Journal of Welding Science

In this research, the effect of nickel powder as an interlayer and the tool penetration depth on the microstructure and mechanical properties of lap joints between aluminum 1050 (top sheet) and pure copper (bottom sheet), both with a thickness of 2 mm, was investigated. Nickel powder was added through a machined groove with a width and depth of 1 mm at the base of the aluminum sheet. Friction stir lap welding was performed using a hot work steel tool with a shoulder diameter of 16 mm, a pin diameter of 4 mm, a pin height of 2.1 mm, a rotational speed of 950 rpm, a feed rate of 85 mm/min, a tool tilt angle of 2°, and varying tool penetration depths of 0, 0.05, and 0.1 mm. The results revealed that in the sample with a 0 mm penetration depth, due to insufficient heat generation, defects such as tunnel voids were formed. Increasing the penetration depth to 0.05 mm resulted in the formation of uniform and thin intermetallic layers, including Al3Ni2, Al7Cu4Ni, and Cu3.8Ni at the interface, which enhanced joint quality and increased tensile strength to 185.2 MPa with a fracture strain of 8.7%. In the sample with a 0.1 mm penetration depth, thicker and less uniform intermetallic layers were formed, which, despite locally increasing hardness, led to a decrease in tensile strength and fracture strain to 136.6 MPa and 6.7%, respectively. This study demonstrates that under the conditions of this research, a tool penetration depth of 0.05 mm provides the optimal conditions for FSLW of aluminum-copper alloys using nickel powder.

In this research, the effect of heat input on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joint of two dissimilar steels D6AC and VCN 200 steel was investigated. For this purpose, the samples were welded with the current intensity of 130, 145 and 160 Ampers by GTAW process and using ER120 SG welding wire with a diameter of 2.4 mm. The metallographic results showed that the microstructure of the weld metal consisted of  lath martensite and acicular ferrite phases, which increased the volume fraction of ferrite from 5 to 32% with the increase of heat input, and the morphology of the ferrite changed from acicular to polygonal ferrite due to the decrease in the cooling rate. The HAZ area microstructure consist of bainite, lath martenrite and ferrite. The highest strength value was obtained in the welded sample with low heat input. With the increase of heat input, the tensile strength has decreased from 1154 to 965 MPa. Also, with the increase of heat input, the impact energy has increased in the welding zone due to the increase of stable phases, and in the HAZ zone due to the growth of the primary austenite grains and the reduction of the grain boundary locking effect. The results of the fracture analysis showed that the fracture occurred in the weld zone with low heat input, brittle fracture, and in the HAZ area, combination of ductil and brittle fracture occurred. With the increase in heat input, dutil fracture occurred in the welding zone and brittle fracture occurred in the HAZ zone due to grain growth.

In this research, copper/silver-silicon carbide Cu-Ag-SiC composite was prepared by the friction stir processing (FSP). For this purpose, nanometer and micrometer SiC particles were used as reinforcing particles. In order to evaluate the microstructural properties, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscope and optical microscope were employed. Evaluation of mechanical properties through microhardness measurement, tensile test and pin on disc test were utilized to evaluate the wear behavior of the composite. The results of X-ray analysis revealed the presence of two phases of CuAg solid solution along with SiC particles, which indicated the formation of Cu-Ag-SiC composite. The addition of nano-particles led to a significant decrease in the intensity of peaks compared to micro-particles. This indicated a decrease in the grain size of the CuAg matrix. Using the FSP in the presence of reinforcing particles and without it led to a decrease in the crystal size and average grain size compared to the sample without FSP. So that the grain size of the sample without FSP and the FSPed sample without reinforcing particles and with nano-reinforcing particles were found to be about 46.3, 19.2 and 3.6 µm, respectively. The wear mechanism in the sample before FSP was adhesive wear due to its soft nature of the matrix, and after FSP in the sample without reinforcing particles, the adhesive wear decreased and due to the addition of silicon carbide micro and nano- particles reinforcement, the wear mechanism in entirely altered to abrasive wear. Overall, it can be stated that the addition of silicon carbide nanoparticles by FSP leads to the fabrication of  Cu-Ag-SiC composite with high mechanical properties.

In this research, the mechanical and microstructural properties of AISI 316L sheets welded by RSW method using copper interlayer were investigated. In this regard, two types of connections were made, one without the use of an interlayer and the other with the use of a copper interlayer in different currents. In order to choose the optimal current for both types of connections, tensile tests were first performed, and microstructural, microhardness, elemental evaluation and failure mode tests were conducted on the selected samples. According to the obtained results, by increasing the electric current, the heat input in the welding pool is sufficiently high and the microstructural and mechanical properties of the welding zone were improved(Conversion of coarse grain to fine grain). Also, due to the optimality of the electric current in both samples with and without the interface layer, both samples had environmental failure, which indicates the high strength of the interface and their welding point. Changes in the chemical composition in different welding zones were insignificant and the distribution of elements was uniform in all zones. Also, the hardness changes from the base metal to the center of the welding zone were in the order of welding zone > base metal > heat-affected zone, which was consistent with the results obtained from the microstructural investigations. According to the results obtained for both cases with and without the use of an interface layer, the resistance spot welding method showed a successful connection for both types of cases.

Nowadays, in order to achieve the combined properties of multiple alloys for important applications such as automotive and marine industries, the use of cladding method is common. Cladding, which is a type of coating through welding, is one of the widely used methods for surface modification of metal parts and sheets in industry. AH36 low-alloy steel is a steel used in shipbuilding, known for its toughness and good corrosion resistance, making it a significant condidcate among other steels used in this industry. In this research, to enhance the corrosion properties of AH36 steel, the cladding process was performed using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) with copper/nickel filler wire. Two samples, one from the coated (weld metal) and one from the uncoated (base metal) sections, were prepared and subjected to microstructural and corrosion investigations. The results indicated an increase in grain size in the heat-affected zone of the weld metal sample, leading to a reduction in mechanical properties. The cyclic polarization test showed that the base metal had higher susceptibility to pitting corrosion compared to the weld metal. Additionally, the weld metal exhibited a higher tendency for repassivation or repairing of the pits. The results of the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test indicated that both the base metal and weld metal samples had a single-loop equivalent circuit. The larger diameter of the Nyquist semicircle for the base metal compared to the weld metal suggests better uniform corrosion behavior of the base metal relative to the weld metal.

Despite rapid advancement of additive manufacturing methods in recent years, sufficient research on bonding of additively manufactured materials to conventional alloys has not been conducted. This study evaluates the bonding between austenitic stainless steel L316 and Ti-6242 alloy, fabricated by electron beam melting, using the transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding method. The TLP bonding was achieved using a copper interlayer and processing in a vacuum furnace, examining the effects of process time and surface roughness on bond quality. The samples were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, shear strength testing, and surface roughness measurement. Results showed that reducing the surface roughness increased the shear strength. Additionally, processing time significantly affected the element diffusion, formation of intermetallic compounds like FeTi and TiCu, and the shear strength of the joints. The highest shear strength of 200 MPa was obtained with surface preparation by grinding and polishing and bonding at 980°C for 120 minutes.

Plain carbon steels are widely utilized in various industrial applications primarily due to their low cost. However, these steels often fall short in terms of mechanical properties and wear resistance. The deposition of hard and wear-resistant coatings on these steels significantly enhances their performance and extends their range of applications. Colomonoy 6, is a nickel-based superalloy, enhance hardness, erosion resistance, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance on the applied surfaces. The study investigated the application of weld overlay using colomonoy 6 on a plain carbon steel, aimed to create a hard and wear-resistant surface. The overlaying processes were performed using plasma transfer arc welding and gas tungsten arc welding under identical conditions. Microstructural characteristics were examined through optical and electron microscopy, and Phase analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction technique. The wear behavior of the weld overlays was evaluated using pin-on-disc wear testing at three different temperatures: 25 °C, 300 °C, and 600 °C, using an alumina pin. The microstructural investigation revealed the formation of dendritic nickel-rich solid solutions and interdendritic carbide and boride phases within the overlays, contributing to improved hardness and wear properties. Results demonstrated that in both overlaying methods, the wear mechanism at room temperature was mild abrasive, whereas at 600 °C, it was plastic deformation, exhibiting a wear track depth of approximately 33-35 μm, and 50-55 μm, respectively. In both overlayed metals, an approximate Vickers hardness number of 600 was measured a 4-fold increase in hardness of substrate. This finding suggests that factors other than hardness, such as microstructural stability and phase distribution at elevated temperatures, play significant roles in wear performance.

Nickel base superalloy IN738LC is widely used in power plant industry and gas turbine blade manufacturing. The main strengthening mechanism of this alloy is the precipitation hardness caused by γ′ precipitates. These precipitates play an important role in determining the mechanical properties of this alloy and their amount and morphology changes under heat treatment. In this research, in order to investigate the evolution of γ' precipitates during heat treatment, a number of solution annealed samples were subjected to arc heat treatment. In this heat treatment, by applying heat caused by a static arc, a temperature ranges from the ambient temperature to above the melting point is created in the sample. Using this process, samples with 100 amp currents were heat treated for 1, 2 and 15 minutes. Electron microscope, image processing and transient heat transfer model with axial symmetry were used for experimental and mathematical investigations. In the following, using the experimental and numerical results simultaneously, a mathematical model for the dissolution kinetics of γ' precipitates in the heat-affected zone of these welds was presented. The results of electron microscopy showed that the dissolution rate and shape of γ′ precipitates are strongly influenced by the distance from the heat source. The activation energy of dissolution of γ′ precipitates increased with increasing time and its value was between 40 and

Eutectic tin-zinc solder can be a suitable replacement for tin-lead solder due to its low cost, suitable melting temperature, and desirable mechanical properties. However, due to the high vapor pressure of zinc, manufacturing this alloy using the melt method is very difficult and expensive. In this study, Sn-8.9%Zn lead-free solder was fabricated using the angular accumulative extrusion method of tin sheets and zinc powder in 10, 12, and 15 passes, and characterized. Microstructural investigations were performed using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. The shear strength and hardness of the solders were also measured. The results showed that after 12 passes, the dispersion of zinc powder in the tin matrix was improved, and the dissolution of zinc was confirmed by a decrease in the XRD peak intensities. However, after 15 passes, cracks appeared in the structure. The shear strength of the tin-zinc solder joint was about 60% higher than that of commercial tin-lead solder. The wetting angle of this solder on copper was measured to be 21 degrees, and its electrical resistance was measured to be 4.1 nanoohms, which is within the acceptable range for electronic applications, although it has a weaker performance compared to tin-lead solder.

In this study, components made of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V are produced using the selective laser melting process. Additionally, effects of laser power, laser scanning speed, and the amount of overlap between adjacent layers on the surface roughness of produced parts are investigated using design of experiment method based on response surface methodology. The results indicate that surface roughness of components created by selective laser melting process first decreases with an increase in laser power and then increases with further increases in laser power. Moreover, increasing the laser scanning speed leads to an increase in surface roughness of produced components. Furthermore, as the overlap of adjacent layers increases, the roughness of produced parts initially decreases and then increases. To achieve components with the least surface roughness, optimization of the process input parameters was conducted, revealing that with a laser power of 150 watts, a laser scanning speed of 500 mm/s, and an overlap amount of 67.8 microns, components made from the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V can be produced with a minimum surface roughness of 1.44 microns using the selective laser melting process.

This experimental-statistical study investigates the influence of laser cladding parameters—laser power (700–900 W), scanning speed (6–8 mm/s), and wire feed rate (70–80 mm/min)—on the geometric characteristics of single-pass coatings of 2507 duplex stainless steel on a VCN200 substrate. Experimental data were analyzed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a three-factor, four-level design matrix. Measurements including clad width (W), height (H), penetration depth (b), wettability angle (Z), and dilution percentage (D) were obtained via ImageJ software. Results indicated that increasing laser power from 700 to 900 W led to a 14% increase in clad width (from 1417 to 1744 µm), a 33% rise in clad height (from 450 to 594 µm), a 6% increase in penetration depth (from 88 to 93 µm), and a 3% improvement in wettability angle (from 71° to 69°). In contrast, increasing scanning speed from 6 to 8 mm/s reduced clad width by 12% (from 1513 to 1787 µm), clad height by 31% (from 650 to 573 µm), and wettability angle by 15% (from 67° to 78°), while enhancing penetration depth by 4% (from 85 to 84 µm) and dilution by 19% (from 58% to 53%). Moreover, raising the wire feed rate from 70 to 80 mm/min increased clad height by 13% (from 502 to 747 µm) and wettability angle by 4% (from 75° to 78°), but decreased dilution by 19% (from 59% to 48%).

In this study, the effect of friction stir welding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe-24Ni-4Cr austenitic steel was investigated. For this purpose, a sheet with a thickness of 1 mm was subjected to friction stir welding using a WC-5%Co tool at a traverse speed of 100 mm/min and a tool rotational speed of 450 rpm. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis revealed that this process led to grain refinement and an increase in high-angle grain boundaries in the stir zone, attributed to dynamic recrystallization during welding. Phase maps indicated an increase in the BCC phase fraction in the stir zone compared to the base metal. Given the high strain rate and the presence of stabilizing elements, this phase was primarily strain-induced martensite. Mechanical property assessments showed a significant increase in the tensile strength of the stir zone (450 MPa) compared to the base metal (350 MPa). Moreover, the yield strength of the stir zone (388 MPa) was substantially higher than that of the base metal (145 MPa), which can be attributed to grain refinement, an increase in high-angle grain boundaries, a higher dislocation density, and martensite formation. However, the ductility of the stir zone decreased due to higher stress concentration and dislocation density in this region. These findings suggest that friction stir welding can be an effective method for enhancing the strength and hardness of austenitic steels, but process conditions must be carefully controlled to prevent reductions in toughness and ductility.

In this research, the ultrafine-grained (UFG) composite of AA2024 and AA5083 aluminum alloys was made by accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process and butt-welded by friction stir welding. Friction stir welding (FSW) is the best method for the joining of UFG strips. Microstructural investigations were performed by optical microscope and transmission electron microscope in the stir zone (SZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ). The fine recrystallized structure with a grain size of about 900 nm was determined in the weldment. Due to the strengthening mechanisms of grain boundaries, nano-meter size precipitates and solid solution strengthening, the high strength of about 403 MPa was achieved. The presence of precipitates with homogeneous distribution in FSWed strips caused a high ductility of about 14% compared to the fabricated composite strips (6.9%). The high hardness of the SZ was caused by the formation of new equiaxed grains and fine precipitates, and also the decrease in the hardness of the HAZ was due to the dissolution and coarsening of T-phase precipitates.

Unlike conventional welding methods, joining titanium alloys to steels using ultrasonic welding does not result in the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds and high torsion, causing a reduction in the mechanical properties of the joint. Ultrasonic welding of the St12-CP.Ti samples was performed at constant parameters of 7 bars, 2 s and 1 kW and variable parameter of interlayer material (Cu, 70B and Zn). The investigation of samples by OM, SEM, shear-tensile and microhardness tests revealed that Zn and Cu samples had the lowest and highest bond densities, with 42.2 and 80.6 percent, respectively. The bond density and the strength of the sample with greater interlayer deformability have higher values. Due to the high plastic deformation capability of copper, the Cu sample has generated more heat and deformation at the joint interface than in the other samples. As a result, the microstructure underwent recrystallization and grain growth after enduring severe plastic deformation. Also, the highest hardness of the steel side equal to

Wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a prominent technique for producing large metallic components due to its high deposition rate. Utilizing austenitic stainless steels in this process not only reduces production costs but also provides greater design freedom. Among these steels, SS310, known as heat-resistant steel in the industry, offers excellent oxidation resistance and high-temperature performance. However, it is highly susceptible to hot cracking during welding and additive manufacturing processes. In this study, the microstructure and mechanical properties of SS310 fabricated using WAAM with Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) processes were compared. The results revealed that the CMT process, due to its lower heat input, effectively reduces the susceptibility of SS310 to hot cracking compared to the GMAW process. These findings emphasize the importance of selecting an appropriate process to achieve high-quality components and minimize structural defects.

In this study, 1 mm thick austenitic stainless steel 316L sheets were used for experimental testing. The experimental welding process was carried out using a Nd:YAG pulsed laser welding machine, and the welding simulation was performed using the SYSWELD software with a three-dimensional model for thermodynamic and mechanical analysis. The simulation results showed over 90% correlation with the experimental results. Analysis of experimental and numerical data revealed that at a constant voltage of 440 volts, decreasing the welding speed from 2 to 0.5 mm/s increased the overlap rate of pulses from 67% to 93% and the maximum average power density (EPPD) from 5963 to 21831 W/mm². Additionally, increasing the voltage from 440 to 480 volts at a constant speed of 1 mm/s raised the heat input from 114 to 138 J/mm and the weld depth from 0.56 to 0.66 mm. Due to the high cooling rate, the grain size of the weld metal became finer than the base metal (63% reduction in grain size). Two phases, austenite and ferrite, were observed in the weld metal, and the solidification mode was predicted to be FA.With an increase in welding speed from 0.5 mm/s to 2 mm/s at a constant voltage of 440 volts, the maximum tensile residual stress increased from 96 to 260 MPa due to reduced pulse overlap (from 93% to 67%), uneven heat distribution in the part, and the generation of thermal stresses. Furthermore, increasing the welding voltage from 440 to 480 volts at a constant speed of 1 mm/s caused the maximum tensile residual stress to rise from 124 to 152 MPa. The maximum hardness of the weld metal increased from 180 to 215 Vickers as the welding speed rose due to the prevention of carbon diffusion and an increased growth rate. However, with an increase in welding voltage and heat input (from 57 to 69 J/mm), the hardness decreased from 225 to 215 Vickers due to a reduction in thermal gradients and grain growth.

In order to improve hardness and wear resistance of St60 steel substrate, NiCrMo welding wire was coated on its surface using gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. Welding characteristics were considered to create a coating with maximum hardness and wear resistance and minimum defects. The results showed that the microstructure of the composite coatings mainly contains of α-Mo, NiMo and blade phases. By increasing in the arc current from 90 to 110 A, porosity and non-uniformity in microstructure of the coatings increased and the sample coated with the arc current of 90 A showed a more uniform microstructure and fewer defects. The average hardness of the coatings was obtained in the range of 218-227 HB (substrate's hardness is approximately equal to 152 HB). The sample prepared with arc current of 90 A showed the least weight loss and the sample prepared with arc current of 110 A showed the greatest weight loss. The wear mechanism of the substrate was mainly abrasive wear and the wear mechanism of the coatings was mainly abrasive and adhesive wear, with the lowest wear products related to the sample prepared with arc current of 90 A and therefore, this sample showed the greatest wear resistance.

This research looks at how microstructure and mechanical properties change in resistance spot welds of QP980 advanced high-strength steel. It specifically focuses on the effects of zinc coating and how it influences weld nugget formation, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior. The study involved microscopic examinations, mechanical tests, and finite element simulations to determine the thermal history of different weld zones. A key finding was that rapid cooling during the welding process led to the formation of, metastable phases, such as martensite, in both the weld nugget and the heat-affected zone. A finite element model of the welding process was used to simulate heat distribution and analyze the microstructure in various weld regions. This model showed that reaching the peak temperature during four-pulse resistance spot welding is delayed. This delay, along with proper hold times, helps prevent the formation of voids. The simulated thermal history and the rapid heating/cooling conditions effectively predicted the evolution and transformation of the microstructure in different weld areas. It was found that the presence of a zinc coating, and the resulting reduction in electrical contact resistance, delayed the formation of the weld nugget at lower welding currents. However, at higher currents, the primary source of heat generation shifted from contact resistance to bulk resistance within the steel sheet. This led to larger weld nuggets in coated samples compared to uncoated ones. While uncoated samples showed higher weld nugget hardness (512 Vickers) and greater tensile-shear strength (with a maximum load-bearing capacity of 28.1 kN in uncoated samples versus 24 kN in coated samples), coated samples were able to achieve the critical weld nugget size for a change in fracture mode at lower welding currents (9 kA compared to 9.5 kA).

This study investigated the influence of resistance spot welding current intensity on the formation of liquid metal embrittlement (LME) cracks in galvanized advanced QP1180 steel. Galvanized steel sheets with a thickness of 1 mm were welded at currents of 6.5, 7, 7.5, and 8 kA. The results revealed that increasing the current significantly enlarged the weld nugget size, molten volume, electrode indentation, and the likelihood of LME crack formation. Microstructural analysis, elemental distribution, and crack characterization were conducted using optical and electron microscopy. The findings indicated that the weld zone microstructure primarily consisted of martensite, while the non-uniform distribution of zinc along grain boundaries facilitated the initiation and propagation of LME cracks. Cracks were predominantly observed at the periphery of the weld pool indentation and in the electrode-sheet contact area. This study demonstrates that controlling welding current intensity is a key factor in mitigating LME and improving the mechanical properties of joints in galvanized QP1180 steel. Optimizing welding parameters, particularly limiting current intensity, can prevent molten metal-induced cracking and enhance the durability and safety of automotive structures. Hardness profiling revealed peak hardness in the weld zone, followed by a gradual decrease toward the heat-affected zone (HAZ).