ROBUST CONTROL OF GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING SYSTEM

The robust control law for gas tungsten arc welding dynamic process, which is a typical sampled-data system and full of uncertainties, is presented. By using the Lyapunov second method, the robust control and robust optimal control for a class of sampled-data systems whose underlying continuous-time systems are subjected to structured uncertainties are discussed in time-domain. As a result, some sufficient conditions of robust stability and the corresponding robust control laws are derived. All these results are designed by solving a class of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and a class of dynamic optimization problem with LMIs constraints respectively. An example adapted under some experimental conditions in the dynamic process of gas tungsten arc welding system in which the controlled variable is the backside width of weld pool and controlling variable pulse duty ratio, is worked out to illustrate the proposed results, it is shown that the sampling period is the crucial design parameter.     

Effect of heat treatment on tensile properties of friction stir welded joints of 2219-T6 aluminium alloy

Abstract

The effect of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the tensile properties of friction stir welded (FSW) joints of 2219-T6 aluminium alloy was investigated. The PWHT was carried out at aging temperature of 165°C for 18 h. The mechanical properties of the joints were evaluated using tensile tests. The experimental results indicate that the PWHT significantly influences the tensile properties of the FSW joints. After the heat treatment, the tensile strength of the joints increases and the elongation at fracture of the joints decreases. The maximum tensile strength of the joints is equivalent to 89% of that of the base material. The fracture location characteristics of the heat treated joints are similar to those of the as welded joints. The defect free joints fracture in the heat affected zone on the retreating side and the joints with a void defect fracture in the weld zone on the advancing side. All of the experimental results can be explained by the hardness profiles and welding defects in the joints.     

SPOT WELDING QUALITY FUZZY CONTROL SYSTEM BASED ON MULTISENSOR INFORMATION FUSION

The multisensor information fusion technology is adopted for real time measuring the four parameters which are connected closely with the weld nugget size(welding current,electrode displacement,dynamic resistance,welding time),thus much more original information is obtained.In this way,the difficulty caused by measuring indirectly weld nugget size can be decreased in spot welding quality control,and the stability of spot welding quality can be improved.According to this method,two-dimensional fuzzy controllers are designed with the information fusion result as input and the thyristor control signal as output.The spot welding experimental results indicate that the spot welding quality intelligent control method based on multisensor information fusion technology can compensate the influence caused by variable factors in welding process and ensure the stability of welding quality.     

METAL INERT GAS WELDING OF 2519-T87 HIGH STRENGTH ALUMINUM ALLOY

20 mm thick plates of 2519-T87 high strength aluminum alloy have been welded.The effects of the compositions of filler wires,the heat input and the compositions of shielding gas on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the welded joint have been investigated.The results indicate that finer microstructure,better mechanical properties and higher value of hardness of HAZ can be obtained by using lower heat input.The use of Ar/He mixed shielding gas has several advan- tages over pure Ar shielding gas.With the increase of the proportion of He in the mixed shielding gas, the grain size of the weld metal as well as porosity susceptibility decreases.When the volume ratio of He to Ar reaches 7:3,the porosity and the grain size of weld metal reach the minimum,and the po- rosity can be further reduced by filling some CO_2.     

Tensile creep behaviour of NiAl-Cr(Zr) multiphase intermetallic alloy

Abstract

The microstructure of a multiphase NiAl-33.5Cr-0.5Zr intermetallic alloy was examined by SEM with energy dispersive spectroscopy and TEM. The tensile creep behaviour of the hot isostatically pressed NiAl-33.5Cr-0.5Zr alloy was studied. The results of the creep test indicated that all of the creep curves under the present test have similar characteristics: a short primary creep stage, a dominant tertiary creep stage, and nearly identical creep strains (~45%). The apparent stress exponent and the apparent activation energy were analysed and discussed. The mechanism of the creep deformation was also analysed by the observation of TEM.     

Process model for strength of age hardenable aluminium alloy welds

Abstract

An existing process model for hardness prediction in age hardenable aluminium alloy welds is presented and analysed. One of the key criticisms of this model is that its derivation assumes softening is due to precipitate dissolution alone. The influence of precipitate coarsening has been determined by developing an equivalent model for softening owing to coarsening. It is shown that the experimentally derived master curves that form the basis of the model are capable of representing softening by a mixture of precipitate coarsening and dissolution. Methods to predict post-weld natural aging are discussed, and a new method is presented based on direct prediction of the Guinier–Preston zone fraction. The model has been applied to friction stir welding. Model predictions agree well with measured hardness profiles, and the sensitivity of the predictions to temperature is discussed.     

Coupled effect of heat input and beam oscillation on mechanical properties of alloy 718 electron beam weldments

Abstract

Autogenous full penetration electron beam welds were made on alloy 718 with and without beam oscillation technique. Weldments were subjected to two types of post-weld heat treatments: direct aging (DA) and solution treatment at 980°C followed by aging (STA). When the welds were prepared using different heat inputs in the welding processes with and without beam oscillation, the influence of beam oscillation could not be studied in isolation but the coupled effect of heat input and beam oscillation was studied. Laves particles were finer in size and lower in amount in unoscillated welds compared with those in beam oscillated welds subjected to DA condition. δ phase needles were observed around Laves particles in the welds subjected to STA condition. The amount of Laves particles was less and that of δ phase was more in unoscillated welds compared with those in beam oscillated welds subjected to STA condition. Unoscillated weldments exhibited longer fatigue lives compared with beam oscillated weldments in both DA and STA conditions owing to less amount of Laves in the former. Weldments in STA condition had longer lives compared with those in DA condition. The role of δ phase needles in fatigue life could not be identified.     

New structure of automatic torch and new approach for controlling drop transfer in rotating spray welding arc

Abstract

Using computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing technology, an automatic welding system is designed and manufactured for high current, high speed, and high deposition metal arc active gas (MAG) welding. The welding torch structure is evaluated and optimised via the finite element method and practical welding technology experiments. Finally, the process of high deposition MAG welding is investigated, and it is highlighted that on application of a longitudinal magnetic field to the high deposition MAG welding process, a steady metal transfer and drop deposition condition can be achieved, which is suited to the demands of high current, high speed welding technology.     

Welding behaviour,microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar resistance spot welds between galvannealed HSLA350 and DP600 steels

Abstract

Resistance spot welding experiments were conducted on dissimilar material combination of HSLA350/DP600 steels. The welds were characterised using optical and scanning electron microscopy. The fusion zone of the dissimilar material spot weld was predominantly martensitic with some bainite. Mechanical properties were also determined by tensile shear, cross tension and fatigue tests. The performance of dissimilar material spot weld was different from that of the similar ones in each of the HSLA350 and DP600 steels and exhibited different heat affected zone hardness. The DP600 weld properties played a dominating role in the microstructure and tensile properties of the dissimilar material spot welds. However, the fatigue performance of the dissimilar welds was similar to that of the HSLA350 welds. Fatigue tests on the dissimilar material spot welds showed that the 5·5 mm diameter nugget exhibited higher fatigue strength than the 7·5 mm diameter nugget.     

Spatter reduction in gas metal arc welding of stainless steel sheets using controlled bridge transfer process

Abstract

In non-pulsed gas metal arc welding (GMAW), spatter can be reduced by controlling the short circuit current to a low level just before the re-arcing. The controlled bridge transfer (CBT) process, which optimises the accuracy of predicting the re-arcing in real time in response to the metal transfer, realises stable, low spatter level. In this research, the methods for controlling short circuit transfers to minimise spatter and realise stable arcs in GMAW of stainless sheet using argon rich shielded gases are investigated. The new CBT process has been developed by applying the specific arc length estimation method that is not affected by abnormal rise in arc voltage. This process can suppress the spatter generation caused by a fluctuation in the vibratory motion of the weld pool or inaccurate prediction of the re-arcing in the succeeding short circuit/re-arcing cycle, and thereby spatter free GMAW in the short circuit transfer mode can be carried out even on stainless steels.