Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Publication
    Hybrid laser arc welding of 25 mm thick materials using electromagnetic weld pool support
    ( 2018)
    Üstündag, Ömer
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    Avilov, Vjaceslav
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    In addition to the many advantages of deep penetration, increased welding speed and a low sensitivity to manufacturing tolerances such as gap and edge offset, the hybrid laser arc welding process is used increasingly in industrial applications such as shipbuilding or pipeline manufacturing. Nonetheless, thick-walled sheets with a wall thickness of 20 mm or more are still multi-pass welded using the arc welding process, due to increased process instability by increasing laser power. Welding at reduced speed, especially in a flat position, leads to an irregular formation of the root part such as dropping. The hydrostatic pressure exceeds the surface tension, which decreases with increasing seam width. In order to prevent gravity drop-outs, the use of a melt pool support is necessary. Usual weld pool supports such as ceramic or powder supports require time-consuming mechanical detachment. The electromagnetic weld pool support system, which is described in this study, operates without contact and based on generating Lorentz forces in the weld pool. An externally applied oscillating magnetic field induces eddy currents and generates an upward directed Lorentz force, which counteracts the hydrostatic pressure. This allows single-pass welds up to 25 mm by hybrid laser arc welding process with a 20-kW fibre laser. Moreover, it is favoured by the diminished welding speed the cooling rate which leads to an improvement of the mechanical-technological properties of the seams - the lower formation of martensite in the microstructure enables better Charpy impact toughness. The electromagnetic weld pool support extends the limitation of the laser hybrid welding process in the thick sheet area. By adapting the electromagnetic weld pool support to the laser and laser hybrid welding process, the application potential of these technologies for industrial implementation can be drastically increased.
  • Publication
    Effect of laser-beam and hybrid-laser-arc welding parameters and filler metal on microstructure and mechanical properties of thick heat-treated steel X8Ni9+QT640 for cryogenic service
    ( 2018)
    El-Batahgy, A-M.
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    Gook, S.
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    Gumenyuk, A.
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    Rethmeier, M.
    The present research work encloses results of experimental investigations of the interaction between welding process parameters for laser-beam and hybrid-laser-arc as well as type of the filler metal and the achievable mechanical properties of the weld joints on steel grade X8Ni9+QT640 for cryogenic service containing 9% nickel. The results obtained contribute to the development and conversion in the industrial practice a new laser beam-based welding technology for the automated manufacturing of facilities for the liquefaction, storage and the transport of natural gases (LNG facilities). The results show, that the martensitic microstructure of the laser weld metal including low amount of retained austenite not exceeding 3.5% leads to the relatively low V-notch impact energy. The remarkable heterogeneity in the chemical composition of the weld metal through the weld thickness could be recognized in the case of hybrid-laser-arc welding with ERNiCrMo-3 austenitic filler metal, what also led to insufficient impact toughness of the weld metall. The most promising results could be achieved by using 11%Ni filler wire, which is similar to the base metal and provides a homogeneous microstructure with uniform distribution of Ni through the weld seam. It is remarkable, that a correlation between Charpy impact toughness and wire feeding speed and respectively process heat input exists. The highest toughness values were 134±58 J at -196 °C. The both laser as well as laser-hybrid welds passed the tensile test. The failure stress of 720±3 MPa with a fracture location in the base material was achieved for all samples tested.