Segregation of Mn, Si, Al, and oxygen during the friction stir welding of DH36 steel

This work investigates the role of welding speed in elemental segregation of Mn, Si, Al, and oxygen during friction stir welding (FSW) in DH36 steel. The experimental work undertaken showed that when the speed of the FSW process exceeds 500 RPM with a traverse speed of 400 mm/min, then elemental segregation of Mn, Si, Al, and O occurred. The mechanism of this segregation is not fully understood; additionally, the presence of oxygen within these segregated elements needs investigation. This work examines the elemental segregation within DH36 steel by conducting heat treatment experiments on unwelded samples incrementally in the range of 1200–1500 °C and at cooling rates similar to that in FSW process. The results of heat treatments were compared with samples welded under two extremes of weld tool speeds, namely W1 low tool speeds (200 RPM with traverse speed of 100 mm/min) and W2 high tool speeds (550 RPM with traverse speed of 400 mm/min). The results from the heat treatment trials showed that segregation commences when the temperature exceeds 1400 °C and Mn, Si, Al, and oxygen segregation progress occurs at 1450 °C and at a cooling rate associated with acicular ferrite formation. It was also found that high rotational speeds exceeding 500 RPM caused localized melting at the advancing-trailing side of the friction stir-welded samples. The study aims to estimate peak temperature limits at which elemental segregation does not occur and hence prevent their occurrence in practice by applying the findings to the tool’s rotational and traverse speed that correspond to the defined temperature

Modelling of friction stir welding of DH36 steel

A 3-D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the friction stir welding of 6-mm plates of DH36 steel in an Eulerian steady-state framework. The viscosity of steel plate was represented as a non- Newtonian fluid using a flow stress function. The PCBN-WRe hybrid tool was modelled in a fully sticking condition with the cooling system effectively represented as a negative heat flux. The model predicted the temperature distribution in the stirred zone (SZ) for six welding speeds including low, intermediate and high welding speeds. The results showed higher asymmetry in temperature for high welding speeds. Thermocouple data for the high welding speed sample showed good agreement with the CFD model result. The CFD model results were also validated and compared against previous work carried out on the same steel grade. The CFD model also predicted defects such as wormholes and voids which occurred mainly on the advancing side and are originated due to the local pressure distribution between the advancing and retreating sides. These defects were found to be mainly coming from the lack in material flow which resulted from a stagnant zone formation especially at high tra- verse speeds. Shear stress on the tool surface was found to in- crease with increasing tool traverse speed. To produce a “sound” weld, the model showed that the welding speed should remain between 100 and 350 mm/min. Moreover, to prevent local melt- ing, the maximum tool’s rotational speed should not exceed 550 RPM

Thermo-Mechanical Effect on Poly Crystalline Boron Nitride Tool Life During Friction Stir Welding (Dwell Period)

Poly Crystalline Boron Nitride (PCBN) tool wear during the friction stir welding of high melting alloys is an obstacle to commercialize the process. This work simulates the friction stir welding process and tool wear during the plunge/dwell period of 14.8 mm EH46 thick plate steel. The Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model was used for simulation and the wear of the tool is estimated from temperatures and shear stress profile on the tool surface. Two sets of tool rotational speeds were applied including 120 and 200 RPM. Seven plunge/dwell samples were prepared using PCBN FSW tool, six thermocouples were also embedded around each plunge/dwell case in order to record the temperatures during the welding process. Infinite focus microscopy technique was used to create macrographs for each case. The CFD result has been shown that a shear layer around the tool shoulder and probe-side denoted as thermo-mechanical affected zone (TMAZ) was formed and its size increase with tool rotational speed increase. Maximum peak temperature was also found to increase with tool rotational speed increase. PCBN tool wear under shoulder was found to increase with tool rotational speed increase as a result of tool’s binder softening after reaching to a peak temperature exceeds 1250 °C. Tool wear also found to increase at probe-side bottom as a result of high shear stress associated with the decrease in the tool rotational speed. The amount of BN particles revealed by SEM in the TMAZ were compared with the CFD model