Manganese alloyed stainless steels represent a cost-effective alternative to conventional CrNi- stainless steels due to strong fluctuations of the market prices for nickel seen during the last years. In CrMnNi steels, nickel is partially replaced by lower-cost manganese and small amounts of nitrogen for stabilization of the austenitic phase. This also brings benefits regarding the mechanical properties, as it results in an increased material strength. Laser beam welding of such materials was investigated for direct comparison with standard CrNi steels. Main emphasis was laid on finding adequate process parameters to achieve a stable welding process and obtain a good weld quality. Two different laser sources, a 4.4 kW Nd:YAG and a 5 kW CO2 laser, were used to weld 1.5 mm stainless steel sheets in continuous wave mode. A high-Mn austenitic (1.4376) and a lean duplex (1.4162) steel, as well as the standard austenitic (1.4301) and duplex (1.4362) grades were selected as test materials. Both butt and lap joint configurations were studied. Experiments were carried out systematically, varying the welding speed, laser power and focal point position in order to determine adequate process windows. The influence of the shielding gas type and flow rate on the process stability and the weld quality were investigated. The effects of weld edge preparation on the weld appearance and quality levels attained were also examined. The obtained welded joints were subjected to radiographic tests for detection of internal imperfections. Also a metallurgical characterization of the samples regarding the resulting phase composition or balance and hardness depending on the welding process parameters was conducted. Furthermore, tensile and potentiodynamic tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical and corrosion properties, respectively. The results provide an insight into the advantages and limitations of the laser beam welding process for joining high-manganese alloyed stainless steels. Conditions for the production of defect-free and corrosion-resistant welds having good mechanical properties could be determined.
Dickwandige Rohre aus Stahl sind die Basis einer Vielzahl von Komponenten im Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, zum Beispiel bei Hydraulikkomponenten, in der Kraftwerkstechnik oder der Petroindustrie. Insbesondere, wenn hohe Lage- und Formtoleranzen gefordert werden, ist das klassische Herstellungsverfahren ein Zerspanen aus dem Vollmaterial. Dies ist jedoch zeit- und materialintensiv. Als Alternative bieten sich die Laserstrahl-MSGHybridverfahren mit modernen Hochleistungslasern an. Mit diesen Verfahren ist es derzeit möglich, Bauteile bis zu etwa 15 mm Wanddicke verzugsarm und einlagig zu verschweißen. In ersten Experimenten wurden bei Schweißungen an Rohren jedoch in Bezug auf die Schweißrichtung längs und vertikal orientierte Erstarrungsrisse, so genannte Mittelrippendefekte, festgestellt. Im Rahmen eines Forschungsprojekts konnte die Ursache der Rissentstehung ermittelt und Maßnahmen zur Vermeidung gefunden werden. Dabei ließen sich die technischen Randbedingungen einhalten. Der Artikel gibt einen Überblick über das Forschungsprojekt und die wesentlichen Ergebnisse. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thick-walled pipes made of steel are the basis of a large number of components in mechanical and installation engineering, e.g. for hydraulic components, in power station technology or in the petroleum industry. Particularly when strict positional and shape tolerances are demanded, the classical manufacturing process is chip-producing machining from the solid material. However, this is time-intensive and material- intensive. The laser/GMA hybrid processes with modern high-power lasers are a suitable alternative. With these processes, it is currently possible to weld components with a wall thickness up to approx. 15 mm with little distortion in one pass. However, in initial experiments, solidification cracks with longitudinal and vertical orientations in relation to the welding direction, so-called central rib defects, were established in welds on pipes. Within the framework of a research project, it was possible to determine the cause of the cracking and to find measures in order to avoid it. The technical boundary conditions could be complied with in this respect. The article gives an overview of the research project and the essential results.