Properties of CO2 laser-welded butt joints of dissimilar magnesium alloys

The paper presents results of keyhole laser beam welding of dissimilar magnesium alloys that have been carried out with the CO₂ laser of maximum power of 2.5 kW. The workpieces of die-cast alloys AZ91 and AM50 with thicknesses of 4.5 mm have been butt-welded with helium used as a shielding gas. With the chosen flow rate of helium shielding and the focal position set on the metal surface the nearly parallel fusion zones boundaries were obtained. The analysis of microstructures of the joints, measurements of hardness distribution and the elemental distribution in the weld cross-sections permitted to find the changes due to heating in the fusion zones and recrystallization. The static tensile strength tests and the three point bending tests have allowed to determine the mechanical properties of the joints. The corrosion resistance tests performed by the electrochemical method on samples of as-cast materials and samples with the welds of similar and dissimilar alloys have not displayed the differences in the corrosion resistance. However, the microscopic observations of surfaces of welded samples have shown the influence of the joints on corrosion development.     

Uni- and bi-axial deformation behavior of laser welded advanced high strength steel sheets

Bead-on-plate butt joints of 2.5 mm hot rolled DP600/DP600 and 1.2 mm cold rolled TRIP700/TRIP700 steel sheets were performed using 6 kW CO₂ laser beam welding. The welding speed ranged from 1.5 to 3.0 and from 2.1 to 3.9 m/min in DP/DP and TRIP/TRIP steel weldments respectively. A top surface helium gas was used as a shielding gas at a flow rate of 20 l/min. Metallographic examinations and transverse tensile testing (DIN EN 895: 1995) were carried out to characterize the weldments. The formability of base metals and weldments were investigated by standard Erichsen test (DIN EN ISO 20482). It was found that the uniaxial plastic behavior of both DP600 and TRIP700 base metals was in agreement with Swift and modified Mecking–Kocks models respectively. In a perpendicular tensile test to the weld line, all specimens were fractured at the base metal however the strengths were somewhat higher than those of base metal. There was a significant reduction in formability caused by welding of both DP/DP and TRIP/TRIP steel weldments and the formability has been improved with the increase of the welding speed.     

Influences of Welding Speed on Tensile Properties of Friction Stir Welded AZ61A Magnesium Alloy

This article reports the influences of welding speed on tensile properties of the friction stir welded AZ61A magnesium alloy. Five different welding speeds ranging from 30 to 150 mm/min were used to fabricate the joints. Tensile properties of the joints were evaluated and correlated with the stir zone microstructure and hardness. From this investigation, it is found that the joint fabricated with a welding speed of 90 mm/min exhibited the acceptable tensile properties compared to other joints. The formation of fine grains in the stir zone is the main reason for the higher hardness and acceptable tensile properties of these joints.     

Gap tolerance allowance and robotic operational window for friction stir butt welding of AA6061

In this work, it was determined that with increasing weld pitch, the occurrence of a “lazy S” defect in the weld nugget of friction stir welded (FSWed) AA6061 became increasingly pronounced, though its impact on the bend performance of the weld was negligible. For a fixed weld pitch of 0.48, the effect of gap, i.e. the spacing between two sheets at the butt joint interface, on the joint quality of AA6061 was evaluated in terms of the welding defects, microstructure, hardness and bend performance. Fully penetrated welds without metallurgical defects such as wormholes were obtained up to a joint gap of 0.5 mm. Though the overall microhardness and bend performance of the welds remained unaffected until a joint gap of 0.8 mm, the decrease in the forge force during FSW beyond a joint gap value of 0.5 mm may represent a more critical limit in regards to the industrial application of the process; this is especially important when applying force control during processing to ensure a constant shoulder penetration in the material for addressing practical considerations, such as thickness variations in the assembly, clamping distortions and tool wear. Based on these results and using force amplitudes recorded during the welding experiments, a robotic scenario was synthesized with an appropriate operational window for continuous-path friction stir butt welding (FSBW) of 3.18-mm-thick sheets clamped to a 1 m × 1 m horizontal welding table. An appropriate industrial robot model was selected and the associated geometric workcell layout was developed for this application. This scenario was implemented in a physical prototype and used to successfully produce 1-m-long FSWed assemblies that exhibited good tensile mechanical performance.     

Influence of tool material on mechanical and microstructural properties of friction stir welded 316L austenitic stainless steel butt joints

In the present research, the influence of friction stir welding (FSW) tool material on the mechanical and microstructural properties of friction stir (FS) welded 316L stainless steel butt joints is investigated. FS welds were produced using two different tungsten based FSW tools having identical tool shoulder and pin profiles. In both the cases, the FSW experimental runs were carried out using tool rotational speed of 600 rpm, welding speed of 45 mm/min, axial force of 11 kN and tool tilt angle of 1.5°. The results of the study show that the joints produced using the tungsten lanthanum oxide tool are having superior mechanical and microstructural properties when compared to the joints produced using tungsten heavy alloy tool. Furthermore, the tool degradation study by mass loss and photographic techniques suggests that the tungsten lanthanum oxide tool is more prone to degradation by plastic deformation, whereas the tungsten heavy alloy tool is more prone to degradation by wear.     

Ultrasonic welding between mild steel sheet and Al–Mg alloy sheet

Ultrasonic welding between SS400 mild steel sheet and aluminum alloy sheet containing magnesium (A5052) was conducted. In this study, authors investigated the influence of ultrasonic welding conditions on the mechanical properties and the interface microstructure of a joint, and the effect of insert metal was examined to improve the joint strength. The main results obtained in this study are as follows.It was possible to weld ultrasonically SS400 mild steel sheet to A5052 aluminum alloy sheet containing magnesium. The strength of the joints welded using various clamping forces and constant welding time of 1.0 s showed the maximum value at the clamping force of 588 N and decreased with the clamping force over 588 N because the excessively large clamping force reduced the frictional action at the interface. The strength of the joints welded using the constant clamping force of 588 N and various welding times showed the maximum value at the welding time of 2.5 s. However, the strength of the joint welded using the welding time of 3.0 s decreased due to the formation of Fe₂Al₅ intermetallic compound at the interface. Using the insert metal of commercially pure aluminum, the joint strength was successfully improved and the strength of the welded using 3.0 s welding time was about three times as large as that of the joint without the insert metal.     

Influence of Processing Parameters on Induced Energy, Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of FSW Butt Joint of 7475 AA

Friction stir welding (FSW), a promising solid state joining process invented at TWI in 1991, was used to join 9?mm thick 7475 aluminum alloy which is considered essentially unweldable by fusion processes. In the present work, the process parameters such as tool rotational speed were varied from 300 to 1000?rpm for a travel speed of 50?mm/min and the influence of process parameters in terms of energy input on microstructure, hardness, tensile strength, and the corrosion property of 7475 aluminum joints was evaluated and analyzed. The maximum tensile strength of FSW joints was obtained at rotational speed of 400?rpm and traverse speed of 50?mm/min (59.2?kJ) which attributed maximum stirred zone area and maximum hardness. The maximum corrosion resistance properties of weld in 3.5% NaCl solution, however, were obtained at rotational speed of 1000?rpm and traverse speed of 50?mm/min. Furthermore, for a given weld, stirred zone showed improved corrosion properties than TMAZ.     

Microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of Al–Mg–Si alloy self-reacting friction stir welded joints

The 5?mm thick Al–Mg–Si alloy was self-reacting friction stir welded using the specially designed tool at a constant rotation speed of 400?rev?min^?1 with various welding speeds. Defect-free welds were successfully obtained with welding speeds ranging from 150 to 350?mm?min^?1, while pore defects were formed in the weld nugget zone (WNZ) at a welding speed of 450?mm?min^?1. Band patterns were observed at the advancing side of WNZ. Grain size and distribution of the precipitated phase in different regions of the joints varied depending on the welding speed. The hardness of the weld was obviously lower than that of the base metal, and the lowest hardness location was in the heat affected zone (HAZ). Results of transverse tensile tests indicated that the defective joint fractured in the WNZ with the lowest tensile strength, while the fracture location of the defect-free joints changed to the HAZ.     

The influence of refill FSSW parameters on the microstructure and shear strength of 5042 aluminium welds

Refill friction stir spot welding (FSSW-Refill) was used to produce solid-state joints in an automotive 5042 aluminium alloy. The influence of plunge depth, rotational speed, plunge rate and time on the microstructure and shear strength was investigated. The Statistica software package was used to correlate process parameters with the mechanical properties of the joints. The most significant variables are plunge depth and tool rotational speed, while volumetric defects have a small influence on the mechanical performance of the welds. Reducing the rotational speed from 1900 rpm to 900 rpm increased the bonding ligament length. For joints produced at a higher tool rotational speed (1900 rpm) the material flow was more vertical, i.e., towards the surface of the joint, the bonding ligament length was reduced and the shear strength was impaired.     

Effect of beam deflection oscillations on the weld geometry

The changes of seam profiles and of heat affected zones during electron beam welding at use of local beam deflection oscillations, directed across or along the joint, are studied. The possibility to control the beam cross-sectional profile on base of beam power, focus position and welding velocity is limited. In contrast to expectance an increased weld root radius and lack of spiking were found only when the position of the beam focus was significantly below the weld surface (about 18 mm), and when the oscillations were longitudinal to the work-piece movement. In all other studied regimes (at sharp focus on 13 mm bellow the work-piece surface, at focus positions situated less deeply or above the surface of the work-piece, at the oscillations along the joint, and at all beam focus positions for transverse beam oscillations) dagger-like shapes of the weld cross-sections were observed. The oscillations in the impinging electron beam had a small affect on the shape of the weld root, leading to the hypothesis of beam self-focusing in the bottom part of the keyhole, through which the beam reaches the root peaks. The regimes in which wider and more uniform cross-sectional weld shafts are connected to more soft thermal cycles of crystallisation in the weld pool (the joint become more acceptable), lead to lower weld depth (that is disadvantage). Statistical analyses of the experimentally observed weld geometric parameters are implemented and discussed. At linear longitudinal oscillations with frequency F_osc = 745 Hz, the weld depth not depend practically from the oscillation amplitudes at down focus positions, and maximal weld depths are observed at focusing currents in range 840–850 mA and at oscillation amplitudes 2–2.7 mm. At transverse sinusoidal oscillations the maximal weld depth is observed at higher oscillation amplitudes for focus positions bellow the sample surface and at small oscillation amplitudes at upper focus positions. There at oscillation amplitudes of order of 0.4–0.5 mm the sharp focus is coinciding with the sharp focus at not oscillating beam.     

Microstructure and properties of copper composite containing in situ NbC reinforcement: Effects of milling speed

This paper presents a study on the effects of milling speed on the properties of in situ copper-based composite produced by mechanical alloying followed by cold pressing and sintering. A powdered mixture of copper, niobium and graphite with the composition of Cu–30%NbC was milled at various speeds (100, 200, 300 and 400 rpm). The NbC phase started to precipitate in the as-milled powder after 30 h milling at 400 rpm and the formation was completed after sintering at 950 °C. Enhancements of NbC phase formation with a reduction in Cu crystallite size were observed with the increase of milling speed. Density, hardness and electrical conductivity of the sintered composite were evaluated. An increase in milling speed resulted in an increase in sintered density and hardness but a reduction of electrical conductivity. The changes in the properties were correlated to the formation of NbC phase and refinement of copper and niobium carbide crystallite size since higher milling speed is associated with higher kinetic energy per hit.     

Through-thickness distributions of residual stresses in two extreme heat-input thick welds: A neutron diffraction,contour method and deep hole drilling study

Spatial variations of residual stresses were determined through the thickness of 70 mm thick ferritic steel welds created using low (1.7 kJ mm^?1) and high (56 kJ mm^?1) heat inputs. Two-dimensional maps of the longitudinal residual stress were obtained by using the contour method. The results were compared to neutron diffraction measurements through the thickness at different locations from the weld centerline. The deep hole drilling technique was utilized to confirm the maximum stress locations and magnitudes. The results show that significant tensile stresses (～90% of yield strength) occur along the weld centerline near the top surface (within 10% of the depth) in the low heat-input specimen. Meanwhile, in the high heat-input weld, the peak stress moved towards the heat-affected zone at a depth of ～40% of the thickness. Finally, the influence of residual stresses on potential fracture behavior of the welded joints is discussed.     

Accelerated corrosion exposure in ultra thin sheets of 2024 aircraft aluminium alloy for GLARE applications

The effect of corrosion exposure on ultra thin (t < 0.4 mm) 2024-T3 aluminium sheet thickness is investigated. Microstructural analysis showed that for low accelerated corrosion exposure times, no surface deterioration existed and hence corresponding mechanical properties degradation was assumed to be incited by hydrogen diffusion and subsequent embrittlement. Medium exposure times resulted in cross-section reduction due to formation of sub-surface corrosion products, while crevice corrosion was evident for higher exposure times. Tensile specimens were pre-corroded for single or double sides and then mechanically tested. Decrease in mechanical properties was noticed for both L and T sheet rolling directions, even after a few minutes exposure, with transverse rolling direction having higher degradation values for same exposure times. It was noticed that a single sided corroded specimen needs approximately double exposure time to reach the same ductility decrease of a double sided specimen. Quantitative tensile properties degradation results are discussed; the results were correlated to observed corrosion degradation mechanisms. The stepwise ductile-to-brittle transition of tensile fracture mechanism with increasing corrosion exposure time was denoted via analysis of the ‘un-corroded’ region of tensile fracture surface. Single sided specimens exhibited quasi-cleavage fracture surfaces at the region below protected surface to corrosion.     

921A钢激光-MAG复合焊接头组织及性能

针对6 mm厚的921A钢板,采用激光-MAG复合焊接工艺进行对接焊试验,并对焊接接头的显微组织、硬度、拉伸性能、耐腐蚀性能等进行了分析。结果表明,采用激光-MAG复合焊工艺可获得成形连续美观的焊接接头,无未熔合、裂纹、气孔等缺陷;焊缝组织为针状铁素体、少量沿晶界析出的先共析铁素体及长条状贝氏体,热影响区组织为马氏体;焊接接头的拉伸性能和冲击性能均符合国家标准要求,焊缝强度高于母材,但塑韧性低于母材。峰值硬度在热影响区,为315 HV,焊缝硬度约为280 HV,符合最高硬度不得超过410 HV的规定。焊缝耐电化学腐蚀性能最强,母材次之,热影响区最低;激光和MAG电弧2种热源共同作用区域的组织分布更加均匀,硬度及耐腐蚀性能较激光单独作用区域有了明显改善。 创新点： 采用激光-MAG复合焊实现了6 mm厚度921A钢板无缺陷对接焊的一次焊接成形。焊缝晶粒更加细化,分布更加均匀;焊缝抗拉强度、硬度、电化学腐蚀性能均高于母材,冲击吸收能量满足船级社要求。     

An investigation on metallurgical characteristics of tungsten based tool materials used in friction stir welding of naval grade high strength low alloy steels

A non-consumable tool is a vital requirement for friction stir welding (FSW) of high melting point alloys such as steel and titanium. In this investigation, an attempt was made to understand the pre-weld and post-weld microstructural characteristics of three tungsten based alloy FSW tools viz. 90%W, 95%W and 99%W. A naval grade high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel plates of 5 mm thickness were welded using the above tools with a tool rotational speed of 600 rpm and welding speed of 30 mm/min. Microstructural characteristics of the FSW tools, before and after welding, were analyzed using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). From this investigation, it is found that the tool made of 99% W doped with 1% La₂O₃ exhibited microstructural stability at elevated temperatures during FSW process.     

搅拌摩擦焊工艺参数对铸态A356铝合金抗拉强度的影响(英文)

A356是一种高强度铝硅铸造态合金,广泛用于食品、化工、船舶、电器和汽车行业。熔焊这种铸造合金时存在许多问题,如孔隙、微裂隙、热裂等。然而,用搅拌摩擦焊(FSW)来焊接这种铸造态合金可以避免上述缺陷发生。研究了搅拌摩擦焊工艺参数对铸造态A356铝合金抗拉强度的影响;对旋转速度、焊接速度和轴向力等工艺参数进行优化;从宏观和微观组织分析角度对焊接区的质量进行分析;对焊接接头的抗拉强度进行了测定,并对抗拉强度与焊缝区硬度和显微组织的相关性进行了研究。在旋转速度1000r/min、焊接速度75mm/min和轴向力5kN的条件下得到的焊接接头具有最高的抗拉强度。     

Modeling cast IN-738 superalloy gas tungsten arc welds

A three-dimensional finite-element thermal model has been developed to generate weld profiles, and to analyze transient heat flow, thermal gradients and thermal cycles in cast IN-738 superalloy gas tungsten arc welds. Outputs of the model (cooling rates, the thermal gradient G and the growth rate R) were used to describe solidification structures found around the weld pool for three different welding speeds at constant heat input. Calculations around the weld pool indicate that the cooling rate increases from the fusion line to the centerline at all welding speeds. It was also observed that the cooling rate (G × R) and the ratio G/R fall with welding speed. For instance, as the welding speed is increased, the cooling rates at the centerline, fusion line and penetration depth decrease. Moreover, it was observed that as the power and welding speed both increase (but keeping the heat input constant), the weld pool becomes wider and more elongated, shifting from circular to elliptical shaped. The calculations were performed using ABAQUS^® FE code on the basis of a time-increment Lagrangian formulation. The heat source represented by a moving Gaussian power density distribution is applied over the top surface of the specimen during a period of time that depends on the welding speed. Temperature-dependent material properties and the effect of forced convection due to the flow of the shielding gas are included in the model. Numerically predicted sizes of the melt-pool zone and dendrite secondary arm spacing induced by the gas tungsten arc welding process are also given.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of an electromagnetic weld pool support system for high power laser beam welding of austenitic stainless steel

A three-dimensional turbulent steady state numerical model was used to investigate the influence of an alternating current (AC) magnetic field during high power laser beam keyhole welding of 20 mm thick stainless steel AISI 304 being modeled as an ideal non-ferromagnetic material. Three-dimensional heat transfer and fluid dynamics as well as the electromagnetic field equations were solved with the finite element package COMSOL Multiphysics 4.2 taking into account the most important physical effects of the process. Namely, the thermo-capillary (Marangoni) convection at the weld pool boundaries, natural convection due to gravity and density differences in the melt volume as well as latent heat of solid–liquid phase transitions at the phase boundaries were included in the model.It is shown that the gravity drop-out associated with the welding of thick plates due to the hydrostatic pressure can be prevented by the application of AC magnetic field between 80 mT and 135 mT for corresponding oscillation frequencies between 1 kHz and 10 kHz below the weld specimen. Experimentally, a value of the magnetic flux density of around 230 mT was found to be necessary to allow for single-pass laser beam welding without sagging or drop-out of melt for a 20 mm thick combination of austenitic stainless steel AISI 304 and ferritic construction steel S235JRC at an oscillation frequency of around 2.6 kHz.     

Mechanical and barrier properties of MOCVD processed alumina coatings on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy

This study focuses on the implementation of different aluminum oxide coatings processed by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition from aluminum tri-isopropoxide on commercial Ti6Al4V titanium alloy to improve its high temperature corrosion resistance. Films grown at 350 °C and at 480 °C are amorphous and correspond to formulas AlOOH, and Al₂O₃, respectively. Those deposited at 700 °C are composed of γ-Al₂O₃ nanocrystals dispersed in a matrix of amorphous alumina. Their mechanical properties and adhesion to the substrates were investigated by indentation, scratch and micro tensile tests. Hardness and rigidity of the films increase with increasing deposition temperature. The hardness of the coatings prepared at 350 °C and 480 °C is 5.8 ± 0.7 GPa and 10.8 ± 0.8 GPa respectively. Their Young's modulus is 92 ± 8 GPa (350 °C) and 155 ± 6 GPa (480 °C). Scratch tests cause adhesive failures of the films grown at 350 °C and 480 °C whereas cohesive failure is observed for the nanocrystalline one, grown at 700 °C. Micro tensile tests show a more progressive cracking of the latter films than on the amorphous ones. The films allow maintaining good mechanical properties after corrosion with NaCl deposit during 100 h at 450 °C. After corrosion test only the film deposited at 700 °C yields an elongation at break comparable to that of the as processed samples without corrosion. The as established processing–structure–properties relation paves the way to engineer MOCVD aluminum oxide complex coatings which meet the specifications of the high temperature corrosion protection of titanium alloys with regard to the targeted applications.     

Numerical simulation of full penetration laser welding of thick steel plate with high power high brightness laser

Full penetration laser welding was carried out on a 10 mm steel plate using a 16 kW maximum power continuous wave thin disk laser. Upper surface and lower surface of molten pool were observed synchronously with two high speed CCD cameras during the welding process. The lower surface was much longer and more unstable than the upper one. A three dimensional laser deep penetration welding model in which volume of fluid (VOF) method was combined with a ray-tracing algorithm was used to simulate the dynamic coupling between keyhole and molten pool in laser full penetration welding. The calculated weld cross-section morphology and molten pool length on both upper side and lower side agree well with experimental results. Evolution of molten pool in lower side during full penetration laser welding was analyzed, periodical features of energy coupling, molten pool behavior and keyhole dynamics in laser full penetration welding were identified and discussed.