High Welding Research Articles

Mechanical response and phase transformation characteristics of R-phase NiTi shape memory alloy under high strain rate compression

R-phase NiTi shape memory alloy (R-NiTi SMA) has many excellent properties, but there are application problems such as simple structure and high price. High velocity impact welding can effectively solve these problems, but the research on the mechanical response and phase transformation (PT) characteristics of R-NiTi SMA under dynamic deformation is lacking. Therefore, the quasi-static (0.001 s-1) and dynamic (500 s-1, 1000 s-1, 1500 s-1, 2000 s-1) compression experiments were conducted on R-NiTi SMA in this research. The results showed that the true stress-strain curves of R-NiTi SMA during deformation were characterized by three stages, including the superelastic, elastic, and plastic segments. The critical stress of austenite to R (A-R) and R to martensite (R-M) phase transformation increased with the increase of strain rate, and the phase transformation process gradually disappeared when the strain rate exceeded 1000 s-1, which was related to the velocities of A-R and R-M phase transformation. With the increase of strain rate, defects such as dislocations increased and hindered the phase transformation process during unloading, resulting in the increase of A-phase content. In addition, the enthalpy of the deformed samples decreased significantly and the temperature ranges of phase transformation increased slightly. This work deepens the understanding of the dynamic response of R-NiTi SMA and helps to expand the application of high strain rate processing technology in R-NiTi SMA.

Effect of Ti/N Ratio on TiN Particles, Microstructures, and Toughness of Heat‐Affected Zone After High Heat Input Welding of the Ca‐Treated Steel Plates

The high heat input welding (HHIW) can greatly enhance the welding efficiency of the steel plates. However, coarse grains and brittle microstructures will be formed in the heat‐affected zone (HAZ) during the HHIW process, which deteriorates the toughness of HAZ. In the present study, the effect of the Ti/N ratio on the size and distribution of titanium nitride (TiN) particles, microstructures, and toughness of HAZ after HHIW of 400 kJ cm−1 is investigated for the Ca‐treated steels with different Ti/N ratios of 1.61, 3.79, and 5.00 for TN16, TN38, and TN50 steels. The TN38 steel has the highest number density of the TiN particles with the sizes between 20 and 25 nm and the highest pinning force of the particles in three steels, resulting the smallest grain sizes in its HAZ. In addition, in three steels, the TN38 steel has the main microstructure of intragranular aciculate ferrites with the highest high‐angle grain boundaries density in its HAZ, thereby obtaining the highest value of low‐temperature impact toughness of the HAZ.

Effect of post-weld heat treatment on mechanical and microstructural properties of high strength steel weld metal

The usage of high strength steel (HSS) is steadily increasing, primarily driven by the pursuit of weight reduction, leading to a subsequent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. This paper investigates the impact of various post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) temperatures of 525 °C, 550 °C and 575 °C with a holding time of 2 h on both the microstructure and mechanical properties of weld metal produced using a HSS metal cored wire. The investigation reveals that PWHT does not significantly alter strength but has a more pronounced influence on toughness. The as-welded condition exhibited the highest toughness. Among the samples subjected to the PWHT, the one treated at 575 °C showed the highest impact energy, reaching 69 J at −60 °C. This outcome is attributed to the increased presence of acicular ferrite in the microstructure, surpassing that of samples subjected to PWHT at different temperatures.

Failure of dissimilar QP980/DP600 advanced high strength steels resistance spot welds

This study investigates the microstructure, failure characteristics, and mechanical properties of dissimilar resistance spot welds between QP980 quenching and partitioning steel and DP600 dual phase steel. The dissimilar spot welds exhibited a heterogeneous microstructure, with a fusion zone predominantly composed of martensite, significantly overmatching both base materials. A fully martensitic structure with grain size gradient was observed in the upper-critical heat affected zone (UCHAZ) on both sides of the dissimilar joint. In the sub-critical heat affected zone (SCHAZ), no significant phase transformation occurred on both sides. However, at high welding currents, a slight tempering of pre-existing martensite was detected on the QP980 side resulting in a minor hardness drop in this zone. There was a critical welding current at which the failure mode was changed from interfacial mode to pullout mode. The dissimilar QP/DP joint showed a lower tendency to fail via interfacial failure mode compared to similar QP/QP and DP/DP joints, attributed to a higher fusion zone hardness overmatching factor and greater nugget rotation. Pullout failure of dissimilar QP/DP combination was assessed in detail through interrupted tensile shear test. It was found that failure at stronger QP980 side occurred by ductile cracking mechanism initiated from the notch tip, while failure at softer DP600 side occurred by through-thickness localized necking. The former was found to be the prior failure mechanism controlling the load bearing capacity of the dissimilar joint. The mechanical properties of dissimilar QP/DP joints were discussed in terms of peak load and energy absorption, and then were compared to those of similar DP/DP and QP/QP joints in the light of weld microstructure and failure mechanisms.

Microhardness and microstructure correlations to the mechanical performance for dissimilar third generation AHSS resistance spot welding

In this study, an investigation was carried out to establish a correlation between microhardness and microstructure in dissimilar combination of QP980 and SPFC780Y high strength steel resistance spot welds. Optical microscope with a scanning electron microscope were used for metallography analysis for all regions of the weldment, while Vickers microhardness was implemented to present the hardness profile. It was observed that high heat input provided by high welding current and welding time can increase the mechanical performance and present the hard martensite in the fusion zone (FZ). Softening phenomena were observed in the heat-affected zone (SCHAZ) of both materials with a higher occurrence in SPFC780Y side attributed to the presence of tempered martensite. The microhardness of the FZ was found to be lower than the UCHAZ of QP980 as a result of SPFC780Y dilution in FZ affecting its chemistry and thus hardenability, microstructure and mechanical performance. The study confirms that a significant content of Silicon (Si) and Manganese (Mn) positively contributes to improving mechanical performance. Furthermore, the study introduces an effective method to confirm the symmetry of the weld and FZ chemical composition induced by the asymmetric thermophysical properties in the studied combination. It also allows for the prediction of the occurrence of softening phenomena before the welding operation, providing valuable insights for optimizing the resistance spot welding processes.

Effects of Aging at 550 °C on α′-Martensitic Transformation of High Si-Bearing Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steel Weld Metal

Effects of Aging at 550 °C on α′-Martensitic Transformation of High Si-Bearing Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steel Weld Metal

Improved Joint Formation and Ductility during Electron-Beam Welding of Ti6Al4V and Al6082-T6 Dissimilar Alloys

The current work is based on investigating the influence of different technological conditions of electron-beam welding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of joints between Ti6Al4V and Al6082-T6 dissimilar alloys. The plates were in all cases preheated to 300 °C. Different strategies of welding were investigated such as varying the electron-beam current/welding speed ratio (Ib/vw) and applying a beam offset towards the aluminum side. The heat input during the experiments was varied in order to guarantee full penetration of the electron beam. The macrostructure of the samples was studied, and the results indicated that using a high beam power and a high welding speed leads to an increased formation of defects within the structure of the weld seam. Utilizing a lower beam current along with a lower welding speed leads to the stabilization of the electron-beam welding process and thus to the formation of an even weld seam with next to no defects and high ductility. Using this approach gave the highest ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 165 MPa along with a yield strength (YS) of 80 MPa and an elongation (ε) figure of 18.4%. During the investigation, improved technological conditions of electron-beam welding of Ti6Al4V and Al6082-T6 dissimilar alloys were obtained, and the results were discussed regarding possible practical applications of the suggested approach along with its scientific contribution to developing further strategies for electron-beam welding of other dissimilar alloys. The downsides and the economic effect of the presented method for welding Ti6Al4V and Al6082-T6 were also discussed.

Improvement in weld quality of Al and Cu joints using dual-beam laser welding

The high weld quality of dissimilar aluminum (Al)/copper (Cu) joint is essential to improve the reliability of connecting components in secondary batteries. This study was aimed at enhancing the weld quality of dissimilar AlCu joints to connect tab-to-busbar in secondary batteries. AA1050 and Ni-coated Cu (C1100) sheets were lap-welded using dual-beam laser welding with a continuous-wave (CW) laser for welding and a pulsed laser for preheating. Consequently, the weld quality was investigated by characterizing the morphology, microstructure, and mechanical and electrical properties of the joints. For comparison of the weld quality, single-beam welding was also performed. Soundly welded joints were achieved using a dual-beam at a CW laser power range of 1000–1400 W for fixed pulsed laser power and welding speed of 100 W and 80 mm/s, respectively. Microstructural analysis of the weld indicated that the upper weld metal (WM) comprised α-Al and AlCu eutectic phases, whereas the lower WM exhibited mixed morphology of different phases including Al2Cu, AlCu, Al3Cu4, and Al4Cu9. Further, the electrical resistance was linearly correlated with weld penetration depth, exhibiting a minimum of 352.3 μΩ against a penetration depth of 341.7 μm. In addition, The Vickers microhardness and lap shear tensile testing of soundly welded sample (A4) exhibited an average hardness value of 921.7 HV in the lower WM, and the average tensile load for the welded sample was 247.4 N. This study provides valuable insights for improving the weld quality of reliable AlCu dissimilar joints for connecting tab-to-busbar in secondary batteries.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of copper-to-glass laser transmission welding employing a nanosecond pulsed laser

This study focuses on the interfacial characteristics of glass/copper welds achieved through laser transmission welding, utilizing a nanosecond pulsed laser. The investigation explores key processing parameters, specifically laser line energy intensity and total scan numbers, and their impacts on weld performance. Through meticulous analysis covering bond strength, cross-sectional surface morphologies, micro- and nano-structures, phase formations, and elemental compositions, the study systematically addresses the weld formation mechanism. The research elucidates potential reasons for diverse bonding characteristics, emphasizing the formation of Cux+-O-Si compounds (primarily Cu+-O-Si and Cu2+-O-Si) at the glass/copper interfacial region, as revealed by the XPS spectrum and HR-TEM images. These findings highlight redox reactions facilitated by strong intra-mixing through diffusion and convection during welding. The shear force separation test unveils an impressive maximum bond strength of 34.9 MPa, surpassing previously reported results, despite the indication of a brittle fracture in the separated surface morphologies. The correlation between a larger weld zone, abundant eutectic Cux+-O-Si compounds, and a uniformly re-solidified glass region is closely linked to the resulting high weld strength. This study underscores the direct relationship between laser irradiating energy and the extent of the weld zone, while the number of repeated scans proved to be an effective approach for regulating the elemental composition and microstructures in the weld. Overall, these findings contribute valuable insights into the weld formation mechanism and offer practical considerations for optimizing glass/copper welds through laser transmission welding.

Controlling the high weld rejection rate of mechanized gas metal arc welding process (GMAW)

Controlling the high weld rejection rate of mechanized gas metal arc welding process (GMAW)

Study on improvement of weld defect in oscillating laser welding of aluminum alloy T-joints assisted by solder patch

During oscillating laser welding of aluminum alloy T-joints assisted by solder patch, it is found that the pore defect can be reduced and the high quality welded T-joints are obtained. To understand the effect of oscillating laser on the formation process of T-joint welds, a dynamic model for laser welding of aluminum alloy T-joints assisted by solder patch is developed in this paper to analyze the dynamic behaviors of keyhole and molten pool. Based on the dynamic model, the morphology characteristics of keyhole and the evolution processes of molten pool temperature and flow fields during conventional laser welding and oscillating laser welding are calculated and compared. The simulation results are found to be kept consistent with the experimental results. It is demonstrated that the keyhole is characterized with better morphology and higher stability and the degassing condition of molten pool is improved during oscillating laser welding compared with conventional laser welding. The molten pool temperature and flow fields are much more uniform during oscillating laser welding. The obtained results are efficient for suppressing weld defects and achieving high quality welding of aluminum alloy T-joints.

Effect of preheating temperature on the microscopic structure and mechanical performance of pulsed laser welding in sheet AZ31 alloy

To achieve high quality welding of an AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet, butt experiments are conducted using an Nd:YAG pulsed laser welder to weld the AZ31 magnesium alloy (1 mm). The influence of preheating temperature on the microscopic structure and mechanical performance of AZ31 magnesium alloy pulsed laser welding is studied. Experimental results show that with the rising of preheating temperature, the grain size of an equiaxed crystal in the weld center and columnar crystal at the fusion boundary (FB) first decreases and then increases and reaches the minimum values of 18.89 ± 0.45 and 32.09 ± 1.52 μm, respectively, when preheated at 200 °C. The maximum force and tensile strength increase first and decrease and reach the maximum of 2.32 kN and 193.3 MPa, respectively, when the preheating temperature is 300 °C. Above all, the welds with excellent mechanical performance can be obtained at the preheating temperature of 300 °C.

Effect of laser spot offset on microstructure and properties of laser welded joint of medium Mn/DP980 dissimilar steel

During laser welding of medium Mn (M−Mn) steel, the existence of Mn element at the grain boundaries (GBs) lead to the embrittlement of the joint. In this paper, a new strategy of dissimilar high strength steel welding and laser spot offset is introduced in the laser welding of M−Mn steel. This paper focuses on the influence of laser spot offset on the brittleness of laser welded joints of M−Mn/dual-phase 980 (DP980) dissimilar steel, and compares the differences in microstructure, element distribution and properties of joints under different processes. Compared with the welded joints of M−Mn/M−Mn steel and M−Mn/DP980 steel, the content of Mn element and Mn23C6 carbide in the GBs of the new welded joint was reduced, which greatly slowed down the propagation of intergranular cracks in the fusion zone (FZ). Finally, the plasticity of the welded specimen is greatly improved.

Investigating arc and molten metal transport phenomena in gas metal arc welding with Ar–CO2 gas mixtures using a numerical method

This paper presents a numerical investigation of the transient transport phenomena of the arc and molten metal during gas metal arc welding (GMAW) using shielding gas mixtures ranging from 100% Ar + 0% CO2 to 80% Ar + 20% CO2. The thermophysical parameters of the Ar–CO2 mixtures, considering the presence of metal vapor, were calculated as a function for a temperature range of 1000–30 000 K. The influence of metal vapor content and CO2 proportion on the thermophysical properties of the mixed gas was discussed in detail. As the CO2 content increased from 0 to 20%, the shape of the arc changed from a bell to a cone due to the increase in mass density, specific heat, and thermal conductivity. The maximum arc temperature and velocity decreased with increasing CO2 content, resulting in larger droplets and a lower droplet transfer frequency. Although the change in electrical conductivity did not affect the arc shape, it did influence the arc temperature by altering the distribution of current density. Experiments of droplet transfer and arc behavior were carried out, and the results showed that the simulated droplet size, transfer frequency, and arc temperature distribution agreed well with the experimental values. These findings could serve as a theoretical tool for better understanding the underlying physical mechanisms of the GMAW process using different shielding gases, ultimately aiming to achieve high weld quality.

Assessment of Ttensile-Shear and T-Peel Strengths for Cu-STS 304 Dissimilar Overlap Welded Joints using Single-Mode Fiber Laser with High Welding Speeds

This study focused on the mechanical and metallurgical properties of Ni-coated pure copper (0.2 mm thick) and stainless steel 304 (0.4 mm thick) dissimilar joints fabricated using single-mode laser welding. Overlap and T-peel welded joints were produced using different welding parameters, such as the laser power and speed. The laser-welded specimens were tested by tensile tests of the weldments, optical metallography, and chemical composition examination of the intermediate layer using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The welded joint configuration showed the largest influence on the failure strength. The tensile-shear strengths were more than 3.7 times higher than the T-peel strengths. The scanning electron microscopy and EDS analyses confirmed heterogeneity of the elemental composition across the welded joint interface, regardless of the welding parameters, with minimal occurrence of hot cracks within the welds.

Optimization of Hot Gas Welding of Hybrid Thermoplastic-Thermoset Composites Using Taguchi Method

In this study, the influence of four different process parameters on hot gas welding of CF/epoxy fiber composites functionalized with a PA6 thermoplastic film is investigated. Additional experiments are carried out on specimens adorned with triangular beads of coupling material that are printed onto the plates, ensuring extra material within the joining zone. This approach offers a great advantage for compensating geometric tolerances. The parameters considered are common process parameters for regular two-step processes: Heating element temperature (THE), heating time (HT), welding force (F) and welding time (HTF). The design of experiments (DoE) is planned according to the Taguchi method. An orthogonal array is used to set up the experimental plan. Three factor levels of each welding parameter are considered. The test series are carried out with two sample variants. In the second sample variant, additional thermoplastic material is placed in the joining zone. The strength of the welded joints is investigated by tensile shear tests according to DIN EN 1465. The results show that the welding force has the greatest influence on the welding strength. Heating times of 20 s were found to be optimal. Within the first sample variant, a saturation behavior of the welding force can be observed at 500 N. Higher heating element temperatures (500 °C) and welding forces (1165 N) are advantageous using additional material. High welding temperatures result in a negative effect on the interdiffusivity of the polymer chains.

Research on thermal efficiency and weld forming coefficient prediction of ultra-high strength steel welded joint under different energy inputs

As an ultra-high strength steel, Al–Si coated 22MnB5 hot stamping steel is widely used in the manufacturing of body-in-white structural parts. Compared with traditional welding technology, laser welding is widely used in the field of automobile body-in-white manufacturing due to its high energy density, small heat affected zone, and high weld quality. For ultra-high strength steel laser welded joints, the weld forming coefficient is an important index to reflect the welding quality. In order to investigate the influence of weld forming coefficient on the Al content and the thermal efficiency, laser welding experiments of ultra-high strength steel under different laser energy inputs are carried out. The melting of the base metal and coating under different laser energy inputs is also considered. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is introduced into radial basis function (RBF) neural network model to optimize the central parameters as the RBF neural network model alone is not sufficient in predicting the outcomes. The results shows that if the laser power density is constant (7 × 105 W/cm2), when laser energy inputs are 400 J/cm to 1200 J/cm, the Al content in welded joints is 1.458%–1.886%, the melting efficiency of welded joints is 0.23–0.26, the energy conversion efficiency of welded joints is 0.45–0.46. When the laser energy inputs are lower than 522 J/cm, the Al content of the laser welded joint increases gradually. When the laser energy inputs are higher than 522 J/cm, the Al content of the laser welded joint decreases. The root mean square error(RMSE) of PSO-optimized RBF neural network testing sets prediction results is 0.1551, R-square (R2) is 0.771 and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 2.758%. The prediction accuracy of the PSO-optimized RBF neural network model for the upper surface weld width, waist weld width, and lower surface weld width is 93.9%, 91.1%, and 92.2%.

Weldability and Joining of Dissimilar Metal Welding between Low Carbon Steel and Ferritic Stainless Steel

This paper is to study weldability and joining characteristics of dissimilar metal welding between low carbon steel and ferritic stainless steel using ER308L and ER309L filler wires. Weldability and welded joints were evaluated by microstructure analysis and bend test. It was observed that the microstructure of the fusion zone and the bend test of the welded joint were significantly affected by welding parameters and filler wire. A welded joint prepared with high heat input using the ER309L filler wire exhibited a significant delta ferrite and austenite microstructure. In contrast, when employing the ER308L filler wire with a high intensity welding current, martensite, and carbide formed at the fusion zone. The bend property was acceptable for all the specimens, and there was no evidence of solidification cracking.

Numerical Analysis of Molten Pool Dynamic Behaviors during High-Speed Oscillation Laser Welding with Aluminum Alloy

Increased welding speeds are often used to achieve high welding efficiency. However, welding defects, including pores and humps, can easily be formed under high-speed welding conditions. Therefore, a numerical calculation method is proposed to analyze the molten pool dynamic behaviors during high-speed oscillation laser welding with the aluminum alloy. The experiments on high-speed oscillation laser welding are conducted to confirm the simulated results, and both are found to be in good agreement. The distribution characteristics of the temperature field under the condition of a high welding speed are discussed. With the influence of the stirring process from the oscillation laser beam, the temperature gradient is reduced and fluid flow velocity is decreased. The fluid flow in non-oscillation laser welding is more intense than that in oscillation laser welding. It is found that the proposed method can be used to guide the selection of the optimal process parameters for improving welding efficiency and quality in the practical welding process.

Interface enhancement and distribution of carbon fibers in injection welding

AbstractInjection welding is an excellent adhesive‐free bonding method for thermoplastic resins, demonstrating outstanding connection effectiveness. The incorporation of carbon fibers (CFs) significantly enhances the weld shear strength at the injection interface. This study aims to investigate the reinforcement effect of CF‐reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTP) during the injection welding process. And explore the influence of the amount of added CFs on the weld shear strength. Polyamide 6 (PA6)/CF composites with CF contents of 10 wt% and 30 wt% were subjected to injection welding for the first and second molding cycles, respectively. It was observed that the reinforcement effects varied considerably depending on the combinations studied. Under the optimal combination and process parameters, the weld shear strength of PA6/CF composites reached 63 MPa, equivalent to 90% of the shear strength (70 MPa) of the original PA6/CF material. Polarized light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were utilized to analyze the distribution of CFs at the interface and the reinforcing mechanism during tensile fracture. The significance of maintaining uniform CF content during the welding process of PA6/CF composites was emphasized.Highlights Preparation of PA6 composite materials with different carbon fiber contents. Achieving high welding shear strength of composite materials through injection welding. Identified the optimal injection welding conditions to achieve the highest strength. The positive effect of specific fiber distribution on welding strength was analyzed.