Advances in Laser Drilling of Structural Ceramics

The high-quality, high-efficiency micro-hole drilling of structural ceramics to improve the thermal conductivity of hot-end parts or achieve high-density electronic packaging is still a technical challenge for conventional processing techniques. Recently, the laser drilling method (LDM) has become the preferred processing tool for structural ceramics, and it plays an irreplaceable role in the industrialized processing of group holes on structural ceramic surfaces. A variety of LDMs such as long pulsed laser drilling, short pulsed laser drilling, ultrafast pulsed laser drilling, liquid-assisted laser drilling, combined pulse laser drilling have been developed to achieved high-quality and high-efficiency micro-hole drilling through controlling the laser–matter interaction. This article reviews the characteristics of different LDMs and systematically compares the morphology, diameter, circularity, taper angle, cross-section, heat affect zone, recast layer, cracks, roughness, micro–nano structure, photothermal effect and photochemical reaction of the drilling. Additionally, exactly what processing parameters and ambient environments are optimal for precise and efficient laser drilling and their recent advancements were analyzed. Finally, a summary and outlook of the LDM technology are also highlighted.

Weldability of Grade 2 Titanium Sheets with Pulsed Nd:YAG Microlaser Welding Filler and Without Filler

Laser welding method is widely used in the welding of different materials. Deep penetration, low heat input, narrow heat affect zone, low stress-strain, and distortion are important features of this welding method as compared to other joint methods. Today, it is possible to see the applications of laser welding in the repair of precious metals, moulds, and machine parts. The laser welding method is preferred in the manufacture of many parts of precious metals. Titanium and particularly Grade 2 alloys are used in a wide range of applications, from medical applications to the aerospace industry applications. Since titanium is made of precious metals, it is of great use in manufacturing without much scrap. In the joints made by welding, it is estimated that the amount of scrap loss will decrease as a result of the potential to predict the distortion that the material will undergo and to provide more controlled planning of the current production. In this study, the weldability of 0.6 mm sheet materials with laser butt-welding was investigated. The effects of pulsed micro laser welding parameters on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and surface morphology of the fractures were investigated. As a result of the microstructure examination, it was found that cross-section narrowing was seen without filling welding. Fracture of the welded joints occurred in the base metal, showing an ultimate tensile strength of approximately 248 MPa with an elongation of 26.7 %.

Thermo-Mechanical and Delamination Properties in Drilling GFRP Composites by Various Drill Angles

This manuscript aims to study the effects of drilling factors on the thermal-mechanical properties and delamination experimentally during the drilling of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP). Drilling studies were carried out using a CNC machine under dry cutting conditions by 6 mm diameter with different point angles of ∅ = 100°, 118°, and 140°. The drill spindle speed (400, 800, 1600 rpm), feed (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 mm/r), and sample thickness (2.6, 5.3, and 7.7 mm) are considered in the analysis. Heat affected zone (HAZ) generated by drilling was measured using a thermal infrared camera and two K-thermocouples installed in the internal coolant holes of the drill. Therefore, two setups were used; the first is with a rotating drill and fixed specimen holder, and the second is with a rotating holder and fixed drill bit. To measure thrust force/torque through drilling, the Kistler dynamometer model 9272 was utilized. Pull-in and push-out delamination were evaluated based on the image analyzed by an AutoCAD technique. The regression models and multivariable regression analysis were developed to find relations between the drilling factors and responses. The results illustrate the significant relations between drilling factors and drilling responses such as thrust force, delamination, and heat affect zone. It was observed that the thrust force is more inspired by feed; however, the speed effect is more trivial and marginal on the thrust force. All machining parameters have a significant effect on the measured temperature, and the largest contribution is of the laminate thickness (33.14%), followed by speed and feed (29.00% and 15.10%, respectively), ended by the lowest contribution of the drill point angle (11.85%).

High Martensitic Steel after Welding with Micro-Jet Cooling in Microstructural and Mechanical Investigations

Modern means of transport will play a significant role in the smart city. In the automotive industry, high-strength steels such as Docol are employed more often. This kind of material is relatively not very well weldable. The main reason is related to the Heat Affect Zone, the region in which cracks occur. Another disadvantage is connected with differences in values of ultimate strength of parent and weld material. The differences can be diminished using the correct welding process, which employs nickel and molybdenum electrode wires at much lower sulfur content. The weld metal deposit contains mainly martensite and bainite with coarse ferrite, while the parent material contains mainly martensite and rather fine ferrite. New technology, micro-jet cooling after the joining process enables to obtain the microstructure of weld metal deposit at acceptable parameters. Welding with micro-jet cooling could be treated as a very promising welding Docol steels process with high industrial application. Results of non-destructive inspections on macro samples corresponded with further destructive test results (tensile strength, hardness, fatigue, metallographic structure analyses). This article aims to verify fatigue behavior of Docol 1200 M steel after welding supported by the cooling using the micro-jet technique. For the first time, micro-jet cooling was used to weld this kind of steel to check the mechanical properties of the joint, especially to determine the fatigue limit. This study is formulated as follows: investigating fatigue resistance of the Docol 1200 M weld manufactured at the cooling process with micro-jets. The joints were produced in the MAG (Metal Active Gas) technology modified by micro-jet cooling. The results collected in the fatigue test were processed in the form of the Wöhler’s S–N diagram following the fatigue limit of the weld examined. All data have indicated the possibility of obtaining a new method of welded joints with high fatigue limit minimum of 480 MPa. It could be important to achieve a tensile strength of 700 MPa while maintaining the best relative elongation at the level of the base material.

Effect of different welding energy on microstructure and toughness of HAZ of low carbon bainitic steel

Low carbon bainitic steel (LCBS) with excellent combined properties is the first choice for materials of pipeline transiting geological disaster. However, welding will worsen its toughness. In this paper, three kinds of welding heat input were designed to study the relationship between the toughness and microstructure in the coarse grain zone of welding heat affect zone (CGHAZ) of LCBS. The evolution characteristics of the microstructure of LCBS and the CGHAZ, and impact fracture were investigated by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that microstructure of LCBS consists mainly of bainite ferrite (BF) and granular bainite (GB). Heat input for 22 kJ/cm, the original austenite grains become coarsening, the microstructure is a small amount of quasi polygonal ferrite (QF) and polygonal ferrite (PF), which exhibits low Charpy impact toughness. However, for heat input of 19 kJ/cm, the degree of grain coarsening is small and distribution of martensite-austenite (M-A) constituents is the chain. The statistics of image software show that with the increase of heat input (16–22 kJ/cm), the average grain size of original austenite is basically the same (25 um), which is mainly due to Nb solute drag restraint the growth of austenite grain.

Influence of LWE on Strength of Welded Joints of HSS S960—Experimental and Numerical Analysis

This paper presents a strength analysis of joints made during high-strength steel S960 welding. Joints obtained by conventional and laser welding were tested. The most attention was focused on assessing the strength of the material at Heat Affect Zone (HAZ). To this aim, the effect of Linear Welding Energy (LWE) on changes in microstructure and material characteristics was studied. Numerical models of welded joints were developed using the FEM ABAQUS program. The modelled joints were subjected to simulation loads, which allowed to determine areas (the weakest links) of joints in which the destruction process may develop. Good compatibility of the strains fields on the outer surfaces of the joints calculated numerically and recorded by means of the GOM video system was obtained. Based on the tests carried out, it can be concluded that the use of welding with low levels of LEW allow obtaining joints with comparable strength to the base material.

Self-Gathering Effect of the Hydrogen Diffusion in Welding Induced by the Solid-State Phase Transformation

The hydrogen diffusion in welding was investigated by using thermal-mechanical-hydrogen diffusion sequential coupled procedures based on finite element method. A self-gathering effect induced by the solid-state phase transformation was discovered. Because of the self-gathering effect, the hydrogen concentration in weld metal was accumulated to a peak value which can be larger than the initial hydrogen concentration in molten pool, and subsequently the hydrogen concentration in heat affect zone was redistributed. In multi-pass welding, the gathered effect not only happened inside a weld pass, but also in the inter-pass, which further increased the sensitivity of the hydrogen-assisted cold cracking. Controlling should be adopted to restrain the hydrogen accumulation. Welding stress evolution during the solid-state phase transformation process had limited effect on the hydrogen diffusion.

Fracture Toughness and Application of X80 Pipeline Steel

The fracture toughness of X80 pipeline steel, which has been widely used in China, plays a key role in pipeline safety insurance. In order to know the accurate fracture toughness of X80, the methods of acoustic emission and high K ratio have been carried out to judge the initiation of crack propagation and improve flatness of fatigue pre-crack front. By this method, fracture toughness of base metal, weld and heat affect zone of X80 pipeline steel have been tested, and failure assessment curves of X80 have been established and fitting equations has been provided. The results suggested that different failure assessment curves should be established according to different crack sizes and material parameters.