Bulging Distortion of Austenitic Stainless Steel Sheet on the Partially Penetrated Side of Non-Penetration Lap Laser Welding Joint

Non-penetration laser welding of lap joints in austenitic stainless steel sheets is commonly preferred in fields where the surface quality is of utmost importance.However,the application of non-penetration welded austenitic stainless steel parts is limited owing to the micro bulging distortion that occurs on the back surface of the partial penetration side.In this paper,non-penetration lap laser welding experiments,were conducted on galvanized and SUS304 austenitic stainless steel plates using a fiber laser,to investigate the mechanism of bulging distortion.A comparative experiment of DC01 galvanized steel-Q235 carbon steel lap laser welding was carried out,and the deflection and distortion profile of partially penetrated side of the sheets were measured using a noncontact laser interferometer.In addition,the cold-rolled SUS304 was subjected to heat holding at different temperatures and water quenching after bending to characterize its microstructure under tensile and compressive stress.The results show that,during the heating stage of the thermal cycle of laser lap welding,the partial penetration side of the SUS304 steel sheet generates compressive stress,which extrudes the material in the heat-affected zone to the outside of the back of the SUS304 steel sheet,thereby forming a bulge.The findings of these experiments can be of great value for controlling the distortion of the partial penetrated side of austenitic stainless steel sheet during laser non-penetration lap welding.

Effect of Ni content on the weldability of middle-chromium hyperpure ferritic stainless steels 00Cr21Ti

Excellent weldability substantially contributes to the intrinsic quality of steels,while appropriate chemical composition plays a primary role in the essential weldability of steels.The poor weldability of ferritic stainless steels could be improved through modification with minor alloy elements while minimally increasing the cost.Therefore,studying the effect of minor alloy elements on the weldability of steels is of considerable importance.In this study,several steels of middle-chromium hyperpure ferritic stainless 00Cr21Ti with different Ni content(0.3%,0.5%,0.8%,and 1.0%)were developed,and their weldabilities of butt joint samples welded using the metal inert gas welding process,including the influence of welded joints on the microstructure,tensile performance,corrosion resistance,and fatigue property,were investigated.Results show that the steels with w(Ni)≥0.8%exhibit excellent mechanical properties compared with those with low-Ni content steels,further,their impact toughness at normal atmospheric temperature meets the industrial application standard and the fatigue property is similar to that of 304 austenitic stainless steel.Moreover,results show that the corrosion resistance of all the samples is almost at the same level.The results acquired in this study are supposed to be useful for the optimization of the chemical composition of stainless steels aiming to improve weldability.

Optimization of gas tungsten arc welding parameters for the dissimilar welding between AISI 304 and AISI 201 stainless steels

This present study applied gas tungsten arc welding in order to join AISI 304 and AISI 201 stainless steels.The objective was to find the optimum welding condition that gave a weld bead in accordance with DIN EN ISO 25817 quality level B, pitting corrosion potential of the weld metal of not less than that of the AISI304 base metal and a ratio of delta-ferrite in austenite matrix of the weld metal of not lower than 3%.Such a ratio is a criterion widely accepted to protect the weld metal from solidification cracking. At the welding current of 75 A and by using pure argon as a shielding gas 0 to 8 vol.% and applying a welding speed in the range of 2-3.5 mm·s^(-1) was found to give a complete weld bead with an increased depthper-width ratio(promote weldability). For welding speed in the range of 3 and 3.5 mm·s^(-1)(promote corrosion resistance). Increasing the welding speed in such a range decreased the amount of delta-ferrite in the austenite matrix, and increased the pitting corrosion potential of the weld metal to be 302 mV_(SCE).This value was still lower than the pitting corrosion potential of the AISI 304 base metal. Mixing nitrogen in argon shielding gas increased the nitrogen content in the weld. The optimum condition was found when using a welding speed of 3 mm· s^(-1) and mixing 1 vol.% of nitrogen in the argon shielding gas(promote weldability and corrosion resistance). Pitted areas after potentiodynamic test were observed in the austenite in which its Cr content was relatively low.

Welding of SA213-T91 and SA213-T23 heat-resistant steels applied in ultra supercritical thermal power units

The marteasite SA213-191 and bainite SA213-T23 high-temperature resistant steels were applied to the heating surface of the ultra supercritical thermal power unit boiler. The weld metal microstructures and welded joint performance between the two kinds of dissimilar steels were analyzed. The main reasons of the welding defects such as hot crack, cold crack, brittleness and decrease in toughness were discussed during the welding of the dissimilar heat-resistant steels of SA213- 191 and SA213-T23 in boiler manufacturing and processing operation. The welding materials were chosen and welding procedure was made according to the base metals.

A Review on Friction Stir Welding of Steels

Friction Stir Welding(FSW)is the most promising solid-state metals joining method introduced in this era.Compared to the conventional fusion welding methods,this FSW can produce joints with higher mechanical and metallurgi-cal properties.Formerly,FSW was adopted for low melting metals like aluminum alloys.In recent years it has made significant progress in friction stir welding of steels since unfavourable phase transformations occurred in welds due to the melting of the parent and filler metals in fusion welding can be eliminated.The main advantage of FSW over traditional fusion welding is the reduction in the heat-affected zone(HAZ),and the joints exhibit excellent mechanical and corrosion resistance properties.This article reviews the progress in the relevant issues such as the FSW tool mate-rials and tool profiles for joining steels,microstructure and mechanical properties of steels joints,special problems in joining dissimilar steels.Moreover,in-situ heating sources was used to overcome the main limitations in FSW of hard metals and their alloys,i.e.,tool damages and insufficient heat generation.Different in-situ heating sources like laser,induction heat,gas tungsten arc welding assisted FSW for various types of steels are introduced in this review.On the basis of the up-to-date status,some problems that need further investigation are put forward.

Influence of welding speed on microstructure formation in friction-stir-welded 304 austenitic stainless steels

The influence of welding speed on the joint microstructures of an austenitic stainless steel(ASS)produced by friction stir welding(FSW)was investigated.The FSW process was conducted using a rotational speed of 400 r/min and welding speeds of 50 and 150 mm/min.The study was carried out using electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD)technique in different regions of the resultant stir zones(SZs).The results show that the texture of the advancing side(AS)was mainly composed of C{001}〈110〉and cube{001}〈100〉texture components along with partial B/B{112}〈110〉component.Moving from the AS toward the center and the retreating side(RS),the cube texture component disappeared and the A;/A*{111}(112)component developed and predominated the other components.Higher welding speed greatly affected and decreased the intensity of the textures in the resultant SZs.Moreover,higher welding speed(lower heat input)resulted in lower frequency of cube texture in the AS.

Dynamic simulation of resistance spot welding of zinc-coated steels

A model was developed to simulate the temperature distribution and nugget formation during resistance spot welding （ RS1V） of zinc-coated steels. It employs a coupled thermal-electrical-mechanical analysis simulating the dynamic RSW process. Temperature-dependent thermal-electrical-mechanical material properties were considered including contact-resistance. The contact area was determined from a coupled thermal-mechanical analysis. A layer of transition elements was used to represent the change of contact area by killing or activating elements. The heat generation and temperature field were computed in a coupled thermal-electrical model. All these analyses were solved using the commercial finite element method （FEM） based on ANSYS code, and some advanced functions were used by writing a paragraph of codes by the authors. Compared with the results from only coupled thermal-electrical model in which contact area was uniform during the whole process, the result matches better to the experimental results.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TEMPERATURE FIELD ON FLASH BUTT WELDING FOR HIGH MANGANESE STEELS

An axial symmetry finite element model coupled with electricity-thermal effect was developed to study the temperature field distribution in process of the flash butt welding （FBW） of frog highmanganese steel. The influence of temperature dependent material properties and the contact resistance were taken into account in FEM ＇simulation. Meanwhile, the lost materials due to .splutter was resolved by using birth and death element. The result of analyzing data shows that the moddel in the FBW flashing is reasonable and feasible, and can exactly simulate the temperature field distribution. The modeling provides reference for analysis of welding technologies on the temperature field of high-manganese steel in FBW.

Prediction and Verification of Resistance Spot Welding Results of Ultra-High Strength Steels through FE Simulations

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is the most common welding method in automotive engineering due to its low cost and high ability of automation. However, physical weldability testing is costly, time consuming and dependent of supplies of material and equipment. Finite Element (FE) simulations have been utilized to understand, verify and optimize manufacturing processes more efficiently. The present work aims to verify the capability of FE models for the RSW process by comparing simulation results to physical experiments for materials used in automotive production, with yield strengths from approximately 280 MPa to more than 1500 MPa. Previous research has mainly focused on lower strength materials. The physical weld results were assessed using destructive testing and an analysis of expulsion limits was also carried out. Extensive new determination of material data was carried out. The material data analysis was based on physical testing of material specimens, material simulation and comparison to data from literature. The study showed good agreement between simulations and physical testing. The mean absolute error of weld nugget size was 0.68 mm and the mean absolute error of expulsion limit was 1.10 kA.

Study of microstructures and properties for girth weldingof domestic X70 pipeline steels

With the development of domestic pipeline steels, it is necessary to develop suitable welding technology which can improve the properties of the welded pipeline. In this paper, the microstructures and mechanical properties of domestic XTO pipeline steels and welded joints are discussed. The welding consumables of BOHLER E6010 and HOBART 81N1 are matched for girth welding. The following characteristics in heat-affected zone（ HAZ） are indicated that microstructures of intercritical HAZ（ ICHAZ） is finer and more uniform, the grain sizes of fine-grain HAZ （ FGHAZ） and subcritical HAZ （ SCHAZ） are smaller than that of coarse-grain HAZ（ CGHAZ）. The hardness, tensile strength and toughness of welded joints come up to the standard. The micrographs of impact specimens in welded joints are cleavage, quasi-cleavage and dimple which shows there is typical ductile rupture.

Effect of retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusions on the thermal/electrical properties and resistance spot welding nuggets of Si-containing TRIP steels

Five advanced high-strength transformation-induced plasticity(TRIP) steels with different chemical compositions were studied to correlate the retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusion content with their physical properties and the characteristics of the resistance spot welding nuggets. Electrical and thermal properties and equilibrium phases of TRIP steels were predicted using the JMatPro? software. Retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusions were quantified by X-ray diffraction and saturation magnetization techniques. The nonmetallic inclusions were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the contents of Si, C, Al, and Mn in TRIP steels increase both the retained austenite and the nonmetallic inclusion contents. We found that nonmetallic inclusions affect the thermal and electrical properties of the TRIP steels and that the differences between these properties tend to result in different cooling rates during the welding process. The results are discussed in terms of the electrical and thermal properties determined from the chemical composition and their impact on the resistance spot welding nuggets.

Multipass welding of thick section steels using autogenous CO2 laser welding and CO2 laser-MIG hybrid welding

Laser multipass welding techniques for thick section steels have been developed using a new type of UV combined narrow groove. The shape and sizes at the bottom of groove are determined by analyzing the plasma behavior using high speed photographic equipment. A stable autogenous CO2 laser welding process and greater penetration are generated at the root pass because of strong reduction of the plasma volume. According to the waveforms of welding current and arc voltage, and the interaction between the arc and the laser induced plasma, a suitable groove angle is obtained. Laser-double MIG hybrid welding process is studied and the optimum distances between the laser and two arcs are determined. By using autogenous CO2 laser welding, CO2 laser-MIG hybrid welding and laser-double MIG hybrid welding, 28 mm thick steel plates are welded with four passes. The welds produced are assessed by X-ray. No crack is found and there is only a small amount of pores. The experimental results show that the multipuss welding procedures proposed can realize the joining of thick section steels with high efficiency and good quality.

Cutting and Welding of High-Strength Steels Using Non-Vacuum Electron Beam as a Universal Tool for Material Processing

Using a non-vacuum electron beam, a two-step process chain for plate materials is a feasible possibility. Cutting and welding can be performed in subsequent steps on the same machine for a highly productive process chain. The electron beam is a tool with high energy conversion efficiency, which is largely independent of the type of metal. Its high power density qualifies the non-vacuum electron beam as an outstanding energy source for the well-known NVEB welding as well as for high-speed cutting. Welding is possible with or without filler wire or shielding gas, depending on the application. The NVEB-cutting process employs a co-moving cutting head with a sliding seal for extremely high cutting speeds producing high quality edges. Due to direct removal of fumes and dust, NVEBC with local suction is an exceptionally clean and fast process. The NVEB welding process is possible directly after cutting, without further edge preparation. The potential directions of development of non-vacuum electron beam technologies are discussed. An exemplary two-step process chain using high-strength steel is presented to highlight possible application in industries such as general steel construction, automotive, shipbuilding, railway vehicle or crane construction. An analysis of the mechanical properties of the resulting weld seam is presented.

Effects of surface treatments of galvanized steels on projection welding procedure

A group of projection welding experiments and joints tension-shear tests are carried out for cold-rolled steel sheets, galvanized steel sheets (GSS) without treatment, GSS with phosphating and GSS with surface greasing, respectively. The experimental results are regressively analyzed on the computers, then the projection welded joint tension-shear strength curve and the perfect welding currents range of each material are obtained. The results show that surface treatments of galvanized steels have effects on their spot weldabilities. Among the four kinds of materials, GSS with surface greasing have the worst spot weldability, for they need higher welding current and have a narrow welding current range.

Characteristics and Weldability of Resistance Plug Welding of Dissimilar Steels

TRIP980 high-strength steel plate/SPCC low-carbon steel plate were welded by RPW. The key factors such as size and material of filler were studied, and the structure, fusion ratio and mechanical properties of the RPW joint were analyzed. The experimental results show that the calculation formulas of the length and diameter of the filler were designed reasonably. Q235 as a filler for RPW of TRIP980 high-strength steel plate/SPCC low-carbon steel plate is suitable according to schaeffler organization chart. The deposited metal of RPW joint is in the shape of “spool”,and the base metal and cap of deposited metal are alternately combined. The deposited metal has the characteristics of “locking” as rivets, which is beneficial to the improvement of mechanical properties of RPW joint. The nugget of RPW joint is uniform without deviates. TRIP980 high-strength steel plate, SPCC low-carbon steel plate, and filler were metallurgically bonded in the RPW joint.

Electron beam welding of 304 stainless steel to QCr0.8 copper alloy with copper filler wire

Electron beam welding （EBW） of 304 stainless steel to QCr0.8 copper alloy with copper filler wire was carried out. Orthogonal experiment was performed to investigate the effects of process parameters on the tensile strength of the joints, and the process parameters were optimized. The optimum process parameters are as follows：beam current of 30 mA, welding speed of 100 mm/min, wire feed rate of 1 m/min and beam offset of-0.3 mm. The microstructures of the optimum joint were studied. The results indicate that the weld is mainly composed of dendriticαphase with little globularεphase, and copper inhomogeneity only occurs at the top of the fusion zone. In addition, a melted region without mixing exists near the weld junction of copper side. This region with a coarser grain size is the weakest section of the joints. It is found that the microhardness of the weld decreases with the increase of the copper content in solid solution. The highest tensile strength of the joint is 276 MPa.

Welding of shape memory alloy to stainless steel for medical occluder

Dissimilar metal joining between NiTi shape memory alloy（SMA） and stainless steel was conducted.A cluster of NiTi SMA wires were first joined with tungsten inert gas（TIG） welding process,then the NiTi SMA TIG weld was welded to a stainless steel pipe with laser spot welding process.The microstructure of the welds was examined with an optical microscope and the elemental distribution in the welds was measured by electron probe microanalysis（EPMA）.The results show that TiC compounds dispersively distribute in the NiTi SMA TIG weld.However,the amount of TiC compounds greatly decreases around the fusion boundary of the laser spot weld between the NiTi SMA and stainless steel.Mutual diffusion between NiTi shape memory alloy and stainless steel happen within a short distance near the fusion boundary,and intermetallic compounds such as Ni3Ti＋（Fe,Ni）Ti appear around the fusion boundary.

Failure Analysis of Electron Beam Weld Joints for 18Ni Co-free Maraging Steels

Microstructure of two different 18Ni Co-free maraging specimens and their electron beam weld joints were investigated comparatively by optical microscopy and SEM. It is showing that both of the steels are typical lath martensite, however, one grain size is about three times as another one, and XRD reveals that the amount of the retained austenitic phase in the former is less then the latter. The austenite distributes in plate form along granular and lath boundaries while some in fine particle within the matrix. The microstructural difference between two specimens led to diverse behaviors in electron beam welding. The first specimen is weldable well but the second shows obvious welding defects of pits and burn-through holes in weld face. The welding microstructure exhibits a typical dendritic morphology, and the grains in the heat-affected zone recrystallized and grew up obviously for high temperature heated by welding electron beam. The weldablity is relative to the thermal conduction performance of the base materials,which is contributed greatly for grain size and austenite content.

Influences of different filler metals on electron beam welding of titanium alloy to stainless steel

Electron beam welding experiments of titanium alloy to stainless steel were carried out with different filler metals, such as Ni, V, and Cu. Microstructures of the joints were examined by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. Mechanical properties of the joints were evaluated according to tensile strength and microhardness. As a result, influences of filler metals on microstructures and mechanical properties of electron beam welded titanium-stainless steel joints were discussed. The results showed that all the filler metals were helpful to restrain the Ti-Fe intermetallics. The welds with different filler metals were all characterized by solid solution and interfacial intermetallics. For each type of the filler metal, the type of solid solution and interfacial intermetallics depended on the metallurgical reactions between the filler metals and base metals. The interfacial intermetallics were Fe2Ti＋Ni3Ti＋NiTi2, TiFe, and Cu2Ti＋CuTi＋CuTi2 in the joints welded with Ni, V, and Cu filler metals, respectively. The tensile strengths of the joints were dependent on the hardness of the interfacial intermetallics. The joint welded with Ag filler metal had the highest tensile strength, which is about 310 MPa.

Effect of Interface Form on Creep Failure and Life of Dissimilar Metal Welds Involving Nickel-Based Weld Metal and Ferritic Base Metal

For dissimilar metal welds(DMWs)involving nickel-based weld metal(WM)and ferritic heat resistant steel base metal(BM)in power plants,there must be an interface between WM and BM,and this interface suffers mechanical and microstructure mismatches and is often the rupture location of premature failure.In this study,a new form of WM/BM interface form,namely double Y-type interface was designed for the DMWs.Creep behaviors and life of DMWs containing double Y-type interface and conventional I-type interface were compared by finite element analysis and creep tests,and creep failure mechanisms were investigated by stress-strain analysis and microstructure characterization.By applying double Y-type interface instead of conventional I-type interface,failure location of DMW could be shifted from the WM/ferritic heat-affected zone(HAZ)interface into the ferritic HAZ or even the ferritic BM,and the failure mode change improved the creep life of DMW.The interface premature failure of I-type interface DMW was related to the coupling effect of microstructure degradation,stress and strain concentrations,and oxide notch on the WM/HAZ interface.The creep failure of double Y-type interface DMW was the result of Type IV fracture due to the creep voids and micro-cracks on fine-grain boundaries in HAZ,which was a result of the matrix softening of HAZ and lack of precipitate pinning at fine-grain boundaries.The double Y-type interface form separated the stress and strain concentrations in DMW from the WM/HAZ interface,preventing the trigger effect of oxide notch on interface failure and inhibiting the interfacial microstructure cracking.It is a novel scheme to prolong creep life and enhance reliability of DMW,by means of optimizing the interface form,decoupling the damage factors from WM/HAZ interface,and then changing the failure mechanism and shifting the failure location.