Thermo-fluid dynamic and experimental approaches are used to investigate the influence of 20° uphill, downhill and sideway substrate orientation during metal deposition over a previously deposited bead in a V-groove. The computational fluid dynamic model with free surface deformation and metal transfer gives insight into the melt pool flow and causes of defect formation observed on the solidified beads. The experimental metallographs, high-speed images and computational results show good agreement. It is found that the deposition of a second layer on a smooth first layer cooled down to room temperature leads to large changes in melt pool flow patternat 20° substrate inclination compared to flat condition. It results in undercut and humps with the uphill orientation and undercut with the side inclination. Therefore, lower angle range is necessary for multilayer gas metal arc deposition for these two last configurations.
Avoiding low austenite fractions and nitride formation are major challenges in laser welding of duplex stainless steels (DSS). The present research aims at investigating efficient means of promoting austenite formation during autogenous laser welding of DSS without sacrificing productivity. In this study, effects of shielding gas and laser reheating were investigated in welding of 1.5-mm-thick FDX 27 (UNS S82031) DSS. Four conditions were investigated: Ar-shielded welding, N2-shielded welding, Ar-shielded welding followed by Ar-shielded laser reheating, and N2-shielded welding followed by N2-shielded laser reheating. Optical microscopy, thermodynamic calculations, and Gleeble heat treatment were performed to study the evolution of microstructure and chemical composition. The austenite fraction was 22% for Ar-shielded and 39% for N2-shielded as-welded conditions. Interestingly, laser reheating did not significantly affect the austenite fraction for Ar shielding, while the austenite fraction increased to 57% for N2-shielding. The amount of nitrides was lower in N2-shielded samples compared to in Ar-shielded samples. The same trends were also observed in the heat-affected zone. The nitrogen content of weld metals, evaluated from calculated equilibrium phase diagrams and austenite fractions after Gleeble equilibrating heat treatments at 1100 °C, was 0.16% for N2-shielded and 0.11% for Ar-shielded welds, confirming the importance of nitrogen for promoting the austenite formation during welding and especially reheating. Finally, it is recommended that combining welding with pure nitrogen as shielding gas and a laser reheating pass can significantly improve austenite formation and reduce nitride formation in DSS laser welds. © 2020, The Author(s).
This paper presents a system for full automation of free-form-fabrication of fully dense metal structures using robotized laser melting of wire. The structure is built of beads of melted wire laid side by side and layer upon layer governed by synchronized robot motion. By full automation is here meant that the process starts with a product specification of a component, and ends in a geometrically validated dense metal component fulfilling industrial material requirements. Due to the complexity of this flexible manufacturing system, a number of different disciplines are involved. This paper discusses mainly the system design, which includes how off-line programming is used for automatic generation of code and how feedback control is used for on-line adjustment of parameters based on desired building properties. To meet industrial needs, the project is carried out in a close cooperation between research and development activities in academy and industry.
The objective of this work was the development of a methodology to parametrize wire + arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), aiming dimension repeatability, and tolerances. Parametrization of WAAM is a difficult task, because multiple parameters are involved and parameters are inter-dependent on each other, making overall process complex. An approach to study WAAM would be through operational maps. The choice of current (Im) and travel speed (TS) for the desirable layer width (LW) determines a parametrization that leads to either more material or less material to be removed in post-operations, which is case study chosen for this work. The work development had four stages. First stage, named ‘mock design’, had the objective of visualizing the expected map and reduce further number of experiments. At the second stage, ‘pre-requisite for realistic operational map’, the objective was to determine the operating limits of TS and Im with the chosen consumables and equipment. Within the ‘realistic operational map’ stage, a design for the experiments was applied to cover a parametric area (working envelope) already defined in the previous stage and long and tall walls were additively manufactured. Actual values of LW (external and effective layer width) were measured and an actual operating envelope was reached. According to the geometry-oriented case study, a surface waviness index (SWindex) was defined, determined, and overlapped in the envelope. It was observed that the walls with parameters near the travel speed limits presented higher SWindex. This operational map was further validated (fourth stage) by selecting a target LW and finding corresponding three parametric set (covering the whole range of operational map) to produce walls on which geometry characterization was carried out. After geometry characterization, obtained LW was compared with the target LW (the maximum values were very tied, with deviations from +0.3 to 0.5 mm), with a SWindex deviation at the order of 0.05. Both results evidence high reproductivity of the process, validating the proposed methodology to parametrize WAAM.
In this study, the flow stress behavior of ferritic-pearlitic steel (C45E steel) is investigated through isothermal compression testing at different strain rates (1 s-1, 5 s-1, and 60 s-1) and temperatures ranging from 200 to 700 °C. The stress-strain curves obtained from experimental testing were post-processed to obtain true stress-true plastic strain curves. To fit the experimental data to well-known material models, Johnson-Cook (J-C) model was investigated and found to have a poor fit. Analysis of the flow stress as a function of temperature and strain rate showed that among other deformation mechanisms dynamic strain aging mechanism was active between the temperature range 200 and 400 °C for varying strain rates and J-C model is unable to capture this phenomenon. This lead to the need to modify the J-C model for the material under investigation. Therefore, the original J-C model parameters A, B and n are modified using the polynomial equation to capture its dependence on temperature and strain rate. The results show the ability of the modified J-C model to describe the flow behavior satisfactorily while dynamic strain aging was operative. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This paper presents a method to acquire thermal data in the base metal heat affected zone (HAZ) during manual multi-pass TIG welding of ATI ® 718Plus TM , representing conditions close to an actual repair welding operation. Thermocouples were mounted in different locations along side walls of linear grooves to record temperature data. The thermal cycling was found to be largely independent of location within the HAZ. The recorded temperatures were below the incipient laves melting temperature, indicating that the current test setup requires optimisation to study HAZ liquation. Based on the results of this study, a modified thermocouple mounting technique is proposed. © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The effects of high frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment procedure on the weld toe geometry and fatigue strength in 1300 MPa yield strength steel welds were investigated. In this regard first the effect of three or six run treatments on the weld toe geometry was evaluated. The fatigue strength and weld toe geometry of as-welded and HFMI treated samples was then compared. Fatigue testing was done under fully reversed, constant amplitude bending load. When increasing the number of treatment runs from three to six, the weld toe radius and width of treatment remained almost constant. However, a slightly smaller depth of treatment in the base metal and a somewhat larger depth of treatment in the weld metal was observed. HFMI treatment increased the fatigue strength by 26%. The treatment did not increase the weld toe radius significantly, but resulted in a more uniform weld toe geometry along the weld. A depth of treatment in the base metal in the range of 0.15-0.19 mm and a width of treatment in the range of 2.5-3 mm, were achieved. It is concluded that the three run treatment would be a more economical option than the six run treatment providing a similar or even more favourable geometry modification.
In this paper a novel approach towards automation of robotized laser metal-wire deposition (RLMwD) is described. The RLMwD technique is being developed at University West in cooperation with Swedish industry for solid freeform fabrication of fully dense metal structures. The process utilizes robotized fibre laser welding and metal wire filler material, together with a layered manufacturing method, to create metal structures directly from a CAD drawing. The RLMwD process can also be used for repair or modification of existing components. This paper faces the challenge of designing a control system for maintaining stable process variables, such as a constant layer height and a stable component temperature, during the entire manufacturing process. Several problems are identified and discussed in the paper, e.g. the difficulty of obtaining the bead height in the weld pool environment. The case study is a repair application for stamping tools, where worn out trim edges are to be repaired. Issues regarding the control design, system identification, and the practical implementation of this application are discussed.
The influence of heat input and multiple welding cycles on the microstructure of the heat-affected zone in autogenously TIG-welded 6 mm 2507 type super duplex stainless steel plates was investigated. In order to produce multiple thermal cycles, one to four pass bead-on-plate welds were made with arc energies of 0.47 and 1.08 kJ/mm, corresponding to heat inputs of 0.37 and 0.87 kJ/mm. Several thermocouples were attached to record thermal cycles on the front and back sides of the plates. Finite element modelling was successfully done to map and correlate measured and calculated peak temperatures. Only minor changes were seen in the ferrite content at 1 and 2 mm from the fusion boundary. Nitrides formed in all passes of the low heat input samples in a region next to the fusion boundary, but only after the third and fourth passes of the high heat input samples. Sigma phase precipitated only in a zone heated to a peak temperature in the range of approximately 828 to 1028 °C. Multiple reheating was found to promote precipitation of sigma phase relatively more than slower cooling. A precipitation free zone was observed between the nitride and sigma phase bands. The precipitation behaviour could be understood from equilibrium phase diagrams, evaluation of local thermal cycles and by correlating results from the modelling and measurements of peak temperatures. It is suggested that the peak temperature, the accumulated time in the critical temperature range between approximately 828 and 1028 °C, and the number of thermal cycles are the most relevant criteria when evaluating the risk of sigma phase formation.
Nitrogen loss is an important phenomenon in welding of super duplex stainless steels. In this study, a super duplex stainless steel was autogenously TIG-welded with one to four bead-on-plate passes with low or high heat inputs using pure argon shielding gas. The goal was to monitor nitrogen content and microstructure for each weld pass. Nitrogen content, measured by wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometry, was after four passes reduced from 0.28 wt% in the base metal to 0.17 wt% and 0.10 wt% in low and high heat input samples, respectively. Nitrogen loss resulted in a more ferritic structure with larger grains and nitride precipitates. The ferrite grain width markedly increased with increasing number of passes and heat input. Ferrite content increased from 55% in base metal to 75% at low and 79% at high heat inputs after four passes. An increasing amount of nitrides were seen with increasing number of weld passes. An equation was suggested for calculation of the final nitrogen content of the weld metal as functions of initial nitrogen content and arc energy. Acceptable ferrite contents were seen for one or two passes. The recommendation is to use nitrogen in shielding gas and proper filler metals.
Additive manufacturing (AM) introduces a new domain for zero waste and cleaner production. Research for verification of materials in AM and effects of the process on the material behavior, however, demands a significant amount of materials, energy, and man-hours. The design of suitable physical simulation techniques that can duplicate complex AM thermal cycles without performing AM is therefore crucial for cleaner and more sustainable AM research. This paper aims at introducing a novel technique to reproduce AM thermal cycles in a controlled way on a small sample, thereby supporting sustainable alloy verification and cleaner research. In this technique, a stationary arc is applied to a disc-shaped sample mounted on a water-cooled chamber, where the arc and water provide rapid heating and cooling, respectively. In the present study, a super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) was used as the experimental alloy to simulate the evolution of microstructure and properties during wire-arc additive manufacturing. The experiment was performed using the stationary arc with the holding time of 5 s, applied 1, 5, or 15 times. The total processing time was only 450 s (7.5 min) for the 15 a.m. thermal cycles experiment. The SDSS showed a progressive increase in the austenite fraction at 600–1200 °C and the formation of detrimental sigma phase at 700–1000 °C, but a reduction of austenite fraction above 1300 °C. The results were in good agreement with the literature, verifying the applicability of the physical simulation technique for AM research. Calculations showed that using arc heat treatment as the initial step is 6–20 times more efficient in different respects (materials, energy, and man-hours) compared to wire arc additive manufacturing. Therefore, this methodology can be implemented to gain an understanding of materials in AM applications thereby eliminating the need for investments in additive manufacturing of a specific component. © 2020
Approaches to determining ferrite fraction (%) and ferrite number (FN) were examined for super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) welds. A reference sample was produced by bead-on-plate gas–tungsten arc welding of a type-2507 SDSS plate. By comparing different etchants and measurement practices, it was realized that etching with modified Beraha followed by computerized image analysis (IA) was the most accurate and quickest technique to measure ferrite fraction, which determined the same ferrite fraction (68.0 ± 2.6%) as that measured by electron diffraction backscattered analysis (67.6 ± 2.3%). A Round Robin test was performed on a reference sample at University West, Swerea KIMAB, Outokumpu Stainless, and Sandvik Materials Technology to investigate the repeatability of the technique. The ferrite fraction measurements performed at different laboratories showed very small variations, which were in the range of those seen when changing microscope in the same laboratory. After verification of the technique, the relationship between ferrite fraction and ferrite number (measured with FERITSCOPE®) was determined using 14 single (root) pass welds, including butt, corner, and T-, V-, and double V-joint geometries. The best-fit equation found in this study was ferrite number (FN) = 1.1 × ferrite fraction (%). To conclude, the ferrite fraction technique suggested in the present paper was accurate and repeatable, which made it possible to determine a ferrite fraction–ferrite number formula for SDSS single-pass welds.
Complex precipitation behavior of Cu-rich particles (CRPs) was investigated and simulated in continuously cooled and quench-aged super duplex stainless steel. Atom probe tomography (APT) and scanning electron microscopy showed that slow cooling resulted in nonuniform multimodal CRP precipitation and spinodal decomposition, while in the fast cooled and quench-aged conditions, more uniform precipitation of CRPs with no visible spinodal decomposition was found. Depletion of Cu, Ni, and Mn was observed in the ferrite next to the CRPs during growth, but not during dissolution. Some evidence of Ostwald ripening was seen after slow cooling, but in the quench-aged condition, particle coalescence was observed. Large CRPs disappeared next to a ferrite–austenite phase boundary after slow cooling when Cu was depleted due to the diffusion to austenite as also predicted by moving boundary Dictra simulation. Comparing Cu depleted areas next to CRPs analyzed by APT and moving boundary Dictra simulation of CRP–ferrite showed that the effective Cu diffusion coefficient during the early-stage precipitation was about 300 times higher than the Cu diffusion coefficient in ferrite at 475 °C. Using the effective diffusion coefficient and a size-dependent interfacial energy equation, CRP size distribution was successfully predicted by the Langer–Schwartz model implemented in Thermo-Calc Prisma. Applying a short aging time and continuous cooling increased the hardness and decreased the toughness values compared to the solution annealed condition. A nonuniform distribution of Cu in ferrite, the duplex structure, and partitioning of alloying elements among different phases are factors making CRP precipitation in duplex stainless steels complex.
The present study aims at investigating bead geometry and the evolution of microstructure with thermal cycles in multipass shielded metal arc welding of a V-groove 13-mm type-2507 super-duplex stainless steel (SDSS) plate. The weld consisted of 4 beads produced with arc energies of 0.81-1.06 kJ/mm. The upper beads showed lower base metal (BM) dilution than the first bead. Thermal cycles were recorded with thermocouples, indicating that the cooling rate decreased in the as-deposited weld zone when adding a new bead. Ferrite fraction in the as-welded condition was lower for the upper beads. The austenite grain morphology in reheated passes varied depending on the local peak temperatures and the number of reheating passes. Sigma phase precipitated in a location reheated by the third and fourth passes that was subjected to a critical peak temperature for sigma precipitation. Ferrite content, measured using image analysis and Fisher FERITSCOPE technique, showed that the ferrite fraction moved toward 50/50% in the weld metal with an increasing number of reheating cycles. Finally, a schematic map showing an overview of the microstructure in the multipass SDSS weld was introduced.
This is a study of the effect of repetitive TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding passes, melting and remelting the same material volume on microstructure and corrosion resistance of 2507 (EN 1.4410) super duplex stainless steel. One to four weld passes were autogenously (no filler added) applied on a plate using two different arc energies and with pure argon shielding gas. Sensitization testing showed that multipass remelting resulted in significant loss of corrosion resistance of the weld metal, in base material next to the fusion boundary, and in a zone 1 to 4 mm from the fusion boundary. Metallography revealed the main reasons for sensitization to be a ferrite-rich weld metal and precipitation of nitrides in the weld metal, and adjacent heat affected zone together with sigma phase formation at some distance from the fusion boundary. Corrosion properties cannot be significantly restored by a post weld heat treatment. Using filler metals with higher nickel contents and nitrogen containing shielding gases, are therefore, recommended. Welding with a higher heat input and fewer passes, in some cases, can also decrease the risk of formation of secondary phases and possible corrosion attack.
Multipass welding of super duplex stainless steels (SDSS) needs further characterization due to their growing applications inpetrochemical and offshore industries. This study, as a result, is aimed at investigating the effects of the number of passesand the arc energy on the microstructure and properties of 2507-type SDSS (UNS S32750). From one to four TIG weldpasses were autogenously applied on a plate using two different arc energies and with pure argon gas as the shielding gas.Chemical analysis showed increasing nitrogen loss with an increasing number of passes and increasing arc energy.Microstructural analyses revealed formation of nitrides in the weld metal and heat affected zone, and sigma phase at somedistance from the fusion boundary. Thermal cycle analysis in combination with Thermo-Calc calculations indicated thatexcessive reheating cause degradation of corrosion properties of multipass weldments, by reducing the pitting resistanceequivalent number of austenite to less than 40. Multipass welding resulted in a more ferritic weld metal microstructure and anincreased hardness.Recommendations, based on the present study, are as follows: 1) Corrosion attack can occur not only in the weld zone andnext to the fusion boundary, but also in a location at some distance from the fusion zone due to reheating in the sigma phaseformation temperature range. This should be considered in inspection procedures 2) Nitrogen loss degrades the mechanicaland corrosion properties of weldments even when welding with a low heat input. Using filler metals with higher nickelcontents and nitrogen containing shielding gases are therefore recommended. 3) It is often recommended to use a heat inputin the lower end of the recommended 0.3-1.5 kJ/mm range in multipass welding of super duplex stainless steels. However,welding with a higher heat input and fewer passes, in some cases, can decrease the risk of formation of secondary phases.
The evolution of microstructures with thermal cycles was studied for wire-arc additive manufacturing of duplex stainless steel blocks. To produce samples, arc energy of 0.5kJ/mm and interlayer temperature of 150 degrees C were used as low heat input-low interlayer temperature (LHLT) and arc energy of 0.8kJ/mm and interlayer temperature of 250 degrees C as high heat input-high interlayer temperature (HHHT). Thermal cycles were recorded with different thermocouples attached to the substrate as well as the built layers. The microstructure was analyzed using optical and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that a similar geometry was produced with 14 layers4 beads in each layerfor LHLT and 15 layers3 beads in each layerfor HHHT. Although the number of reheating cycles was higher for LHLT, each layer was reheated for a shorter time at temperatures above 600 degrees C, compared with HHHT. A higher austenite fraction (+8%) was achieved for as-deposited LHLT beads, which experienced faster cooling between 1200 and 800 degrees C. The austenite fraction of the bulk of additively manufactured samples, reheated several times, was quite similar for LHLT and HHHT samples. A higher fraction of secondary phases was found in the HHHT sample due to longer reheating at a high temperature. In conclusion, an acceptable austenite fraction with a low fraction of secondary phases was obtained in the bulk of wire-arc additively manufactured duplex stainless steel samples (35-60%), where higher austenite fractions formed with a larger number of reheating cycles as well as longer reheating at high peak temperatures (800-1200 degrees C).
This paper introduces a novel arc heat treatment technique to produce samples with graded microstructures through the application of controlled temperature gradients. Steady state temperature distributions within the sample can be achieved and maintained, for times ranging from a few seconds to several hours. The technique reduces the number of samples needed to characterize the response of a material to thermal treatments, and can consequently be used as a physical simulator for materials processing. The technique is suitable for conventional heat treatment analogues, welding simulations, multi-step heat treatments, and heat treatments with controlled heating and cooling rates. To demonstrate this technique, a super duplex stainless steel was treated with a stationary TIG arc, to confirm the relationship between generated steady-state temperature fields, microstructure development, hardness, and sensitization to corrosion. Metallographic imaging and hardness mapping provided information about graded microstructures, confirming the formation of secondary phases and microstructure sensitization in the temperature range 850–950 °C. Modelling of temperature distributions and thermodynamic calculations of phase stabilities were used to simulate microstructure development and associated welding cycles.
The relationship between welding process parameters, welding thermal cycle, and the final microstructure is of great importance for reliable fabrication of welded super duplex stainless steels (SDSS) structures. The present study was primarily aimed at investigating the relationship for root/single pass welding of type 2507 SDSS. Fourteen welds were produced using GMAW, GTAW, SAW, and SMAW with different joints geometries, plate thicknesses, and welding parameters. Thermal cycles were recorded using several thermocouples attached to the plates and thermocouples were also harpooned into the weld pool. Weld pool geometries and base metal dilution in the weld metal were determined for all welds. The general trend was that the ferrite fraction of the weld zone increased with increasing cooling rate and base metal dilution in the weld metal. The ferrite fraction was in the range 49-64% for all welds. Kinetics of austenite formation was modeled using computational thermodynamics (Thermo-Calc & DICTRA) to predict the ferrite fractions in the weld zone and calculated fractions were in good agreement with experimental results. Some conflicting results showed that in addition to dilution and cooling rate, the possible nitrogen loss must be taken into account when evaluating and predicting ferrite fraction. It was concluded that the above approach can be used for prediction of the ferrite fraction of super duplex stainless steel single pass welds. Â 2019 ESSC and DUPLEX 2019 - 10th European Stainless Steel Conference - Science and Market, 6th European Duplex Stainless Steel Conference and Exhibition. All rights reserved.
A comprehensive model on heat transfer in welded plates is able to calculate the amount of heat losses from the surfaces. A model demands as input parameter the amount of heat delivered to the plate, independently of any loss (called here gross heat input for clarity). However, the great discrepancies among the results of calorimetric measurements have left many researchers skeptical about using this parameter in modeling as absolute term. The objective of this work was to assess the use of a water-cooled stationary anode calorimeter to obtain not only arc efficiency, but also gross heat input. A series of tests was carried out to determine the effect of current, material type and water flow rate on the calorimeter performance, as well as to evaluate some measures for reducing the calorimeter intrinsic errors. Finally, a sensitivity test was conducted to estimate the effect of measurement inaccuracies on the absorbed heat and arc efficiency values. The results showed that this calorimetric approach is a simple way for measuring gross heat inputs in arc welding. Nevertheless some improvement to reduce heat losses from the top surface and boost heat sinking from the opposite surface of the test coupon must be applied. This calorimeter is, on the other hand, highly sensitive to the parameter measurements, leading to errors up to ± 0.09 in arc efficiency determination if the instrument is not properly calibrated and installed.
Comprehensive models of heat transfer require specification of the total amount of heat received by the workpiece. The objective of this work was to critically examine the use of a water-cooled stationary anode calorimeter to obtain both arc efficiency and total heat input into the workpiece. For simplicity and clarity, this last quantity is called the gross heat input. The effects of current, material type and water flow rate on the calorimeter performance were determined experimentally. Some measures for reducing errors in calorimetry were evaluated. Improvements were made to reduce heat losses from the top surface of the test coupon and boost heat removal from the opposite surface. A sensitivity test was conducted to estimate the effect of measurement inaccuracies. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of calorimetry for measuring gross heat input in arc welding.
Producing welds with properties matching those of the steel is a challenge at high strength levels. The present study investigated how cooling rates and dilution affects strength and toughness when welding steels with yield strengths of 777 MPa and 1193 MPa. Overmatching weld metal strength was achieved for the less strong steel and weld strengths >1000 MPa were recorded for the stronger steel. Fracture in transverse tensile testing was always located in base material or HAZ. Low dilution, rapid cooling and single pass welding contributed to higher strength. Impact toughness was higher for lower strength and low dilution.
GMAW using the electrode with negative polarity (DCEN) has been frequently suggested as a potential means of increasing production capacity. The objective of this work was to further study the performance of negative polarity in GMAW of carbon steels. In this project phase, bead-on-plate welds were carried out in flat position to assess the effect of different potential shielding gas compositions on bead geometry, finishing and spattering. The characteristics were compared with DCEP at the same current, but depositing the same volume of material per unit of length (more industrial related comparison). The arc length was kept the same by adjusting voltage to reach shortest arcs, yet with suitable non short-circuiting metal transfer mode. An approach to measure bead convexity was also proposed and assessed. The results showed that DCEN is feasible as a means of increasing GMAW production capacity. However, to become DCEN applicable with GMAW, the results suggest an Ar based blend with around 6.5 % of O2 is the most appropriate shielding gas, as much as that there is a demand for a standard electronic controlled power source able to work in constant current mode.
The weldability of additive manufactured Alloy 718 was investigated in various heat-treated conditions. The microstructure of the base metal was examined in detail in order to understand the effect of different pre-weld heat treatments; i.e., solution, solution and aging, and hot isostatic pressing. After welding, the variation in total crack lengths, maximum crack length and the total number of cracks in the heat affected zone (HAZ) were used as criteria for the cracking susceptibility of each material condition where wrought Alloy 718 was used as the reference material. Selective laser melting (SLM) manufactured Alloy 718 was susceptible to HAZ cracking in all material conditions. Total crack lengths in HAZ were highest in the SLM as-built condition and lowest in the SLM hot isostatic pressed condition. The cracks that were found in the HAZ of the welded materials consisted of liquation cracks, with eutectic product surrounding the cracks, as well as cracks from which liquation products were absent.
A key feature in welding is the energy supplied, in order to join the work pieces together. For all fusion welding methods, the supplied energy is so high that the work-piece joint surfaces are melted and fused together. The energy supplied is then transported away, mainly by conduction through the base materials. The temperature of the weld decreases and a solid joint is eventually formed. This may then undergo phase transformations and finally the weld joint reaches ambient temperature.
The thermal history of a welded joint has a large effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Welding metallurgist therefore consider the cooling time t8/5 as crucial to understand the resulting properties of a joint in steel structures. The cooling time is influenced by several factors, like heat input, base material thickness, base material thermal properties, preheat an interpass temperatures etc. Regarding the heat input, the efficiency of the welding arc has for a long time been debated, i.e. how much of the arc energy really goes into the weld. Large efforts are being made to measure this very accurately.
Another significant research field has been to measure or calculate the cooling time of welds, in particular t8/5. However, this cooling time is affected by the arc energy and by the arc efficiency.
In a more macroscopic sense, it has been shown that the temperature of a welded structure can vary with the presence of for example internal heat sinks. Such variations may affect macroscopic properties like penetration. One way to ensure constant condition in terms of temperature could be to increase the heat input if the temperature decreases. However, how such variations affect for example the cooling rate has not been studied.The aim of the present paper is to report some experimental results regarding cooling rate in welded joints and put this into context of arc efficiency and temperature regulations and also discuss how the cooling rate may be affected in more production like welding situations.
This study investigates the solidification cracking susceptibility of the austenitic stainless steel 314. Longitudinal Varestraint testing was used with three different set of welding test parameters. Weld speed, current and voltage values were selected so that the same heat input resulted in all the test conditions. From the crack measurements it was seen that the test condition with the lowest current and welding speed value also produced the least amount of cracking with very good repeatability.
This article outlines a detailed study of solution treatments and delta precipitation treatments carried out on laser-directed energy deposited (DED) alloy 718 specimens. Two different sets of DED process parameters were used in high and low energy conditions that yield different microstructural features to study the effect of process parameters on delta precipitation. These two conditions were subjected to solution treatment at 1010 °C and 1050 °C each for 1 h, which improved homogeneity and altered grain texture with introduction of annealing twins. The as-built and solution-treated specimens served as the initial reference condition for subsequent delta processing treatments (DPT) performed at three temperatures of 850 °C, 900 °C, and 950 °C to study the effect of short- and long-term exposures ranging from 1 to 48 h. When as-built specimens were subjected to DPT, interdendritic delta precipitates were observed at Nb-rich regions. In contrast, solution-treated specimens under short-term exposure to DPT resulted in intergranular delta phase precipitates whereas under long-term exposures to DPT yielded predominantly intragranular delta precipitates, which grew denser and longer with increased time of treatment. For longer exposure times of 24 and 48 h, a continuous film of intergranular delta phase was noticed. The morphology, location, and volume fraction of delta phase precipitates studied in this research are imperative for designing the performance of alloy 718 built by DED process.
In this article, process parameters such as laser power, deposition speed, and powder feed rate are varied at three levels, and their effect on geometrical characteristics and microstructural features of laser-direct energy deposited single-track Alloy 718 specimens is analyzed. Furthermore, the influence of standard heat treatments recommended for wrought form of Alloy 718 is investigated on as-built deposits. The main aim of the research is to curtail the amount of secondary Nb-rich precipitates such as Laves and NbCs either during the process or by subsequent heat treatments. The volume fraction analysis of Nb-rich phases shows that processing at high laser power conditions is ideal for minimizing segregation. Upon subjecting as-built deposits to (i) solution treatment, (ii) solution treatment and aging, and (iii) direct aging, a difference in volume fraction of Nb-rich phases is noticed compared to the as-built condition. Characterization of size, morphology, phase constitution through volume fraction estimation, and elemental concentrations employing electron dispersive spectroscopy analysis indicates dissolution of Nb-rich phases when subjected to heat treatments. The delta phase precipitation preferentially occurs in the top and bottom regions and sparsely in the middle region of the specimens subjected to solution heat treatment. In case of specimens subjected to direct aging (718 °C/8 h and 621 °C/8 h), delta phase is not discernable, indicating that a higher temperature (>900 °C) treatment may be necessary for delta precipitation and growth
The effect of three important process parameters, namely laser power, scanning speed and laser stand-off distance on the deposit geometry, microstructure and segregation characteristics in direct energy deposited alloy 718 specimens has been studied. Laser power and laser stand-off distance were found to notably affect the width and depth of the deposit, while the scanning speed influenced the deposit height. An increase in specific energy conditions (between 0.5 J/mm2 and 1.0 J/mm2) increased the total area of deposit yielding varied grain morphologies and precipitation behaviors which were comprehensively analyzed. A deposit comprising three distinct zones, namely the top, middle and bottom regions, categorized based on the distinct microstructural features formed on account of variation in local solidification conditions. Nb-rich eutectics preferentially segregated in the top region of the deposit (5.4–9.6% area fraction, Af) which predominantly consisted of an equiaxed grain structure, as compared to the middle (1.5–5.7% Af) and the bottom regions (2.6–4.5% Af), where columnar dendritic morphology was observed. High scan speed was more effective in reducing the area fraction of Nb-rich phases in the top and middle regions of the deposit. The <100> crystallographic direction was observed to be the preferred growth direction of columnar grains while equiaxed grains had a random orientation.
The aim of this study was to review the literature that specifies arc efficiency values for gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and, if possible, propose a plausible value range. The literature review covered the years between 1955 and 2011, and showed that the arc efficiency values published lie in a wide range. Values between 0.36 and 0.90 were found for GTAW DCEN. Only a few studies covered DCEP and AC current welding. Specific information about the reproducibility of calorimetric studies was scarce (considering both random and systematic errors). A plausible arc efficiency range (95% confidence) for GTAW DCEN was estimated to be 0.73 – 0.82 with an average value of 0.78. The arc efficiency is lowered by longer arcs (increased arc gap). Reports describing the influence of arc current and travel speed, however, conflict. The GTAW process with DCEN is an efficient welding method.
Producing welds with properties matching those of the steel is a challenge at high strength levels. The present study has investigated how the choice of welding method affects weld metal mechanical properties through effects on dilution and cooling rate. Butt welds were produced in 12 mm plates in 777 MPa and 1193 MPa yield strength steels. Conventional arc welding methods including manual metal arc, gas metal arc welding, rapid arc welding and submerged arc welding were used as well as laser-gas metal arc hybrid welding. Filler materials with nominal yield strengths between 810 and 1000 MPa were used. Cooling times between 800 C and 500 C were varied between 5s and 15s and measured by insertion of thermocouples into the weld pool.High quality welds were produced efficiently with all welding methods even though dilution varied between 3%, for manual metal arc welding, to 73% for laser-hybrid welding. Low dilution, rapid cooling and single pass welding contributed to higher strength. Overmatching weld metal strength was achieved for the less strong steel and weld yield strengths of >1000 MPa were recorded for the stronger steel. Fracture in transverse tensile testing was always located in base material or HAZ. Impact toughness was higher for lower strength and low dilution. Results are discussed relating choice of welding method and cooling rate to weld metal properties for different steel strength levels.
In this work, two series of specimens with Hammar and Svensson's Cr- and Ni-equivalents (Creq+Nieq) = 35 and 45 wt% were used to cover a wide range of austenitic grades. These were laser welded with different energy inputs achieving cooling rates in the range of 103 °C/s to 104 °C/s. As high cooling rates and rapid solidification conditions could favour fully austenitic solidification and therefore raise susceptibility to solidification cracking, the solidification modes of the laser welded specimens were compared to the ones experienced by the same alloys under arc welding conditions. It was found that high cooling rates experienced in laser welding promoted fully austenitic solidification for a wider range of compositions, for example specimens with (Creq+Nieq) = 35% under arc welding cooling conditions at 10 °C/s showed fully austenitic solidification up to Creq/Nieq = 1.30, whilst the same specimens laser cooled at 103 °C/s showed fully austenitic solidification up to Creq/Nieq = 1.50 and those cooled at 104 °C/s showed it up to Creq/Nieq = 1.68. Therefore, high cooling rates extended the solidification cracking risk to a wider range of Creq/Nieq values. This work also compares the cooling rates experimentally determined by thermocouples to the computed cooling rates calculated by a highly-advanced computational model. The distance between the thermocouple's wires and the thermal resistance of thermocouples together with the small size of the weld pools proved to be practical limitations in the experimental determination of cooling rates. However, an excellent agreement was found between computed and experimental solidus isotherms at high energy input settings. For low energy input settings cooling rate was in the order of magnitude of 104 °C/s, whilst for high energy input settings cooling rate was found to be in the order of magnitude of 103 °C/s.
In this study, Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes were used in multi-pass welding of 33 mm thickness super duplex stainless steel plates. Recommended and higher than recommended arc energy and interpass temperatures were used. Both GMAW and SAW processes were able to produce large thickness weldments meeting the microstructural, mechanical, and corrosion resistance requirements, and also when using higher than recommended arc energy and interpass temperature. It was possible to reduce the number of welding passes by half when using higher than recommended arc energy and interpass temperature. The SAW process needed only half of the welding time required for the GMAW process to produce a weldment with nearly the same number of weld passes, when using recommended arc energy and interpass temperature. Based on the results of this investigation, the practical recommendations for welding large thicknesses should be revised and updated.
Type 2507 superduplex stainless steel 20 mm in thickness was multi-pass-welded with Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) processes. Recommended and higher arc energies and inter-pass temperatures were used. Thermal cycles were monitored using a recently developed procedure involving the successive instrumentation of the multi-pass welds, pass by pass, by addition of thermocouples in each weld pass. The repeatability of temperature measurements and survival rate of more than 90% of thermocouples confirmed the reliability of the procedure. Reheating by subsequent passes caused a progressive increase in the austenite content of the weld metal. The as-deposited GMAW passes with higher-than-recommended arc energy showed the lowest presence of nitrides. Therefore, the cooling rate—and not the time exposed at the critical temperature range—seems to be the key factor for nitride formation. The welding sequence layout also plays an important role in the distribution of secondary phases. A larger amount and concentration of secondary austenite and σ-phase was found for a larger number of subsequent passes in the immediate vicinity of a specific weld pass. The impact toughness exceeded requirements for all welds. Differences in absorbed energies were related to the amount of micro-inclusions found with the FCAW weld showing the lowest absorbed energies and highest amount of micro-inclusions. Pitting corrosion preferentially initiated in locations with secondary austenite and σ-phase. However, in the absence of these secondary phases, the HAZ containing nitrides was the weakest location where pitting initiated. The results of this work have implications on practical welding for superduplex stainless steels: the current recommendations on maximum arc energy should be revised for large thickness weldments, and the importance of the welding sequence layout on the formation of secondary phases should be considered.
Differently from any previous investigation in welding, this research work presents a novel development that allows temperature to be measured and recorded simultaneously with up to 32 thermocouples indifferent locations of a welding joint. Four experiments were designed to optimise the measurement technique by comparing the performance of three types of thermocouples (K, N, C) insulated with different materials and varying the insertion technique of the thermocouples in the joint. Results showed that type-K thermocouple had the best performance and proved that glass fibre insulation provided better protection than Inconel. The optimised measurement procedure developed in this work enables to monitor the thermal cycles in multi-pass welds. That information is essential in multi-pass welding of materials such as super duplex stainless steels, carbon steels or nickel alloys, as heating them repeatedly makes them susceptible to the formation of brittle phases and in turn it influences their mechanical and corrosion properties. This technique could be really important for future applications such as temperature modellingor prediction of mechanical properties and microstructure in relation to the thermal cycle experienced by alloys susceptible to the formation of undesirable phases.
The aim of this work was to study the influence of shielding gases and welding positions on properties of duplex and superduplex stainless steel circumferential pipe welds. Corrosion resistance, microstructural features and weld defects were assessed and related to the welding procedures. Horizontal and vertical upward welding positions produced high quality welds. However, welding in the overhead position resulted in less good results in terms of porosity and corrosion resistance. Shielding gases containing 30% helium showed best results, whilst using a mixture Ar+2%CO2 resulted in undercuts and porosity in all welding positions.
The influence of shielding gases on welding performanceand on properties of duplex and superduplex stainlesssteel welds was studied. Using argon as the reference gas,helium, nitrogen and carbon dioxide were added and fivemixtures evaluated. Bead-on-plate welds and circumferentialpipe welds were produced using mechanisedGMAwelding inthe downhand position. Welding performance, corrosion resistance,mechanical properties, microstructural features andweld imperfections were assessed and related to the shieldinggas. Shielding gases containing 30 % helium showed excellentresults; whilst pure argon showed unstable arc and poorweld pool fluidity and Ar+2 %CO2 resulted in underfill andporosity. Mixtures containing helium resulted in higher ductilitywelds and higher impact toughness values than weldsproduced with Ar+2 %CO2. Sound and balanced duplexmicrostructures free from intermetallics were found with suitableferrite contents for all the shielding gases studied. All theduplex pipe welds passed the corrosion test regardless of theshielding gas used, and the best results in the corrosion test forsuperduplex pipe welds were found when using Ar+30 %He+0.5 %CO2+1.8 %N2 as shielding gas.
The influence of shielding gases on welding performance and on properties of duplex and superduplex stainless steel welds was studied. Using argon as the reference gas, helium, nitrogen and carbon dioxide were added and five mixtures evaluated. Bead-on-plate welds and circumferential pipe welds were produced using mechanised GMA welding in the downhand position. Welding performance, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, microstructural features and weld imperfections were assessed and related to the shielding gas. Shielding gases containing 30% helium showed excellent results; whilst pure argon showed unstable arc and poor weld pool fluidity and Ar + 2% CO2resulted in underfill and porosity. Mixtures containing helium resulted in higher ductility welds and higher impact toughness values than welds produced with Ar + 2% CO2. Sound and balanced duplex microstructures free from intermetallics were found with suitable ferrite contents for all the shielding gases studied. All the duplex pipe welds passed the corrosion test regardless of the shielding gas used, and the best results in the corrosion test for superduplex pipe welds were found when using Ar + 30%He + 0.5% CO2+ 1.8% N2as shielding gas.
The influence of welding position on properties ofduplex and superduplex stainless steel welds was studied. Circumferential pipe welds were produced using mechanised gasmetal arc welding in flat position, vertical up position and overhead position. Dilution, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, microstructural features and weld imperfections were assessed and related to the welding position. Welds produced in flat and vertical up positions were less likely to produce porosity than those welded in overhead position, whilst underfill was not observed in overhead position welds. All the duplex pipe welds passed the corrosion test regardless of the welding position and showed sound microstructures. Under fixed arc energy conditions, welds produced in vertical up position showed the lowest dilution values whilst welds in flat position showed the highest. Excellent impact toughness values and cross tensile values were found regardless of the welding positions. Whenever possible, flat position is recommended as welds showed less proneness to porosity. Vertical up position is recommended as the second best choice.
Two experimental FeCrAl alloy overlay welds on tube shields were exposed in the superheater of a full-size waste fired boiler for 6 months. The tube shields were in different tube lines and positions within the superheater chamber to investigate possible heterogeneities in the exposure environment. The visual inspection of the exposed tube shields and the corrosion-erosion rates calculated from the analysis of cross-sections showed that the mid-length roof location experienced the most aggressive environment. The compositional differences between the two experimental alloys were not found to be determinant in their performance under these specific exposure conditions. It was concluded that erosion had a decisive influence on the results. The identification of local differences within the superheater chamber is important when deciding on the material selection for the different areas and locations to be protected. The output of this study is therefore interesting for further design consideration of superheaters as well as for future planning of exposures.