• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2016

This study applied laser surface melting process using CW(Continuous wave) Yb:YAG laser and cold-work die steel SM45C and investigated microstructure and hardness. Laser beam speed, power and beam interval are fixed at 70 mm/sec, 2.8 kW and $800{\mu}m$ respectively. Depth of Hardening layer(Melting zone) was a minimum of 0.8 mm and a maximum of 1.0 mm that exceeds the limit of minimum depth 0.5 mm applying trimming die. In all weld zone, macrostructure was dendrite structure. At the dendrite boundary, Mn, Al, S and O was segregated and MnS and Al oxide existed. However, this inclusion didn't observe in the heat-affected zone (HAZ). As a result of interpreting phase transformation of binary diagram, MnS crystallizes from liquid. Also, it estimated that Al oxide forms by reacting with oxygen in the atmosphere. The hardness of the melting zone was from 650 Hv to 660 Hv regardless of the location that higher 60 Hv than the hardness of the HAZ that had maximum 600 Hv. In comparison with the size of microstructure using electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD), the size of microstructure in the melting zone was smaller than HAZ. Because it estimated that cooling rate of laser surface melting process is faster than water quenching.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.59-63
• /
• 2012

The spacer grid is one of the main structural components in a fuel assembly. It supports fuel rods, guides cooling water and maintains geometry from external impact load and cyclic stress by the vibration of nuclear fuel rod, it is necessary to have sufficient strength against dynamic external load and fatigue strength. In this study, the mechanical properties and fatigue characteristics of laser beam welded zircaloy thin sheet are examined. The material used in this study is a zirconium alloy with 0.66 mm of thickness. The fatigue strength under cyclic load was evaluated at stress ratio R=0.1. S-N curves are presented with statistical testing method recommend by JSME- S002 and compared with S-N curves at R.T. and $315^{\circ}C$. As a result of the experimental approach, the design guide of fatigue strength is proposed and the results obtained from this study are expected to be useful data for spacer gird design.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2002

This study investigated the effect of the system parameters on penetration depth measurement using infrared temperature sensing system. The distance from focusing lens to detector was varied to diminish the error in measuring weld bead width. The effect of bead surface shape on measured surface temperature profile was evaluated using specimen heated by electric resistance. The measuring distance from laser beam was changed to optimize the measuring point. The results indicated that the monitoring device of surface temperature using infrared detector array was applicable to real time penetration depth control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.720-728
• /
• 2011

Lap joint welding conducts low carbon steel plates using a 2.0kW continuous wave Nd:YAG laser beam. The specimen is composed of thin plate of 20 sheets. Process Variables contain two controlled parameters of the laser power and the welding speed. In order to quantitatively examine the characteristics of the lap welding, the welding quality of the cut section, stain-stress behavior, and the hardness of the welded part are investigated. The weld width difference between the top and the bottom because the welding speed is increased. The reason, cooling rate is decreased because of fast welding speed. When the heat input is higher, larger volume of the base metal will melt and the welding heat has longer time to conduct into the bottom from the top. The microstructure and tensile properties of the joints are investigated in order to analyze the effects of heat input on the quality of laser welded specimen. From the results of the investigation, We observe that welding quality is good for the laser power of 1800W, and laser welding speed from 1.8m/min to 2.2m/min.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.61-69
• /
• 2016

A numerical simulation of the solid/liquid coexistence temperature range, using solidification segregation model linked with the Kurz-Giovanola-Trivedi model, explained the mechanism of the BTR shrinkage (with an increase in welding speed) in type 310 stainless steel welds by reduction of the solid/liquid coexistence temperature range of the weld metal due to the inhibited solidification segregation of solute elements and promoted dendrite tip supercooling attributed to rapid solidification of laser beam welding. The reason why the BTR enlarged in type 316 series stainless welds could be clarified by the enhanced solidification segregation of impurity elements (S and P), corresponding to the decrement in ${\delta}-ferrite$ crystallization amount at the solidification completion stage in the laser welds. Furthermore, the greater increase in BTR with type 316-B steel was determined to be due to a larger decrease in ${\delta}-ferrite$ amount during welding solidification than with type 316-A steel. This, in turn, greatly increases the segregation of impurities, which is responsible for the greater temperature range of solid/liquid coexistence when using type 316-B steel.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.52-62
• /
• 1998

Laser beam welding of zinc-coated steel, especially lap joints, has a problem of zinc vapor produced during welding which has a low vaporization temperature of 906.deg. C. It is lower than the melting temperature of steel (1500.deg. C). The high pressure formed by vaporization of zinc during laser welding splatters the molten pool and creates porosities in weld. During laser lap welds of zinc-coated steel sheets with CW CO$_{2}$ laser the gap size has been analyzed and simulated using a FEM. The simulation has been carried out in the range of gap aetween 0 and 0.16 mm. The vaporized zinc gas has effected to prevent heat from conducting toward the bottom of sheets. In vaporized zinc gas has effected to prevent heat from conducting toward the bottom of sheets. In the case of too small gap size, zinc gas has not ejected and existed between two sheets. Therefore heat was difficult to conduct from the upper sheet to lower sheet and the upper sheet could over-melted. In the case of large gap size the zinc gas has been prefectly ejected but only a part of lower sheet has melted. The optimum range of gap size in the lap welds of zinc-coated steel sheets has been calculated to be between 0.08 and 0.12 mm. According to the comparison of experiment, the simulation is proved to be acceptable and applicable to laser lap welds.

• Laser Solutions
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.42-51
• /
• 1999

This research was conducted as a fundamental study to apply tailored blank welding technique into automotive production process. The materials used in this study were 2.0mm thickness low carbon steel sheets and 1.2mm Zn-coated low carbon steel sheets. To ensure the reproducibility and to consider various factors, experiments were. conducted by applying Taguchi experimental method with 6 factors. Every welding process was repeated 3 times to offset the effect of uncontrolled factors. Elongation and LDH(Limited Dome Height)were measured to evaluate formability of specimens and Optical microscopy, XRD, SEM, and EDS analysis were performed to observe the microstructures and to determine the solidification mode in the weld. The elongation of specimen welded with optimum condition was 83% of base metal, and LDH was 84% of base metal. In case of laser treated specimen where Zn coating was removed, elongation was 85% of base metal, and LDH was 85% of base metal. In fusion zone, phases were consisted of quasi-polygonal ferrite, banitic ferrite, and martensite.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.44-51
• /
• 2009

In this study, welding distortion analysis is performed for various design of tube shape structures which are assembled with aluminum sheet metal. Aluminum 5052 plates of 1mm thickness are used to analyze. An efficient keyhole model, as a welding heat source, is used for the prediction of full penetration weld size and shape which is required for the thermal analysis. The thermal and mechanical material properties are considered as temperature dependent functions, due to the high temperature variations during the welding. The numerical model is calculated by using a commercial software and evaluated with the experiments. The calculation results could make a comparative study in the view of distortion for the various size and shape of structure.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.63-68
• /
• 2013

Magnesium alloys have gained increased attention in recent years as the structural materials, because of their attractive properties such as good specific strength, excellent sound damping capability. However, to expand their applications, a reliable joining process is absolutely necessary. In this study, a CW fiber laser was used to investigate the lap weldability of sand casting and wrought magnesium alloys. The effect of defocused distance on lap weldability was examined, and it was found that spatters always generated at the around focused distance because of the high power density of the laser beam. Thus, defocused distance was required to obtain sound welds. In addition, the application of fillet welding was evaluated for minimizing the affect of sand casting magnesium alloy that have relatively poor weldability. As a result of this study, we could confirm good weldability without weld defects.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.776-783
• /
• 2019

Laser welding is usually a more effective method than electron-beam one since a vacuum chamber is not required. It is important for joining Zr-1%Nb (E110) alloy in a manufacturing process of nuclear fuel rods. In the present work, effect of energy parameters of pulsed laser welding on properties of butt joints of sheets with a thickness of 0.5 mm is investigated. The most efficient combination has been found (8-11 J pulse energy, 10-14 ms pulse duration, 780-810 W peak pulse power, 3 Hz pulse frequency, 1.12 mm/s welding speed). The results show that ultimate strength under static loading can not be used as a quality criterion for zirconium alloys welds. Increased shielding gas flow rate does not allow to protect weld metal totally and contributes to defect formation without using special nozzles. Several types of imperfections of the welds have been found, but the major problem is branching microcracks on the surface of the welds. It is difficult to identify the cause of their appearance without additional research on improving the welding zone protection (gas composition and flow rate as well as nozzle configuration) and studying the hydrogen content in the welds.