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High-strength steels are increasingly applied in modern steel constructions to meet today’s lightweight requirements. Welding of these steels demands a profound knowledge of the interactions between the welding process, cooling conditions, heat input, and the resulting metallurgical occurrences in the weld and its vicinity. Additionally, welding stresses may be detrimental for the safety and performance of high-strength steel component welds during fabrication and service, especially due to the high yield ratio. For a development of strategies to adjust welding heat control, all these effects should be considered, to reach a complete exploitation of the high-strength steel potential. In recent researches at BAM, multilayer GMAW experiments were performed with high-strength steels, in which cooling conditions and resulting microstructure were analyzed for varied heat control parameters. The application of a unique 3d-operating testing facility and X-ray diffraction measurements allowed the analysis of local stresses in the weld while welding and cooling under component relevant shrinkage restraints. As a result, correlations between material behavior, welding, and cooling condition and the arising multi-axial stresses and forces were found. Based on this study, statements for the development of adapted heat control concepts were derived, which are presented by means of specific analysis examples.
This article presents the latest results of an ongoing national research project on improved models for the prediction of welding residual stresses of thick-plated welded I-girders. The experimental program is presented and the importance of different influencing factors on the residual stresses is discussed in detail. All results are compared for mild (S355J2+N) and high strength (S690QL) steel. Finally, conclusions for further works are drawn.
High-strength steels with yield strengths ≥ 690 MPa are becoming increasingly significant for modern steel constructions. Both quenched and tempered (QT) high-strength steels and steels produced by the thermo-mechanically controlled process (TMCP) are currently available. TMCP-steels are usually provided with a typical mill scale. Apart from the manufacturing process these steels differ also in their chemical composition. The influence of these differences are investigated here with focus on the residual stresses formed during TIG welding. Bead on plate welds have shown characteristic residual stress distributions depending on the type of steel as well as on the heat input and preheat temperature. The following work demonstrates that the fluid flow, induced by the elements present in the mill scale, leads to a deeper penetration of the material. This can also lead to increased residual stresses in the surface of the weld and the HAZ. Furthermore, higher heat input and preheat temperature can induce higher tensile residual stresses − which are evident in the present study.
Wear behavior of innovative niobium carbide cutting tools in ultrasonic-assisted finishing milling
(2023)
The resources of niobium exceed the ones of tungsten by an order of magnitude. With 92%, Brazil is today the main global producer of niobium. Hence, niobium carbides (NbC) are a sustainable and economic alternative to conventionally used cutting materials, especially tungsten carbides (WC). Moreover, NbC can be used in Ni alloy matrix and thus offer significant advantages by substituting WC in Co matrix as cutting materials in terms of health risks and raw material price and supply risk. Based on recent studies which found an increased performance of NbC compared to WC cutting tools in machining higher strength steels, the composition NbC12Ni4Mo4VC was chosen for finish machining of a high-strength steel S960QL in this study. The experiments were carried out on an ultrasonic-assisted 5-axis milling machine using NbC tools specially made to benchmark them with commercially available coated WC cutting inserts. In addition, the influence of a coating system for the NbC inserts is tested and evaluated for its performance in the cutting process. Tool wear and cutting force analyses are implied to identify optimal parameter combinations as well as tool properties for the novel NbC tool. Together with the oscillation of ultrasonic-assisted milling, the loads on the component surface and the tool can be reduced and the wear behavior of the novel NbC tool can be refined. These milling tests are accompanied by standardized wear tests, i.e., pin-on-disc, between the aforementioned material combinations, and the results are correlated with each other. Finally, the behavior when using hard-to-cut materials such as Ni alloys, or innovative materials such as iron aluminide is also being tested, as these are constantly in the focus of machining optimization. With this strategy, comprehensive knowledge is achievable for future efficient application of NbC for milling tools, which have already been researched for decades using WC.
WAAM process influences on local microstructure and residual stresses in high-strength steels
(2021)
High-strength fine-grain structural steels have great potential for weight optimization of many modern engineering structures. Efficient manufacturing can be achieved here above all by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). First commercial high-strength welding consumables for WAAM are already available. Due to a lack of knowledge and guidelines for the industry regarding welding residual stresses and component safety in manufacturing and operation, their application is still severely limited. Residual stresses play a crucial role here, as the special microstructure of high-strength steels is sensitive to cold cracking.
For this reason, process- and material-related influences, as well as the design effects on residual stress formation, are being investigated in a project funded by the AiF (FOSTA P1380/IGF 21162 BG). This study focuses on determining the interactions between heat control during WAAM process, resulting hardness, microstructure, and residual stresses, analyzed by X-ray diffraction. Welding experiments using geometrically similar AM specimens show that, with regard to the heat input, the energy per unit length in particular leads to significantly affected cooling times and microstructures and causes pronounced localized effects in terms of residual stresses in the upper weld beads.
Chemical compositions of a weld can be varying locally as a result of the welding process. These local variations can be due to the vaporization of individual alloying elements. In this work, tungsten inert gas (TIG) bead-on-plate stainless steel welds of EN grade 1.4404 and 1.4435 were investigated using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) on the completed welds. This study aims to reveal the welding parameters’ influence on the resulting local chemical compositions of the stainless steel welds. We demonstrated Mn vaporize before Cr due to its lower latent enthalpy of vaporization. Hence, Mn accumulates on the heat-affected zone (HAZ) both sides across the weld bead by being swept away through the circulation flow of the welding plasma. Additionally, increasing the heat input tends to enhance the accumulated Mn content on the HAZ as well as increasing the shielding gas flow rate. The results are in good agreement with the literature and proved that LIBS is an effective method to inspect completed welds.
The triaxial distribution of the residual stress in laser powder bed fused austenitic steel 316L was determined by X-ray and neutron diffraction. The residual stress analysis results were linked to the thermal history of the specimens, which were manufactured with varying inter-layer-times and scanning velocities. A clear link between the in-process temperature of the specimens and the residual stress was found, based on in-situ monitoring data.
This study reports on the stress relaxation potential of stress-relieving heat treatments for laser powder bed fused 316L. The residual stress is monitored non-destructively using neutron diffraction before and after the heat treatment. Moreover, the evolution of the microstructure is analysed using scanning electron microscopy. The results show, that a strong relaxation of the residual stress is obtained when applying a heat treatment temperature at 900°C. However, the loss of the cellular substructure needs to be considered when applying this heat treatment strategy.
The importance of high-temperature materials made of iron aluminides (FeAl) has been increasing in light weight applications, e.g., airplane turbines, due to the high material’s specific strength. However, the highly economic production by means of permanent mold casting involves special microstructures for Fe26Al4Mo0.5Ti1B alloy components leading to difficult machinability for subsequent finishing milling and low surface qualities. Major effects of tool and machining parameter variation incorporating ultrasonic assistance on the milling process and surface integrity are shown. Loads for tool and component surface are significantly adjustable to enable an economic process chain regarding the surface integrity of safety-relevant components.
Hydrogen can have an extreme degradation effects in steels, particularly concerning the mechanical properties. These effects can lead to hydrogen-assisted cracking in microalloyed high-strength steels during fabrication and/or operation in industrial applications. In order to study these effects, electrochemically charged tensile specimens were tested to elucidate the degradation of their properties. The carrier gas hot extraction (CGHE) method, which functionally combines a mass spectrometer with a thermal desorption analysis (TDA) process, was used for the detection of ultra-low diffusible hydrogen concentrations in the material specimens. The mass spectrometer provided rapid and automatic determination of hydrogen concentration, whereas the TDA presented the activation energy within the respective test specimen at the specific temperature. Additionally, specimen temperature was carefully monitored to reduce the evaluation error for local effusion peaks. A quenching and deformation dilatometer was used for the analysis of typical heat-affected zones during the welding process for a high reproducibility of the homogenous microstructures that were studied. The present work shows the interaction between hydrogen and lattice defects in different microalloyed materials and heat-affected zones of weldable fine-grained steels. These steels were prepared in a quenched and tempered condition and in a thermo-mechanically rolled condition. These preparations were made according to German standard DIN EN 10025-6 and to DIN EN 10149-2, respectively. The trapping characteristics of two steel grades, S690QL and S700MC, were studied with respect to the activation energy dependent on carbon content and microalloying elements such as Ti, Nb, Mo, Cr, and V. The two steel grades exhibited several types of traps: carbide formations, dislocations, and/or grain boundaries were common, which can influence activation energy and hydrogen solubility. The type and dimension of inclusions or particles also affected the hydrogen trapping behavior. A decrease of carbon and specific alloying elements in thermo-mechanically hot rolled steels led to a change in the activation energy binding the trapped hydrogen. This thermo-mechanically hot rolled steel revealed an increased interaction between hydrogen and precipitations. The higher carbon content in the quenched and tempered steel led to a higher interaction between hydrogen and iron carbide, specifically in the martensitic phase. Furthermore, the trapping behavior in heat-affected zones showed a significant increase in activation energy, especially in the coarse-grained microstructure. These previously mentioned various effects were studied to better understand the degradation of mechanical properties in these two steels.
The subject of this study is how, and to what extent, Varestraint/Transvarestraint test results are influenced by both testing parameters and characteristics of evaluation methods. Several different high-alloyed martensitic LTT (low Transformation temperature) filler materials, CrNi and CrMn type, were selected for examination due to their rather distinctive solidification cracking behaviour, which aroused interest after previous studies. First, the effects of different process parameter sets on the solidification cracking response were measured using standard approaches. Subsequently, microfocus X-ray computer tomography (μCT) scans were performed on the specimens. The results consistently show sub-surface cracking to significant yet varying extents. Different primary solidification types were found using wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX) analysis conducted on filler metals with varying Cr/Ni equivalent ratios. This aspect is regarded as the main difference between the CrNiand CrMn-type materials in matters of cracking characteristics. Results show that when it comes to testing of modern highperformance alloys, one set of standard Varestraint testing parameters might not be equally suitable for all materials. Also, to properly accommodate different solidification types, sub-surface cracking has to be taken into account.
The supply and processing of materials for highly stressed components are usually cost-intensive. Efforts to achieve cost and resource efficiency lead to more complex structures and contours. Additive manufacturing steps for component repair and production offer significant economic advantages. Machining needs to be coordinated with additive manufacturing steps in a complementary way to produce functional surfaces suitable for the demands. Regarding inhomogeneity and anisotropy of the microstructure and properties as well as production-related stresses, a great deal of knowledge is still required for efficient use by small- and medium-size enterprises, especially for the interactions of subsequent machining of these difficult-to-machine materials. Therefore, investigations on these influences and interactions were carried out using a highly innovative cost-intensive NiCrMo alloy (IN725). These alloys are applied for claddings as well as for additive component manufacturing and repair welding using gas metal arc welding processes. For the welded specimens, the adequate solidification morphology, microstructure and property profile were investigated. The machinability in terms of finishing milling of the welded surfaces and comparative analyses for ultrasonic-assisted milling processes was examined focussing on surface integrity. It was shown that appropriate cutting parameters and superimposed oscillating of the milling tool in the direction of the tool rotation significantly reduce the mechanical loads for tool and workpiece surface. This contributes to ensure a high surface integrity, especially when cutting has to be carried out without cooling lubricants.
Stresses in repair welding of high-strength steels—part 2: heat control and stress optimization
(2024)
In welding of high-strength steels, e.g. for foundations and erection structures of wind energy plants, unacceptable defects can occasionally be found in the weld area, which should be removed by thermal gouging and subsequent re-welding. High shrinkage restraint of repair welds may lead to crack formation and component failure, predominantly in interaction with degraded microstructures and mechanical properties due to repair cycles. This study aims for elaboration of recommendations for repair concepts appropriate to the stresses and materials involved to avoid cold cracking, damage and expensive reworking. In part 1 [1] of this study, systematic investigations of influences of shrinkage restraint on residual stresses and cold cracking risk during repair welding of two high-strength steels S500MLO for offshore application and S960QL for mobile crane structures were focussed. In this part 2, the microstructure, particularly hardness, and residual stresses due to gouging and influences of heat control parameters in repair welding are analysed. A clear reduction in residual stress after gouging can be observed, especially for the specimens with restrained transverse shrinkage. Gouging to a depth of approx. 2/3 of the seam height does not lead to a complete relaxation of the observed reaction forces. Particularly for the higher strength steel S960QL, there are pronounced areas influenced by the gouging process in which a degradation of the microstructure and properties should be assumed. Overall, the repair welds show a significant increase in the width of the weld and HAZ compared to the original weld, especially in the case of S960QL/G89. The repair welds show higher welding-induced stresses than the original welds, especially in the areas of the HAZ and the base metal close to the weld seam. This behaviour can be attributed overall to increased restraint conditions due to the remaining root weld or shorter gouge grooves. In good agreement with earlier investigations, the residual stresses transverse to the weld can be significantly reduced by upwardly limited working or interpass temperatures, and the reaction stresses resulting from high restraint conditions can be effectively counteracted. The influence of the heat input on the stress formation is low compared to the interpass temperature for both test materials.
AbstractThe sustainable and resource-efficient production of wind energy plants requires the use of modern high-strength fine-grain structural steels. This applies to both foundation and erection structures, like mobile or ship cranes. During the assembly of steel structures, unacceptable defects can occasionally be found in the weld area. In most cases, the economical solution would be local thermal gouging of the affected areas and re-welding. Due to the high shrinkage restraint of the joint groove in the overall structure, the superposition of global and local welding-induced stresses may lead to crack formation and component failure, particularly in interaction with the degradation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength steels during the repair process. However, manufacturers hardly have any information about these issues and there is a lack of recommendations and guidelines to take these safety-relevant aspects into account in adequate repair concepts. The aim of this research is to derive recommendations for repair concepts appropriate to the stresses and materials involved providing a basis for standards and guidelines to avoid cold cracking, damage and expensive reworking especially for high-strength steels. Part 1 of this study involves systematic investigations of influences of shrinkage restraint during repair welding of two high-strength steels S500MLO for offshore application and S960QL for mobile crane structures. The quantification of the shrinkage restraint of repair weld joints was achieved by means of experimental and numerical restraint intensity analysis. In welding experiments with self-restrained slot specimens, restraint intensity and introduction of hydrogen via the welding arc using anti spatter spray were varied systematically to analyse the effect on welding result, residual stresses and cold cracking. It could be shown that increasing restraint intensities result in significantly higher transverse residual stress levels. In the case of hydrogen introduction S500MLO showed no cold cracking independent of the restraint conditions. However, S960QL was found to be considerably cold cracking sensitive if hydrogen is introduced. With increasing restraint intensity length and number of cold cracks increases significantly. Part 2 [1] of this study is focussed on microstructure and residual stresses due to gouging and stress optimization via adequate heat control parameters in repair welding.
Duplex stainless steels (DSS) are used in all industries where corrosion problems play a major role. Examples include the chemical industry, the food industry and shipping industries. DSS have a balanced phase ratio of ferrite (α) and austenite (γ). Unlike single-phase stainless steels, DSS combine the advantages of these and can therefore fit many industry requirements, such as weight saving or high mechanical strength. When these steels are welded, alloying elements can burn off and condense as thin layers on cold surface regions. This loss of chemical elements can lead to changes in the microstructure. With the help of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), chemical element distributions were visualized. The results were compared with those of conventional measurement methods, such as energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), and the results from LIBS could be validated. LIBS is suitable as a fast, straightforward measurement method for producing line scans along the weld seam and provides spatially resolved information on accumulation phenomena of burned off alloying elements. LIBS is very well suited for the detection of sub-surface elements due to the exclusively superficial ablation of the material. In addition, the measurement method has been calibrated so that quantitative statements about element concentrations can also be made.
In the last decade, high-strength fine grained steels and welding consumables have gained a strong raise of application ranging from mobile cranes to bridge constructions. However, the cracking susceptibility of these steels increases significantly in correspondence with the achieved improvements in yield strength and the loss in plastic deformation reserves.
In order to determine this behavior a series of different standardized cold cracking tests has been developed. One remaining major problem of these tests is the uncertainty about the quantitative intensity of the restraint conditions as well as the corresponding welding residual stresses.
Consequently, the comparison of different tests and welding conditions as well as the transferability of the results onto real parts is difficult at best. The main topic of this paper is the analysis of the restraint conditions and their link with the welding induced residual stresses. The importance of the given standardized selfrestrained tests and first results about the transferability of
results onto real parts are discussed. The influence of the test specimen geometry on the restraint conditions of the test is investigated for a selected test with numerical Simulation using commercial FEA software. Additionally, the residual stresses caused by the welding process are measured and linked with the restraint conditions which are defined mainly by the geometry parameters.
Finally the transferability of the selected cold cracking test results is validated experimentally. The test results of a multilayer weld on high-strength fine grained steel of real size weldments are investigated. For these experiments a 16 MN large scale testing facility is used which is capable of applying the high reaction forces and clamping conditions found at large scale demonstrator parts.
The results show the importance of the quantitative knowledge of the restraint conditions and the welding residual stresses on the cold cracking resistance.
Residual stresses of welds become more and more important influencing cold cracking as well as the fatigue life of welded components. Low transformation temperature (LTT) filler materials offer the opportunity to alter the residual stresses already during the welding process by means of ad- justed martensite phase transformation temperature (MS). In the current paper, welding residual stresses are studied putting the focus on MS while joining heavy steel sections with a thickness of 20 and 25 mm, respectively. The residual stress state was determined at the top surface using X-ray diffraction as well as in the bulk by neutron diffraction. The results com- pare the residual stresses present in a conventional weld and LTT welds when multi-pass welding of large-scale compo- nents was applied. Repeated phase transformation in the case of the LTT weld is more vital for the residual stresses present in the real-life-like joints. This accounts for the top surface in longitudinal direction but is most pronounced for the bulk of the welds. Detrimental tensile residual stresses are mainly re- duced in the bulk in comparison to a conventional filler wire even in multi-pass welds of thick steel sections.
This article addresses the imperfections caused by the weld assembly in I-shape sections made of two structural steel grades. Load influencing imperfections are assumed as deviations from the ideal shape (e.g. bending distortion) and longitudinal residual stresses. The quality of a numerically aided design of components exposed to either compression and/or bending is significantly affected, depending on these parameters. The Eurocode (EC3) provides robust simplified models. As a result, the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) is approached on a conservative basis. The following investigations are aimed at providing further guidance on these values in component-like specimens. The long term goal is an improved understanding of the load-bearing capacity of such sections. As a first step in this process, the experimental and corresponding numerical studies are presented.
The nonlinear analysis became a common tool to precisely assess the load-bearing behavior of steel beam and column members. The failure level is significantly influenced by different types of imperfections, among geometric also structural imperfections (residual stresses). Here are still gaps in the knowledge. Nowadays, 3-D welding simulation developed to a level where it could provide reliable estimation of weld-induced distortion and residual stresses. Nevertheless, modelling and computational effort are still in a less practicable range. In this study a simplified procedure to implement residual welding stresses in continuous large scale members is proposed and the influence on the ultimate limit state of slender members in compression is evaluated for two common structural steel grades. The results showed significant improvements in the utilization of load bearing capacity compared with simplified design methods. The comparatively general approach in this study offers
potential for future optimization.
Submerged arc welded (SAW) components of creep-resistant low-alloyed Cr-Mo-V steels are used for thick-walled heavy petrochemical reactors (wall-thickness up to 475 mm) as well as employed in construction of modern high-efficient fossil fired power plants. These large components are accompanied by significant restraints during welding fabrication, especially at positions of different thicknesses like welding of nozzles. As a result, residual stresses occur, playing a domi-nant role concerning so-called stress relief cracking (SRC) typically during post weld heat treat-ment (PWHT). Besides specific metallurgical factors (like secondary hardening due to re-precipitation), high tensile residual stresses are a considerable influence factor on SRC. For the assessment of SRC susceptibility of certain materials mostly mechanical tests are applied which are isolated from the welding process. Conclusions regarding the influence of mechanical factors are rare so far. The present research follows an approach to reproduce loads, which occur during welding of real thick-walled components scaled to laboratory conditions by using tests designed on different measures. A large-scale slit specimen giving a high restraint in 3 dimensions by high stiffness was compared to a medium-scale multi-pass welding U-profile specimen showing a high degree of restraint in longitudinal direction and a small-scale TIG-re-melted specimen. The small-scale specimens were additionally subjected to mechanical bending to induce loads that are found during fabrication on the real-scale in heavy components. Results show for all three cases compa-rable high tensile residual stresses up to yield strength with high gradients in the weld metal and the heat affected zone. Those high tensile stresses can be significant for cracking during further PWHT.
In situ crack detection in the mushy zone and the solid weld of a gas tungsten arc (GTA) weld using X-ray imaging during welding is a new research area for NDT inspection. Usually, NDT flaw detection is done after the complete solidification of the weld seam. In this paper, we present the use of real-time radiography with a minifocus X-ray source (YXLON X-ray tube Y.TU 225-D04) and a 75μm pixel size digital detector array (Dexela 1512) for the acquisition of 2D radiographic images by a sequence of exposures with time intervals of 80 ms for hot crack detection during single pass bead-on-plate GTA welding of 3 mm thick plates of aluminium alloy AlMgSi (6060). An analysis of the crack distribution in the weld sample is conducted from the acquired 2D radiographs and its corresponding 3D volumetric reconstruction achieved by linear coplanar digital laminography.
This in situ approach opens new possibilities in the field of hot crack research by having the direct information of both the crack initiation and growth and its correlation to the welding parameters.
Duplex stainless steels (DSS) are frequently used, especially in applications requiring high strength combined with high corrosion resistance in aggressive media. Examples include power plant components and maritime structures. During welding of these steels, local variations in chemical composition can occur. This results in ferritization of the material and negatively affects the mechanical properties of the components. In this work, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding experiments were performed with DSS. Chemical composition analysis was realized in situ by using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The aim of the work is to quantitatively measure the chemical composition in the weld seam of various DSS and to identify possible influences of welding parameters on the microstructure of the material. The chemical concentrations of the main alloying elements Cr, Ni, Mn on the surface of the sample during the welding process and the cooling process were measured. Mn and Ni are austenite stabilizers and their content increases during welding by using certain high alloyed filler material. Spectra were recorded every 1.3 s at a spacing of approximately 2 mm. During the cooling process the location of the measurement was not changed. The LIBS method is proofed to be suitable for the quantitative representation of the chemical compositions during the welding process.
While the problem of the identification of mechanisms of hydrogen assisted damage has and is being thoroughly studied, the quantitative analysis of such damage still lacks suitable tools. In fact, while, for instance, electron microscopy yields excellent characterization, the quantitative analysis of damage requires at the same time large field-of-views and high spatial resolution. Synchrotron X-ray refraction techniques do possess both features. In this work, we show how synchrotron X-ray refraction computed tomography (SXRCT) can quantify damage induced by hydrogen embrittlement in a lean duplex steel, yielding results that overperform even those achievable by synchrotron X-ray absorption computed tomography. As already reported in literature, but this time using a non-destructive technique, we show that the hydrogen charge does not penetrate to the center of tensile specimens. By the comparison between virgin and hydrogen-charged specimens, we deduce that cracks in the specimen bulk are due to the rolling process rather than hydrogen-assisted. We show that (micro)cracks propagate from the surface of tensile specimens to the interior with increasing applied strain, and we deduce that a significant crack propagation can only be observed short before rupture.
High-strength fine-grained structural steels have great potential for weight-optimized, efficient structures in many modern steel applications. Further advances in efficiency can be achieved through additive manufacturing and bionic design. Commercial high-strength filler materials for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) are already provided by the consumable producers. Today, application would be strictly limited due to absence of quantitative findings or any guidelines for the industry regarding welding-related stresses and component safety during manufacturing and service. Hence, process- and material-related influences and design-related restraint conditions associated with formation of residual stresses and cold cracking risk are investigated. The aim is the accessibility of special WAAM self-restraining cold cracking tests and easy applicable processing recommendations, enabling an economical, fit-for-purpose and crack-safe WAAM of high-strength steels. This first study focuses on determination of interactions between WAAM process parameters, resulting layer geometry, microstructure and residual stresses, analyzed via X-ray diffraction. Defined reference specimens are automated welded using a special WAAM solid wire (yield strength >820 MPa). Geometric properties can be specifically adjusted by wire feed and welding speed, but cannot be varied arbitrarily, since a high heat input causes local overheating, inadmissible changes of microstructure and mechanical properties, defects and comparable high tensile residual stresses.
Optimization of welding loads with narrow groove and application of modified spray arc process
(2017)
Current efforts for lightweight design result in a growing application of high-strength fine-grained structural steel in modern constructions, e.g. mobile cranes, with yield strength from 960 MPa. The design of welded structures and welding processes becomes more challenging with increasing material strength and elastic ratios. High residual stresses are able to diminish lifetime, load capacity and component safety and should be avoided. Recent analyses have shown strong influences of heat control and restraint of the weld due to arising reaction stresses, superimposing with local residual welding stresses. Modern inverter technologies allowed the development of numerous modified spray arc processes driven by power source manufacturers, which provide virtually similar features and several benefits, enabling welding of narrower seams with reduced weld volumes and total heat inputs. This research focuses on welding loads due to modified weld seams. The global reaction forces and moments and their superposition with local residual stresses in welded components due to external shrinkage restraints were investigated using a special testing facility and XRD. The restraint intensity, weld seam geometry and welding process were varied for statistical evaluations of resulting welding loads. When welding under restraint, a reduction of the weld seam volume causes significantly lower reaction stress levels.
Nickel alloys are cost intensive materials and generally classified as difficult-to-cut material. However, machining of these materials is needed especially in case of alloy 36 (1.3912), which is commonly used in mould construction for the production of fibre-reinforced composites. With regard to repair, modification and manufacturing of such components, additive manufacturing offers significant economic advantages. Nevertheless, subsequent machining steps are needed to achieve the final component contour and defined surface conditions. Dependent on the material and machining process conditions, detrimental tensile residual stresses may be the result on the machined surface, having negative impact on the component performance and safety. In this investigation, machining experiments were carried out on wire arc additive manufactured components made of alloy 36, varying the cutting speed and the feed rate. In addition, the conventional milling process (CM) was compared with a modern, hybrid machining process, the ultrasonic-assisted milling (US). The cutting forces and the surface-near residual stresses were analysed using X-ray diffraction. A significant improvement of the machinability as well as the surface integrity by using the ultrasonic assistance was observed, especially at low cutting speeds. The CM induced mainly tensile residual stresses, the US mainly compressive residual stresses.
Welding residual stress engineering by means of an adjusted martensite phase transformation would be highly attractive as detrimental tensile residual stresses may be prevented already during welding without time and cost intensive post processing. The present study shows a synchrotron diffraction analysis of a martensitic steel subjected to thermo-mechanical load cycles. Experiments were conducted regarding the microstructural strain response during the austenite to martensite transformation. The strains are a function of the temperature and the specific loads applied during cooling. The relation between the transformation plasticity of the material, the amount of martensite formed and the arising strains can thus be assessed. The lattice plane specific strains were compared to experimental findings from (macro) dilatation tests. It is shown that the microscopic material behavior differs remarkably from the one observed on the macroscopic scale, what leads to characteristic residual stresses in the material.
Today’s light weight design trends lead to a growing application of high-strength structural steels (yield strength ≥ 690 MPa). The mechanical properties of the weld and the component safety have to meet the increased requirements of these steel grades. However, high residual stresses in welded components are detrimental to their safety and integrity. Analyses concerning weld stresses in high-strength steels welded under component related restraint conditions revealed that heat control significantly affects global and local stresses. This occurs especially in highly restrained joints due to superimposing local and global stresses and may cause crack-critical stress-levels. In this study weld tests were performed with plates of high-strength steel in a special test facility. The experimental setup allowed transferring defined restraint conditions to the test welds similarly to real components. Temperature and reaction forces due to restraint were observed online while welding and cooling of multilayer-component MAG-welds. Mobile X-ray diffraction was used for local stress determination in the weld seam areas of the restrained specimens. It was found that interpass temperature has a major influence on the local and global welding forces and stresses. Thus, among the analysed results especially transverse residual stresses of the heat affected zone were strongly affected.
Nickel-Iron-Alloy Modification to Enhance Additively Welded Microstructure for Subsequent Milling
(2022)
The aerospace industry uses nickel–iron alloys, e.g., FeNi36, to create moulding tools for composite materials, since these alloys have a low coefficient of thermal expansion. Nickel–iron alloys are hard-to-cut materials. The moulding tools are large in size and involve complex structures, making them cost-intensive and difficult to manufacture. Thus, the focus is set on additive manufacturing, which can additionally enable the repair of components in order to eliminate local defects. However, the process usually results in a heterogeneous microstructure and anisotropic mechanical properties. As there is a high demand for a precise and exact fit of the precision moulds and the surface quality, the welded components must be subsequently machined. Additionally, inhomogeneous microstructure may lead to unstable cutting forces and conditions. Consequently, a modification of the microstructure morphology is achieved through specific alloy modifications in order to stabilise and improve the subsequent machining process. Therefore, titanium and zirconium are chosen as modification elements with a maximum 1% weight percent and are added to nickel–iron alloy powder. The elements are alloyed, and build-up welded by plasma-transferred-arcwelding. The resulting microstructure morphology of the welded wall structure and the machining properties are then determined. It can be shown that titanium has a significant effect on the structural morphology of the welded layers, as well as on the machining.
As an approach towards more rough industrial laser welding applications, the Nd:YAG laser welding process has been coupled to the plasma powder welding process for the first time. Process stabilities have been achieved by such hybrid welding which are even better than those known from previous coupling of the laser process with gas metal arc welding (GMAW), for instance.
The present contribution focuses on the technology and potentials of the novel laser hybrid welding technique and addresses the realisation and the perspectives for practical applications. The experimental results demonstrate that the new process coupling enables welding of austenitic stainless steels in the thickness range between 3 mm and 8 mm at various weld geometries and joint configurations and at welding speeds exceeding 2 m/min. In addition it has been proven that the laser plasma powder arc welding (LPPAW) technique can also be applied to out-of-position conditions. Continuous advancement of the welding equipment ensures a high gap bridging ability and levelling of misalignment due to higher powder feeding rates. The recent development of a new plasma powder torch even provides a higher efficiency of powder feeding and guarantees smoth weld surfaces. Up to the present, the investigations demonstrated that the novel laser plasma powder hybrid welding technique offers all perspectives for application in pipe fabrication, ship building and offshore as well as transportation industry.
Today’s efforts for lightweight design result in a growing application of high-strength structural steels from 960 MPa. In welded structures of these steels increased demands regarding component safety and a high elastic ratio should be considered. Hence, the prevention of an evolution of high weld-induced tensile residual stresses is required. Recent studies showed that component related restraint conditions of welds are able to elevate welding induced stresses to critical values, depending on material characteristics, the welding process and parameters. This work involves multi-axial welding loads as a consequence of the superposition of local residual stresses, global reaction stresses and moments, varying the welding parameters under different restraint conditions. The global welding loads are measured via GMA-weld tests in a special testing facility and via a DIC(Digital Image Correlation)-system in a slot weld. Local transverse residual stresses were analysed by means of X-ray diffraction. The application of a less amount of weld runs due to a modified welding parameters and welds seam configurations revealed as a beneficial approach to reduce welding loads in high-strength steels.
Cobalt chromium alloys are often used in turbine and plant construction. This is based on their high thermal and mechanical stress resistance as well as their high wear resistance to corrosive and abrasive loads. However, cobalt is a cost-intensive material that is difficult to machine. Moreover, increasingly complex structures and the optimisation of resource efficiency also require additive manufacturing steps for the production or repair of components in many sectors. Concerning inhomogeneity and anisotropy of the microstructure and properties as well as manufacturing-related stresses, a lot of knowledge is still necessary for the economic use of additive welding processes in SMEs. As a result of the high stresses on the components
and requirements for a high surface quality, a complementary use of additive and machining manufacturing processes is necessary. Thereby, Co–Cr alloys are extremely challenging for machining with geometrically defined cutting edges because of their low thermal conductivity combined with high strength and toughness. An approach to solve this problem is to refine and homogenise the microstructure. This is achieved by modifying the alloy with elements zirconium and hafnium, which are added up to a maximum of 1 wt.-%. A reduction of the process forces and stresses on the tool and work piece surface is also achievable via hybrid milling processes. There are already studies on the combined use of additive and machining manufacturing processes based on laser technology. However, knowledge based on powder and wire-based arc processes is important, as these processes are more widespread. Furthermore, the effects on the surface zone of additively manufactured components by hybrid finish milling have not yet been a subject of research. The results show that the structural morphology could be significantly influenced with the addition of zirconium and hafnium.
Neutron imaging has become a valuable tool for measuring hydrogen distributions qualitatively and quantitatively in metals. Hydrogen mass flow can be measured inside cm thick Steel samples with 10 s temporal resolution. Hydrogen accumulations around craclcs in embrittled iron samples can be visualized three-dimensionally. The gas pressure of hydrogen in crack cavities has been measured to be in the ränge of 5 MPa to 15 MPa. This quality of information allows new insights for the analysis of damage mechanisms on a micrometer scale, e.g., of hydrogen blistering. Further, this method is nondestructive and provides local information in situ and in three dimensions with a spatial resolution of 20 µm - 30 µm.
Measurement and numerical modeling of residual stresses in welded HSLA component-like I-girders
(2016)
The present contribution shows the residual stress results obtained from experiments with the sectioning method in comparison to global(structural) welding simulation models on component-like (i.e., large scale) I-girders made
of structural steel grades S355 and S690QL. Plates were welded by conventional gas metal arc welding using two different heat inputs. In addition, the base material was assumed to be stress-free. Based on these results, conclusions and recommendations for the design of welded I-girders are drawn.
Currently, residual stresses in welded HSLA (high strength low alloyed steels) are considerded by simplified “robust” procedures fixed in common standards (such as Eurocode 3). The models are mostly based on specimens from mild steel with lower strength. For HSLA, necessary material data is less available for realistic assessment of the appearing residual stresses in typical I-girders. Hence, the economic benefit of HSLA steels in scope of load bearing capacity cannot fully be exploit. Thus, the scope of this work is the measurement of weld residual stresses in component-like I-girders S355 and S690 by sectioning method and subsequent verification by global structural welding simulation.
In an increasing number of modern steel applications, high-strength structural steel grades are demanded to meet specifications regarding a high load-bearing capacity and a low operating weight. Lightweight design rules enhance the safety requirements, especially for welded joints. Besides a higher cracking risk for high-strength steel welds, the formation of tensile residual stresses might lead to fracture due to overloading or premature failure if not adequately considered. In this study, a stress-strain analysis was conducted at component-related structures from S960QL using digital image correlation while preheating, welding and cooling adjacent to the weld seam. X-ray diffraction analysis of the local residual stresses in the weld seam showed a good comparability with global analyses using either a DIC system or a special testing facility, which allowed in situ measurements of welding loads. By analysing two different seam geometries, it could be shown that lower multi-axial stresses arise if a narrower weld groove is used. Comparative analyses revealed a direct correlation of the local residual stresses in the weld with transverse shrinkage restraint, whereas the residual stress level in the HAZ is significantly affected by the bending restraint of the weld construction and the occurring bending stresses, respectively.
Three high-strength Nb-,.Ti- and Ti+ V-bearing S690QL steels were welded to investigate and compare the effects of microalloy addition on heat-affected zone (HAZ) toughness. Charpy V notch impact tests from three microalloyed welds under different cooling rates have been performed. Fractographic examination shows that several factors, including large-sized grain, upper bainite or hard second phase, interact to determine brittle fracture and impaired toughness in Nb-bearing weld with high heat input. In contrast to this reduced toughness, Ti-bearing welds exhibits satisfied toughness regardless of at fast or slow cooling. This is attributed to its limited austenite grain and refines favorable intragranular acicular ferrite structure. Moreover, in the case of such refined structure as matrix, TiN particles are found to be irrelevant to the facture process. The crystallographic results also confirm that high-angle boundaries between fine ferrites plates provide effective barriers for crack propagation and contribute to improved toughness.
Is it reasonable to restrict ISO 3690 any longer to the determination of the weld metal hydrogen content of ferritic steel?
In what respect is the determination of the content of the diffusible and of the total hydrogen content, respectively, (still) merely a research task (supermartensite, duplex materials, austenite, magnesium, aluminium), or is there actually a demand in industry and is there already a first cause for monitoring in view of damage prevention, respectively?
Is there a need, arising from the development of materials and filler materials and from their intended applications, for more extensive standards dealing with hydrogen analyses for these materials?
Which parts of ISO 3690 could also be applied to any other metallic material/filler material, if necessary, and where would a complete alteration be required, respectively?
The increased application of higher-strength steels and filler materials necessitates a more profound understanding of the interactions between the welding process, the heat input, the cooling conditions and the resulting metallurgical processes in the weid and its surroundings. Strategies, which help to improve the strength properties and life-time of welded stmctures to such an extent that the utilisation of higher-strength materials can be justified and their lightweight construction potential can thus be exploited to the füll, can only be derived from the interaction between all the influencing factors. Examples of a few investigations on welded joints between higher-strength fine-grained structural steels with regard to the interactions between the main variables influencing the cold cracking are presented in this article.
The increased application of higher-strength steels and filler materials necessitates a more profound understanding of the interactions between the welding process, the heat input, the cooling conditions and the resulting metallurgical processes in the weid and its surroundings. Strategies, which help to improve the strength properties and life-time of welded stmctures to such an extent that the utilisation of higher-strength materials can be justified and their lightweight construction potential can thus be exploited to the füll, can only be derived from the interaction between all the influencing factors. Examples of a few investigations on welded joints between higher-strength fine-grained structural steels with regard to the interactions between the main variables influencing the cold cracking are presented in this article.
When assessing the performance of welded components residual stresses are vital. The possibilities of transferring the real boundary conditions of welding, which influence the residual stress, into the laboratory are highlighted in this contribution. The potentials of a test system specially developed for this purpose are demonstrated. The component design induces global process-, geometry- and material-dependent stresses, which can be simulated and quantified in the system. In addition, the resulting local residual stress distribution can be exactly determined with high spatial resolution with the aid of X-ray diffraction. Examples are presented of how the conditions to be found during production are simulated in the laboratory.
Co-Cr alloys are frequently used for highly stressed components, especially in turbine and plant construction, due to their high resistance to thermal and mechanical stress, as well as to corrosive and abrasive loads. Furthermore, they are classified as difficult-to-cut materials because of their high strength and toughness as well as their low thermal conductivity. However, for Co, an increased cost and supply risk can be observed in recent years. Therefore, additive manufacturing (AM) offers significant economic advantages due to higher material efficiency regarding repair, modification, and manufacturing of such components. Concerning inhomogeneity and anisotropy of the microstructure and properties as well as manufacturing-related stresses, a lot of knowledge is still necessary for the economic use of additive welding processes in SMEs. In addition, subsequent machining, particularly contour milling, is essential to generate the required complex contours and surfaces. Hence, additive and machining manufacturing processes need to be coordinated in a complementary way, especially due to additional challenges arising in milling of heterogeneous hard-to-cut microstructures. Recently, it has been shown that modern, hybrid cutting processes, such as ultrasonic-assisted milling (US), can improve the cutting situation. In this investigation, the Co-Cr initial alloy is additionally modified with Ti and Zr up to 1 wt% with the aim to enhance the homogeneity of the microstructure and, thus, the machinability. Hence the investigation includes finish milling tests of the AM components and the comparison of US and conventional machining. Both the modifications and the ultrasonic assistance exhibit a significant effect on the machining situation; for example US causes a higher surface integrity of the finish milled surfaces compared to conventional milling.
Creep-resistant steels such as the 13CrMoV9-10, used in the construction of thick-walled pressure vessels, are most commonly submerged arc welded (SAW). These steels can develop stress relief cracks (SRC) if the mandatory post weld heat treatment (PWHT) is performed improperly. Current PWHT parameters, such as heating rate and holding time at a specific holding temperature, are based on both empirical experience and conventional free shrinking welding experiments to characterize the SRC-susceptibility of the weld. These cannot adequately depict the higher residual stresses caused by the structurally induced stiffness of the surrounding construction. This study discusses the development of a repeatable, precise, and time-efficient methodology to study the effects of different stress levels and heating rates on the SRC susceptibility of the coarse grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ). For that purpose, samples were thermically treated to simulate a coarse grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) and subsequently exposed to representative levels of stress during the heating phase of a PWHT. The recorded stress and heating rate–dependent strains were mathematically analyzed via curve tracing/calculus to identify interdependent effects. This procedure facilitates the measurement of material characteristics such as carbide growth on grain boundaries at the µm-scale via an integrated value over the entire sample volume. The first and second derivatives show a slight, precipitate-dependent, increase in hardness of the sample, depending on the heating rate and applied stress. This new methodology generates an improved assessment of the SRC susceptibility of SAW microstructures of creep-resistant CrMoV steels.
For higher operational temperatures and pressures required in petrochemical plants, the modified 13CrMoV9-10 steel was developed providing high resistance against creep and compressed hydrogen. Extreme care during the welding procedure is necessary for this steel, attributed to low toughness, high strength in as-welded state, and increased susceptibility to stress relief cracking (SRC) during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). Previous research of SRC in creep-resistant steels discussed mainly thermal and metallurgical factors. Few previous findings addressed the influences of welding procedure on crack formation during PWHT considering real-life manufacturing conditions. These investigations focus on effects of welding heat control on stresses during welding and subsequent PWHT operations close to realistic restraint and heat dissipation conditions using a special 3D testing facility, which was presented in parts I and II of this contribution. Part III addresses investigations on residual stress evolution affecting crack formation and discusses the transferability of results from large-scale testing to laboratory-scale. Experiments with test set-ups at different scales under diverse rigidity conditions and an assessment of the residual stresses of the weld-specimens using X-ray (surface near) and neutron diffraction analysis (bulk) were performed. This study aims to provide a way of investigating the SRC behaviour considering component-specific residual stresses via small-scale testing concepts instead of expensive weld mock-ups.
Welding of 13CrMoV9-10 vanadium steel requires care due to an increased susceptibility to stress relief cracking during post weld heat treatment. Previous research into the crack formation in creep-resistant steels has focused on thermal and metallurgical factors; however, little knowledge has been gathered regarding the crack formation during post weld heat treatment considering real-life restraint conditions. This work is subdivided in two parts. Part I showed that an increasing heat input during submerged arc welding under restraint led to an increasing stress level in the joint prior to the post weld heat treatment. The magnitude of stress relief cracking observed in the heat-affected zone after the post weld heat treatment is affected by the heat input. In Part II of this work, the cracks and the associated microstructure which occurred under restraint were studied. The application of a Special acoustic emission analysis indicated that the cracks formed in a temperature range between 300 and 500 °C during the post weld heat treatment. The toughness in the heat-affected zone of the restrained welds was affected by the welding heat input.
Microstructural analyses of all specimens revealed accelerated aging due to precipitation of carbides during post weld heat treatment under restraint.
The avoidance of failures during the fabrication or operation of petrochemical reactors made of creep-resistant, low-alloy steels as 13CrMoV9-10 requires still research despite over 60 years of international investigations in the field of stress relief cracking. The quality of modern base materials and filler metals leads to the fact that previously known crack causes, such as impurities of S or P, recede into the background. Rather, the causes are increasingly to be found in the fabrication process. Investigations on the influence of heat control on the stresses in welded components and thus on the stress relief cracking sensitivity under realistic manufacturing conditions are not yet available. This work is subdivided in two parts. Part 1 of this study focused on the effect of heat control during submerged arc welding on the stresses. For this purpose, a testing facility was applied, which allows to observe the forces and moments accumulating during welding or heat treatment in a component-like specimen under shrinkage restraint. The stress acting in the specimen increases with higher preheat/interpass temperatures and higher heat input. During the heat treatment, the stresses are relieved. Nevertheless, cracks are formed already during heating. The total crack length correlates with the heat input.
In order to satisfy the growing requirements towards lightweight design and resource efficiency in modern steel constructions, e.g., mobile cranes and bridges, high-strength steels with typical yield strength ≥ 690 MPa are coming into use to an increasing extent. However, these steels require special treatment in welding. The susceptibility for degradation of the mechanical properties
in the presence of hydrogen increases significantly with increasing yield strength. In case of missing knowledge about how and the amount of hydrogen that is uptaken during welding, hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC) can be a negative consequence.
Moreover, modern weld technology like the modified spray arc process enables welding of narrower weld seams. In this context,
a reduced number of weld beads, volume, and total heat input are technical and economical benefits. This work presents the influence of welding parameters on the diffusible hydrogen content in both (1) single-pass and (2) multi-layer welds. Different
hydrogen concentrations were detected by varied contact tube distance, wire feed speed, arc length, and varied arc type (transitional
arc and modified spray arc). The results show that all welding parameters have significant influence on the diffusible hydrogen concentration in the single-pass welds. By increasing the number of weld beads in case of multi-layer welding, the
hydrogen concentration has been reduced. Whereby, differences in hydrogen concentrations between both arc types are present.
Carbon arc-air gouging is a common technology when repairing defects in welded structures. Often this technique is applied in repeated cycles even on the same location of the joint. Due to the multiple heat input by gouging and subsequent re-welding, the residual stresses are strongly influenced. This can become crucial when microstructure and mechanical properties are adversely affected by multiple weld reparations. Knowledge about the relation of gouging and residual stresses is scarce but important when high strength steels, which are sensitive to residual stresses, are processed. The present study shows the effect of repair welding on a high strength steel structural element. The weld and the heat affected zone were subjected to multiple thermal cycles by gouging and subsequent repair welding. The residual stresses were determined by X-ray diffraction at different positions along the joint. The results showed that the residual stress level has increased by the repair cycles. This is most pronounced for the heat affected zone. Adapted welding procedures may prevent detrimental residual stress distributions.
Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) enables the efficient production of weight-optimized modern engineering structures. Further increases in efficiency can be achieved by using high-strength structural steels. Commercial welding consumables for WAAM are already available on the market. Lack of knowledge and guidelines regarding welding residual stress and component safety during production and operation leads to severely limited use for industry applications. The sensitive microstructure of high-strength steels carries a high risk of cold cracking; therefore, residual stresses play a crucial role. For this reason, the influences of the material, the WAAM process, and the design on the formation of residual stresses and the risk of cold cracking are being investigated. The material used has a yield strength of over 800 MPa. This strength is adjusted via solid solution strengthening and a martensitic phase transformation. The volume expansion associated with martensite formation has a significant influence on the residual stresses. The focus of the present investigation is on the additive welding parameters and component design on their influence on hardness and residual stresses, which are analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD). Reference specimens (hollow cuboids) are welded fully automated with a systematic variation of heat control and design. Welding parameters and AM geometry are correlated with the resulting microstructure, hardness, and residual stress state. Increased heat input leads to lower tensile residual stresses which causes unfavorable microstructure and mechanical properties. The component design affects heat dissipation conditions and the intensity of restraint during welding and has a significant influence on the residual stress.
The current paper presents residual stress analyses of large scale LTT (Low Transformation Temperature) welds. LTT filler materials are specially designed for residual stress engineering by means of an adjusted martensite phase transformation. Controlling the level of mostly detrimental residual stresses already during the welding process would be highly attractive as time and cost consuming post processing may be prevented. In large scale welds the residual stress state is influenced by the heat control (e.g. interpass temperature) during welding. Therefore, welding residual stresses are studied here putting the focus on the influence of welding process parameters while joining heavy steel sections with a thickness of 25 mm. The residual stress state was determined at the top surface using X-ray diffraction as well as in the bulk by neutron diffraction. The results show that control of the interpass temperature is vital for the residual stresses present in the joints. This accounts for the top surface but is most pronounced for the bulk of the welds. While high interpass temperatures are appropriate to induce compressive residual stresses in the weld metal, low interpass temperatures favor unwanted tensile residual stresses instead.