Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionsanlagen und Konstruktionstechnik IPK

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  • Publication
    Process advantages of laser hybrid welding compared to conventional arc-based welding processes for joining thick steel structures of wind tower
    ( 2023-12-22)
    Brunner-Schwer, Christian
    ;
    Üstündag, Ömer
    ;
    Bakir, Nasim
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    The most common welding processes when joining thick-walled steels in the industry are arc-based welding processes such as GMAW or SAW. For this purpose, the sheets are joined in multi-layer technique, which can lead to productivity losses due to high welding times. The process-specific challenges in welding thick steels using multi-layer technique relate to the high heat input from the process. Therefore, alternative welding processes are being actively sought. A suitable alternative is provided by beam-based welding processes such as the laser hybrid welding processes, which are characterized by deep penetration welds and lower heat input. With implementation of the laser hybrid welding process in the heavy industry, such as the wind tower industry, economic benefits can be reached such as the increase in productivity by reducing the layer number, and the lower consumption of filler material and energy. When comparing SAW welded 25 mm thick steels in five to six layers and single-pass laser hybrid welding, the welding time can be reduced more than 80 % and the costs of filler material, flux and energy can be saved up to 90 %. However, the industrial use of the laser hybrid welding process is still limited to applications, where the material thickness does not exceed 15 mm due to some process-specific challenges such as the sagging, sensitivity to manufacturing tolerances such as gaps and misalignment, limited filler wire mixing, and deteriorated mechanical properties resulting from high cooling rates. To overcome these challenges, a contactless electromagnetic backing based on an externally applied AC magnetic field was used. Eddy currents are induced due to the oscillating magnetic field, and an upward-oriented Lorentz force is generated to counteract the droplets formed due to gravitational forces. It allows to weld up to 30 mm thick structural steels in a single-pass with a 20-kW fiber laser system. Additionally, the gap bridgeability and the misalignment of edges were increased to 2 mm when welding 20 mm thick steels. With the aid of the AC magnetic field, a vortex was formed in the weld root, which had a positive effect on the filler wire mixing.
  • Publication
    Laserstrahlhybridschweissen von Türmen für Windkraftanlagen - Ökonomische und ökologische Vorteile
    ( 2023-12-19)
    Üstündag, Ömer
    ;
    Bakir, Nasim
    ;
    Brunner-Schwer, Christian
    ;
    Knöfel, Frieder
    ;
    Gook, Sergej
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    Das Laserstrahlhybridschweißen ist beim Schweißen von Türmen für Windkraftanlagen eine Alternative zum Unterpulver schweißen von Dickblechen in Mehrlagentechnik und bietet hier ökonomische und ökologische Vorteile. Der industrielle Einsatz des Verfahrens ist jedoch durch prozessspezifische Herausforderungen eingeschränkt. Die im Beitrag beschriebene kontaktlose elektromagnetische Badstütze dient zur Erweiterung des Verfahrenspotenzials im Dickblechbereich >15 mm.
  • Publication
    Application of Hybrid Laser Arc Welding for Construction of LNG Tanks Made of Thick Cryogenic 9% Ni Steel Plates
    ( 2023-10-18)
    Gook, Sergej
    ;
    El-Batahgy, Abdel-Monem
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Biegler, Max
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    Hybrid laser-arc welding (HLAW) was applied for butt welding of 14.5 mm thick plates of ferritic cryogenic steel X8Ni9 containing 9% Ni, which is used for manufacturing storage and transport facilities of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The weld seam formation and the achievable metallurgical and mechanical properties of the hybrid welds were investigated experimentally for two types of filler wire, an austenitic wire dissimilar to the base metal (BM) and an experimentally produced matching ferritic wire. Safe penetration and uniform distribution of the austenitic filler metal in the narrow hybrid weld could only be achieved in the upper, arc-dominated part of the weld. The pronounced heterogeneous distribution of the austenitic filler metal in the middle part and in the root area of the weld could not ensure sufficient notched impact toughness of the weld metal (WM). As a result, a decrease in the impact energy down to 17 ± 3 J was observed, which is below the acceptance level of ≥ 34 J for cryogenic applications. In contrast, the use of a matching ferritic filler wire resulted in satisfactory impact energy of the hybrid welds of up to 134 ± 52 J at the concerned cryogenic temperature of-196 °C. The obtained results contribute to an important and remarkable conversion in automated manufacturing of LNG facilities. In other words, the results will help to develop a new laser-based welding technology, where both quality and productivity are considered. The efficiency of the developed welding process has been demonstrated by manufacturing a prototype where a segment of the inner wall of large size LNG storage tank was constructed. In this concern, hybrid laser arc welding was conducted in both horizontal (2G) and vertical (3G) positions as a simulation to the actual onsite manufacturing. The prototype was fabricated twice where its quality was confirmed based on non-destructive and destructive examinations.
  • Publication
    Retaining Mechanical Properties of GMA-Welded Joints of 9%Ni Steel Using Experimentally Produced Matching Ferritic Filler Metal
    ( 2022-11-30)
    El-batahgy, Abdel-monem
    ;
    Elkousy, Mohamed Raafat
    ;
    Al-Rahman, Ahmed Abd
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    ;
    Gook, Sergej
    Motivated by the loss of tensile strength in 9%Ni steel arc-welded joints performed using commercially available Ni-based austenitic filler metals, the viability of retaining tensile strength using an experimentally produced matching ferritic filler metal was confirmed. Compared to the austenitic Ni-based filler metal (685 MPa), higher tensile strength in gas metal arc (GMA) welded joints was achieved using a ferritic filler metal (749 MPa) due to its microstructure being similar to the base metal (645 MPa). The microstructure of hard martensite resulted in an impact energy of 71 J (−196 °C), which was two times higher than the specified minimum value of ≥34 J. The tensile and impact strength of the welded joint is affected not only by its microstructure, but also by the degree of its mechanical mismatch depending on the type of filler metal. Welds with a harder microstructure and less mechanical mismatch are important for achieving an adequate combination of tensile strength and notched impact strength. This is achievable with the cost-effective ferritic filler metal. A more desirable combination of mechanical properties is guaranteed by applying low preheating temperature (200 °C), which is a more practicable and economical solution compared to the high post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) temperature (580 °C) suggested by other research.
  • Publication
    Laserstrahlhybridschweißen von Türmen für Windkraftanlagen
    ( 2022-08-29)
    Üstündag, Ömer
    ;
    Bakir, Nasim
    ;
    Brunner-Schwer, Christian
    ;
    Knöfel, Frieder
    ;
    Gook, Sergej
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    Das Laserstrahlhybridschweißen ist beim Schweißen von Türmen für Windkraftanlagen eine Alternative zum Unterpulverschweißen von Dickblechen in Mehrlagentechnik und bietet hier ökonomische und ökologische Vorteile. Der industrielle Einsatz des Verfahrens ist jedoch durch prozessspezifische Herausforderungen eingeschränkt. Die im Beitrag beschriebene kontaktlose elektromagnetische Badstütze dient zur Erweiterung des Verfahrenspotenzials im Dickblechbereich >15 mm.
  • Publication
    Joining 30 mm Thick Shipbuilding Steel Plates EH36 Using a Process Combination of Hybrid Laser Arc Welding and Submerged Arc Welding
    ( 2022-08-04)
    Gook, Sergej
    ;
    Midik, Ahmet
    ;
    Biegler, Max
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    This article presents a cost-effective and reliable method for welding 30 mm thick sheets of shipbuilding steel EH36. The method proposes to perform butt welding in a two-run technique using hybrid laser arc welding (HLAW) and submerged arc welding (SAW). The HLAW is performed as a partial penetration weld with a penetration depth of approximately 25 mm. The SAW is carried out as a second run on the opposite side. With a SAW penetration depth of 8 mm, the weld cross-section is closed with the reliable intersection of both passes. The advantages of the proposed welding method are: no need for forming of the HLAW root; the SAW pass can effectively eliminate pores in the HLAW root; the high stability of the welding process regarding the preparation quality of the weld edges. Plasma cut edges can be welded without lack of fusion defects. The weld quality achieved is confirmed by destructive tests.
  • Publication
    Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding of Thick-Walled, Closed, Circumferential Pipe Welds
    ( 2022)
    Üstündag, Ömer
    ;
    Bakir, Nasim
    ;
    Gook, Sergej
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    The application of hybrid laser-arc welding (HLAW) for joining closed circumferential welds is a challenge due to the high risk of forming a defective overlap area with a shrinkage void or solidification cracks in the material thickness. A series of HLAW experiments were performed to understand the development of a faulty overlap area when closing the circumferential weld. Welding trials on flat specimens and pipe segments were supported by numerical analyses in which the thermomechanical behavior of the welds in the overlap area was investigated. Different process control strategies were tested, including variations in defocusing levels and the overlap length. The newly developed HLAW head, including laser optics with a motor-driven collimation system, made it possible to defocus the laser beam during welding without disturbing the stability of the welding process. High-level defocusing of the laser beam of more than 40 mm relative to the specimen surface with a resulting beam diameter of > 2.9 mm, and in combination with a short overlap length of 15 mm, was promising with respect to the formation of a desired cup-shaped weld profile that is resistant to solidification cracks.
  • Publication
    Study on Duplex Stainless Steel Powder Compositions for the Coating of Thick Plates for Laser Beam Welding
    ( 2022)
    Straße, A.
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    Duplex stainless steels combine the positive properties of its two phases, austenite and ferrite. Due to its good corrosion resistance, high tensile strength, and good ductility, it has multiple applications. But laser beam welding of duplex steels changes the balanced phase distribution in favor of ferrite. This results in a higher vulnerability to corrosion and a lower ductility. Herein, different powder combinations consisting of duplex and nickel for coating layers by laser metal deposition (LMD) are investigated. Afterward, laser tracks are welded, and the temperature cycles are measured. The ferrite content of the tracks is analyzed by feritscope, metallographic analysis, and electron backscatter diffraction. The goal is the development of a powder mixture allowing for a duplex microstructure in a two-step process, where first the edges of the weld partners are coated with the powder mixture by LMD and second those edges are laser beam welded. The powder mixture identified by the pretests is tested in the two-step process and analyzed by metallographic analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Vickers hardness tests. The resulting weld seams show a balanced duplex microstructure with a homogenous nickel distribution and a hardness of the weld seam similar to the base material.
  • Publication
    Improvement of Charpy impact toughness by using an AC magnet backing system for laser hybrid welding of thick S690QL steels
    ( 2022)
    Üstündağ, Ömer
    ;
    Bakir, Nasim
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    The study deals with the influence of the heat input and the resulting cooling times on the microstructure and Charpy impact toughness of single-pass laser hybrid welded 20-mm thick high-strength steel S690QL. The main focus is on the change of the mechanical properties over the entire seam thickness. The cooling times were measured in-situ using a pyrometer and an optical fibre in three different depths of the seam where Charpy impact test specimens were also later taken. Thereby, three different heat inputs from 1.3 kJ/mm to 2 kJ/mm were investigated. Despite the observed decreased values of both t8/5-cooling time and the Charpy impact toughness in the root part of the seam, the required impact toughness of 38 J/cm2 could be reached in dependance on applied heat input, especially at the heat input of 1.6 kJ/mm.
  • Publication
    Hybrid laser-arc welding of laser- and plasma-cut 20-mm-thick structural steels
    ( 2022)
    Üstündag, Ömer
    ;
    Bakir, Nasim
    ;
    Gook, Sergej
    ;
    Gumenyuk, Andrey
    ;
    Rethmeier, Michael
    It is already known that the laser beam welding (LBW) or hybrid laser-arc welding (HLAW) processes are sensitive to manufacturing tolerances such as gaps and misalignment of the edges, especially at welding of thick-walled steels due to its narrow beam diameter. Therefore, the joining parts preferably have to be milled. The study deals with the influence of the edge quality, the gap and the misalignment of edges on the weld seam quality of hybrid laser-arc welded 20-mm-thick structural steel plates which were prepared by laser and plasma cutting. Single-pass welds were conducted in butt joint configuration. An AC magnet was used as a contactless backing. It was positioned under the workpiece during the welding process to prevent sagging. The profile of the edges and the gap between the workpieces were measured before welding by a profile scanner or a digital camera, respectively. With a laser beam power of just 13.7 kW, the single-pass welds could be performed. A gap bridgeability up to 1 mm at laser-cut and 2 mm at plasma-cut samples could be reached respectively. Furthermore, a misalignment of the edges up to 2 mm could be welded in a single pass. The new findings may eliminate the need for cost and time-consuming preparation of the edges.