Gas Tungsten Research Articles

Prediction and optimization of tensile properties of 2219-T8 aluminum alloy TIG welding joint by machine learning

The tensile properties of 2219-T8 aluminum alloy TIG welding joint were significantly affected by the microstructure, local mechanical properties and weld geometry. This paper proposed a machine learning model to predict and optimize the tensile properties of 2219-T8 aluminum alloy TIG welding joint. The relationship between tensile strength of joint and weld geometry, weld zone and partially melted zone (PMZ) properties was developed by Kriging model combining whale optimization algorithm (WOA). This surrogate model demonstrated a high precision, with R2 = 0.952 and RMSE=3.77 MPa. The surrogate model, which also served as a welding process guide, was utilized to determine the ideal weld geometry corresponding to various weak zone properties. By applying the optimization process based on the surrogate model, the optimized joint strength coefficient reached 70 %, and elongation exceeded 4 %. The collaborative regulation mechanism of geometry and property was also discussed.

Optimization of TIG welding parameters for enhanced mechanical properties in AISI 316L stainless steel welds

Optimization of TIG welding parameters for enhanced mechanical properties in AISI 316L stainless steel welds

Analyzing weld bead geometry and microstructure in ultrasonic-assisted activated flux TIG welding of ST37 steel

Analyzing weld bead geometry and microstructure in ultrasonic-assisted activated flux TIG welding of ST37 steel

Effects of stabilized heat treatment on stress rupture properties of high Si-bearing austenitic stainless steel weld metal

The 15Cr-9Ni-Nb austenitic stainless steel weld metal with a Si content of 3.5 wt% was prepared via gas tungsten arc welding and then held at 900 °C for 3 h for the stabilized heat treatment (SHT). The stress rupture properties of the as-welded (AW) and SHT weld metals at 550 °C were evaluated via the Larson-Miller parameter. The microstructure evolution was discussed during the 550 °C stress rupture process. The coarse σ-phase and relatively fine G-phase formed on the δ-ferrite during aging at 550 °C. In the AW weld metal, the continuous δ-ferrite with a large amount of coarse σ-phase led to the formation and expansion of cracks during the stress rupture process, which accelerated the eventual rupture and damaged the stress rupture properties. The SHT decreased the δ-ferrite content and formed a large amount of nanoscale NbC precipitated in the matrix. The decreased δ-ferrite content avoided the rapid formation and expansion of cracks and the nanoscale NbC blocked the dislocation movement during the stress rupture process, which improved the stress rupture properties.

Microstructural changes in the welding of titanium-stabilized steels

Abstract At the Central Institute for Engineering, electronics, and Analytics (ZEA-1 by its acronym in German) of the Jülich Research Center GmbH, a cryostat was developed for the European Spallation Neutron Source (ESS) and manufactured from a titanium-stabilized austenitic stainless steel alloy (EN 1.4571). After tungsten inert gas welding, the welds exhibited a black, patchy discoloration. After materialographic preparation, the phenomena were examined using microscopic methods to assess their impact on the strength of the weld and thus on the usability of the cryostat. Not only could the impact on the cryostat operation be assessed, but the formation mechanism could be elucidated and suitable measures could be outlined to avoid the black, patchy discoloration.

Effects of Autogenous Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) on Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steel 316L

The autogenous manual gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process was used for cladding austenitic stainless steel 316L using a single pass with various contact tip-to-work distances (CTWDs). Immersion and electrochemical tests were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the welded specimens, and a microstructural analysis was conducted to investigate the chemical composition of the molten pool and the heat-affected zone of welding. The key findings of this study indicate that the corrosion resistance improved under a CTWD of 5 mm due to the optimal distribution of ferrite and a refined microstructure. Additionally, the highest hardness was observed in specimens with a CTWD of 3 mm, attributed to the increased ferrite content in the weld metal. As the CTWD increased, the ferrite fraction decreased, and the hardness also diminished. However, in the CTWD 7 mm case, the higher heat input influenced the microstructure and molten pool shape significantly through the Marangoni effect, resulting in a lower corrosion resistance. These results suggest that optimizing the CTWD can enhance the corrosion resistance of welded 316L stainless steel.

Influence of aloe-vera powder addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of wire + arc additively manufactured ER70S-6 steel

ER70S-6 steel Wire Arc Additive Manufactured deposit was fabricated using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) under two conditions: without and with aloe-vera powder. Aloe-vera is added at the interlayer during deposition. The effect on microstructure evolution, hardness and tensile properties due to addition of aloe-vera were investigated. Without aloe-vera deposits recorded non-uniform microstructure from lower to upper zone, resulting in wide variation in hardness. On the other hand, presence of aloe-vera minimized the microstructural inhomogeneities. The presence of aloe-vera also suppressed the formation of bainite phase and stabilize the hardness throughout the deposit. The tensile strength of the aloe-vera added deposit also increases compared to without powder particle deposit.

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND TOUGHNESS OF 9 % Ni STEEL JOINTS WELDED BY SMAW AND GTAW

The microstructure and impact toughness of 9 % Ni steel joints welded by shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) were investigated. The two kinds of weld metal were mainly composed of cellular dendrites and a granular precipitated phase. The grains and cellular dendrites of the GTAW weld metal were smaller than those of the SMAW weld metal. The precipitates in the SMAW weld metal were stripe-shaped while those in the GTAW weld metal were rod-shaped; the number of precipitates in the GTAW weld metal was lower than in the SMAW weld metal. The low-temperature impact toughness of the GTAW weld metal was better than that of the SMAW weld melt.

Transient characteristics of ultra-high frequency adjustable multi-pulse gas tungsten welding arc

In response to the shortcomings of traditional Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), such as low penetration, slow welding speed, and low production efficiency, an Ultra-High-Frequency Adjustable Multi-Pulse Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (UFMP-GTAW) process is proposed. This process more effectively concentrates the temperature distribution of the welding arc. To characterize the arc morphology and its dynamic changes, high-speed photography captured ten images of the UFMP-GTAW welding arc within one cycle. The arc image processing algorithm proposed in the paper was used to study the arc's variation characteristics over one cycle. This algorithm includes binarization, arc segmentation, and edge detection to obtain arc morphology parameters. The arc symmetry algorithm is used to symmetrize the arc images for Abel inversion, resulting in the emission coefficient distribution. Further calculations provide the temperature distribution, electrical conductivity distribution, and current density distribution of the arc. Analysis reveals that changes in arc temperature, electrical conductivity, and current density lag behind changes in current. The temperature of the arc spreads from the central axis to the surrounding arc space. When high-frequency current variations occur, the heat input generated by the current increase takes time to transfer to the entire arc space. Conversely, if the current suddenly decreases, the heat input rapidly diminishes. However, because heat transfer takes time, the arc space remains relatively stable for a short period, making the ultra-high-frequency arc form more stable.

Effect of weld-line position on springback behavior in advanced high-strength steel tailor-welded blanks on hat-shaped bending application

In this study, both experiments and finite-element analysis are performed to elucidate the effect of weld-line position on the springback behavior of advanced high-strength steel tailor-welded blanks (AHSS-TWBs). AHSS-TWBs are fabricated from grade 590Y high-strength steel and 980Y advanced high-strength steel, each with a thickness of 1.2 mm. Gas tungsten arc welding is performed to obtain autogenous butt-weld joints. Three distinct weld-line position patterns are systematically analyzed to investigate the springback phenomenon via hat-shaped draw bending. Experiments on the AHSS-TWBs show that the weld-line position affects springback. The stress distribution changes with the weld-line position, thereby initiating variations in both the components of the bending moment and the corresponding springback angle. Depending on the weld-line position, different springback behaviors and bending moments are resulted on the components.

Microstructural, mechanical and nondestructive characterization of X60 grade steel pipes welded by different processes

Abstract In this paper, the welding quality of API 5L X60 steel pipes was investigated after the application of three different welding scenarios by applying submerged arc welding (SMAW), tungsten inert gas (TIG) and hybrid (TIG + SMAW) welding methods with an average heat input of ca. 1 kJ mm−1 for all passes. For this purpose, the ultrasonic and radiographic tests were done to detect possible discontinuities such as crack and porosity in the welding zones. In addition, the macro and microstructures of weld zones were made to examine different zones in terms of weld quality and phases. Moreover, the hardness, impact toughness and tensile tests were carried out to determine the mechanical properties of the weldments. The tensile strength of the pipe weldments was recorded to be ∼603, 610 and 625 MPa after the welding of pipes by SMAW, TIG + SMAW and TIG welding, respectively. In addition, the impact toughness of the welds was obtained to be 48, 76 and 66 J, for these welding methods, successively. According to the experimental findings, all three welding plans were successfully applied to the steel pipes and found to be suitable regarding the relevant international standards.

Microstructural analysis and mechanical characterization of dissimilar welds between nickel-based and steel-based superalloys post-cryogenic treatment using hotwire GTAW

This study explores the dissimilar welding of nickel superalloy 59 with Fe-Ni superalloy 904 L using the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding with Hot Wire technique (HW-GTAW). The HW-GTAW process produced defect-free weldments with complete penetration, as confirmed by macroscopic analysis. Microstructural analysis using FESEM and EDS revealed fine equiaxed and columnar dendrites in the fusion zone and identified a secondary phase enriched with chromium. XRD analysis supported the presence of predominant austenitic phases and indicated the formation of Cr23C6-type carbide. The grain size of the weld joint, determined using the Gaussian method and Scherer formula, was 44.53 nm, slightly smaller than base metals. Microhardness tests revealed values ranging from 226 ± 5 HV 10 to 243 ± 5 HV 10, with the highest values observed in the deep cryogenic treatment (DCT). The Mo in the ERNiCrMo-13 filler and the effects of DCT, which promote grain refinement, are responsible for this increase in hardness. Residual stress measurements revealed a maximum tensile stress of 315 MPa along the longitudinal axis and a maximum compressive stress of 355 MPa along the transverse axis. DCT enhanced the weldment’s tensile strength by up to 12% compared to as-welded samples, with a 6% increase compared to shallow cryogenic-treated (SCT) samples. Charpy impact testing indicated a value of 88 J in the fusion zone, which is 1.2% less than alloy 59 and 9% higher than 904 L. Tensile fracture analysis revealed ductile dimples, while impact fractography showed a mix of ductile dimples and brittle, glassy cleavage facets.

Study on Pulsed Gas Tungsten Arc Lap Welding Techniques for 304L Austenitic Stainless Steel

The lap welding process for 304L stainless steel welded using the pulsed gas tungsten arc welding (P-GTAW) procedure was studied, and the effects of the pulse welding parameters (the peak current, background current, duty cycle, pulse frequency, and welding speed) on the macroscopic morphology, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the resultant lap joints were investigated. Tensile tests, hardness measurements, and SEM/EDS/XRD analyses were conducted to reveal the characterization of the joint. The relationships between the welding parameters; certain joint characteristic dimensions (the weld width, D; the weld width on the lower plate, La; the weld depth on the lower plate, P; and the minimum fusion radius, R); and the maximum tensile bearing capacity were studied. The weld zone was primarily composed of vermicular ferrite, skeletal ferrite, and austenite, and no obvious welding defects, precipitation, or phase transformations were evident in the weld. Microhardness tests demonstrated that the weld microhardness was highest in the base metal zone and lowest in the weld zone. As the heat input increased, the average microhardness decreased. The hardness difference reached 17.6 Hv10 due to the uneven grain size and the transformation of the structure to ferrite in the weld. The fracture location in welded joints varied as the heat input changed. In some parameter combinations, the weld tensile strength was significantly higher than that of the base material, with fractures occurring in the weld. Scanning electron microscopy results exhibited an obvious dimple morphology, which is a typical form of ductile fracture. XRD revealed no significant phase changes in the weld zone, with a higher intensity of the austenite diffraction peaks compared to the ferrite diffraction peaks.

Role of Activating Flux in Weld Bead Symmetricity during Dissimilar Metal Joining

Ferritic/martensitic steels and austenitic stainless steels are high‐strength steels, and highly recommended in high‐temperature and high‐pressure application. In general, multimetallics with different Inconel alloys are used for joining. This is quite a complex and time‐consuming procedure. The current work demonstrates the efforts made to weld 8 mm‐thick P91 steel and 316L SS plates in a single pass using activating flux tungsten inert gas (A‐TIG) welding process without any interlayers. The main challenge is to get the symmetric weld bead profile. Flux coating is optimized in terms of flux composition, coating density, and coating pattern to get the full penetration with symmetric appearance. The current work discusses the possible cause and their solution of asymmetricity during dissimilar welding. Differential flux coating density is found to be very effective in controlling the arc column shape, fluid flow, and consequently the bead geometry. High coating density is used in the P91 side compared to 316L side. Symmetric weld profile with full penetration is achieved by applying multicomponent flux (33–38% TiO2, 38–43% SiO2, 13–17% NiO, and 8–10% CuO) during A‐TIG welding.

Evolution of phase ratio and its effect on residual stress for 2205 duplex stainless steel multipass welded joints by thermo-metallurgical-mechanical model

The control of phase ratio and residual stress is a crucial subject for the structural integrity of duplex stainless steel welded components. Therefore, this paper aims to clarify the evolution of phase ratio and its effect on residual stress for duplex stainless steel multipass welded joints by a thermo-metallurgical-mechanical coupled welding model, alongside the crucial experiments which contribute to the development and validation of the coupled model. The developed model takes both the precipitation and dissolution behavior of austenite under repeated thermal cycles into consideration, thereby demonstrating a remarkable ability to predict the distribution of phase ratio and residual stress. The influencing mechanism of solid-state phase transformation on residual stress is discussed extensively. The results reveal that, for the duplex stainless steel welded joints by gas tungsten arc welding, excessive austenite is often formed within the welding zone particularly for the middle passes, while it is the occurrence of ferritization at the heat affected zone. The effect of phase transformation on residual stress is mainly presented by the change of mechanical properties and phase volume. The overtransformation from ferrite to austenite tends to induce a higher tensile residual stress, vice versa, compressive stress. In addition, it is challenging to achieve phase balance through heat input alone. However, a smaller heat input is recommended to minimize residual stress while ensuring welding penetration. This paper serves as a theoretical foundation for controlling the phase ratio and mitigating residual stress during the welding of duplex stainless steel, thereby contributing to the enhancement of weld quality and structural reliability.

Deep Learning-Based Defects Detection in Keyhole TIG Welding with Enhanced Vision.

Keyhole tungsten inert gas (keyhole TIG) welding is renowned for its advanced efficiency, necessitating a real-time defect detection method that integrates deep learning and enhanced vision techniques. This study employs a multi-layer deep neural network trained on an extensive welding image dataset. Neural networks can capture complex nonlinear relationships through multi-layer transformations without manual feature selection. Conversely, the nonlinear modeling ability of support vector machines (SVM) is limited by manually selected kernel functions and parameters, resulting in poor performance for recognizing burn-through and good welds images. SVMs handle only lower-level features such as porosity and excel only in detecting simple edges and shapes. However, neural networks excel in processing deep feature maps of "molten pools" and can encode deep defects that are often confused in keyhole TIG. Applying a four-class classification task to weld pool images, the neural network adeptly distinguishes various weld states, including good welds, burn-through, partial penetration, and undercut. Experimental results demonstrate high accuracy and real-time performance. A comprehensive dataset, prepared through meticulous preprocessing and augmentation, ensures reliable results. This method provides an effective solution for quality control and defect prevention in keyhole TIG welding process.

Comparative study on tensile and high cycle fatigue behaviour of 316L(N) SS hardfaced with Ni-Cr-B-Si alloy by GTA and laser cladding processes

In sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR), 316L(N) SS grid plate is hardfaced with Ni-Cr-B-Si alloy to achieve higher wear resistance. Tensile and fatigue forces are acting at the interface between substrate and deposit due to different thermal expansion coefficients of those two materials, which can cause cracking of deposit and fracture during operation. Thus, it is very important to consider appropriate hardfacing method which can provide higher tensile and fatigue strength to avoid cracking/debonding at the interface. To find a solution to this problem, two hardfacing techniques, namely Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) and Laser cladding (LC), are taken into consideration. Hardfaced specimens are prepared using each process on which tensile and high cycle fatigue tests are conducted. From the experimental testing, stress-strain and S-N curves are generated to predict the tensile and fatigue behaviour of specimens. Fractographic studies are conducted at fractured surfaces to understand the fatigue crack nucleation and propagation characteristics. The experimental results for both processes are compared. Tensile and fatigue strength of LC specimens are ∼11 % and ∼17 % less than those of GTA specimens due to its higher brittleness. Thus, GTA process is recommended as the efficient hardfacing process for grid plate of SFR.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of welds of AZ31B magnesium alloy produced by different gas tungsten arc welding variants

This work aimed to (i) understand conventional and pulse gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of AZ31B, and (ii) explore high frequency welding (100 Hz–1500 Hz). GTA welding with alternating current (AC) and direct current electrode positive (DCEP) polarities yielded crack-free partial penetration welds for 6 mm thick AZ31B alloy sheet. Welding under direct current electrode negative (DCEN) polarity with identical parameters as that for AC and DCEP resulted in full penetration welds that had microcracks. Defect-free full-penetration welds could be accomplished with pulse GTA welding using DCEN polarity at a pulse frequency of 1 Hz with a pulse duration ratio of 1:1. The resultant DCEN P 1:1 weld metal had a microstructure finer than the conventional DCEN weld. Welds produced with pulse duration ratios of 1:2 and 1:4 lacked penetration but had a much finer microstructures because of the lower heat input. The arc constriction by the high frequency pulsing in the ActivArc®-High frequency (AA-HF) mode welding was responsible for deeper penetration. Welds produced under DCEN pulsing and AA-HF conditions had hardness higher than conventional DCEN, DCEP and AC GTA welds, attributed to the finer microstructure. AA-HF GTA welding produced defect free deeper penetration welds with good microstructural features/mechanical properties and also gave an advantage of 50% enhanced productivity when welded at 1500 Hz.

Influence of filler metal and arc pulsation on P91 steel weldments developed by activated TIG welding and its effect on stress corrosion cracking

This study examines the influence of arc pulsation and ErNiCrMo-3 filler metal on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in P91 steel weld joints using activated tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) welding. The constant current joint without filler showed the lowest resistance to SCC, while the pulsed current joint with filler exhibited the highest SCC resistance. Arc pulsation reduced chromium carbide precipitates, enhancing microstructural refinement and crack growth thereby increasing tensile strength and SCC resistance. Filler introduced minor austenitic phases inside martensitic microstructure with reduced hydrogen content contributed to increased SCC resistance. The joint fractography among all welds revealed a complete transgranular fracture.

Research status of insufficient sidewalls penetration in narrow gap TIG welding of thick metal plates

Research status of insufficient sidewalls penetration in narrow gap TIG welding of thick metal plates