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Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2024) | Viewed by 12794

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Dr. Xianjun Pei

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: fatigue and fracture; welding and joining; structural integrity; residual stress; computational method; mechanics of welded structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Haibo Yang

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Guest Editor

1. College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
2. School of Ocean Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264200, China
Interests: fatigue performance analysis of welded structures; multiaxial stress state; fatigue lifetime prediction; fatigue crack initiation and propagation; traction structural stress method
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yong Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Ocean Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264200, China
Interests: welding and joining processes; computational welding mechanics; residual stress; welding distortion prevention; fatigue and fracture of welded structures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a Special Issue on "Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations" in Materials. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for scientists and academicians to share their latest research findings on and insights into various aspects of welding and joining technologies.

Scope of submissions: The Special Issue invites original research articles, review papers, and case studies that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of welding and joining. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Welding processes: Arc welding, resistance welding, laser welding, electron beam welding, etc.
Joining techniques: Adhesive bonding, mechanical fastening, soldering, brazing, etc.
Parameter optimization: Investigation and optimization of welding and joining parameters for improved performance and efficiency.
Structures and properties: Characterization and evaluation of welded as well as joined structures and their mechanical, thermal, and corrosion properties.
Simulation and modeling: Development and application of simulation and modeling techniques for predicting as well as analyzing welding and joining processes and their outcomes.
Emerging trends and technologies: Innovative approaches, materials, and technologies in welding and joining.

We look forward to your contributions and believe that this Special Issue will significantly contribute to the advancement of welding and joining technologies. Should you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the Editorial Office.

Sincerely,

Dr. Xianjun Pei
Dr. Haibo Yang
Dr. Yong Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

welding and joining
welding metallurgy
weldability
residual stress
computational method
mechanics of welded structures
parameter optimization
fatigue and fracture
structural integrity

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 20889 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization and Analysis of Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding (RFSSW) Parameters of Dissimilar Aluminum Alloy Joints by FE and ANN Methods

by Dan Cătălin Bîrsan, Florin Susac and Virgil Gabriel Teodor

Materials 2024, 17(18), 4586; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184586 - 18 Sep 2024

Viewed by 974

Abstract

The quality of the refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) process is heavily dependent on the selected welding parameters that influence the resultant joint characteristics. Thermomechanical phenomena integral to the process were investigated using finite element (FE) analysis on two dissimilar materials. This FE analysis was subsequently validated through controlled experiments to ensure reliability. An artificial neural network (ANN) was employed to create a neural model based on an experimental setup involving 120 different sets of welding parameters. The parameters adjusted in the experimental plan included pin penetration depth, rotational speed, retention time, and positioning relative to material hardness. To assess the neural model’s accuracy, outputs such as maximum temperature and normal stress at the end of the welding process were analyzed and validated by six data sets selected for their uniform distribution across the training domain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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14 pages, 2747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Weld Interface Characteristics on the Bond Strength of Collision Welded Aluminium–Steel Joints

by Stefan Oliver Kraus, Johannes Bruder and Peter Groche

Materials 2024, 17(15), 3863; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17153863 - 4 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1028

Abstract

Collision welding is a promising approach for joining conventional materials in identical or dissimilar combinations without heat-related strength loss, thereby opening up new lightweight potential. Widespread application of this technology is still limited by an insufficient state of knowledge with respect to the underlying joining mechanisms. This paper applies collision welding to a material combination of DC04 steel and EN AW 6016 aluminium alloy. Firstly, the welding process window for the combination is determined by varying the collision speed and the collision angle, the two main influencing variables in collision welding, using a special model test rig. The process window area with the highest shear tensile strength of the welded joint is then determined using shear tensile tests and SEM images of the weld zone. The SEM investigations reveal four distinct metallographic structures in the weld zones, the area fractions of which are determined and correlated with collision angle and shear tensile strength. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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14 pages, 4390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Performance of a Dual-Speed Tool When Friction Stir Welding Cast Mg AZ91 with Wrought Al 6082

by Krzysztof Mroczka, Carter Hamilton, Aleksandra Węglowska, Mateusz Kopyściański, Stanisław Dymek and Adam Pietras

Materials 2024, 17(15), 3705; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17153705 - 26 Jul 2024

Viewed by 617

Abstract

A novel dual-speed tool for which the shoulder and pin rotation speeds are separately established was utilized to friction stir weld cast magnesium AZ91 with wrought aluminum 6082-T6. To assess the performance and efficacy of the dual-speed tool, baseline dissimilar welds were also fabricated using a conventional FSW tool. Optical microscopy characterized the weld microstructures, and a numerical simulation enhanced the understanding of the temperature and material flow behaviors. For both tool types, regions of the welds contained significant amounts of the AZ91 primary eutectic phase, Al₁₂Mg₁₇, indicating that weld zone temperatures exceeded the solidus temperature of α-Mg (470 °C). Liquation, therefore, occurred during processing with subsequent eutectic formation upon cooling below the primary eutectic temperature (437 °C). The brittle character of the eutectic phase promoted cracking in the fusion zone, and the “process window” for quality welds was narrow. For the conventional tool, offsetting to the aluminum side (advancing side) mitigated eutectic formation and improved weld quality. For the dual-speed tool, experimental trials demonstrated that separate rotation speeds for the shoulder and pin could mitigate eutectic formation and produce quality welds without an offset at relatively higher weld speeds than the conventional tool. Exploration of various weld parameters coupled with the simulation identified the bounds of a process window based on the percentage of weld cross-section exceeding the eutectic temperature and on the material flow rate at the tool trailing edge. For the dual-speed tool, a minimum flow rate of 26.0 cm³/s and a maximum percentage of the weld cross-section above the eutectic temperature of 35% produced a defect-free weld. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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Graphical abstract

15 pages, 11307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolution of Grain Microstructure in Friction Stir Welding of Dissimilar Al/Mg Alloys with Ultrasonic Assistance

by Junjie Zhao, Bo Zhao, Chuansong Wu and Sachin Kumar

Materials 2024, 17(13), 3073; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133073 - 22 Jun 2024

Viewed by 728

Abstract

The process of grain refinement during welding significantly influences both the final microstructure and performance of the weld joint. In the present work, merits of acoustic addition in the conventional Frictions Stir Welding (FSW) process were evaluated for joining dissimilar Al/Mg alloys. To capture the near “in situ” structure around the exit hole, an “emergency stop” followed by rapid cooling using liquid nitrogen was employed. Electron Backscatter Diffraction analysis was utilized to characterize and examine the evolution of grain microstructure within the aluminum matrix as the material flowed around the exit hole. The findings reveal that two mechanisms, continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and geometric dynamic recrystallization (GDRX), jointly or alternatively influence the grain evolution process. In conventional FSW, CDRX initially governs grain evolution, transitioning to GDRX as material deformation strain and temperature increase. Subsequently, as material deposition commences, CDRX reasserts dominance. Conversely, in acoustic addition, ultrasonic vibration accelerates GDRX, promoting its predominance by enhancing material flow and dislocation movements. Even during the material deposition, GDRX remains the dominant mechanism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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16 pages, 4026 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Experimental and Numerical Modelling of the Electrical Behaviour of Laser-Soldered Steel Sheets

by Andor Körmöczi, Gábor Horváth, Tamás Szörényi and Zsolt Geretovszky

Materials 2024, 17(11), 2736; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112736 - 4 Jun 2024

Viewed by 893

Abstract

The electric vehicle (EV) industry challenges battery joining technologies by requiring higher energy density both by mass and volume. Improving the energy density via new battery chemistry would be the holy grail but is seriously hindered and progresses slowly. In the meantime, alternative ways, such as implementing more efficient cell packaging by minimising the electrical resistance of joints, are of primary focus. In this paper, we discuss the challenges associated with the electrical characterisation of laser-soldered joints in general, and the minimisation of their resistive losses, in particular. In order to assess the impact of joint resistance on the overall resistance of the sample, the alteration in resistance was monitored as a function of voltage probe distance and modelled by finite element simulation. The experimental measurements showed two different regimes: one far from the joint area and another in its vicinity and within the joint cross-section. The presented results confirm the importance of the thickness of the filler material, the effective and total soldered area, and the area and position of the voids within the total soldered area in determining the electrical resistance of joints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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17 pages, 6953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Verification of Geometric Changes Caused by the Release of Residual Stresses for Large-Scale Welded Frames

by Michał Wieczorowski, Michał Jakubowicz, Lidia Marciniak-Podsadna, Bartosz Gapiński, Roman Barczewski, Bartosz Jakubek, Filip Rogiewicz, Czesław Jermak and Rehan Khan

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2389; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102389 - 16 May 2024

Viewed by 705

Abstract

This paper presents geometric analyses of welded frames after free relaxing and vibratory stress relief (VSR). The tested frames were components of a prototype packaging machine. Two types of relaxation were carried out to remove stresses introduced as a result of the welding process. One of the frames was subjected to free relaxation, while the other one was subjected to accelerated vibration relaxation. Detection of the frame geometry changes was performed using a photogrammetric system. In addition, an evaluation of the geometry change was conducted for fifteen variants of a steel frame support. A comparative analysis of the geometric deviations of the frames after free and vibratory stress relief confirmed the assumption that the frame post vibration stress relief better reproduces the nominal dimensions. Nevertheless, it should be emphasized that after vibratory stress relief, the frame is not subject to further deformation, which is a desirable effect. In the case of free relaxing, the frame undergoes dimensional changes in a random manner. In summary, carrying out accelerated vibratory stress relief allows for control of spontaneous dimensional changes in the designed frame of a packaging machine resulting from spontaneous relaxation of stresses arising from the welding process. The shortening of the relaxation process of the welded frame is also an unquestionable advantage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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16 pages, 8267 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Imposed Strain on Weldability of Dievar Alloy

by Josef Izák, Marek Benč, Lenka Kunčická, Petr Opěla and Radim Kocich

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102317 - 14 May 2024

Viewed by 1005

Abstract

The presented work is focused on the influence of imposed strain on the weldability of Dievar alloy. Two mechanisms affecting the microstructure and thus imparting changes in the mechanical properties were applied—heat treatment (hardening and tempering), and rotary swaging. The processed workpieces were further subjected to welding with various welding currents. In order to characterize the effects of welding on the microstructure, especially in the heat-affected zone, and determine material stability under elevated temperatures, samples for uniaxial hot compression testing at temperatures from 600 to 900 °C, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness testing were taken. The testing revealed that, although the rotary swaged and heat-treated samples featured comparable microhardness, the strength of the swaged material was approximately twice as high as that of the heat-treated one—specifically 1350 MPa. Furthermore, it was found that the rotary swaged sample exhibited favorable welding behavior when compared to the heat-treated one, when the higher welding current was applied. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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18 pages, 2210 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy-Based Unified Models for Predicting the Fatigue Life Behaviors of Austenitic Steels and Welded Joints in Ultra-Supercritical Power Plants

by Jeong Ho Hwang, Dae-Woong Kim, Jae-Yong Lim and Seong-Gu Hong

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2186; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102186 - 7 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 893

Abstract

The development of a cost-effective and accurate model for predicting the fatigue life of materials is essential for designing thermal power plants and assessing their structural reliability under operational conditions. This paper reports a novel energy-based approach for developing unified models that predict the fatigue life of boiler tube materials in ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants. The proposed method combines the Masing behavior with a cyclic stress–strain relationship and existing stress-based or strain-based fatigue life prediction models. Notably, the developed models conform to the structure of the modified Morrow model, which incorporates material toughness (a temperature compensation parameter) into the Morrow model to account for the effects of temperature. A significant advantage of this approach is that it eliminates the need for tensile tests, which are otherwise essential for assessing material toughness in the modified Morrow model. Instead, all material constants in our models are derived solely from fatigue test results. We validate our models using fatigue data from three promising USC boiler tube materials—Super304H, TP310HCbN, and TP347H—and their welded joints at operating temperatures of 500, 600, and 700 °C. The results demonstrate that approximately 91% of the fatigue data for all six materials fall within a 2.5× scatter band of the model’s predictions, indicating a high level of accuracy and broad applicability across various USC boiler tube materials and their welded joints, which is equivalent to the performance of the modified Morrow model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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19 pages, 9395 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High-Strength AA6011 Aluminum Alloy Welding with Novel 4xxx Filler Metals

by Mohamed Ahmed, Mousa Javidani, Alexandre Maltais and X.-Grant Chen

Materials 2024, 17(2), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17020380 - 12 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1211

Abstract

Welding high-strength 6xxx aluminum alloys using a commercial ER4043 filler often results in inferior joint strength. This study investigated the effects of newly developed Al-Si-Mg filler metals with varying Mg (0.6–1.4 wt.%) and Mn (0.25–0.5 wt.%) contents on the microstructure evolution and mechanical performance of high-strength AA6011-T6 plates using gas metal arc welding. Two commercial fillers, ER4043 and ER4943, were used as references for comparison. The results revealed that increasing the Mg and Mn contents in the novel fillers resulted in sufficiently high alloying elements in the fusion zone (FZ), leading to higher microhardness. Under as-welded conditions, the weakest region of the joint was the heat-affected zone (HAZ). The joint strength was almost independent of the filler type and was controlled by the HAZ strength, measuring a UTS of 230 and 241 MPa for ER4043 and the other joints, respectively. The higher Mg contents in the novel fillers promoted the precipitation of a large volume fraction of fine β″-MgSi in the FZ during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), resulting in superior strength and higher welding efficiency relative to the reference fillers. The optimal Mg content of the novel fillers was 0.6 wt.%. Increasing the Mn content of the filler metal had an insignificant effect. The FMg0.6 filler with 0.6% Mg achieved the best combination of strength (UTS of 410 MPa) and elongation (6.7%) as well as the highest welding efficiency (94%) after PWHT, among all of the fillers studied. However, the newly developed fillers adversely affected the impact toughness of the joints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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17 pages, 7743 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of New Al-Si Welding Filler with High Concentration of Copper and Magnesium: High-Temperature Strength and Anti-Corrosion Mechanism

by Jun-Ren Zhao, Fei-Yi Hung and Chien-Yu Pan

Materials 2024, 17(1), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010126 - 26 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1056

Abstract

Currently, the primary commercial aluminum alloy fillers used are 4043 and 5356. However, when welded with high-strength work pieces like 6061 and 7075 aluminum alloys, the strength of weld beads significantly lags behind that of the original welded material. Both 4043 and 5356 aluminum alloys cannot be strengthened through heat treatment. The strength difference between the weld bead and base material doubles after heat treatment. In this study, an Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy (SCM) filler modified using a heat-treatable A319 aluminum alloy was employed to investigate the post-welding microstructural and mechanical properties of specimens under room- and high-temperature conditions and after prolonged exposure in a saltwater environment (3.5 wt.% NaCl). The aim was to demonstrate that commercial aluminum alloy fillers could be substituted with a high-silicon aluminum alloy boasting excellent solidification and mechanical properties. The results revealed that, after heat treatment of the weld bead, dendrites were not eliminated, but the tensile strength increased to 310 MPa, closely matching that of commercial 6061 aluminum alloy. The strength of the weld bead remained higher than 250 MPa in high-temperature (240 °C) and saltwater environments. These findings underscore the potential application of this material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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17 pages, 8284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Fatigue Performance of Pulsed Tungsten Inert Gas Welding Joint of Duplex Stainless Steel Thin Tube

by Chaofei Yang, Wenjian Zheng, Renfu Wang, Jiajia Niu, Lei Sun, Mao Cheng, Xianjing Lu, Zhou Zhou and Jianguo Yang

Materials 2024, 17(1), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010109 - 25 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1216

Abstract

To solve the shortage of austenite phase precipitation caused by nitrogen loss in the welding process of UNS S2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS), shielding gas nitriding was investigated by adding different N₂ contents in Ar shielding gas during the welding process. A good thin-walled pipe butt joint was formed using the pulsed tungsten inert gas (P-TIG) welding method with Ar-N₂ shielding gas. High cycle fatigue tests of the weld joints were conducted to study the effect of shielding gas nitriding on the fatigue properties. Fatigue tests at three stress levels of 225 MPa, 270 MPa, and 360 MPa were carried out on the weld joints with different N₂ contents, and the fatigue samples were all fractured in the high temperature heat-affected zone (H-HAZ). Within the current process parameters, the fatigue life of the 4 vol.% N₂ welded joints was optimal. Fatigue striations appeared in the fatigue crack propagation zone, and the transient fracture zone was similar to the tensile fracture. Under the low-stress level, the area of the crack propagation zone under 4 vol.% N₂ was the highest, the tear ridges all expanded around the crack source area, and the fatigue crack propagation zone presented a radial distribution. The proliferation and expansion of dislocations were mainly carried out in the austenite grains, and the dislocation density of the fatigue specimens under 4 vol.% N₂ was smaller than that of the Ar specimens. Shielding gas nitriding effectively improved the balance of the two-phase ratio and the hardness of austenite phase, optimized the internal slip system, inhibited the proliferation of dislocations in the austenite phase, and improved the fatigue life of weld joints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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19 pages, 19022 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fatigue Performance Analysis of Welded T-Joints in Orthotropic Steel Bridge Decks with Ultrasonic Impact Treatment

by Yizhou Liu, Wenhua Huang, Banhai Yu, Zhihao Chen and Ping Wang

Materials 2023, 16(18), 6196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186196 - 13 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1274

Abstract

This study aims to assess the effect of ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) on the exterior weld seam of S355J2 T-joints used in orthotropic steel bridge decks. The microstructure and mechanical behavior of T-joints after UIT was investigated in this study. Fatigue tests of T-joints before and after UIT were performed. The stress concentration at the interior and exterior weld toe of T-joints was considered using the traction structural stress method. The results showed that hardness increases by 10% due to the localized grain refinement caused by UIT. UIT significantly improves the fatigue life of T-joint specimens by 350% and 150% at stress ratios of 0.1 and 0.3, respectively. As the transition angle between the weld profile and the base metal profile increases, the stress concentration factor decreases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Welding and Joining Technologies: Processes, Parameters, Structures, Properties and Simulations)

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