A Quantified Study of the Resistance of Duplex Stainless Steels to HISC: Part 2 - Significance of the hydrogen permeation properties and severity of stress raisers, on hydrogen transport and cracking

The quantified microstructural analysis carried out on a wrought and a hot isostatically-pressed (HIP) UNS S31803 duplex stainless steel (DSS) in the Part 1 publication of this study 1, established the significance of the three-dimensional (3D) distribution and morphology/geometry of the ferrite and austenite phases on hydrogen transport through two DSS product forms. This paper is a follow-on to Part 1, and focuses on the role of the other two key, interrelated components of hydrogen-induced stress cracking (HISC): stress/strain, and hydrogen. For this purpose, experimental hydrogen permeation measurements, and environmental fracture toughness testing (i.e. J R-curve testing) using conventional and non-standard single-edge notched bend test specimens were used. These particularly enabled interpretation of the hydrogen permeation and transport test data, and evaluation of suitability of environmental fracture toughness test methods for the assessment of resistance to HISC in DSSs. The latter is discussed, both from laboratory and component integrity perspectives, in the context of the findings from the 3D microstructural characterisation of the two phases, the role of stress raisers and their severity, and hydrogen transport through the bulk and from the surface.

Temperature Cycling Study of Aerosol-Jet Printed Conductive Silver Traces in Printed Electronics

Aerosol-Jet Printing (AJP) provides a new method for electronic component manufacturing. Understanding the reliability of electronics printed using the AJP process is essential to take full advantage of this technology and realize its industrial potential. In the current study, we have designed and tested AJP printed samples and conducted failure analysis of those samples that have exhibited early failures. Failures first occurred in the short traces that connect the main traces to the silver pads, due to local stress-raisers caused by local geometric features in the printing geometry. Thermal-Mechanical Finite-Element-Modeling (FEM) has been performed to analyze the cyclic history of thermo-mechanical stress distribution and plastic strain distribution.

Computational Failure Analysis under Overloading

The aim of this research work is to shed more light on performance-based design through a computational framework that assesses the residual strength of damaged plate-type configurations under overloading. Novel expressions are generated to analyze the power of crack-like stress raisers coupled with retardation effects. Analytical outcomes show that careful consideration of the overload location and crack size can be quite effective in improving safety design and failure mode estimation.

Failures of Shafts

In addition to failures in shafts, this article discusses failures in connecting rods, which translate rotary motion to linear motion (and conversely), and in piston rods, which translate the action of fluid power to linear motion. It begins by discussing the origins of fracture. Next, the article describes the background information about the shaft used for examination. Then, it focuses on various failures in shafts, namely bending fatigue, torsional fatigue, axial fatigue, contact fatigue, wear, brittle fracture, and ductile fracture. Further, the article discusses the effects of distortion and corrosion on shafts. Finally, it discusses the types of stress raisers and the influence of changes in shaft diameter.

Hypereutectic Al-Ca-Mn-(Ni) Alloys as Natural Eutectic Composites

In the present paper, Natural Metal-Matrix Composites (NMMC) based on multicomponent hypereutectic Al-Ca-(Mn)-(Ni) alloys were studied in as-cast, annealed and rolled conditions. Thermo-Calc software and microstructural observations were utilised for analysing the equilibrium and actual phase composition of the alloys including correction of the Al-Ca-Mn system liquidus projection and the solid phase distribution in the Al-Ca-Mn-Ni system. A previously unknown Al10CaMn2 was discovered by both electron microprobe analysis and X-ray studies. The Al-6Ca-3Mn, Al-8Ca-2Mn, Al-8Ca-2Mn-1Ni alloys with representative NMMC structure included ultrafine Сa-rich eutectic and various small-sized primary crystals were found to have excellent feasibility of rolling as compared to its hypereutectic Al-Si counterpart. What is more, Al-Ca alloys showed comparable Coefficient of Thermal Expansion values due to enormous volume fraction of Al-based eutectic and primary intermetallics. Analysis of tensile samples’ fracture surfaces revealed that primary intermetallics may act either as stress raisers or malleable particles depending on their stiffness under deformation. It is shown that a compact morphology can be achieved by conventional casting without using any refining agents. Novel hypereutectic Al-Ca NMMC materials solidifying with the formation of Al10Mn2Ca primary compound have the best ductility and strength. We reasonably propose these materials for high-load pistons.

TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS OF THE COSINE DISTRIBUTION OF STRESSES IN THE SHAFT-HOLE CONTACT

One of the most common connection types in mechanical engineering and construction is the shaft-hole connection. The mechanical stresses caused by its loading are distributed in the contact zone of the loaded parts of the joint. In some cases, they can lead to destruction. Therefore, while designing, it is important to analyze the mechanical stresses in the contact zone. Traditionally, calculations assume that the contact stresses are distributed according to the cosine law. However, this is not entirely true, especially with diff erent shaft and hole diameters. The authors examined theoretical studies of the contact zone of the shaft and the hole (including the cases of diff erent diameters) and the stress distribution in the contact zone. Based on the studies, they performed numerical calculations in the APMWinMachine environment to determine the stresses in the volume of the shaft and the plate with a hole when loading the shaft-hole connection. The analyses were performed for the two-dimensional case by the fi nite element method in the APMStructure program. The results show that when the diameters in the connection are equal, the stress distribution is close to the cosine law. In this case, only one stress raiser occurs in the contact zone, which is located on the line of action of the loading force. However, if there is a slight discrepancy in the shaft and hole diameters, there are three stress raisers in which the connection may break – the central zone and two side zones. The angular distance between them can be determined based on the known theoretical formulas. The authors made an experiment with a plexiglass model, which qualitatively confi rmed the correctness of the analysis performed.