FINITE DIFFERENCE SIMULATION OF LOW CARBON STEEL MANUAL ARC WELDING

This study discusses the evaluation and simulation of angular distortion in welding joints, and the ways of controlling and treating them, while welding plates of (low carbon steel) type (A-283-Gr-C) through using shielded metal arc welding. The value of this distortion is measured experimentally and the results are compared with the suggested finite difference method computer program. Time dependent temperature distributions are obtained using finite difference method. This distribution is used to obtain the shrinkage that causes the distortions accompanied with structural forces that act to modify these distortions. Results are compared with simple empirical models and experimental results. Different thickness of plates and welding parameters is manifested to illustrate its effect on angular distortions. Results revealed the more accurate results of finite difference method that match experimental results in comparison with empirical formulas. Welding parameters include number of passes, current, electrode type and geometry of the welding process

Original scientific paper

This study discusses the evaluation and simulation of angular distortion in welding joints, and the ways of controlling and treating them, while welding plates of (low carbon steel) type A-283-Gr-C through using shielded metal arc welding. The value of this distortion is measured experimentally and the results are compared with the suggested finite difference method computer program. Time dependent temperature distributions are obtained using finite difference method. This distribution is used to obtain the shrinkage that causes the distortions accompanied with structural forces that act to modify these distortions. Results are compared with simple empirical models and experimental results. Different thickness of plates and welding parameters is manifested to illustrate its effect on angular distortions. Results revealed the more accurate results of finite difference method that match experimental results in comparison with empirical formulas. Welding parameters include number of passes, current, electrode type and geometry of the welding process. Key words: finite difference method, welding, low carbon stee

Bacterial DNA is associated with tunnel widening in failed ACL reconstructions

Purpose: To determine if tunnel widening, defined as change in maximal tunnel diameter from the time of initial bone tunnel drilling to revision surgery is associated with bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) presence and concentration in torn graft tissue from failed anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (ACLRs). Methods: Thirty-four consecutive revision ACLRs were included (mean age 27.3 years SD 10.9; median time to failure 4.9 years range 105 days–20 years). Graft selection of the failed reconstruction was 68% autograft, 26% allograft, and 6% autograft/allograft hybrid with a mean drilled tunnel diameter of 8.4 mm SD 0.8. Maximal tunnel diameters prior to revision were measured on pre-operative three-dimensional imaging and compared to drilled tunnel diameters at the time of the previous reconstruction. Tissue biopsies of the failed graft were obtained from tibial, femoral, and intraarticular segments. Sterile water left open to air during revision ACLRs and tissue from primary ACLRs were used as negative controls. Clinical cultures were obtained on all revision ACLRs and PCR with universal bacterial primer on all cases and negative controls. Fluorescence microscopy was used to confirm the presence and location of biofilms in two patients with retrieved torn graft tissue and fixation material. Amount of tunnel widening was compared to bacterial DNA presence as well as bacterial DNA concentration via Welch ANOVA. Results: Bacterial DNA was present in 29/34 (85%) revision ACLRs, 1/5 (20%) of primary ACLR controls and 0/3 (0%) sterile water controls. Cultures were positive (coagulase negative Staphylococcus sp.) in one case, which also had the greatest degree of tunnel widening. Femoral widening was greater in cases with detectable bacterial DNA (mean widening 2.6 mm SD 3.0) versus without (mean 0.3 mm SD 0.6) (p = 0.003) but was unaffected by bacterial DNA concentration (p = 0.44). Tibial widening was not associated with the presence of bacterial DNA (n.s.); however, higher bacterial DNA concentrations were observed in cases with tibial widening ≥ 3.0 mm (median 2.47 ng bacterial DNA/µg total DNA) versus widening &lt; 3.0 mm (median 0.97 ng bacterial DNA/µg total DNA) (p = 0.046). Tunnel widening was not associated with time to failure, graft selection, or number of prior surgeries (n.s., all comparisons). Fluorescence microscopy confirmed the presence of biofilms on ruptured tendon graft as well as fixation material in 2/2 cases. Conclusion: Bacterial DNA is commonly encountered on failed ACLR grafts and can form biofilms. Bacterial DNA does not cause clinically apparent infection symptoms but is associated with tunnel widening. Further research is needed to determine whether graft decontamination protocols can reduce graft bacterial colonization rates, ACLR tunnel widening or ACLR failure risk. Level of evidence: Therapeutic III.</p

Improving resistance welding of aluminum sheets by addition of metal powder

In order to ensure good quality joints between aluminum sheets by resistance spot welding, a new approach involving the addition of metal powder to the faying surfaces before resistance heating is proposed. Three different metal powders (pure aluminum and two powders corresponding to the alloys AA2024 and AA7075) are investigated for the resistance spot welding of AA1050 aluminum sheets of three different thicknesses. Microstructural and mechanical analysis demonstrates that significant improvement in weld bead morphology and strength are obtained with the addition of metal powder. The improvement obtained is shown to be due to the development of a secondary bond in the joint beside the weld nugget increasing the total weld area. The application of powder additive is especially feasible, when using welding machines with insufficient current capacity for producing the required nugget size. In such cases the best results are obtained with pure aluminum powder