Relation between the plastic instability and fracture of tensile tested Cu-Sn alloys investigated with the application of acoustic emission technique

The work concerns the application of the acoustic emission (AE) method in testing the mechanical properties of continuously cast industrial tin bronze CuSn6P, which reveals tendencies to instable plastic flow connected particularly with the Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) effect. The relations between the jerky flow connected with the PLC effect, AE intensity and the evolution of a fracture of the investigated alloy subjected to the tensile test at a strain rate (?? ) of about 1.2·10-3s-1 in the range of temperatures (20÷400?C) has been analyzed. It has been found that the highest intensity of the oscillation of stresses, corresponding to the instability of plastic deformation PLC occurred at 200?C, whereas the maximum of the AE activity is at about 200÷250?C. The brittle intergranular fracture starts in the range of equicohersive temperature (TE) of about 200?C. Plastic deformation of the investigated alloy in the range of the temperature of minimum plasticity, amounting to about 400?C, results in intercrystalline fractures on the entire surface of the stretched samples

Mechanisms of plastic instability and fracture of compressed and tensile tested Mg-Li alloys investigated using the acoustic emission method

The results of the investigation of both mechanical and acoustic emission (AE) behaviors of Mg4Li5Al alloy subjected to compression and tensile tests at room temperature are compared with the test results obtained using the same alloy and loading scheme but at elevated temperatures. The main aim of the paper is to investigate, to determine and to explain the possible influence of factors related with enhanced internal stresses such as: segregation of precipitates along grain boundaries or solute atoms along dislocations (Cottrell atmospheres) or dislocation pile-ups at grain boundaries which create very high stress concentration leading to fracture. The results show that the plastic instabilities are related to the Portevin–Le Châtelier phenomenon (PL effect) and they are correlated with the generation of AE peaks. The fractography of breaking samples was analyzed on the basis of light (optical), TEM and SEM images

Investigation of Microstructure of ZnO Varistors Taken From Surge Arrester Counters

The paper presents investigations of microstructure of varistors of damaged surge arrester counters. A similar ZnO varistor, not subjected before to operation, was a point of reference in this research. The results of investigations of the ZnO varistors show an untypical phase composition of their material, which was characterized by unsatisfying homogeneity and cohesion. The degradation processes of varistor material in the subsequent stages were recognized and described. A harmful impact of humidity inside the untight surge arrester counter on its operation and its ZnO varistors was proved. Some conclusions being the result of the operation checking of surge arrester counters were presented too

Mechaniczno-akustyczna metoda badań degradacji tworzyw porcelanowych

This paper presents the results of acoustic emission (AE) measurements of samples under slowly increasing compressive stress. Additional research, concerning structure and parameters of the material, was performed using microscopic method. The objects of investigation were samples of porcelain material C 120 and C 130 types. These aluminous porcelains find wide application in modern electrotechnical engineering. The aim of study was recognition of stages of degradation processes of the porcelain structure. The analysis of mechanical-acoustic characteristics pointed out diversified strength and complicated mechanism of material degradation. The effectiveness of structural reinforcement of aluminous porcelains was ascertained. On the basis of AE measurements of compressed samples the successive stages of structure degradation have been distinguished. Detailed microscopic analysis enabled to specify the processes of the gradual growth of microcracks and decohesion of the ceramic body.W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań emisji akustycznej (EA) próbek poddanych wolno narastającemu naprężeniu ściskającemu. Uzupełniające badania strukturalne wykonane zostały metodą mikroskopii optycznej. Przedmiotem badań były próbki tworzyw porcelanowych rodzaju C 120 i C 130. Najważniejszym celem pracy było rozpoznanie etapów degradacji struktury tworzyw. Badania wykazały znaczne zróżnicowanie wytrzymałości próbek oraz złożony, kilkuetapowy mechanizm degradacji struktury porcelany. Opisane etapy niszczenia struktury próbek znajdują odniesienie w wieloletnich procesach starzeniowych tworzywa izolatorów w eksploatacji. Zastosowana mechaniczno-akustyczna metoda pozwoliła na wyróżnienie poszczególnych etapów degradacji badanych struktur. Udokumentowano proces powstawania, rozwoju i łączenia się pęknięć, które stopniowo doprowadzają do zniszczenia badanych próbek

The Application of Neural Networks for Studying Phase Transformation by the Method of Acoustic Emission in Bearing Steel/ Zastosowanie Sieci Neuronowych Do Badania Przemian Fazowych W Stali Łożyskowej Metodą Emisji Akustycznej

The research was carried out on steel 100CrMnSi6-4 under isothermal austempering resulting in forming the duplex structure: martensitic and bainitic. The kinetics of transformation was controlled by the acoustic emission method. Complex phase transformations caused by segregation and carbide banding occur at the low-temperature heat treatment of bearing steel. At the temperature close to Ms, a certain temperature range occurs where an effect of the first product of prior athermal martensite on the bainitic transformation can be observed. In the registered signal about 15 million various events were registered. There were considered three types of acoustic emission events (of high, medium and low energy), with relatively wide sections and with different spectral characteristics. It was found that the method of acoustic emission complemented by the application of neural networks is a sensitive tool to identify the kinetics of bainitic transformation and to show the interaction between martensitic and bainitic transformations.Badania realizowano na stali 100CrMnSi6-4 poddanej hartowaniu izotermicznemu, prowadzacemu do utworzenia struktury duplex: martenzytyczno-bainitycznej. Kinetykę przemian kontrolowano metodą emisji akustycznej. Przy niskotemperaturowej obróbce cieplnej stali łożyskowej występują złożone przemiany fazowe spowodowane segregacją i pasmowością węglików. W temperaturze zbliżonej do Ms, występuje pewien zakres temperatury, gdzie zaznacza się oddziaływanie wcześniejszego produktu przemiany martenzytycznej na przemianę bainityczną. W zarejestrowanym sygnale zarejestrowano około 15 milionów różnych zdarzeń. Uwzgledniono trzy rodzaje zdarzeń emisji akustycznej (o wysokiej, średniej i niskiej energii) o względnie szerokich przedziałach, o różnej charakterystyce widmowej. Stwierdzono, że metoda emisji akustycznej uzupełniona o zastosowanie sieci neuronowych jest czułym narzędziem do identyfikacji kinetyki przemiany bainitycznej oraz oddziaływania przemiany martenzytycznej na przemianę bainityczną

Acoustic examination of epoxy-glass insulator material

Ultrasonic, microscopic and acoustic emission (AE) methods were applied to investigate the microstructure of composite rods, used as a carrying element of the medium voltage insulators. Such features of material structure as homogeneity level and the appearance of defects were discussed. The research was aimed at determining the influence of the technology of epoxy-glass fabrication on quality parameters of the insulator rods. The results of acoustic testing were compared with the effects of microscopic investigation

Microstructure and Degree of Degradation of ZnO Varistors in Surge Arresters Due to Operation

The paper presents the test results for the microstructure of ZnO varistors comprising high voltage gapless surge arresters. The tests were performed on varistors produced in different periods and by various manufacturers. The research was inspired by different characteristics of changes in values of current flowing through surge arresters as a function of changes in values of system voltage in a 220 kV substation, and the temperature in a multi-year cycle. Furthermore, the effects of varistor microstructure degradation following a failure of an unsealed surge arrester were investigated. The results provided the grounds for assessment of ZnO varistor microstructure parameters in terms of their durability and resistance to degradation processes

Zastosowanie sieci neuronowych do badania przemian fazowych w stali łożyskowej metodą emisji akustycznej

The research was carried out on steel 100CrMnSi6-4 under isothermal austempering resulting in forming the duplex structure: martensitic and bainitic. The kinetics of transformation was controlled by the acoustic emission method. Complex phase transformations caused by segregation and carbide banding occur at the low-temperature heat treatment of bearing steel. At the temperature close to Ms, a certain temperature range occurs where an effect of the first product of prior athermal martensite on the bainitic transformation can be observed. In the registered signal about 15 million various events were registered. There were considered three types of acoustic emission events (of high, medium and low energy), with relatively wide sections and with different spectral characteristics. It was found that the method of acoustic emission complemented by the application of neural networks is a sensitive tool to identify the kinetics of bainitic transformation and to show the interaction between martensitic and bainitic transformations.Badania realizowano na stali 100CrMnSi6-4 poddanej hartowaniu izotermicznemu, prowadzacemu do utworzenia struktury duplex: martenzytyczno-bainitycznej. Kinetykę przemian kontrolowano metodą emisji akustycznej. Przy niskotemperaturowej obróbce cieplnej stali łożyskowej występują złożone przemiany fazowe spowodowane segregacją i pasmowością węglików. W temperaturze zbliżonej do Ms, występuje pewien zakres temperatury, gdzie zaznacza się oddziaływanie wcześniejszego produktu przemiany martenzytycznej na przemianę bainityczną. W zarejestrowanym sygnale zarejestrowano około 15 milionów różnych zdarzeń. Uwzgledniono trzy rodzaje zdarzeń emisji akustycznej (o wysokiej, średniej i niskiej energii) o względnie szerokich przedziałach, o różnej charakterystyce widmowej. Stwierdzono, że metoda emisji akustycznej uzupełniona o zastosowanie sieci neuronowych jest czułym narzędziem do identyfikacji kinetyki przemiany bainitycznej oraz oddziaływania przemiany martenzytycznej na przemianę bainityczną

The Application of Acoustic Emission and Artificial Neural Networks in an Analysis of Kinetics in the Phase Transformation of Tool Steel During Austempering

During the course of the study it involved tool steel C105U was used. The steel was austempered at temperatures of 130°C, 160°C and 180°C respectively. Methods of acoustic emission (AE) were used to investigate the resulting effects associated with transformations and a large number of AE events were registered. Neural networks were applied to analyse these phenomena. In the tested signal, three groups of events were identified of: high, medium and low energy. The average spectral characteristics enabled the power of the signal spectrum to be determined. After completing the process, the results were compiled in the form of diagrams of the relationship of the AE incidence frequency as a function of time. Based on the results, it was found that in the austempering of tool steel, in the first stage of transformation midrib morphology is formed. Midrib is a twinned thin plate martensite. In the 2nd stage of transformation, the intensity of the generation of medium energy events indicates the occurrence of bainite initialised by martensite. The obtained graphic of AE characteristics of tool steel austempering allow conclusions to be drawn about the kinetics and the mechanism of this transformation