Welding of Ti-6Al-4V alloy using dynamically controlled plasma arc welding process

A novel dynamically controlled plasma arc welding process was introduced,which is able tominimize heat input into the workpiece materials while maintaining desired full penetration,and it was used to weld Ti-6Al-4V alloy sheets.The microstructures,facture surfaces and microhardness of the welded joints were characterized by using optical microscope,scanning electron microscope （SEM） and Vickers microhardness tester.Comparing with welds such as gas tungsten arc and conventional plasma arc processes,the experimental results revealed the improvements when using the present process including：1） reducing prior-beta （β） grain size and prohibiting formation of hard martensite phases in the fusion zone due to the decreased heat input;and 2） better toughness and higher hardness.

Relationship between sound signal and weld pool status in plasma arc welding

The sound features of the weld pool status in plasma arc welding were systematically investigated after the sound signal was collected with a microphone. The results show that it is difficult to extract information about the weld pool status directly in time domain although the sound signal varies with the weld pool behaviors to some extent. The frequency spectra of the sound signal contain plenty of information about the weld pool behaviors. It is shown from the analysis of the sound generation mechanism that the sound signal of plasma arc welding is mainly caused by the weld pool oscillation, the power source fluctuation and so on. R S algorithm is designed to determine the weld pool status, and it is able to offer the feedback information for the closed loop control of the penetration quality of plasma arc welding. [

Preparation of Ni60-WC Coating by Plasma Spraying, Plasma Re-melting and Plasma Spray Welding on Surface of Hot Forging Die

In order to produce the hear-resistant inner layer of hot-forging die, the plasma spraying and plasma re-melting and plasma spray welding were adopted. Substrate material was W6Mo5Cr4V2, including 10%, 20%, 30% tungsten carbide （WC） ceramic powder used as coating material to obtain different Nickel-based WC alloys coating. Micro-structure and micro-hardness analysis of the coating layer are conducted, as well as thermophysical properties for the coating layer were measured. The experimental results show that the coating prepared with 70%Ni60, 30%WC powder has the best properties with plasma spray welding, in which the micro-hardness can achieve 900HV, meanwhile it can improve the thermal property of hot-forging die dramatically.

Study of Dynamic Features of Surface Plasma in High-Power Disk Laser Welding

High-speed photography was used to obtain the dynamic changes in the surface plasma during a high-power disk laser welding process. A color space clustering algorithm to extract the edge information of the surface plasma region was developed in order to improve the accuracy of image processing. With a comparative analysis of the plasma features, i.e., area and height, and the characteristics of the welded seam, the relationship between the surface plasma and the stability of the laser welding process was characterized, which provides a basic understanding for the real-time monitoring of laser welding.

Investigation on the deposition rate and the dilution ratio of plasma surface welding

A new kind of plasma technology with both high deposition rate and low dilution ratio was developed under the calculation and analysis of the arc flame characteristics of plasma arc,the kinematics behavior of powder and powder's heating in the arc. Compared with normal plasma surfacing method, the idea using constricting nozzle with small orifice diameter, long plasma arc and increasing the distance from meeting point of the two beams of powder to workpiece, to achieve the goals of high deposition rate and low dilution ratio, was put forward here. In order to prove this idea, a set of experimental system was built up and obtained satisfied results including high deposition rate(more than 25 kg/h )and low dilution ratio(less than 5%). The success of this study offers a promising prospect for developing the powder plasma surface welding in China and may open a way to improve this technology further in efficiency and quality.

Research of precise pulse plasma arc powder welding technology of thin-walled inner hole parts

The inner hole parts played an oriented or supporting role in engineering machinery and equipment,which are prone to appear surface damages such as wear,strain and corrosion. The precise pulse plasma arc powder welding method is used for surface damage repairing of inner hole parts in this paper. The working principle and process of the technology are illustrated,and the microstructure and property of repairing layer by precise pulse plasma powder welding and CO2 gas shielded welding are tested and observed by microscope,micro hardness tester and X-ray residual stress tester etc. Results showed that the substrate deformation of thin-walled inner hole parts samples by precise pulse plasma powder welding is relatively small. The repair layer and substrate is metallurgical bonding,the transition zones( including fusion zone and heat affected zone) are relatively narrow and the welding quality is good. It showed that the thin-walled inner hole parts can be repaired by this technology and equipment.

Ni60-SiC Coating Prepared by Plasma Spraying, Plasma Re-melting and Plasma Spray Welding on Surface of Hot Forging Die

In order to produce the hear-resistant inner layer of hot-forging die, plasma spraying and plasma re-melting and plasma spray welding were adopted. Substrate material was W6Mo5Cr4V2, including 10%, 20%, 30% SiC ceramic powder used as coating material to obtain different Ni-based SiC alloys coating. Micro-structure and micro-hardness analysis of the coating layer were followed, as well as thermophysical properties for the coating layer were measured. The experimental results show that the coating prepared with 70% Ni60, 30% SiC powder has best properties with plasma spray welding, in which the micro-hardness can achieve 1100 HV, meanwhile can improve the thermal property of hot-forging die dramatically.

Finite element analysis of keyhole plasma arc welding based on an adaptive heat source mode

An adaptive heat source mode is proposed to account for the keyhole effect and the characteristics of volumetric distribution along the direction of the workpiece thickness. Finite element analysis of the temperature field in keyhole plasma arc welding is conducted and the weld geometry is obtained. The predicted results are in agreement with the measured ones.

CO_2 laser-micro plasma arc hybrid welding for galvanized steel sheets

A laser lap welding process for zinc-coated steel has a well-known unsolved problem-porosity formation. The boiling temperature of coated zinc is lower than the melting temperature of the base metal, which is steel. In the autogenous laser welding, the zinc vapor generates from the lapped surfaces expels the molten pool and the expulsion causes numerous weld defects, such as spatters and blow holes on the weld surface and porosity inside the welds. The laser-arc hybrid welding was suggested as an alternative method for the laser lap welding because the arc can preheat or post-beat the weldment according to the arrangement of the laser beam and the arc. CO2 laser-micro plasma hybrid welding was applied to the lap welding of zinc-coated steel with zero-gap. The relationships among the weld quality and process parameters of the laser-arc arrangement, and the laser-arc interspacing distance and arc current were investigated using a full-factorial experimental design. The effect of laser-arc arrangement is dominant because the leading plasma arc partially melts the upper steel sheets and vaporizes or oxidizes the coated zinc on the lapped surfaces. Compared with the result from the laser-TIG hybrid welding, the heat input from arc can be reduced by 40%.

Behavior of vapor/plasma within the keyhole and above the workpiece during CO_2 laser penetration welding

In this paper, a high-speed camera and an optical emission monitor were used to study the behavior of vapor/ plasma during CO2 laser welding of SUS304 stainless steel. Results of optical emission from vapor/plasma show that two characteristic frequency bands exist, 100 -500 Hz and 1 500 -3 500 Hz. At the same time, the changing images of vapor/ plasma and bottom pool also confirm that there are two different fluctuation frequency bands. One of the frequency bands represents the characteristic of vapor/plasma within the keyhole, and it is within 167 -500 Hz. Another frequency band is within 1 500 - 3 500 Hz, and it obviously derives from the shielding gas. Some factors may cause these frequency differences between the keyhole plasma and the shielding gas plasma. One of them is that the vapor/plasma pressure within the keyhole will increase slowly.

Modeling the keyhole shape and dimension in plasma arc welding

It is of great significance to model the keyhole shape and dimensions to optimize the plasma arc welding process parameters. In this study, through employing a combined volumetric heat source mode, the weld pool in keyhole plasma arc welding is determined firstly, and then the dynamic force-balance condition on the interface between the plasma jet and the molten metal is dealt with in describing the keyhole formation inside the weld pool. The effects of welding current on the shape and size of keyhole are numerically analyzed. The sharp transformation from a partial keyhole to a full-penetration keyhole is quantitatively demonstrated.

Droplet transition for plasma-MIG welding on aluminium alloys

The synchronous acquisition system of droplet image inspection and arc electric signals were established and the droplet transition characteristics of aluminum alloys were researched in the plasma-MIG welding process.Typical droplet transition modes include globular transfer mode,short circuiting transfer mode,metastable spray transfer mode and projected transfer mode.The result indicates that MIG droplet transfer frequency and droplet transfer modes are changed by introducing the plasma arc in the plasma-MIG welding process compared with the MIG welding on the aluminum alloys,which broadens the range of welding parameters when the stable welding process proceeds.The metastable spray transfer and projected transfer mode are proved to be the most optimal modes by comparing the stability of electronic signal,droplet transition,weld appearance and weld penetration.

Determination of arc pressure pool surface in and current density on the molten plasma arc welding

A unified numerical model is developed to couple the plasma arc, weld pool and keyhole in a self consistent way. The plasma arc/anode interface and the melt/solid interface are treated specially, the VOF method is used to trace the moving keyhole wall, and the fluid flow and heat transfer in both the plasma arc and weld pool are numerically simulated. The distributions of current density and arc pressure on the weld pool surface during the keyhole formation process are analyzed using the coupled model. The predicted arc pressure and current density are compared with the experimentally measured results, and both are in good agreement.

Experimental determination of the weld penetration evolution in keyhole plasma arc welding

Keyhole plasma arc welding experiments are conducted to measure the weld geometry and penetration at different moments during the initial phase from igniting arc to quasi-steady state. Indirect information on keyhole formation and evolution in plasma arc welding can be extracted based on the weld macrophotograph at cross section. It has laid foundation to verify the mathematical models of keyhole plasma arc welding.

A computer-based control system for keyhole plasma arc welding

A new kind of control system for keyhole plasma arc welding （K-PAW） was developed based on the computer and the Graphics Language--LabVIEW. It can set and output the required current waveforms with desired decreasing slopes so that the corresponding ＂opening and closing＂ of keyhole can occur periodically. With this control strategy of welding current waveforms, the workpiece is fully penetrated while no burn-through Occurs. Keyhole plasma arc welding experiments were conducted to verify the stability and reliability of the developed system.

Analysis of keyhole geometry in plasma arc welding

The key problem for numerical simulation of plasma arc welding （PAW） process is to develop a suitable and adaptive volumetric heat source mode which reflects the physical characteristics of keyhole PAW. To this end, the keyhole geometry under different PAW process conditions must be predicted. In this paper, a mathematical model for determining the keyhole shape is developed with considering the mass and momentum conservation of the in-keyhole plasma jet as well as the pressure equilibrium at the plasma jet/liquid metal boundary. A suitable heat source model related to the keyhole shape is applied to the calculation of PAW weld dimensions. The predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental ones.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLASMA OPTIC SIGNAL AND PENETRATION DEPTH FOR PARTIAL-PENETRATION LASER WELDING

Through sampling and analyzing of plasma optic signals of 400-600 nm emitted from partial-penetration laser welding processes, how the penetration depth is related to the welding parameter and the plasma optic signal is studied, Under the experimental conditions, the plasma optic signal has good response to variety of the weld penetration, and the signal＇s RMS value increases with the penetration in a quadratic curve mode. The inherent relation between the plasma optic signal and the penetration depth is also analyzed. It is also found that, between the two common parameters of laser power and welding speed, laser power has more influence on penetration while welding speed has more influence on weld width. The research results provide theoretic and practical bases for penetration real-time monitoring or predicting in partial-penetration laser welding,

Analysis of the electrical conductivity of plasma during underwater wet welding

The electrical conductivity is indispensable for the underwater wet welding arc simulation. In order to get this parameter, the composition of the underwater arc is analyzed, and the electron content is obtained. Then the current formation mechanism in the arc and the effective collision cross-sectional area between the electron and ions is discussed. The calculation methods and results analysis are presented in this paper.

Formative mechanism of the undercut defect in horizontal variable polarity plasma arc welding

Abstract Horizontal welding is important for heavy or huge welding structures. Keyhole mode variable polarity plasma arc welding of aluminum alloy plates with medium thickness was carried out in horizontal position. The characteristic of welding defects was introduced. Preliminary experiments indicated that the undercut defect could not be eliminated easily. The relationship between welding parameters and the undercut defect showed that this deject could be lessened by using higher heat input. The fluid flow of weld pool was observed by a high speed camera. The fluid flow in weld pool was not symmetric and much of molten metal gathered in the lower part. The fluid flow velocity in the lower part was bigger than that in the upper part. To this end, the formative mechanism of the undercut defect was proposed. The flowability of the molten metal was an influential factor for the undercut defect. A preheating method was designed to verify the formative mechanism.

Analysis of the 3-D fluid velocity and temperature profile in keyhole plasma arc welding

Modeling and simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer in keyhole plasma arc welding is of great significance for optimizing the process parameters. In this study, a three-dimensional transient model is established to analyze numerically the heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena in keyhole plasma arc welding. VOF （volume of fluid） method is used to track the boundary of the keyhole. The dynamic developments of keyhole geometry, the fluid velocity field and temperature profiles are numerically simulated. And the changing Of the fluid velocity and pressure distribution on the keyhole wall in the forming process of the keyhole are analyzed.