Effects of processing parameters on direct laser sintering of multicomponent Cu based metal powder

Abstract

Direct laser sintering of a multicomponent Cu based metal powder was successfully processed through the mechanism of liquid phase sintering with partial melting of the powder. The effects of processing parameters such as laser power, scan speed, scan line spacing and layer thickness on the densification and microstructural evolution of the laser sintered powder were investigated. It was found that with increasing laser power or decreasing scan speed, the density of the sintered parts increased and the microstructures became denser. However, the combination of higher laser powers (>400 W) and higher scan speeds (≥0·06 ms^?1) gave rise to 'balling' effect. A successive transition from discontinuous scan tracks to coherently joined ones occurs with decreasing scan line spacing. Lowering the thickness of the powder layer promises an improvement in bonding coherence between sintered layers. A single factor termed 'energy density by volume' is defined to evaluate the combined effect of various processing parameters on the density of laser sintered powder. With increasing the energy density by volume up to ～0·16 kJ mm^?3, the densification rate is relatively high. However, with intensifying the energy density over ～0·23 kJ mm^?3, the mechanism of particle bonding may change into full melting/solidification, leading to a decrease in the sintered density.     

Advances in friction welding process: a review

Abstract

Friction welding is now well established as one of the most economical and highly productive methods in joining similar and dissimilar metals. It is widely used in automotive and aerospace industrial applications. Friction welding is often the only viable alternative in this field to overcome the difficulties encountered in joining the materials with widely varying physical characteristics. This process employs a machine that is designed to convert mechanical energy into heat at the joint to weld using relative movement between workpieces, without the use of electrical energy or heat from other sources. This review deals with the fundamental understanding of the process. The focus is on the mechanism of friction welding, types of relative motions of the process, influence of parameters, heat generation in the process, understanding the deformation, microstructure and the properties of similar and dissimilar welded materials.     

The effects of surface texture on natural rubber/metal friction at high pressures

Abstract

A technique is described that allows the friction of rubber on metal at high pressures (up to 15 MPa) to be measured. A series of experiments were performed investigating the behaviour of rubber under these conditions and the effects that the track surface texture had. It was found that Thirion's law remained effective for describing the friction of rubber under these conditions. It was also observed that, at ~5 MPa, a crossover occurred and at higher pressures, the smooth tracks resulted in lower friction.     

Synthesis and characterisation of Si3N4p/Cu nanocomposite powders by high energy ball milling

Abstract

The present work reported the preparation of Cu–25 wt-%Si₃N₄ nanocomposite powders via high energy ball milling (HEBM). The phases and morphologies of as-milled powders with various milling times were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results showed that with increasing the milling time, the irregularly shaped Cu powder became flattened, and, subsequently, refined and near spherical. After 12 h milling, the particle size of Cu–Si₃N₄ composite powders was in the range of 200–300 nm, while the grain size of Si₃N₄ particulates, 10–25 nm, was well within a nanometre scale. A uniform distribution of the nanosized Si₃N₄ reinforcing phase throughout the Cu matrix was successfully obtained. A reasonable mechanism for the formation of Cu–Si₃N₄ nanocomposite powders during HEBM was also proposed.     

The role of the polymer/metal interphase and its residual stresses in the critical strain energy release rate (Gc) determined using a three-point flexure test

The critical strain energy release rate (G _c), the residual stresses (σ), Young's modulus (E), and the practical adhesion, characterized by ultimate parameters (F_max or d_max), of organic layers made of DGEBA epoxy monomer and IPDA diamine hardener were determined. The prepolymer (DGEBA-IPDA) was deposited both as thick coatings and as a mechanical stiffener onto degreased aluminum alloy (5754) or chemically etched titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). During the three-point flexure test used as a practical adhesion test [this test is also called the double cantilever adhesion test (DCAT)], the failure may be regarded as a special case of crack growth. To understand the real gradient properties of the interphase, substrate, and bulk polymer properties, a three-layer model was developed for quantitative determination of the critical strain energy release rate (G_c). The particular characteristic of this model was to consider the residual stresses developed within the entire three-layered system, leading to an intrinsic parameter representing the practical adhesion between a polymer and a metallic substrate. Moreover, to determine the residual stresses generated in such three-layer systems, the gradient of interphase mechanical properties was considered. The maxima of residual stress intensities are found at the interphase/substrate interface, leading to an adhesional (interfacial) failure that is experimentally observed. The determination of the critical strain energy release rate by the three-point flexure test (DCAT) shows that residual stresses cannot be neglected. A comparison between the results obtained from the three-point flexure test (DCAT) and those obtained by the tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB) test is presented.     

Application of a new modified epoxy adhesive for bonding fluorine rubber to metal

Adhesion of fluorine rubber to metals is an important issue. The aim of this work was to develop a new kind of adhesive for bonding fluorine rubber to metals. A new modified epoxy adhesive containing a special tackifier resin obtained from polysulfones with a high heat deflection temperature (HDT) was prepared. Study on the curing behavior of the adhesive was carried out. Properties of the adhesive and the effects of several main factors were studied by gelation time test, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The optimum amount of the tackifier resin was found to be 50 phr; the average tensile lap shear strength could be achieved to a level of 8–10 MPa. Infrared attenuated total reflection (IRATR) spectroscopy indicated that the tackifier resin accelerated the establishment of epoxy resin adhesion to steel, and also promoted bonding and vulcanization of fluorine rubber. Easy diffusion of cyanamide (decomposition compound of dicyandiamide (DICY) in the curing process) into epoxy resin and fluorine rubber facilitated the dissolution and reaction of DICY, and also promoted formation of complex bond between fluorine rubber and adhesive, hence an enhanced adhesion of fluorine rubber to metal was achieved.     

Influence of pre- and post-weld heating on weldability of modified 9Cr–1Mo(V–Nb) steel pipe under shielded metal arc and tungsten inert gas welding processes

Abstract

Welding of modified 9Cr–1Mo(V–Nb) steel pipes has been carried out via shielded metal arc (SMA) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding processes. The weld joints have been produced using different preheating temperatures, followed by post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at various temperatures. The microstructures of the weld and of the heat affected zone (HAZ) of the weld joints have been studied under the optical microscope and correlated with the preheating and PWHT. The average hardness of the weld and different regions of the HAZ, and tensile properties of the weld joints have also been studied and correlated with the preheating and PWHT. The tensile properties of the SMA and TIG weld joints produced using preheating and PWHT at various temperatures are compared and correlated with their microstructures. It is noted that a comparatively high preheating temperature of the order of 573 K is beneficial, and PWHT is necessary to reduce the susceptibility to cold cracking of weld joints of the present steel. The PWHT at 1123 K enhances ductility to fracture, but decreases the tensile strength of the base material, causing fracture of both the SMA and TIG weld joints from this region close to the HAZ. The tensile properties of SMA welds are found to be superior to those of the TIG welds, especially for PWHT at temperatures up to 1023 K.     

Time–frequency diagram applied to stability analysis in gas metal arc welding based on acoustic emission

Abstract

Time–frequency diagram is applied to estimating the stability of gas metal arc welding process. A methodology has been developed to obtain indexes based on image processing of the spectrogram in order to evaluate the relationship between the spectrogram and the stability of process. The acoustic emission (AE) signals have been processed and characterised to obtain the spectrogram of the acoustic signals generated by arc. Statistical analysis of image generated by spectrogram and temporal parameters of AE signals has been used as a tool to obtain a method for stability evaluation. As a main result of the research, it demonstrates the effectiveness of the application of image processing of the time–frequency diagram for evaluating the stability in the welding processes. The results demonstrate the validity of this method to characterise the stability using the image characterisation.     

Effects of welding parameters on melting energy of CO2 laser–GMA hybrid welding

Abstract

A series of CO₂ laser–gas metal arc (GMA) hybrid welding experiments were carried out on the mild steel workpiece to investigate the effects of the welding parameters, such as laser power, arc current and the distance between laser and arc D _LA, on the melting energy. A dimensionless parameter psi was introduced to indicate the change in the melting energy of hybrid welding. The results showed that with different welding parameters, the melting energy of hybrid welding was changed by the two heat sources (laser and arc) interaction. With an optimal combination welding parameters, psi can be increased up to 23%. Finally, the role of the two different mechanisms in the heat sources interaction was quantitatively discussed in terms of psi. It can be concluded that when D _LA<4 mm, the interaction between the laser induced plasma and the arc plasma dominates the heat sources interaction, therefore the changes of melting energy, whereas the heat sources interaction is only dominated by the preheating mechanism when D _LA≥4 mm.     

Pulsed laser welding of Steelite,a steel polypropylene laminate

Abstract

Laminated products are gaining importance as structural materials and it is becoming increasingly important to join them quickly and effectively. The possibility of using pulsed laser welding to join Steelite, a steel polypropylene steel sandwich structure, has been examined, and in the present paper, the authors describe how various combinations of focal spot diameter, pulse duration and pulse power influence the weld. The most important factors contributing to the final weld dimensions are pulse energy, pulse duration and focal spot size. It is shown that although the polymer core affects the final weld dimensions, the development of the weld is comparable with that in monolithic materials. Furthermore, a smaller focal spot diameter was shown to result in more reliable results, a smaller heat affected zone, and reduced damage to the polypropylene core. The results for single spot welds demonstrate the feasibility of using overlapping spot welds to make butt joints in metal polymer laminates.