服缩孔并使组织趋向均匀;充电电容对接头拉剪力的影响较小,焊接速度、充电电压、放电频率和电极压力调到一个合适值后,继续增大参数值对接头拉剪力影响很小;焊接速度的增大引起焊缝熔核宽度和重叠量急剧下降,充电电压增大引起焊缝焊透率下降过多,导致飞溅、过烧、毛刺等焊接缺陷的产生.因此,304不锈钢储能缝焊应采用低的焊接速度、较小的充电电压和较高的电极压力。     

Increase of bending fatigue resistance for tungsten inert gas welded SS400 steel plates using friction stir processing

To improve the fatigue resistance of tungsten inert gas (TIG)-welded SS400 steel plates, friction stir processing (FSP) was performed on TIG weld beads. Although the tensile properties of the TIG-welded steel plates with FSP were similar to those without FSP, their bending strength exhibited about 1.4 GPa at room temperature, which was 40% higher than that without FSP (about 1 GPa). Similarly, FSP produced about 170% increase in the number of cycles to failure at an applied stress amplitude of 270 MPa during three-point bending fatigue at room temperature. A fine-grained FSP region (grain sizes of about 1–2 μm in diameter) enhanced grain-boundary strengthening, leading to the higher bending strength and bending fatigue resistance.     

304不锈钢局部干法水下激光填丝焊接工艺及焊缝性能研究

目的 采用自主研制的水下激光填丝焊接装备,在304奥氏体不锈钢板材表面进行U形坡口激光填丝焊接试验,为304不锈钢水下修复工作提供技术参考。方法 在功率为5 600 W、焊接速度为6 mm/s、送丝速度为205 cm/min、保护气体流量为15 L/min、排水气体流量为30 L/min的条件下进行焊接试验,并对空气和水下环境下的焊缝进行对比检测分析。通过光学显微镜分析2种环境下焊缝的显微组织;对2种焊缝进行拉伸、弯曲等力学性能测试;采用显微硬度计测试1 kg载荷下不同区域的显微硬度;使用VersaSTAT3F电化学工作站测定在3.5%（质量分数）的NaCl溶液中2种焊缝的开路电位和极化曲线。结果 2种环境下的焊缝均无明显裂纹、气孔等缺陷;显微组织主要由奥氏体和铁素体组成,但2种环境下焊缝的奥氏体晶粒大小和铁素体形状均略有差别,焊缝拉伸断口均为典型的韧性断裂形貌且抗拉强度符合304不锈钢标准。2种环境下焊缝的微观组织和晶粒大小不同,水下焊缝硬度高于空气的。通过分析2种环境下焊缝的开路电位和极化曲线,可知水下焊缝的耐腐蚀性略高。结论 所开发的局部干法水下激光填丝焊接工艺可以满足实际工程中...     

Structural instability of cold worked alloy 304 in 650 °C service

A heavily worked 304 stainless steel wire basket recrystallized and distorted while in service at 650 °C (1200 °F). This case study demonstrates that heavily cold worked austenitic stainless steel components can experience large losses in creep strength, and potentially structural collapse, under elevated temperature service, even at temperatures more than 300 °C (540 °F) below the normal solution annealing temperature. The creep strength of the recrystallized 304/304L steel was more than 1000 times less than that achievable with solution annealed 304H. These observations are consistent with limitations (2000 Addendum to ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code) on the use of cold worked austenitic stainless steels for elevated temperature service.     

Weldability,microstructure and mechanical properties of laser-welded selective laser melted 304 stainless steel joints

Laser welding is a promising process for joining small components produced by selective laser melting (SLM) to fabricate the large-scale and complex-shaped parts. In the work, the morphology, microstructure, microhardness, tensile properties and corrosion resistance of the laser welded stress-relieved SLMed 304 stainless steel joints are investigated, as the different sections of stress-relieved SLMed 304 stainless steel are joined. Results show that the SLMed 304 stainless steel plates have a good laser weldability. The microstructure of laser-welded joints consists of the cellular dendrites in austenite matrix within columnar grains, exhibiting a coarser dendrite structure, lower microhardness (∼220 HV) and tensile properties (tensile strength of ∼750 MPa, and area reduction of ∼27.6%), but superior corrosion resistance to those of SLMed plates. The dendrite arm spacing of the joints varies from ∼3.7 μm in center zone, to ∼5.0 μm in fusion zone, to ∼2.5 μm in epitaxial zone. The SLMed anisotropy shows a negligible effect on the microstructure and performance of the laser-welded joints. The laser welding along the building directions of the SLMed base plates can induce a slightly finer dendritic structure and higher tensile properties.     

Microstructural evolution and superplastic behavior in friction stir processed Mg–Li–Al–Zn alloy

A Mg–Li–Al–Zn alloy was friction stir processed (FSP) under water, and the microstructures and superplastic behavior in the FSP alloy were investigated. The FSP Mg–Li–Al–Zn alloy consisted of a mixed microstructure with fine, equiaxed, and recrystallized α (hcp) and β (bcc) grains surrounded by high-angle grain boundaries, and the average grain size of the α and β grains was ~1.6 and ~6.8 μm, respectively. The fine α grains played a critical role in providing thermal stability for the β grains. The FSP Mg–Li–Al–Zn alloy exhibited low-temperature superplasticity with a ductility of 330 % at 100 °C and high strain rate superplasticity with ductility of ≥400 % at 225–300 °C. Microstructural examination and superplastic data analysis revealed that the dominant deformation mechanism for the FSPed Mg–Li–Al–Zn alloy is grain boundary sliding, which is controlled by the grain boundary diffusion in the β phase.     

Characterization of Weld Solidification Cracking in a Duplex Stainless Steel

Weld solidification cracking in the duplex stainless steel SAF 2205 has been investigated and compared with that of alternate duplex and austenitic stainless steels. Varestraint weld-ability testing showed SAF 2205 to exhibit a lower cracking susceptibility than that of the duplex stainless steel Ferralium 255 but greater than that of a Type 304 austenitic stainless steel which solidified as ferrite and exhibited Ferrite Number 8 (FN 8) in the weld fusion zone. The high augmented strain levels required to induce cracking in these three alloys during Varestraint testing indicated a high resistance to solidification cracking at strain levels normally encountered in structural weldments. Cracking susceptibilities of the duplex and Type 304/FN-8 stainless steels were appreciably lower than that of a Type 304L stainless steel which solidified entirely to austenite and exhibited less than FN 1 in the weld fusion zone.

Microstructural characterization of SAF 2205 using conventional black-and-white and two different color metallography techniques showed solidification cracks to be associated with ferrite grain boundaries. Color metallography was also effective in revealing the fusion zone solidification structure and delineating second phases, including inter- and intragranular austenite and fine Cr₂N precipitates. Fractographic analysis of solidification crack surfaces from SAF 2205 Varestraint samples revealed dendritic and flat topographies, and confirmed a solidification versus solid-state cracking mechanism.     

浓硫酸中304不锈钢焊接接头腐蚀行为的电化学研究

为了给应用于浓硫酸工业生产的304不锈钢管道的防护提供指导,采用电化学阻抗谱法与动电位扫描法研究了304不锈钢焊接接头各个区域在质量分数为98%的浓硫酸中不同温度下的腐蚀行为。结果表明:304不锈钢焊接接头在浓硫酸中的腐蚀形式以点蚀为主。在相同条件的浓硫酸介质中,焊接接头各区域耐蚀性优劣依次为:基材、焊缝、热影响区,焊接过程对不锈钢的腐蚀起到促进作用。随着硫酸介质温度的逐渐升高,基材的钝化膜比较稳定,而焊缝与热影响区的钝化膜会发生破裂;并且各区域的自腐蚀电流与腐蚀速率会逐渐增大,耐腐蚀性逐渐下降。     

Challenges in dissimilar friction stir welding of aluminum 5052 and 304 stainless steel alloys

In this study, dissimilar friction stir welding of aluminum 5052 and stainless steel 304 has been carried out with different process parameters. This investigation provides a better insight regarding the defect formation of the weld joints with tilt angles ranging from 0 ° to 2.5 °. The experiments were conducted according to Taguchi L9 orthogonal array by changing the tool rotational speed, and welding speed. The tool pin was kept 70 % towards the aluminum with the tool rotational speed ranging from 800 min⁻¹ to 1200 min⁻¹ with a varying traverse speed of 5 mm/min to 15 mm/min. The bottom part of the stir zone was perfectly welded without any defects. Tunnel defect was detected just above the bottom welded surface. Microstructural analysis reveals that the weld between both materials is formed on the retreating side, whereas on the advancing side, the weld was formed with void defects. Mostly, the stir zone is filled with irregular shaped aluminum and steel parts which were detached from the base material. Several other defects such as voids, cracks, and fragmental defects were observed in the stir zone irrespective of the process parameters. It was observed from the experimental investigations that the tunnel defect can be reduced by increasing the tilt angle.     

Microstructure and mechanical behavior of friction stir processed ultrafine grained Al-Mg-Sc alloy

Twin-roll cast (TRC) Al-Mg-Sc alloy was friction stir processed (FSP) to obtain ultrafine grained (UFG) microstructure. Average grain size of TRC alloy in as-received (AR) condition was 19.0 ± 27.2 μm. The grain size reduced to 0.73 ± 0.44 μm after FSP. About 80% of the grains were smaller than 1 μm in FSP condition. FSP resulted into 80% of the grain boundaries to have high angle grain boundary (HAGBs) character. Uniaxial tensile testing of UFG alloy showed an increase in yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) (by ∼100 MPa each) of the alloy with a very marginal decrease in total and uniform elongation (total - 27% in AR and 24% in UFG and uniform - 19% in AR and 14% in UFG). A theoretical model predicted that the grain refinement cannot take place via discontinuous dynamic recrystallization. Zener pinning model correctly predicted the grain size distribution for UFG alloy. From work hardening behaviors in both the conditions, it was concluded that grain boundary spacing is more important than the character of grain boundaries for influencing extent of uniform deformation of an alloy.     

预变形对304L焊接组织的影响

基于某汽车公司提出的曲面焊接设计需求,研究了变形对焊接组织的影响。选用熔化极气体保护焊在奥氏体不锈钢304L的T型接头和变形钢板上焊接,寻求合理的变形后焊接参数并观察变形对焊接组织的影响。得到合理焊接参数为焊枪速率4mm/s,送丝速率2.5m/min,电压1 7V。在T型和变形后焊接中,焊趾分别处于应变为0%,30%的区域,观察到变形后焊接件中熔化区和部分熔化区范围减小,焊接接头碳化物沉积和晶间铁素体数量减小。304L变形后焊接获得了更为均匀的接头组织。     

Dissimilar lap joining of 304 stainless steel to CP-Ti employing friction stir welding

A 304 stainless steel plate was lap joined to a CP-Ti one by friction stir welding technique. Stainless steel was selected as the top member. Sound dissimilar joints were achieved using an advancing speed of 50 mm/min and rotation speeds in the range of 700–1100 rpm. A region of vortices of bimetallic weld of 304 stainless steel and CP-Ti was formed in the lap joint fabricated using the highest applied tool rotation speed; this was associated with plasticizing of both members with the aid of a double-shoulder tool. In addition, due to complex material flow, mechanical interlock features were shaped that consists of extruded stainless steel into the plasticized titanium region. A maximum shear strength value of ∼119 MPa was achieved; this was found to be close to that of CP-Ti. The lap joint was strengthened by the formation of vortices of bimetallic weld of 304 stainless steel and CP-Ti and mechanical interlock features at joint interface due to complex materials flow.     

Formability of friction stir processed low carbon steels used in shipbuilding

The stretch formability of a low carbon steel processed by friction stir processing (FSP) was studied under biaxial loading condition applied by a miniaturized Erichsen test. One-pass FSP decreased the ferritic grain size in the processed zone from 25 μm to about 3 μm, which also caused a remarkable increase in strength values without considerable decrease in formability under uniaxial loading. A coarse-grained (CG) sample before FSP reflected a moderate formability with an Erichsen index (EI) of 2.73 mm. FSP slightly decreased the stretch formability of the sample to 2.66 mm. However, FSP increased the required punch load (F_EI) due to the increased strength by grain refinement. FSP reduced considerably the roughness of the free surface of the biaxial stretched samples with reduced orange peel effect. The average roughness value (Ra) decreased from 2.90 in the CG sample down to about 0.65 μm in fine-grained (FG) sample after FSP. It can be concluded that the FG microstructure in low carbon steels sheets or plates used generally in shipbuilding provides a good balance between strength and formability.