Structure and properties of continuously cast low-carbon steel as a function of the reeling temperature

Investigation of continuously cast low-carbon aluminum-killed steel has great practical importance. Its structure and properties depend on the reeling temperature after hot rolling. After reeling at a low temperature the steel exhibits a capacity for deep drawing, whereas after reeling at a high temperature it is suitable for enameling.Translated from Metallovedenie i Tetmicheskaya Obrabotka Metallov, No. 8, pp. 23 – 24, August, 1996.     

Material flow and microstructure in the friction stir butt welds of the same and dissimilar aluminum alloys

The material flow and microstructural evolution in the friction stir welds of a 6061-Al alloy to itself and of a 6061-Al alloy to 2024-Al alloy plates of 12.7 mm in thickness were studied under different welding conditions. The results showed that plastic deformation, flow, and mechanical mixing of the material exhibit distinct asymmetry characteristics at both sides of the same and dissimilar welds. The microstructure in dissimilar 6061-Al/2024-Al welds is significantly different from that in the welds of a 6061-Al alloy to itself. Vortex-like structures featured by the concentric flow lines for a weld of 6061-Al alloy to itself, and alternative lamellae with different alloy constituents for a weld of 6061-Al to 2024-Al alloy, are attributed to the stirring action of the threaded tool, in situ extrusion, and traverse motion along the welding direction. The mutual mixing in the dissimilar metal welds is intimate and far from complete. However, the bonding between the two Al-alloys is clearly complete. Three different regions in the nugget zone of dissimilar 6061-Al/2024-Al welds are classified by the mechanically mixed region (MMR) characterized by the relatively dispersed particles of different alloy constituents, the stirring-induced plastic flow region (SPFR) consisting of alternative vortex-like lamellae of the two Al-alloys, and the unmixed region (UMR) consisting of fine equiaxed grains of the 6061-Al alloy. Within all of these three regions, the material is able to withstand a very high degree of plastic deformation due to the presence of dynamic recovery or recrystallization of the microstructure. The degree of material mixing, the thickness of the deformed Al-alloy lamellae, and the material flow patterns depend on the related positions in the nugget zone and the processing parameters. Distinct fluctuations of hardness are found to correspond to the microstructural changes throughout the nugget zone of dissimilar welds.     

Understanding the Influence of Copper Nanoparticles on Thermal Characteristics and Microstructural Development of a Tin-Silver Solder

This paper presents and discusses issues relevant to solidification of a chosen lead-free solder, the eutectic Sn-3.5%Ag, and its composite counterparts. Direct temperature recordings for the no-clean solder paste during the simulated reflow process revealed a significant amount of undercooling to occur prior to the initiation of solidification of the eutectic Sn-3.5%Ag solder, which is 6.5 °C, and for the composite counterparts, it is dependent on the percentage of copper nanopowder. Temperature recordings revealed the same temperature level of 221 °C for both melting (from solid to liquid) and final solidification (after recalescence) of the Sn-3.5%Ag solder. Addition of copper nanoparticles was observed to have no appreciable influence on melting temperature of the composite solder. However, it does influence solidification of the composite solder. The addition of 0.5 wt.% copper nanoparticles lowered the solidification temperature to 219.5 °C, while addition of 1.0 wt.% copper nanoparticles lowered the solidification temperature to 217.5 °C, which is close to the melting point of the ternary eutectic Sn-Ag-Cu solder alloy, Sn-3.7Ag-0.9Cu. This indicates the copper nanoparticles are completely dissolved in the eutectic Sn-3.5%Ag solder and precipitate as the Cu₆Sn₅, which reinforces the eutectic solder. Optical microscopy observations revealed the addition of 1.0 wt.% of copper nanoparticles to the Sn-3.5%Ag solder results in the formation and presence of the intermetallic compound Cu₆Sn_5. These particles are polygonal in morphology and dispersed randomly through the solder matrix. Addition of microsized copper particles cannot completely dissolve in the eutectic solder and projects a sunflower morphology with the solid copper particle surrounded by the Cu₆Sn₅ intermetallic compound coupled with residual porosity present in the solder sample. Microhardness measurements revealed the addition of copper nanopowder to the eutectic Sn-3.5%Ag solder resulted in higher hardness.     

Sensing, modeling and control for laser-based additive manufacturing

Laser-Based Additive Manufacturing (LBAM) is a promising manufacturing technology that can be widely applied to part preparation, surface modification, and Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF). A large number of parameters govern the LBAM process. These parameters are sensitive to the environmental variations, and they also influence each other. This paper introduces the research work in RCAM on improving the performance of the LBAM process. Metal powder delivery real-time sensing and control is studied to achieve a controllable powder delivery for fabrication of functionally graded material. A closed-loop control system based on infrared image sensing is built for control of the heat input and size of the molten pool in the LBAM process. The closed-loop control results show a great improvement in the geometrical accuracy of the built features. A three-dimensional finite element model is also established to explore the thermal behavior of the molten pool in the closed-loop controlled LBAM process.     

Optimization of ceramics bonding in the area of pressure sensor manufacturing

Ceramics joints are applied for producing products that should be made in a general shapes and dimensions for more advantageous usage. The article presents the research work related to ceramic joint quality evaluation, the thermal-structural analysis of ceramic joining and ceramic bond design and implementation. The role of ceramic material in the electronics industry and motivation for joining ceramics is described in the introduction. The requirements and methods for improving the quality of joints are summarized. Also, the results of simulations of pressure sensor cooling after removal from the oven during joining are discussed. The experimental results are evaluated by using a t-test before and after process cooling modification. Important directions for future research are summarized, with emphasis on the statistical determination of poor connection, and how the interface of modification of joint technology and process setting affects results and parameters that have been achieved.     

Modeling of waterjet guided laser grooving of silicon

Waterjet guided laser processing is an internationally patented technique based on guiding a laser inside a thin, high-speed waterjet. The process combines the advantages of laser processing with those of waterjet cutting and offers promise as a method for processing thin and heat sensitive materials with a high degree of precision. An improved understanding of the complex interaction between laser, waterjet, and workpiece is required to enable the process to achieve its potential. A model for waterjet guided laser grooving of silicon is presented that treats the energy input of the laser, the cooling effect of the waterjet, and the melting and removal of the silicon. The thermal process is represented in detail in the new method. The model is validated by comparisons of simulation and experimental results, and the simulation provides insight regarding the details of the interactions among laser, waterjet, and workpiece.     

Subband coding systems incorporating quantizer models

A new method for dealing with the effects of quantization in a subband system is proposed. It uses the "gain plus additive noise" linear model for the Lloyd-Max quantizer. Based on this, it is demonstrated how, by an appropriate choice of synthesis filters, one can cancel all signal-dependent errors at the output of the system. The only remaining error is random in nature and not correlated with the input signal. We therefore have a tradeoff between the error being only random or having signal-dependent components as well (since the error variances in both cases are comparable). As a result of having only a random error, it is possible to reduce this error using, for example, a noise removal technique. The result is then extended to the case where the input is a multidimensional signal, and arbitrary sampling lattices are used, as well as to the QMF (alias cancellation) case. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach, two types of experiments on images are carried out: In a toy example, it is shown that using noise removal could be beneficial. For a more realistic coding scheme, however, it is demonstrated that even in the case when the model is no longer valid (when some of the subbands are discarded), the output error is still much less correlated with the input signal as opposed to the commonly used subband system, while visually, the reconstructed images look very similar.     

Computation and the Three Worlds

Discussions about the achievements and limitations of the various approaches to the development of intelligent systems can have an essential impact on empirically based research, and with that also on the future development of computer technologies. However, such discussions are often based on vague concepts and assumptions. In this context, we claim that the proposed `three-world ontology' offers the most appropriate conceptual framework in which the basic problems concerned with cognition and computation can be suitably expressed and discussed, although the solutions of some of these problems seem to lie beyond the horizon of our current understanding. We stress the necessity to differentiate between authentic and functional cognitive abilities; although computation is not a plausible way towards authentic intelligence, we claim that computational systems do offer virtually unlimited possibilities to replicate and surpass human cognitive abilities on the functional level.     

Neurofuzzy model-based predictive control of weld fusion zonegeometry

A closed-loop system is developed to control the weld fusion, which Is specified by the top-side and back-side bead widths of the weld pool. Because in many applications only a top-side sensor is allowed, which is attached to and moves with the welding torch, an image processing algorithm and neurofuzzy model have been incorporated to measure and estimate the top-side and back-side bead widths based on an advanced top-side vision sensor. The welding current and speed are selected as the control variables. It is found that the correlation between any output and input depends on the value of another input. This cross coupling implies that a nonlinearity exists in the process being controlled. A neurofuzzy model is used to model this nonlinear dynamic process. Based on the dynamic fuzzy model, a predictive control system has been developed to control the welding process. Experiments confirmed that the developed control system is effective in achieving the desired fusion state despite the different disturbances     

Parametric study on a coaxial multi-material powder flow in laser-based powder deposition process

The manner with which the composite powder particles injected into the laser formed molten pool decides the deposition quality in a typical laser-based powder deposition of composite material. Since, the morphology and physical properties of nickel (Ni) and tungsten carbide (WC) are different their powder flow characteristics such as the powder particles stream structure, maximum concentration at the converging spot, and the powder particles velocity are noticeably different. In the current study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based powder flow model is established to characterize the coaxial powder flow behavior of Ni–WC composite powders. The key powder flow characteristics such as the stand-off distance, the diameter of the powder stream at the stand-off distance, and the velocity of the powder particles are measured using three different vision based techniques. Both the numerical and experimental results reveal the exact stand-off distance where the substrate needs to be placed, the diameter of the concentration spot of powder at the stand-off distance, and a combination of suitable nozzle angle, diameter, and carrier gas flow rate to obtain a maximum powder concentration at the stand-off distance with a stable composite powder flow.