Ultrasonic vibration assisted tungsten inert gas welding of dissimilar metals 316L and L415

Ultrasonic vibration assisted tungsten inert gas welding was applied to joining stainless steel 316 L and low alloy high strength steel L415. The effect of ultrasonic vibration on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a dissimilar metal welded joint of 316 L and L415 was systematically investigated. The microstructures of both heat affected zones of L415 and weld metal were substantially refined, and the clusters of δ ferrite in traditional tungsten inert gas(TIG) weld were changed to a dispersive distribution via the ultrasonic vibration. The ultrasonic vibration promoted the uniform distribution of elements and decreased the micro-segregation tendency in the weld. With the application of ultrasonic vibration, the average tensile strength and elongation of the joint was improved from 613 to 650 MPa and from 16.15% to31.54%, respectively. The content of Σ3 grain boundaries around the fusion line zone is higher and the distribution is more uniform in the ultrasonic vibration assisted welded joint compared with the traditional one, indicating an excellent weld metal crack resistance.     

Fusion boundary evolution,precipitation behaviour,and interaction with dislocations in an Fe–22Cr–15Ni steel weldment during long-term creep

A tungsten inert gas welded joint between a novel heat-resistant austenitic steel and ERNiCrCoMo-1 weld metal was investigated before and after creep in this study. The evolution of the microstructures in the base and weld metals was discussed based on the electron back-scatter diffraction(EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) analyses. The preferred orientations of the fusion boundary after creep revealed the influence of the applied stress on creep deformation mechanism. A cooperative nucleation process of M_(23)C_6 carbides in the base metal was proposed. The finely distributed Cu-rich phase was cut off by the dislocations during creep, leading to increased mean size and reduced amount of the nano-Cu phase. A modified triple-precipitate hardening model was constructed based on TEM observations of the interactions between the particles and the dislocations in the base metal after creep at 200 MPa. The evolution of a μ phase in the weld metal involved epitaxial growth and dissolving into the matrix.     

Characterizations of dissimilar S32205/316L welds using austenitic,super-austenitic and super-duplex filler metals

UNS S32205 duplex stainless steel plates were welded to AISI 316L stainless steel using the pulsed gas tungsten arc welding process with three different filler metals: ER2594, ER312, and ER385. The microstructures of the welds were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy, and all of the specimens were evaluated by ferrite measurements. The mechanical properties were studied through hardness, tensile, and impact tests. In addition, the pitting resistance equivalent number was calculated and cyclic polarization tests were performed to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the weld metal. The results showed that chromium nitride was formed in the heat-affected zone of the duplex side, whereas no sigma phase was detected in any of the specimens. The ferrite number increased from the root pass to the final pass. The absorbed energies of the impact test decreased with increasing ferrite number, whereas the tensile strength was enhanced. The fully austenitic microstructure of the specimen welded with ER385 exhibited the highest resistance to pitting corrosion at 25°C, and the super-duplex weld metal presented superior corrosion resistance at 50°C.     

Characterizations of dissimilar S32205/316L welds using austenitic,super-austenitic and super-duplex filler metals

UNS S32205 duplex stainless steel plates were welded to AISI 316 L stainless steel using the pulsed gas tungsten arc welding process with three different filler metals: ER2594, ER312, and ER385. The microstructures of the welds were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy, and all of the specimens were evaluated by ferrite measurements. The mechanical properties were studied through hardness,tensile, and impact tests. In addition, the pitting resistance equivalent number was calculated and cyclic polarization tests were performed to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the weld metal. The results showed that chromium nitride was formed in the heat-affected zone of the duplex side,whereas no sigma phase was detected in any of the specimens. The ferrite number increased from the root pass to the final pass. The absorbed energies of the impact test decreased with increasing ferrite number, whereas the tensile strength was enhanced. The fully austenitic microstructure of the specimen welded with ER385 exhibited the highest resistance to pitting corrosion at 25°C, and the super-duplex weld metal presented superior corrosion resistance at 50°C.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction-stir welded St52 steel joints

The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanical properties and microstructures of friction-stir welded (FSWed) St52 structural steel joints. In this study, St52 steel plates with a thickness of 4 mm were butt-welded by friction-stir welding (FSW) using a tungsten carbide tool having a conical pin. The microstructure of the welded zone consists of equiaxed fine ferrite, grain boundary ferrite, Widmanstatten ferrite, and aggregates of ferrite + cementite. The microhardness measurements showed that the hardness of the welded zone was significantly higher than that of the base metal. The FSWed St52 joint exhibited a significant strength overmatching in the weld region and a strength performance similar to or slightly higher than that of the base plate.     

Microstructure s and mechanical properties of Ti3Al/Ni-based superalloy joints arc welded with Ti –Nb and Ti– Ni – Nb filler alloys

Dissimilar joining of Ti3Al-based alloy to Ni-based superalloy has been carried out using gas tungsten arc(GTA) welding technology with Ti–Nb and Ti–Ni–Nb filler alloys.The joint welded with the Ti–Nb filler alloy contained much less interfacial brittle phases than the one using the Ti–Ni–Nb filler alloy.The average room-temperature tensile strength of the joint welded with Ti–Nb was 202 MPa and the strength value of the one welded with Ti–Ni–Nb was 128 MPa.For both fillers,the weak links of the dissimilar joints were the weld/In718 interfaces.The presence of TiNi,TiNi3 and Ni3Nb intermetallic compounds in the joint welded with Ti–Ni–Nb induced microcracks at the weld/In718 interface and deteriorated the mechanical properties of the joint.And the adoption of the Ti–Nb filler alloy decreased the formation tendency of interfacial brittle phases to some extent and thus enhanced the tensile strength of the joint.     

Effect of welding process on the microstructure and properties of dissimilar weld joints between low alloy steel and duplex stainless steel

To obtain high-quality dissimilar weld joints, the processes of metal inert gas (MIG) welding and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding for duplex stainless steel (DSS) and low alloy steel were compared in this paper. The microstructure and corrosion morphology of dissimilar weld joints were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the chemical compositions in different zones were detected by energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS); the mechanical properties were measured by microhardness test, tensile test, and impact test; the corrosion behavior was evaluated by polarization curves. Obvious concentration gradients of Ni and Cr exist between the fusion boundary and the type II boundary, where the hardness is much higher. The impact toughness of weld metal by MIG welding is higher than that by TIG welding. The corrosion current density of TIG weld metal is higher than that of MIG weld metal in a 3.5wt% NaCl solution. Galvanic corrosion happens between low alloy steel and weld metal, revealing the weakness of low alloy steel in industrial service. The quality of joints produced by MIG welding is better than that by TIG welding in mechanical performance and corrosion resistance. MIG welding with the filler metal ER2009 is the suitable welding process for dissimilar metals jointing between UNS S31803 duplex stainless steel and low alloy steel in practical application.     

Microstructure evolution and nucleation mechanism of Inconel 601H alloy welds by vibration-assisted GTAW

Nickel-based alloys exhibit excellent high-temperature strength and oxidation resistance; however, because of coarse grains and severe segregation in their welding joints, these alloys exhibit increased susceptibility to hot cracking. In this paper, to improve the hot-cracking resistance and mechanical properties of nickel-based alloy welded joints, sodium thiosulfate was used to simulate crystallization, enabling the nucleation mechanism under mechanical vibration to be investigated. On the basis of the results, the grain refinement mechanism during the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of Inconel 601H alloy under various vibration modes and parameters was investigated. Compared with the GTAW process, the low-frequency mechanical vibration processes resulted in substantial grain refinement effects in the welds; thus, a higher hardness distribution was also achieved under the vibration conditions. In addition, the γ' phase exhibited a dispersed distribution and segregation was improved in the welded joints with vibration assistance. The results demonstrated that the generation of free crystals caused by vibration in the nucleation stage was the main mechanism of grain refinement. Also, fine equiaxed grains and a dispersed γ' phase were found to improve the grain-boundary strength and reduce the segregation, contributing to preventing the initiation of welding hot cracking in nickel-based alloys.     

Effect of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets on the microstructure and mechanical properties of mild steel jointing by flux-cored arc welding

The effect of graphene oxide(GO) and reduced graphene oxide(RGO) nanosheets on the microstructure and mechanical properties of welded joints of mild steel was evaluated by flux-cored arc welding. GO was synthesized by the Hummer's method and was reduced under hydrothermal conditions at a pressure of 1.1 MPa at 180°C for 12 h. 1, 3, and 10 mg/m L paste fillers were used in GO and RGO, and applied to the weld notch. The results clearly showed that by increasing the concentration of RGO up to 10 mg/m L, the tensile strength and hardness of the weld metal were improved by approximately 20.5% and 38.4%, respectively, because the coarse grains were changed into fine domains.The domain of the nanosheets cluster was 19.85 × 10~(-9)m. Specifically, the RGO nanosheets contributed to modifying the mechanical properties of the welded steel, likely due to dislocation pinning.     

Comparison of fatigue property between friction stir and TIG welds

The alloy 5052 was welded by friction stir welding (FSW) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. The effect of welding processes (FSW and TIG) on the fatigue properties of 5052 aluminum-welded joints was analyzed based on fatigue testing, and the S-N curve of the joints were established. The results show that the fatigue properties of FSW welded joints are better than those of TIG welded joints. The fatigue strength is determined as 65 MPa under 106 cycling of fatigue life. The microstructure of joints is fine grains and narrow HAZ zone in FSW welds, which inhibit the growth of cracks and produce high fatigue life compared with that of TIG welds. Fracture morphologies also show that the fatigue fracture results from weld defects.     

Microstructure and properties of pure iron/copper composite cladding layers on carbon steel

In the present study, pure iron/copper composite metal cladding was deposited onto carbon steel by tungsten inert gas welding. The study focused on interfacial morphological, microstructural, and mechanical analyses of the composite cladding layers. Iron liquid–solid-phase zones were formed at copper/steel and iron interfaces because of the melting of the steel substrate and iron. Iron concentrated in the copper cladding layer was observed to exhibit belt, globule, and dendrite morphologies. The appearance of iron-rich globules indicated the occurrence of liquid phase separation (LPS) prior to solidification, and iron-rich dendrites crystallized without the occurrence of LPS. The maximum microhardness of the iron/steel interface was lower than that of the copper/steel interface because of the diffusion of elemental carbon. All samples fractured in the cladding layers. Because of a relatively lower strength of the copper layer, a short plateau region appeared when shear movement was from copper to iron.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of the welding joint filled with microalloying 5183 aluminum welding wires

In this study, 7A52 aluminum alloy sheets of 4 mm in thickness were welded by tungsten inert gas welding using microalloying welding wires containing traces of Zr and Er. The influence of rare earth elements Zr and Er on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the welded joints was analyzed by optical microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, hardness testing, and tensile mechanical properties testing. Systematic analyses indicate that the addition of trace amounts of Er and Zr leads to the formation of fine Al₃Er, Al₃Zr, and Al₃(Zr,Er) phases that favor significant grain refinement in the weld zone. Besides, the tensile strength and hardness of the welded joints were obviously improved with the addition of Er and Zr, as evidenced by the increase in tensile strength and elongation by 40 MPa and 1.4%, respectively, and by the welding coefficient of 73%.     

摩擦焊接碳钢（EN24）和镍基高温合金（IN718）的显微组织和力学性能

Continuous-drive rotary friction welding was performed to join cylindrical specimens of carbon steel (EN24) and nickel-based superalloy (IN718), and the microstructures of three distinct weld zones—the weld interface (WI)/thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), the heat-affected zone (HAZ), and the base metal—were examined. The joint was observed to be free of defects but featured uneven flash formation. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis showed substantial changes in high-angle grain boundaries, low-angle grain boundaries, and twin boundaries in the TMAZ and HAZ. Moreover, significant refinement in grain size (2–5 μm) was observed at the WI/TMAZ with reference to the base metal. The possible causes of these are discussed. The microhardness profile across the welded joint shows variation in hardness. The changes in hardness are ascribed to grain refinement, phase transformation, and the dissolution of strengthening precipitates. The tensile test results reveal that a joint efficiency of 100% can be achieved using this method.     

Surface grain refinement mechanism of SMA490BW steel cross joints by ultrasonic impact treatment

Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) is a postweld technique for improving the fatigue strength of welded joints. This technique makes use of ultrasonic vibration to impact and plastically deform a weld toe and can achieve surface grain refinement of the weld toe, which is considered as the main reason for the improvement of fatigue strength. In this paper, the microstructure of the surface of a treated weld toe was observed by metallographic microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that UIT could produce severe plastic deformation on the surface layer of the weld toe and the maximum depth of plastic deformation extended to approximately 260 μm beneath the treated surface. Repeated processing could exacerbate the plastic deformation on the surface layer, resulting in finer grains. We can conclude that the surface grain refinement mechanism of SMA490BW welded joints is related to the high density of dislocation tangles and dislocation walls.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of friction welded carbon steel(EN24) and nickel-based superalloy(IN718)

Continuous-drive rotary friction welding was performed to join cylindrical specimens of carbon steel(EN24) and nickel-based superalloy(IN718), and the microstructures of three distinct weld zones—the weld interface(WI)/thermo-mechanically affected zone(TMAZ),the heat-affected zone(HAZ), and the base metal—were examined.The joint was observed to be free of defects but featured uneven flash formation.Electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD) analysis showed substantial changes in high-angle grain boundaries, low-angle grain boundaries, and twin boundaries in the TMAZ and HAZ.Moreover, significant refinement in grain size(2 –5 μm) was observed at the WI/TMAZ with reference to the base metal.The possible causes of these are discussed.The microhardness profile across the welded joint shows variation in hardness.The changes in hardness are ascribed to grain refinement, phase transformation, and the dissolution of strengthening precipitates.The tensile test results reveal that a joint efficiency of 100% can be achieved using this method.     

Characterization of the structural details of residual austenite in the weld metal of a 9Cr1MoNbV welded rotor

The existence of residual austenite in weld metal plays an important role in determining the properties and dimensional accuracy of welded rotors. An effective corrosive agent and the metallographic etching process were developed to clearly reveal the characteristics of residual austenite in the weld metal of a 9Cr1MoNbV welded rotor. Moreover, the details of the distribution, shape, length, length-to-width ratio, and the content of residual austenite were systematically characterized using the Image-Pro Plus image analysis software. The results revealed that the area fraction of residual austenite was approximately 6.3% in the observed weld seam; the average area, length, and length-to-width ratio of dispersed residual austenite were quantitatively evaluated to be (5.5 ± 0.1) μm2, (5.0 ± 0.1) μm, and (2.2 ± 0.1), respectively. The newly developed corrosive agent and etching method offer an appropriate approach to characterize residual austenite in the weld metal of welded rotors in detail.     

氧化石墨烯和还原氧化石墨烯纳米片对药芯电弧焊低碳钢组织和力学性能的影响

The effect of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets on the microstructure and mechanical properties of welded joints of mild steel was evaluated by flux-cored arc welding. GO was synthesized by the Hummer’s method and was reduced under hydrothermal conditions at a pressure of 1.1 MPa at 180°C for 12 h. 1, 3, and 10 mg/mL paste fillers were used in GO and RGO, and applied to the weld notch. The results clearly showed that by increasing the concentration of RGO up to 10 mg/mL, the tensile strength and hardness of the weld metal were improved by approximately 20.5% and 38.4%, respectively, because the coarse grains were changed into fine domains. The domain of the nanosheets cluster was 19.85 × 10?9 m. Specifically, the RGO nanosheets contributed to modifying the mechanical properties of the welded steel, likely due to dislocation pinning.     

Analysis of Common Fatigue Details in Steel Truss Structures

Generally, the number of fatigue cycles, the range of the repeated stresses, and the type of the structural details are the key factors affecting fatigue in large-scale welded structures. Seven types of structure details were tested using a 2000-kN hydraulic-pressure-servo fatigue machine to imitate fatigue behavior in modern steel-truss-structures fabricated using thicker welded steel plates and integral joint technology.The details included longitudinal edge welds, welded attachment affecting detail, integral joint, and weld repairs on plate edges. The fatigue damage locations show that the stress (normal or shear), the shape, and the location of the weld start and end points are three major factors reducing the fatigue strength. The test results can be used for similar large structures.     

搅拌摩擦焊、搅拌振动摩擦焊和钨极惰性气体焊接AA6061-T6接头的组织和力学特性对比研究

This study compared the microstructure and mechanical characteristics of AA6061-T6 joints produced using friction stir welding (FSW), friction stir vibration welding (FSVW), and tungsten inert gas welding (TIG). FSVW is a modified version of FSW wherein the joining specimens are vibrated normal to the welding line during FSW. The results indicated that the weld region grains for FSVW and FSW were equiaxed and were smaller than the grains for TIG. In addition, the weld region grains for FSVW were finer compared with those for FSW. Results also showed that the strength, hardness, and toughness values of the joints produced by FSVW were higher than those of the other joints produced by FSW and TIG. The vibration during FSW enhanced dynamic recrystallization, which led to the development of finer grains. The weld efficiency of FSVW was approximately 81%, whereas those of FSW and TIG were approximately 74% and 67%, respectively.     

Effect of ultrasonic power introduced by a mold copper plate on the solidification process

An electroslag furnace with ultrasonic vibration introduced by a mold copper plate was designed. The effects of ultrasonic power on the element distribution and compactness in electroslag remelting (ESR) ingots were studied, and the mechanism of ultrasonic assistance was analyzed in cold experiments. In the results, silicon, manganese and chromium are uniformly distributed at an ultrasonic power of 300-750 W. The absence of ultrasonic or higher ultrasonic power is not conducive to the uniformity of alloying elements. Carbon demonstrates a highly uneven distribution at 300 W, gradually reaches the uniform distribution as the ultrasonic power further increases, and shows the poor distribution at 1000 W. The compactness of ESR ingots gradually increases with increasing ultrasonic power and reaches the uniform distribution at 500 W. A further increase in ultrasonic power does not improve the compactness. Introducing ultrasonic vibrations by a mold copper plate can improve the solidification quality; however, an appropriate ultrasonic power level should be determined.