CO2 laser spot welding of thin sheets AISI 321 austenitic stainless steel

Purpose: The present work aims to investigate the influence of CO2 laser spot welding (LSW) parameters on welding profile and mechanical properties of lap joint of AISI 321 thin sheet metals, and analyze the welding profile numerically by finite element (FE) method. Design/methodology/approach: The weld carried out using 150 W CO2 continues wave laser system. The impact of exposure time and laser power on the welding profile was investigated using an optical microscope. Microhardness and tensile strength tests were used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the joint. Ansys software was utilized to simulate the welding profile numerically. Findings: The results revealed that 2 s exposure time and 50 W power have led to uniform welding profile and highest shear force (340 N), lower hardness gradient across the heat affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ). Finite element (FE) analysis of the welding profile showed good agreement with experimental analysis. Research limitations/implications: The selection of laser spot welding parameters for thin sheet metal was critical due to the probability of metal vaporisation with extra heat input during welding. Practical implications: Laser welding of AISI 321 steel is used in multiple industrial sectors such as power plants, petroleum refinement stations, pharmaceutical industry, and households. Thus, selecting the best welding parameters ensures high-quality joint. Originality/value: The use of CO2 laser in continuous wave (CW) mode instead of pulse mode for spot welding of thin sheet metal of AISI 321 austenitic stainless steel consider a real challenge because of the difficulty of control the heat input via proper selection of the welding parameters in order to not burn the processed target. Besides, the maintenance is easier and operation cost is lower in continuous CO2 than pulse mode

Maternal and neonatal outcomes after caesarean delivery in the African Surgical Outcomes Study: a 7-day prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal and neonatal mortality is high in Africa, but few large, prospective studies have been done to investigate the risk factors associated with these poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A 7-day, international, prospective, observational cohort study was done in patients having caesarean delivery in 183 hospitals across 22 countries in Africa. The inclusion criteria were all consecutive patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to participating centres having elective and non-elective caesarean delivery during the 7-day study cohort period. To ensure a representative sample, each hospital had to provide data for 90% of the eligible patients during the recruitment week. The primary outcome was in-hospital maternal mortality and complications, which were assessed by local investigators. The study was registered on the South African National Health Research Database, number KZ_2015RP7_22, and on ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03044899. FINDINGS: Between February, 2016, and May, 2016, 3792 patients were recruited from hospitals across Africa. 3685 were included in the postoperative complications analysis (107 missing data) and 3684 were included in the maternal mortality analysis (108 missing data). These hospitals had a combined number of specialist surgeons, obstetricians, and anaesthetists totalling 0·7 per 100 000 population (IQR 0·2-2·0). Maternal mortality was 20 (0·5%) of 3684 patients (95% CI 0·3-0·8). Complications occurred in 633 (17·4%) of 3636 mothers (16·2-18·6), which were predominantly severe intraoperative and postoperative bleeding (136 [3·8%] of 3612 mothers). Maternal mortality was independently associated with a preoperative presentation of placenta praevia, placental abruption, ruptured uterus, antepartum haemorrhage (odds ratio 4·47 [95% CI 1·46-13·65]), and perioperative severe obstetric haemorrhage (5·87 [1·99-17·34]) or anaesthesia complications (11·47 (1·20-109·20]). Neonatal mortality was 153 (4·4%) of 3506 infants (95% CI 3·7-5·0). INTERPRETATION: Maternal mortality after caesarean delivery in Africa is 50 times higher than that of high-income countries and is driven by peripartum haemorrhage and anaesthesia complications. Neonatal mortality is double the global average. Early identification and appropriate management of mothers at risk of peripartum haemorrhage might improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in Africa. FUNDING: Medical Research Council of South Africa.Medical Research Council of South Africa