Numerical Simulation of Current Density Distribution in Keyhole Double-Sided Arc Welding

In the double-sided arc welding system (DSAW) composing of PAW+TIG arcs, the PAW arc is guided by the TIG arc so that the current mostly flows through the direction of the workpiece thickness and the penetration is greatly improved. To analyze the current density distribution in DSAW is beneficial to understanding of this process. Considering all kinds of dynamic factors acting on the weldpool, this paper discusses firstly the surface deformation of the weldpool and the keyhole formation in PAW+TIG DSAW process on the basis of the magnetohydrodynamic theory and variation principles. Hence, a model of the current density distribution is developed. Through numerical simulation, the current density distribution in PAW+TIG DSAW process is quantitatively analyzed. It shows that the minimal radius of keyhole formed in PAW+TIG DSAW process is 0.5 mm and 89.5 percent of current flows through the keyhole.

Keyhole Double-Sided Arc Welding Process

In the proposed method, the current/arc is guided through the keyhole so that the energy of the plasma jet is compensated while it is consumed in heating the workpiece along the keyhole. As a result, deep narrow penetration has been achieved on 12.7 mm (1/2') thick stainless steel plates using 70 A welding current.

Effect of arc distance on temperature field and weld shape during double-sided arc welding

A new high efficiency welding method, double-sided double arc welding with double powers （DSAW-D）, is developed for thick plate of low alloy high strength steel in this study. It is well known that the thermal cycles have an important influence on the microstructure, shape, stress, distortion and mechanical property. The DSA W-D method can control the temperature field on a wide range by regulating the distance between two arcs, improve the microstructure and prevent hot and cold cracking of high strength steel. But at present, the effect of arc distance on the temperature field and shape is not clear. Therefore, the paper researches the effect of arc distance on the temperature field and weld pool during DSAW-D using finite element method. The transient temperature field of different arc distance in DSAW-D is calculated. To verify the numerical results, the temperature is measured by the thermo-couple and the calculated results agree approximately with experimental data. Farther, the thermal property and mutual effect of double-sided arcs are investigated. The temperature distributions and weld pool profile at different arc distances are obtained. The results show that arc distance is a very important factor to affect the heat process.

Microstructure of stainless steel weld in double-sided arc welding

Double-sided arc welding with a single power source can effectively increase the weld penetration, diminish distortion, improve welding speed and save energy. Compared to conventional arc welding processes, double-sided arc welding can generate a penetrating electromaguetic field to help to form fine dendritic microstrueture in the weld due to the symmetry of heating. Type 1Cr1SNi9Ti aastenitic stainless steel was bead-on-plate welded with double-sided arc welding and conventional plasma arc welding processes, respectively, and microstructure in the weld, heat-affected zone and base metal were examined. After analyzing the black carbon-enriched band in the weld during plasma arc welding with electron probe microanalyzer （ EPMA ） and X-ray diffraction （XRD） technology, it was found that the black band was shaped from the aggregation of ferrite in the fasion boundary. Hardness measurement showed that this black band does not apparently affect the microhardncss distribution in the weld.

Microstructures and hardness of flat-overhead weld of the high strength steel thick plate using double-sided arc welding

High strength steel thick plate is widely used in shipbuilding, pressure vessels, etc. , the balance between weld quality and welding efficiency is becoming a research focus. In this paper, double-sided double arc fiat-overhead welding experiments for high strength steel thick plate were conducted. Microstructures of weld have been observed through optical microscope （OM） and scanning electron microscope （SEM）. Transformation of microstructures under thermal cycles of multi peaks was analyzed. Macro and micro hardness were also tested. The results show that the heat-affected zone （HAZ） near the fusion line experiences thermal cycles up to three times. The microstructures there are the most complex, including coarse lath martensite in original coarse-grained zone, and net-like structure along grain boundaries in critical reheat coarse-grained zone. After several times of tempering for bucking welding, the features of acicula and lath are weakened. Its microstructure approaches to the microstructure of base metal which is tempering sorbite. The hardness test shows that the maximum hardness occurs at critical reheat coarse-grained zone, the hardness of reticulation structure at grain boundary can be up to 450 HV.

Numerical Simulation of Electromagnetic Force in Double-Sided Arc Welding Process

Up till now, most of the researchers believe that there are four kinds of forces in the weld pool convection, they aresurface tension, electromagnetic force, buoyancy and gas shear stress. So electromagnetic force is very important,especially when large current is applied. In most of previous models, the electromagnetic force is calculated analytically,in which only the axial component of current is considered. Actually the radial component of current has thesame effect, and may be advanced in some locations. In double-sided arc welding process, instead of the earthclamp, another torch is placed on the opposite side; the current will go from one torch, through the weld zone,to another torch. In this case, the current is more concentrated in the weld zone; the electromagnetic force willhave significant effect compared with conventional welding process. In this paper, a new method of numericalcalculation for electromagnetic force is developed, in which both axial and radial components are considered. And asan example, the distribution of electromagnetic force in double-sided arc welding is calculated. It demonstrates thatthis new method could give more accurate simulation of electromagnetic force, and is close to the actual process.

Double-sided gas tungsten arc welding process on TC4 titanium alloy

TC4 titanium alloy was welded by double-sided gas tungsten arc welding(GTAW) process in comparison with conventional GTAW process, the microstructure and mechanical performance of weld were also studied. The results indicate that double-sided GTAW is superior over regular single-sided GTAW on the aspects of increasing penetration, reducing welding deformation and improving welding efficiency. Good weld joint was obtained, which can reach 96.14% tensile strength and 70.85% elongation percentage of the base metal. The grains in heat-affected zone(HAZ) are thin and equiaxed and the degree of grain coarsening increases as one moves to the weld center line, and the interior of grains are α and α′ structures. The coarse columned and equiaxed grains, which interlace martensitic structures α′ and acicular α structures, are observed in weld zone. The fracture mode is ductile fracture.

Spectral characteristics of arc plasma during laser-arc double-sided welding for aluminum alloy

In laser-arc double-sided welding, the spectral characteristics of the arc plasma are calculated and analyzed by spectroscopic diagnosis. The results show that, compared with conventional tungsten inert gas （TIG） welding, the introduction of a laser cilanges the physical characteristics of the arc plasma regardless of whether laser plasma penetration takes place, and that the influence of the laser mainly affects the near-anode region of the arc. When tile laser power is relatively low, the arc column tends to compress, and the arc spectral cilaracter- istics show no significant difference. When the arc root constricts, compared with pure TIG arc, the electron density increases by ~2.7 times and the electron temperature decreases by ~3000 K. When the arc column expands, the intensities of spectral lines of both the metal and Ar atoms are the strongest. But it is also observed that the electron density reduces, whereas there is no obvious decrease of electron temperature.

Formation, microstructure and mechanical properties of double-sided laser beam welded Ti-6Al-4V T-joint

The T-joints of Ti?6Al?4V alloy were manufactured by double-sided synchronized laser beam welding with the homologous filler wire. The formation, microstructure and mechanical properties of welded joints as well as the correlations of each other were investigated. The results indicate that the quality of weld seams is good without defects such as discontinuity, beading, visible cracks or porosity, which is linked to the steady molten pool behavior and droplet transition. The morphologies of the heat affected zone (HAZ) located on the skin and stringer are disparate. The microstructure of the HAZ and fusion zone (FZ) is mainly comprised of acicular martensiticα′ phases. The microhardness of the HAZ and FZ is higher than that of the base metal (BM) and reaches a maximum value at the HAZ near FZ on the stringer. The tensile specimens along the skin and stringer fractured at the BM with ductile fracture surfaces.

Microstructure and toughness of thick-gauge pipeline steel joint via double-sided friction stir welding combined with preheating

Fusion welding easily causes microstructural coarsening in the heat-affected zone(HAZ) of a thick-gauge pipeline steel joint. This is most significant in the inter-critically coarse-grained HAZ(ICCGHAZ), which considerably deteriorates the toughness of the joint. In the present work, 11-mm thick pipeline steel was joined by preheating and double-sided friction stir welding(FSW). A comparative study on the microstructure and toughness in the ICCGHAZs for FSW and gas metal arc welding(GMAW) was performed. The toughness in the ICCGHAZ for FSW was improved significantly than that in the ICCGHAZ for GMAW. Generally, the nugget zone(NZ) has a coarse microstructure in the FSW steel joint formed at the highest peak temperature. However, in the current study, the microstructure in the one-pass NZ was remarkably refined owing to the static recrystallization of ferrite. An excellent toughness was achieved in the NZ of the pipeline steel joint that employed FSW.

A review of linear friction welding of Ni -based superalloys

Ni-based superalloys are one of the most important materials employed in high-temperature applications within the aerospace and nuclear energy industries and in gas turbines due to their excellent corrosion,radiation,fatigue resistance,and high-temperature strength.Linear friction welding(LFW)is a new joining technology with near-net-forming characteristics that can be used for the manu-facture and repair of a wide range of aerospace components.This paper reviews published works on LFW of Ni-based superalloys with the aim of understanding the characteristics of frictional heat generation and extrusion deformation,microstructures,mechanical proper-ties,flash morphology,residual stresses,creep,and fatigue of Ni-based superalloy weldments produced with LFW to enable future optim-um utilization of the LFW process.

Recent research progress in the mechanism and suppression of fusion welding-induced liquation cracking of nickel based superalloys

Nickel-based superalloys are extensively used in the crucial hot-section components of industrial gas turbines,aeronautics,and astronautics because of their excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance at high temperatures.Fusion welding serves as an effective means for joining and repairing these alloys;however,fusion welding-induced liquation cracking has been a challenging issue.This paper comprehensively reviewed recent liquation cracking,discussing the formation mechanisms,cracking criteria,and remedies.In recent investigations,regulating material composition,changing the preweld heat treatment of the base metal,optimizing the welding process parameters,and applying auxiliary control methods are effective strategies for mitigating cracks.To promote the application of nickel-based superalloys,further research on the combination impact of multiple elements on cracking prevention and specific quantitative criteria for liquation cracking is necessary.

Study on heat efficiency of laser-TIG double-side welding

A series of laser-TIG double-side welding experiments for aluminum alloys were carried out to investigate the heat efficiency of the process. The melting efficiency was introduced to evaluate quantitatively the degree of the mutual effect of the laser and the arc. The results showed that the melting efficiency of laser-TIG double-side welding exceeded the sum of the laser and the arc taken separately. With the increase of heat input, the weld depth and melting efficiency of the laser and the arc were increased signifwantly. This, in fact, implies the strong mutual effect of the laser and the arc as heat sources joined simultaneously in the process. Comparatively, the higher efficiency of the laser constituent of heat sources plays the main role in the increase of the process efficiency. The phenomena of arc column convergence, increased laser absorptivity and the formation of heat accumulation region are the causes of the improvement of heat efficiency.

Effect of pin penetration depth on double-sided friction stir welded joints of AA6061-T913 alloy

Friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminum alloys is currently utilized in several modern industries. The joints must have sufficient elastic?plastic response and formability levels similar to that of the base metal. In this work, double-sided FSW of AA6061 sheet was compared with its conventional single-sided one. An adjustable tool with different pin lengths (50%?95% of the sheet thickness) was used to perform the double-sided welds. Macro- and micro-structures, strength, and hardness of the joints were investigated to determine the optimum pin penetration depth. The best results were obtained for a double-sided joint made by a pin length equal to 65% of the sheet thickness, which showed an increase of 41% in the ultimate tensile strength compared with the single-sided joint.

Effect of Ca addition on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of asymmetric double-sided friction stir welded AZ61 magnesium alloy

The effects of 2%Ca addition on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the asymmetric double-sided friction stir welded magnesium alloy AZ61 were investigated.Compared to the Ca-free AZ61magnesium alloy,the addition of 2%Ca significantly refines the grains in the stir zone after welding.Due to the existence of thermally stable Al2Ca particles,there is no noticeable change in the grain size in the stir zone regardless of the welding heat input.The electron backscattered diffraction analysis at the center of the stir zone confirmed the significant deterioration of the(0001)texture strength from the addition of 2%Ca.The tensile test of the joint suggested that the addition of 2%Ca provides stable tensile properties to the joint regardless of the welding parameters.The critical(0001)texture strength that determines the ultimate tensile strength decreased from 20 to 15 by the Ca addition.The addition of Ca enhanced the deterioration of the plastic elongation when the(0001)texture strength increased.

Design of Fully Automatic Specification Selection System for Resistance Welding Equipment

A system for fully automatic selection of welding specifications in resistance welding equipment has been developed to address the problem of workers frequently choosing the wrong specifications during manual welding of multiple parts on a single machine in automobile factories. The system incorporates an automatic recognition system for different workpiece materials using the added machine fixture,visual detection system for nuts and bolts,and secondary graphical confirmation to ensure the correctness of specification calling. This system achieves reliable,fully automatic selection of welding specifications in resistance welding equipment and has shown significant effects in improving welding quality for massproduced workpieces,while solving the problem of specification calling errors that can occur with traditional methods involving process charts and code adjustments. This system is particularly suitable for promoting applications in manual welding of multiple parts on a single machine in automobile factories,ensuring correct specification calling and welding quality.

Theoretical analysis of the elastic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in explosive weldings

By considering the joint effects of the Kelvin-Helmholtz(KH) and Rayleigh-Taylor(RT) instabilities, this paper presents an interpretation of the wavy patterns that occur in explosive welding. It is assumed that the elasticity of the material at the interface effectively determines the wavelength, because explosive welding is basically a solid-state welding process. To this end, an analytical model of elastic hydrodynamic instabilities is proposed, and the most unstable mode is selected in the solid phase. Similar approaches have been widely used to study the interfacial behavior of solid metals in high-energy-density physics. By comparing the experimental and theoretical results, it is concluded that thermal softening,which significantly reduces the shear modulus, is necessary and sufficient for successful welding. The thermal softening is verified by theoretical analysis of the increase in temperature due to the impacting and sliding of the flyer and base plates, and some experimental observations are qualitatively validated.In summary, the combined effect of the KH and RT instabilities in solids determines the wavy morphology, and our theoretical results are in good qualitative agreement with experimental and numerical observations.

Effect of process parameters on the morphology of aluminum/copper alloy lap joints by red and blue hybrid laser welding

In order to overcome the problems of many pores,large deformation and unstable weld quality of traditional laser welded aluminumcopper alloy joints,a red-blue dual-beam laser source and a swinging laser were introduced for welding.T2 copper and 6063 aluminum thin plates were lap welded by coaxial dual-beam laser welding.The morphology of weld cross section was compared to explore the influence of process parameters on the formation of lap joints.The microstructure characteristics of the weld zone were observed and compared by optical microscope.The results show that the addition of laser beam swing can eliminate the internal pores of the weld.With the increase of the swing width,the weld depth decreases,and the weld width increases first and then decreases.The influence of welding speed on the weld cross section morphology is similar to that of swing width.With the increase of welding speed,the weld width increases first and then decreases,while the weld depth decreases all the time.This is because that the red laser is used as the main heat source to melt the base metals,with the increase of red laser power,the weld depth increases.As an auxiliary laser source,blue laser reduces the total energy consumption,consequently,the effective heat input increases and the spatter is restrained effectively.As a result,the increase of red laser power has an enhancement effect on the weld width and weld depth.When the swing width is 1.2 mm,the red laser power is 550 W,the blue laser power is 500 W,and the welding speed is 35 mm/s,the weld forming is the best.The lap joint of T2 copper and 6063 aluminum alloy thin plate can be connected stably with the hybrid of blue laser.The effect rules of laser beam swing on the weld formation were obtained,which improved the quality of the joints.

Microstructure and mechanical performance of AZ31/6061 lap joints welded by laser-TIG hybrid welding with Zn-Al alloy filler metal

A series of Zn-xAl(x=0-35 wt.%)alloy filler metals were designed to join AZ31 Mg alloy to 6061 Al alloy by laser-TIG hybrid welding.The effect of Al content on the wettability of filler metals,microstructure evolution and strength of joint was investigated.The results indicated that the strength of joints was improved with the increase of Al content in filler metals.When Zn-15Al filler was used,the ultimate fracture load reached the maximum of 1475.3 N/cm,which was increased by 28%than that with pure Zn filler.The reason is that the Al element acts as a"reaction depressant"in filler metal,which contributes to inhibiting the dissolution of Mg base metal and the Mg-Zn reaction.The addition of appropriate quantity of Al element promoted the precipitation of Al-rich solid solution instead of Zn solid solution.The MgZn_(2) IMCs have lower lattice mismatch with Al solid solution than Zn solid solution,thus the strength of joints is improved.However,the excessive addition of Al caused the formation of brittle Mg32(Al,Zn)49 ternary compounds,leading to the deterioration of joint performance.

MD Simulation of Diffusion Behaviors in Collision Welding Processes of Al-Cu, Al-Al, Cu-Cu

To investigate the effects of material combinations and velocity conditions on atomic diffusion behavior near collision interfaces,this study simulates the atomic diffusion behavior near collision interfaces in Cu-Al,Al-Al and Cu-Cu combinations fabricated through collision welding using molecular dynamic(MD)simulation.The atomic diffusion behaviors are compared between similar metal combinations(Al-Al,Cu-Cu)and dissimilar metal combinations(Al-Cu).By combining the simulation results and classical diffusion theory,the diffusion coefficients for similar and dissimilar metal material combinations under different velocity conditions are obtained.The effects of material combinations and collision velocity on diffusion behaviors are also discussed.The diffusion behaviors of dissimilar material combinations strongly depend on the transverse velocity,whereas those of the similar material combinations are more dependent on the longitudinal velocity.These findings can provide guidance for optimizing welding parameters.