Welding Temperature Research Articles

Experimental study on high-precision measurement of surface temperature in friction stir welding aluminium alloy 2219 based on infrared thermometry

In friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium alloy 2219, the welding temperature critically influences the weld quality. Accurate measurement of the welding temperature is essential for effective welding process control. However, the conventional approach of non-contact infrared thermometry faces significant challenges in FSW due to the inherently low and variable emissivity of aluminium alloys, making it susceptible to environmental radiation interference. This paper proposes a novel, high-precision method for measuring the surface temperature of FSW aluminium alloy 2219 based on infrared thermometry principles. Initially, the study delves into these principles, analysing factors that affect the accuracy of infrared thermometry in the context of FSW in industrial settings. To enhance the surface emissivity of the weldments, a high-emissivity coating is applied to the aluminium alloy surface. Additionally, strategic adjustments in the positioning of the thermal imager and careful selection of the measuring area effectively mitigate interference from the FSW tool’s radiation. Conventional methods report a temperature measurement error greater than 2%, while the proposed method reduces this error to 1.2%. The effectiveness and practical utility of the method are validated through FSW experiments on flat plates and rocket tank rings, corroborated by comparative analyses with surface thermocouple temperature measurements. This confirms the viability of the proposed method for high-precision temperature measurement in aluminium alloy FSW applications.

Workpiece temperature control in friction stir welding of Inconel 718 through integrated numerical analysis and process control

Friction stir welding (FSW) offers significant advantages over fusion welding, particularly for high-strength alloys like Inconel 718. However, achieving optimal surface quality in Inconel 718 FSW remains challenging due to its sensitivity to temperature fluctuations during welding. This study integrates finite element simulations, statistical analysis, and advanced control methodologies to enhance weld surface quality through adequate thermal management. High-fidelity simulations of the FSW process were conducted using a validated 3D transient COMSOL Multiphysics model, producing a comprehensive dataset correlating process parameters (rotational speed, axial force, and welding speed) with workpiece temperature. This dataset facilitated statistical analysis and parameter optimization through Analysis of variance (ANOVA) method, leading to a deeper understanding of process variables. A nonlinear state-space system model was subsequently developed using experimental data and the system identification toolbox in Matlab, incorporating domain-specific insights. This model was rigorously validated with an independent dataset to ensure predictive accuracy. Utilizing the validated model, tailored control strategies, including proportional-integral-derivative (PID) and model predictive control (MPC) in both single and multivariable configurations, were designed and evaluated. These control strategies excelled in maintaining welding temperatures within optimal ranges, demonstrating robustness in response times and disturbance handling. This precision in thermal management is poised to significantly refine the FSW process, enhancing both surface integrity and microstructural uniformity. The strategic implementation of these controls is anticipated to substantially improve the quality and consistency of welding outcomes.

FEM-driven machine learning approach for characterizing stress magnitude, peak temperature and weld zone deformation in ultrasonic welding of metallic multilayers: application to battery cells

Abstract This study investigates the innovative application of machine learning (ML) models to predict critical parameters—stress magnitude (SM), peak temperature (PT), and plastic strain (PS)—in ultrasonic welding of metallic multilayers. Extensive numerical simulations were employed to develop and evaluate three ML models: Radial Basis Function (RBF), Random Forest (RF), and Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR). According to the results, the KRR model demonstrated superior performance, achieving the lowest RMSE and highest R 2 values of 0.068 (R 2 = 0.941) for SM, 0.075 (R 2 = 0.929) for PT, and 0.071 (R 2 = 0.946) for PS, with fewer data samples required. KRR also exhibited low squared bias and variance values, ranging from 1 × 10 − 4 − 3.2 × 10 − 4 for bias and 2.2 × 10 − 4 − 3.6 × 10 − 4 for variance, indicating its precision in predicting the output targets. Moreover, the systematic categorization of input features, including material properties, geometrical factors, and welding parameters, highlighted their significant influence on predictive accuracy, particularly the crucial role of welding parameters at higher output values. Finally, a case study on ultrasonic welding of copper multilayers underscores the model’s effectiveness in unraveling complex relationships, providing a robust tool for optimizing and advancing ultrasonic welding processes.

Characterization of physical metallurgy of quenching and partitioning steel in pulsed resistance spot welding: A simulation-aided study

This study mainly focuses on the microstructure evolution of QP980 steel during resistance spot welding and its influence on the mechanical performance of resistance spot welds which is a critical influencing factor on the quality of body-in-white at the service condition. It is observed that the thermomechanically engineered microstructure of QP980 steel changes to form metastable phases such as martensite in the fusion zone and the heat affected zone due to rapid cooling induced by the thermal cycle of the welding. A finite element modeling of the welding process was used to predict the weldment heat distribution, thermal history and microstructure evolution in different welding zones. The modeled thermal history of the weldments shows that the peak temperature in the four-pulse resistance spot welding is delayed because of pulsed welding conditions and holding times between the welding pulses. This heat management approach in pulsed welding prevents void formation. The modeled thermal history and rapid heating, and cooling conditions are discussed here to predict the microstructure evolution and transformation in the fusion and reheated zones. The modeled results were helpful in the prediction of the microstructure at different weld zones. Then the strategic links between the microstructure and mechanical performance of the welded alloy are discussed thoroughly. The microhardness profile of the weld is discussed from a microstructural point of view to disclose the physical metallurgy of the welds. Softening phenomena were not observed in the sub-critical heat affected zone.

Numerical and experimental analysis of temperature and residual stress of GTA and LASER welding for grade 91 steel

Numerical and experimental analysis of temperature and residual stress of GTA and LASER welding for grade 91 steel

Simulation of Friction Stir Welding of AZ31 Mg Alloys.

Friction stir welding has been extensively applied for the high-quality bonding of Mg alloys. The welding temperature caused by friction and plastic deformation is essential for determining the joint characteristics, especially the residual stress and weld microstructure. In this work, a modified moving heat source model was proposed by considering the variations in heat generation caused by friction shear stress at both the side and bottom surfaces of the tool. The application of this model was further extended to the entire welding process, especially in the plunging stage. The relative errors between the experimental and simulated peak temperatures at characteristic points were small, with a maximum of 10%, thereby validating the model for accurate temperature prediction. Furthermore, the influence of welding and rotational speed on temperature fields was systematically investigated. At relatively low welding and rotational speeds, the welding temperature increased significantly with either an increase in rotational speed or a decrease in welding speed. However, this effect gradually diminished at higher welding and rotational speeds. These results provide some valuable guidelines for controlling heat generation to improve the quality of Mg alloy welds.

Study on the Process of Preparing Aluminum Foam Sandwich Panel Precursor by Friction Stir Welding

In recent years, high-performance lightweight and multifunctional aluminum foam sandwiches (AFSs) can be successfully applied to spacecraft, automobiles, and high-speed trains. Friction stir welding (FSW) has been proposed as a new method for the preparation of AFS precursors in order to improve the cost-effectiveness and productivity of the preparation of AFS. In this study, the AFS precursors were prepared using the FSW process. The distribution of foaming agents in the AFS precursors and the structure and morphology of AFS were observed using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The effects of the temperature and material flow on the distribution of the foaming agent during the FSW process were analyzed through experimental study and numerical simulation using ANSYS Fluent 19.0 software. The results show that the uniform distribution of the foaming agent in the matrix and excellent densification of AFS precursor can be prepared when the rotation speed is 1500 r/min, the travel speed is 25 mm/min, the tool plunge depth is 0.2 mm, and the tool moves along the retreating side (RS). In addition, the experimental and numerical simulations show that increasing the welding temperature improves the uniformity of foaming agent distribution and the area of AFS precursor prepared by single welding, shortening the thread length inhibits the foaming agent from reaching the upper sandwich plate and moving along the RS leads to a more uniform distribution of the foaming agent. Finally, the AFS with porosity of 74.55%, roundness of 0.97, and average pore diameter of 1.192 mm is prepared.

Experimental study under thermal shock environment to investigate effect of welding width on properties of ultrasonically welded joints of multiple copper cables

Based on the ultrasonic welding technology, this study uses three different welding widths to weld copper cables with different specifications. The influence of welding width on the mechanical properties and microstructure of each group of welded joints was systematically studied for the first time. The thermal shock test was carried out for each group of welded joints under optimum welding width to simulate the influence of severe temperature change environment on joint performance. It is found that the cross-sectional area of joint is 20 mm2 and optimal welding width of joint composed of two and three cables is 7 mm. The optimal welding temperature of the joint composed of four cables is 5 mm. Under the optimal welding width, the average shear strength of two-cable joint reaches 309.4 N. The four-cable joint is only 232.2 N. Moreover, the welding strength weakens significantly as the number of cables and the peak temperature decreases. The high temperature of bonding interface is the key factor to form a good weld. The peak temperature during welding is negatively correlated with the porosity of joint and positively correlated with peeling strength of joint. In addition, the morphology of ultrasonically welded joints has changed obviously after thermal shock test. With the participation of oxygen, the surface of welded joint is gray and bright brass, while the interior of joint is purple due to lack of oxygen. Moreover, the phenomenon of atomic diffusion and thermal expansion generates joints which were initially in a mechanically interlocked form and welding interface of the metallurgical bond under the action of high temperature. So the maximum joint peel strength is slightly improved.

Electrochemical behavior and microstructure of diffusion welding of zirconium alloy and super duplex stainless steel

In this study, the effect of welding temperature on interface microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrochemical behavior of diffusion welded joints (DWJs) of zirconium alloy (ZrA, Zr702 grade) and super duplex stainless steel (2205 duplex stainless steel grade) were investigated. Alloys were welded in a vacuum atmosphere at four different temperatures (800, 850, 900, and 925 °C) for 75min under 4MPa compressive pressure. The optical, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe micro-analyzer, and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to characterize the interfacial microstructure of the DWJs. Layers of intermetallics were formed along the welded interface at 850 °C and above welding temperatures. At 850 °C, a single reaction layer (phase mixture of ZrFe2+ZrCr2) was observed; however, bilayers (ZrFe2+ZrCr2 and Fe2Zr+FeZr3 phase mixtures), and triple layers (ZrFe2+ZrCr2, Fe2Zr+FeZr3, and β-Zr+FeZr3 phase mixtures) were observed at the welded interface of the joints processed at 900 and 925 °C, respectively. Width of the reaction layer (phase mixtures) increases with an increase in the welding temperature. The DWJs processed at 900 °C reach the maximum joint strength of ~312MPa along with ~6.4% ductility. For corrosion analysis, studies of the base alloys and DWJs in 0.1mol/L HCl and 0.1mol/L NaOH solutions separately using electrochemical techniques, such as open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization were undertaken.

Development of the interlayer alloy using for TLP diffusion bonding of GH3230 superalloy based on the CALPHAD method

The hot-end components of aero-engines and gas turbines not only require high-temperature alloys capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, but also demand welds with high-temperature-resistant properties. In this study, the CALPHAD method was employed, utilizing the thermodynamic theory of phase diagrams with Thermo-Calc software and the corresponding database, to design the interlayer composition for superalloy TLP diffusion connections. The optimization aimed to determine the interlayer material's solidus-liquidus and compound phase content, resulting in the selection of a new nickel-based interlayer material containing B as MPD, with Co and W as strengthening elements. Using GH3230 alloy as the research subject, TLP diffusion bonding experiments were conducted at a welding temperature of 1200 °C with a holding time of 4 h. The weld zone exhibited no defects, and the microstructure was identical to that of the GH3230 base metal, consisting entirely of a solid solution. High-temperature tensile tests revealed that fractures consistently occurred in the GH3230 base metal, indicating that the weld's strength significantly exceeded that of the base metal. The average tensile strength of GH3230 high-temperature alloy bar tensile simulated specimens is 899 MPa at room temperature and 213 MPa at high temperature. In addition, the 90° three-point bend test showed no cracking in the weld area, indicating adequate plasticity.

Lap joining of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy by vortex flow-based friction stir welding

The current study uses a novel vortex flow-based friction stir lap welding (VFSLW) process to weld 1.4 mm thick Ti6Al4V sheets, trying to replace the diffusion bonding in the superplastic forming/diffusion bonding process. The mechanical properties and joining mechanism of the VFSLW joint were investigated. Good weld formation was obtained at 300–350 rpm and 80 mm/min. No hook defect was formed in the lap interface. The lap joint fractured across the stir zone (SZ) in the top plate under the optimal parameters. The cracks initiated from the oxidation defect, where the oxides on the workpiece surface were involved in the SZ by the vortex during the welding. It suggests that a good argon shield is very important for the VFSLW of titanium alloy. The highest tensile strength reaches ~890 MPa, up to 95 % of the base material. The formation of an α + β lamellar structure in the SZ is due to the peak welding temperature exceeding the β-transus temperature. In the bonded zone (BZ), a very thin layer with ultrafine α grains was formed by dynamic recrystallization in the α phase field, although its two sides are α + β lamellar structures. This is because of the oxidation on the workpiece surface during the welding process and the O element is a strong α stabilizer.

Effect of process parameters on residual gas in metal package

The effect of process parameters on the residual gases, H2O, O2, CO2 and H2 in the metal package were investigated in this study. It was found that the H2O mainly came from the surface adsorption of raw materials and the H2 was from the electroplated Ni/Au layers of Kovar alloy. The O2 primarily came from the water vapor and the environment, while the CO2 in the cavity was mainly generated by the reaction between the O2 and residual carbon. The temperature and holding time of the baking, parallel seam welding and screening aging process could effectively affect the content of H2O, O2, H2 and CO2 in the cavity. Prior to sealing, increasing the temperature of baking and parallel seam welding could reduce the contents of H2O, O2 and H2. However, after sealing, the H2O and H2 absorbed on the material surfaces continued to desorb into the sealed cavity during the screening aging process, leading to the increase of the H2O and H2 content. It was also found that the gas leakage has an important effect on the residual gas inside the cavity. In the long-term screening aging process, the O2 could leak into the cavity from the air because of the concentration gradient. In the meantime, the O2 reacted with the residual carbon to generate CO2, causing an increase in the CO2 content. As the CO2 concentration in the cavity was higher than that in the air, it would leak into the air until equilibrium was reached.

Achieving superior mechanical and corrosion properties in medium-thickness Ti-6Al-4 V alloy joints by back heating assisted friction stir welding below β-phase transformation temperature

The equiaxed microstructure formed below the β-phase transition point of Ti alloys generally exhibits an excellent balance of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, this desirable microstructure is impossible to be obtained in fusion welded joints but is prospective to be achieved by the solid-state friction stir welding (FSW) technique. Unfortunately, it generally generates bottom defects and severe tool wear in medium-thickness Ti alloy joints when conventional FSW was conducted below the β-phase transition point. In this study, 6 mm thick Ti-6Al-4 V plates were joined by both the conventional FSW and back heating assisted FSW (BHAFSW). Defects caused by significant tool wear and bottom phase transition differences occurred in the conventional FSW. It was found that the hardness difference between the base material (BM) and the tool increased to 35.6 % from 500 °C to 900 °C. The back heating (150 °C) was used to control welding temperatures remaining the 900 °C, thus largely reducing the tool wear by increasing the hardness difference. In addition, the back temperature compensation increased the bottom temperature and controlled the phase transition position from the bottom to the middle of the joint. The shoulder pressure contributed to the compression of the defects, and the defects were eliminated by increasing the pressure at the phase transition position. A significantly refined equiaxed microstructure with an average grain size of ∼0.9 μm was achieved below the β-phase transition temperature in the stir zone via back heating assisted FSW, while a bimodal structure with an average grain size of 3.5 μm was formed near the β-phase transition temperature. Inconspicuous reduction of the strength was detected for the joints (98 % of the BM) which possess equiaxed microstructures, and the corrosion resistance of the joints was enhanced compared to the BM. This superior synergy of mechanical and corrosion properties exceeded the majority of Ti alloy joints previously reported. This study provided an effective method for obtaining medium-thickness Ti alloy joints with ultrafine equiaxial structures with superior mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.

A new contribution to the Newton-Leibnitz differentiation of polynomial approximations in thermal processes

This paper presents the determining of the critical cooling time and preheating temperature for welding. The primary equation which represents the cooling temperature is transcendent and, as such, it is not suitable for explicit solving. Hence, the author has investigated the appropriate interpolation polynomial which should align the polynomial level with the possibility of providing good accuracy of the approximation. Since the application and design of the welding included calculation of the derivatives of the polynomial, it is concluded that the accuracy of the derivative is not precise, nor does it follow the accuracy of the polynomial approximation. This research showed that the current theory for differentiation of the polynomial approximation does not provide precise results, although all the requirements of differentiability are provided. There are certain shortcomings in these actions, which imply that the currently known method of differentiation cannot be used. The new method of differentiating includes relatively small differentiating error regarding the exact value of the derivative, and the error for the polynomial approximation relating to the exact formula is not surpassed. The attempt to solve the design problem in thermal processes also makes a contribution in differentiation.

Online prediction of joint mechanical properties of FSW thick AA2219-T8 based on multi-source information fusion using 1DCNN

High strength AA2219-T8, Al-Cu alloy of 18 mm plate is welding by friction stir welding (FSW) technology and used for heavy-lift launch vehicles tank. During FSW thick AA2219-T8 plate, joint tensile strength and microhardness are affected by multiple interconnected variables including welding force, temperature, and geometric quantity of the butt face. The joint mechanical properties are difficult to predict and ensure. This paper proposed a hybrid predicting approach based on multi-source information fusion, called Down-Sampling and One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (DS-1DCNN). Initially, FSW experiments were conducted to collect the axial force, welding surface temperature at advancing and retreating side, gap, and mismatch signals, which were fused through DS technology. To extract temporal information and features from signals, a 1DCNN prediction model was established, with the fused multi-source signals as input and the tensile strength and Vickers hardness as output. Subsequently, the optimal model architecture and hyper-parameters of 1DCNN were determined through experiments and grid search combined with K-fold cross-validation, and an online prediction system was developed. Finally, effective validation experiments were conducted and the experimental results agreed with the DS-1DCNN prediction results with an acceptable error of approximately 5%. Parameter sensitivity analysis revealed that the number of convolutional layers and learning rate were identified as critical parameters affecting the model performance. Additionally, time analysis showed that the calculation time of the prediction system was less than 200 ms which can meet the time requirements of real-time thick-plate FSW application. The research lays a foundation on the real-time quality monitoring in the process of FSW thick-plate butt joint.

Exploring temperature and stress dynamics in AA 6082-T6 friction stir welding: a comprehensive experimental and finite element analysis

Exploring temperature and stress dynamics in AA 6082-T6 friction stir welding: a comprehensive experimental and finite element analysis

Manufacturing and testing of pliers to weld 3D printing filaments

Abstract The advent of affordable three-dimensional printers has unlocked new possibilities for small business owners and hobbyists to convert their digital designs into tangible objects. However, during the production process, a lot of material ends up as waste because of improper storage or unused plastic fibers. This paper discusses the existing market products that aim to tackle these issues. Additionally, we introduce a specially designed pair of welding tongs that make it effortless to join plastic fibers utilized in fused deposition modeling printers. The paper presents a prototype of the tongs and provides a summary of the optimal welding temperatures for different printing materials. Finally, the conclusion evaluates the strength of the fibers after the welding process based on the results obtained from a testing mechanism.

Exploring the impact of wire core diameter on microstructure and joint properties in ultrasonic wire harness welding

The present study investigates ultrasonic metal welding to manufacture 10 mm2 copper (Cu) wire joints with different core diameters. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the influence of wire core diameter on the performance of ultrasonic welded joints. Wire core diameter is positively correlated with the peeling resistance of the joint. Superior mechanical properties of the joint are achieved with an increased diameter of the wire core. The peeling strength of the welded joint of two wires with a wire core diameter of 0.25 mm reaches 306.8 N. Examining the welding temperature and assessing the joint's porosity reveals a significant impact of temperature on porosity. However, relying solely on porosity as a criterion for judging the overall forming quality of joints may be insufficient. Scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive X-ray elemental analysis revealed that certain wires underwent plastic deformation at elevated temperatures without attaining atomic bonding. Additionally, the welded joint exhibits a compact structure externally and a more relaxed structure internally. The upper side of the joint in contact with the briquette and the lower side in contact with the welding head exhibit minimal gaps, while numerous gaps are evident in the middle of the joint. Furthermore, upon examining the fracture morphology, two distinct failure modes are identified at the joint surface of the conductor. The first involves the fracture of the wire core with a completely separated joint surface, resulting in poor mechanical properties of the joint. The second mode entails the ductile fracture of the wire core at the joint surface, indicating good mechanical properties of the joint.

Influence of Welding Parameters on Weld Timings, Temperature Variation and Mechanical Strength of Friction Stir Welded AA6061 and AA6082 Alloy

Influence of Welding Parameters on Weld Timings, Temperature Variation and Mechanical Strength of Friction Stir Welded AA6061 and AA6082 Alloy

Effect of brazing process on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V/ZrO2 joints after laser surface treatment

Ti6Al4V alloy and ZrO2 ceramic have similar application fields and complementary properties. Brazing connections can broaden the application range. When using sealing glass with good air tightness, good electrical insulation, and low connection temperature to connect, the solder is difficult to wet on the metal surface. The traditional method is to oxidize the surface of the alloy at a high temperature, but the film is not uniform and the treatment time is long. In this study, nanosecond laser surface treatment was used as a prewelding pretreatment method to form a micro-nano structure on the surface and perform oxidation treatment. It is particularly important to select the brazing process. After the laser parameters and processing times were determined, the effects of different welding temperatures and holding times on the properties of the joints were compared, and it was found that there were regular changes. Finally, it is concluded that the maximum shear strength is 46 MPa when the welding temperature is 650 °C and the holding time is 30 min. Under this process, the performance of the joint significantly improved under the dual effects of mechanical bonding and metallurgical bonding. This study provides a new idea for the connection of metal and ceramic and has reference value for the selection of the brazing process.