Hydrogen Absorption and Desorption Behavior on Aluminum-Coated Hot-Stamped Boron Steel during Hot Press Forming and Automotive Manufacturing Processes

Our study mainly focused on diffusible hydrogen in aluminum–silicon-coated hot-stamped boron steel during a hot press forming process and in pre-treatment sequential lines of the automotive manufacturing process using a thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) technique. First, in the hot stamping procedure, as the soaking time increased in the heating furnace at a specific dew point when austenitizing, a high concentration of diffusible hydrogen was absorbed into the hot-stamped boron steel. Based on the TDS analysis of hydrogen absorbed from hot stamping, the activation energy value of hydrogen trapping in 1.8 GPa grade steel is lower than that of 1.5 GPa grade steel. This means that diffusible hydrogen can be more easily diffused into defective sites of the microstructure at a higher level of the tensile strength grade. Second, in sequential pre-treatment lines of the automotive manufacturing process, additional hydrogen did not flow into the surface, and an electro-deposition process, including a baking procedure, was effective in removing diffusible hydrogen, which was similar to the residual hydrogen of the as-received state (i.e., initial cold rolled blank). Based on these results, the hydrogen absorption was facilitated during hot press forming, but the hydrogen was sequentially desorbed during automotive sequential lines on aluminum-coated hot-stamped steel parts.

Study of the Diffusible Hydrogen Content Affected from the Welding Electrode Humidity

The influences of moisture corruption and drying considerations on diffusible hydrogen were examined in this study. Two trials were carried out on an arc welding procedure, with the first being an assessment of the results of moisture contamination and the second being a test of the impact of welding constraints on diffusible hydrogen content. For example, the dispersible hydrogen found in welds was likened to the hydrogen levels of different unused electrodes. To calculate the proper drying constraints (Time and Temperature) for an applicable moisture contamination level in the weld electrode, an empirical equation was devised. For electrodes with a small diameter and welding parameter limits typically used for out-of-position welding, the equation is appropriate.

Comprehensive Analysis of Cold-Cracking Ratio for Flux-Cored Arc Steel Welds Using Y- and y-Grooves

This study investigates various factors that influence the cold-cracking ratio (CCR) of flux-cored arc welds through Y- and y-groove tests. Factors affecting the CCR include the alloy component, diffusible hydrogen content, microstructure, hardness, and groove shape. In weld metals (WMs; WM375-R and WM375-B) of a low-strength grade, the diffusible hydrogen content has a more significant effect on the CCR than the carbon equivalent (Ceq) and microstructure. However, the combined effects of the microstructure and diffusible hydrogen content on the CCR are important in high-strength-grade WM. The CCR of the WM increased upon increasing Ceq and the strength grade because hard martensite and bainite microstructures were formed. Moreover, y-groove testing of the 500 MPa grade WM revealed a more significant CCR than that of the 375 MPa grade WM. Therefore, in high-strength-grade WMs, it is necessary to select the groove shape based on the morphology in the real welds.

Optimization of the Tungsten Inert Gas Process Parameters using Response Surface Methodology

Optimization is a very important techniques applied in the manufacturing industry that utilizes mathematical and artificial intelligence methods. The complexity associated with most optimization techniques have resulted to search for new ones. This search has led to the emergence of response surface methodology (RSM). The paper aims to optimize tungsten inert gas process parameters required to eliminate post-weld crack formation and stabilize heat input in mild steel weldment using RSM. The main input variables considered are voltage, current and speed whereas the response parameter is Brinell hardness number (BHN). The statistical design of experiment was done using the central composite design technique. The experiment was implemented 20 times with 5 specimens per experiment. The responses were measured, recorded and optimized using RSM. From the results, it was observed that a voltage of 21.95 V, current of 190.0 A, and welding speed of 5.00 mm/s produced a weld material with the following optimal properties; BHN (200.959 HAZ), heat input (1.69076 kJ/mm), cooling rate (72.07 /s), preheat temperature (150.68 ) and amount of diffusible hydrogen (12.36 mL/100g). The optimal solution was selected by design expert with a desirability value of 95.40 %.

Hydrogen-Assisted Cracking in GMA Welding of High-Strength Structural Steel—A New Look into This Issue at Narrow Groove

Modern arc processes, such as the modified spray arc (Mod. SA), have been developed for gas metal arc welding of high-strength structural steels with which even narrow weld seams can be welded. High-strength joints are subjected to increasingly stringent requirements in terms of welding processing and the resulting component performance. In the present work, this challenge is to be met by clarifying the influences on hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC) in a high-strength structural steel S960QL. Adapted samples analogous to the self-restraint TEKKEN test are used and analyzed with respect to crack formation, microstructure, diffusible hydrogen concentration and residual stresses. The variation of the seam opening angle of the test seams is between 30° and 60°. To prevent HAC, the effectiveness of a dehydrogenation heat treatment (DHT) from the welding heat is investigated. As a result, the weld metals produced at reduced weld opening angle show slightly higher hydrogen concentrations on average. In addition, increased micro- as well as macro-crack formation can be observed on these weld metal samples. On all samples without DHT, cracks in the root notch occur due to HAC, which can be prevented by DHT immediately after welding.

Influence of Stick Electrode Coating’s Moisture Content on the Diffusible Hydrogen in Underwater Wet Shielded Metal Arc Welding

In shielded metal arc welding, the major factors influencing hydrogen uptake into the weld metal are (i) the hydrogen content of the base metal, (ii) hydrogen input by the welding consumable, and (iii) the hydrogen introduced by the atmosphere surrounding the arc process. In this study, the relative contribution of these factors is investigated and compared to each other for the case of underwater wet shielded metal arc welding. To assess the influence of the stick electrode’s moisture (capillary introduced water during handling operations) on the diffusible hydrogen in wet welded samples, wet and dry electrodes were welded at four different water depths. The moisture was absorbed through the sharpened electrode tip only, to ensure close to service conditions. The results show that the moist stick electrode coatings lead to 22.6% higher average diffusible hydrogen content in the weld metal (0.5 m water depth an average). However, the effect disappears with increasing water depths (no difference in 60 m water depth).

Post-testing measurement of freely movable and diffusible hydrogen in context of WEC formation at cylindrical roller thrust bearings from 100Cr6

Sub-surface crack networks in areas of altered microstructure are a common cause for bearing failures. Due to its appearance under light microscopy, the damage pattern is referred to as White Etching Cracks (WEC). The root causes leading to the formation of WEC are still under debate. Nevertheless, it has already been shown that atomic hydrogen can have an accelerating effect on the formation and propagation of WEC. In addition to hydrogen pre-charging, hydrogen can be released and absorbed during rolling/sliding due to the decomposing of the lubricant and water. The current work focuses on the analysis of the hydrogen content of cylindrical roller thrust bearings after testing in a FE8 type test rig using two different lubricants. Within the framework of this work, two different hydrogen analysis methods were used and assessed regarding their applicability. The results show that the so-called Hydrogen Collecting Analysis (HCA) is more suitable to investigate the correlation between lubricant chemistry and hydrogen content in the test bearings than the Local Hydrogen Analysis (LHA). The measurements with the HCA show a continuously increasing freely movable and diffusible hydrogen content under tribological conditions, which leads to the formation of WEC. Comparative tests with an oil without hydrogen showed that the tendency of the system to fail as a result of WEC can be reduced by using a lubricant without hydride compounds.

Metallurgical Model of Diffusible Hydrogen and Non-Metallic Slag Inclusions in Underwater Wet Welding of High-Strength Steel

High susceptibility to cold cracking induced by diffusible hydrogen and hydrogen embrittlement are major obstacles to greater utilization of underwater wet welding for high-strength steels. The aim of the research was to develop gas–slag systems for flux-cored wires that have high metallurgical activity in removal of hydrogen and hydroxyl groups. Thermodynamic modeling and experimental research confirmed that a decrease in the concentration of diffusible hydrogen can be achieved by reducing the partial pressure of hydrogen and water vapor in the vapor–gas bubble and by increasing the hydroxyl capacity of the slag system in metallurgical reactions leading to hydrogen fluoride formation and ionic dissolution of hydroxyl groups in the basic fluorine-containing slag of a TiO2–CaF2–Na3AlF6 system.