Finite Element and Experimental Analysis of Residual Stresses in Electron Beam Welded Nickel-Based Superalloys

In this paper, two different nickel-based superalloys, namely Inconel 718 and Nimonic 80A were joined using electron beam welding techniques with three different welding parameters. A finite element analysis (FEA) using Abaqus software was carried out to calculate the residual stresses due to welding. Both transverse and longitudinal residual stresses were determined. Also, an X-ray residual stress measurement system, μ-X360 Ver. 2.5.6.2 was used for measuring transverse residual stress along and across the weld centerline. The transverse residual stress found by FEA and that measured experimentally was nearly the same thus validating the FEA. Also, the peak values of longitudinal residual stress found using the FEA were close to the yield strengths of the base metals as found elsewhere.

Experimental Study on Ultra-Precision Polishing of Ti-6Al-4V by Ultraviolet-Induced Nanoparticle Colloid Jet Machining

Ti-6Al-4V is widely used in various fields of modern industry, but it is difficult to obtain an ultra-smooth surface of Ti-6Al-4V due to its poor machinability. In this article, ultraviolet-induced (UV-induced) nanoparticle colloid jet machining was utilized to carry out ultra-precision polishing of Ti-6Al-4V to improve the surface quality. The results of infrared differential spectroscopy before and after polishing show that new chemical bonds such as Ti-O-Ti (Al-O-Ti and V-O-Ti) appear on the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece surface, which indicates that the material of Ti-6Al-4V workpiece is removed through the chemical interaction between TiO2 nanoparticles and workpiece surface in the process of UV-induced nanoparticle colloid jet machining. The comparison of metallographic structure of Ti-6Al-4V before and after polishing shows that the chemical activity and material removal rate of the primary α phase in Ti-6Al-4V is higher than that of the remnant β phase in UV-induced nanoparticle colloid jet machining, which lead to the well-distributed nano-scale surface peaks and valleys at regular intervals on the polished Ti-6Al-4V workpiece surface. After polishing, the longitudinal residual stress on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V workpiece decreases from 75 MPa to 67 MPa and the transverse stress decreases from 13 MPa to 3 MPa. The surface roughness of Ti-6Al-4V workpiece is reduced from Sa 76.7 nm to Sa 2.87 nm by UV-induced nanoparticle colloid jet machining.

Process - Property Correlation of Friction Stir Welding of Marine Grade Aluminium Alloy 5083 Using Finite Element Analysis

In this article, a 3D finite element based thermo-mechanical model for friction stir welding (FSW) of a marine-grade aluminium alloy 5083 is proposed. The model demonstrates the thermal evaluation and the distribution of residual stresses and strains under the variation of process variables. The temperature profile of the weld joint during the FSW process and the mechanical properties of the joints are also experimentally evaluated. The necessary calibration of the model for the correct implementation of the thermal loading, mechanical loading, and boundary conditions was performed using the experimental results. The model simulation and experimental results are analyses in view of the process-property correlation study. The residual stress was evaluated along, and across the weld, centreline referred as longitudinal and transverse residual stresses, respectively. The magnitude of longitudinal residual stress is noted 60-80% higher than that of the transverse direction. The longitudinal residual stress generated a tensile oval shaped stress region around the tool shoulder confined to a maximum distance of about 25mm from the axis of the tool along the weld line. It encompasses the weld-nugget to thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), while the parent metal region is mostly experiences the compressive residual stresses. However, the transverse residual stress region appears like wing shaped region spread out in both the advancing and retreating side of the weld and occupying approximately double the area as compared to the longitudinal residual stresses. Overall, the study revealed a corelation between the FSW process variables such as welding speed and the tool rotational speed with the residual stress and the mechanical properties of the joint.

Effect of friction stir welding parameters on the residual stress distribution of Al-2024-T6 alloy

The objective of this study was to investigate the influences of the main parameters of friction stir welding (FSW) on the residual stresses remained in the FSW of Al 2024-T6. The main parameters were tool rotational speed and tool transverse speed. The effect of these parameters on the residual stresses was studied in both finite element simulation and hole drilling strain gauge measurement. The results showed a good agreement between the numerical results and the experimental outcomes. The change in transverse speed from 25 to 31.5 mm/min resulted in increase of longitudinal residual stresses in welding centerline in which the longitudinal residual stress was increased at the tool rotational speed of 1120 rpm and 1600 rpm about 12.5% and 2.67%, respectively. The results showed that at the low rotational speed, the strain rate had the most effect on the residual stresses whereas at the high rotational speed, some residual stress was released due to the generated heat in the weld zone.

Reduction of distortion by using the low transformation temperature effect for high alloy steels in electron beam welding

Residual stress and distortion of welded specimens are issues when it comes to geometrical requirements. The surrounding material prevents the dilatation associated with transformation in the area of heat input resulting in residual stress and distortion due to thermal contraction. In the past few years, low transformation temperature (LTT) material was successfully used as filler wire to reduce residual stress as well as distortion in the weld seam in arc welding processes. High alloy Fe-based filler materials with levels of chromium and nickel ensure a martensitic transformation at reduced temperatures in a low alloy base material. The LTT properties counteract the accumulation of stresses due to thermal contraction with compressive stresses that develop within the transformed region. This work used a high alloy base material in combination with a low alloy filler wire resulting in a microstructure that shows the same properties as LTT weld metals. This in situ alloying allows for an alloy composition tailored to the process. In order to provide a point of reference, comparable welds were made using conventional high alloy filler wire. As a result, the distortion and longitudinal residual stress was significantly reduced compared to welding with conventional filler wire.

Experimental and Numerical Simulation to Study the Reduction of Welding Residual Stress by Ultrasonic Impact Treatment

In this study, the effects of ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) on the residual stress in a repair welding joint are investigated by experimental and finite element methods. A three-dimensional numerical analysis approach including a thermomechanical-coupled welding simulation and dynamic elastic-plastic UIT simulation is developed, which has been validated by X-ray diffraction measurement and indentation strain method. The results show that longitudinal residual stresses basically turned into the small tensile stress state from the large tensile stress state, and transverse residual stresses have mainly turned into compressive stresses from large tensile stress after the UIT. In the thickness direction, the average decrease of longitudinal residual stress is 259.9 MPa, which is larger than the 149.1 MPa of transverse residual stress. The calculated residual stress distribution after the UIT of the thin plate is compared with that of the thick plate in the literature, with the results showing the stress accumulation layer inside the thick plate. The simulation results show that the elastic strains are decreased slightly and the equivalent plastic strain is increased markedly after UIT, which explains the mechanism of residual stress relaxation.

A numerical prediction of residual stress for a thin-walled part with geometrical features fabricated by GMA-based additive manufacturing

Purpose An accurate prediction of process-induced residual stress is necessary to prevent large distortion and cracks in gas metal arc (GMA)-based additive manufactured parts, especially thin-walled parts. The purpose of this study is to present an investigation into predicting the residual stress distributions of a thin-walled component with geometrical features. Design/methodology/approach A coupled thermo-mechanical finite element model considering a general Goldak double ellipsoidal heat source is built for a thin-walled component with geometrical features. To confirm the accuracy of the model, corresponding experiments are performed using a positional deposition method in which the torch is tilted from the normal direction of the substrate. During the experiment, the thermal cycle curves of locations on the substrate are obtained by thermocouples. The residual stresses on the substrate and part are measured using X-ray diffraction. The validated model is used to investigate the thermal stress evolution and residual stress distributions of the substrate and part. Findings Decent agreements are achieved after comparing the experimental and simulated results. It is shown that the geometrical feature of the part gives rise to an asymmetrical transversal residual stress distribution on the substrate surface, while it has a minimal influence on the longitudinal residual stress distribution. The residual stress distributions of the part are spatially uneven. The longitudinal tensile residual stress is the prominent residual stress in the central area of the component. Large wall-growth tensile residual stresses, which may cause delamination, appear at both ends of the component and the substrate–component interfaces. Originality/value The predicted residual stress distributions of the thin-walled part with geometrical features are helpful to understand the influence of geometry on the thermo-mechanical behavior in GMA-based additive manufacturing.

Influence of interlayer dwell time on stress field of thin-walled components in WAAM via numerical simulation and experimental tests

Purpose This paper aims to study the residual stress of deposited components which is a main issue to impede the widespread application of wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The interlayer dwell time is believed to have an effect on residual stress distributions in WAAM due to variance in heat dissipation condition. A coupled thermomechanical finite element model was established to evaluate the role of dwell time in between layers on the mechanical behavior of thin-walled components in WAAM, mainly involving thermal stress evolutions and residual stress distributions of the component and substrate. Design/methodology/approach Four interlayer dwell times including 0, 120 and 300 s and cooling to ambient temperature were selected in finite element modeling, and corresponding experiments were conducted to verify the reliability of the model. Findings The results show that with the interlayer dwell time, the stress cycling curves become more uniform and the interlayer stress-releasing effect is weakened. The residual stress levels on the substrate decrease with the increasing interlayer dwell time. In the outside surface of the component, the distributions of axial and longitudinal residual stress along the deposition path are the smoothest when the interlayer dwell time is cooling to ambient temperature. In the inside surface, a longer interlayer dwell time leads to an obvious decrease in the longitudinal and axial residual stress along the deposition path. Originality/value The comprehensive study of how the interlayer dwell time influences stress field of components is helpful to improve the deposition defects generated by WAAM.