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At least 91 records · Page 5

Reinforcing the exit hole from friction stir welding and processing

After friction stir welding/processing (FSW/P), an exit hole remains at the end of the run, which can be the weakest region of the welded/processed workpiece. In addition, tensile residual stress around the exit hole resulting from heating during FSW/P facilitates incipient crack initiating from the exit hole under external loading. Current solutions include removing or repairing the exit hole, which are time-consuming and costly. Here, we propose a novel method to reinforce the exit hole by applying an additional FSW/P pass around it, in a way that replaces preexisting tensile residual stress with compressive residual stress. Under external loading, there is no evident strain accumulation around the exit hole, and the workpiece ultimately fails along the FSW/P heat affected zone. This method provides a more convenient way to reinforce the exit hole than the current exit-hole repair or removal methods for industrial applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Additive Friction Stir Deposition of a Tantalum–Tungsten Refractory Alloy

Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) is a solid-state metal additive manufacturing technique, which utilizes frictional heating and plastic deformation to create large deposits and parts. Much like its cousin processes, friction stir welding and friction stir processing, AFSD has seen the most compatibility and use with lower-temperature metals, such as aluminum; however, there is growing interest in higher-temperature materials, such as titanium and steel alloys. In this work, we explore the deposition of an ultrahigh-temperature refractory material, specifically, a tantalum–tungsten (TaW) alloy. The solid-state nature of AFSD means refractory process temperatures are significantly lower than those for melt-based additive manufacturing techniques; however, they still pose difficult challenges, especially in regards to AFSD tooling. In this study, we perform initial deposition trials of TaW using twin-rod-style AFSD with a high-temperature tungsten–rhenium-based tool. Many challenges arise because of the high temperatures of the process and high mechanical demand on AFSD machine hardware to process the strong refractory alloy. Despite these challenges, successful deposits of the material were produced and characterized. Mechanical testing of the deposited material shows improved yield strength over that of the annealed reference material, and this strengthening is mostly attributed to the refined recrystallized microstructure typical of AFSD. These findings highlight the opportunities and challenges associated with ultrahigh-temperature AFSD, as well as provide some of the first published insights into twin-rod-style AFSD process behaviors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Sound Speed as a Candidate for Internal Temperature Monitoring During Solid Phase Processing of Materials

Internal temperature is an important parameter for understanding the solid phase processing (SPP) of materials and improving feedback control of these processes. Friction stir processes, shear assisted processing and extrusion (ShAPE ™ ), and ultrahigh velocity (UHV) cold spray are examples of such processes. Simple thermal models based on temperatures measured at the boundary of the deforming body cannot capture the dynamic nature of temperature generation within the deforming solid. One possibly way of understanding internal temperature is by measuring sound speed, which varies as a function of temperature for materials and directing ultrasonic wave propagation through selected material volumes of interest. In this project, longitudinal wave speed is estimated for aluminum 6061. Piezoelectric materials bonded to a specimen provided data from which longitudinal wave speed was estimated. A discussion evaluated the linear relationship of wave speed versus temperature and postulated how wave speed measurements could be used to estimate the internal temperature of selected material volumes for feedback during SPP of materials. Instrumentation, data and analysis, and a discussion are reviewed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Influence of surface morphology and UFG on damping and mechanical properties of composite reinforced with spinel MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}-SiC core-shell microcomposites

Interface between ceramic particulate and matrix is known to control the response of the materials and functionality of the composite. Among numerous physical properties, grain structure of the materials has also played a significant role in defining the behaviour of metal matrix composites. Usually, silicon carbide (SiC) particles show poor interfacial wettability in aluminium melt. Herein, we were successfully synthesized magnesium oxide (MgO) and nanocrystalline magnesium aluminate (MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}) spinel coated silicon carbide (SiC) core-shell micro-composites through sol-gel technique to improve the wettability of dispersoids. Core-shell structures of submicron size were thoroughly investigated by various characterization techniques. Further, aluminium matrix composites incorporated with pristine SiC, MgO grafted SiC and MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} grafted SiC particles were fabricated by stir casting technique, respectively. Additionally, as-cast composites were processed via friction stir processing (FSP) technique to observe the influence of grain refinement on mechanical and damping properties. Electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDX) analysis were conducted for investigating grain size refinement, adequate dispersion, stability and de-agglomeration of encapsulated SiC particles in aluminium matrix. The mechanical as well as thermal cyclic (from − 100 to 400 °C) damping performance of the as-cast and friction stir processed composites were studied, respectively. Finally, the enhanced properties were attributable to reduced agglomeration, stabilization and proper dispersion of the tailored SiC particles Al matrix. - Highlights: •Synthesizing a novel coating layer of MgO and MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} spinel onto SiC particles •Significant improvement in UTS and hardness by reinforcing tailored SiC in Al •Significant grain refinements were obtained through FSP •SiC/MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}/Al exhibits ~ 61% higher storage modulus as compare to pure Al after FSP.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Deconvoluting the Friction Stir Weld Process for Optimizing Welds

In the friction stir welding process, the rotating surfaces of the pin and shoulder contact the weld metal and force a rotational flow within the weld metal. Heat, generated by the metal deformation as well as frictional slippage with the contact surface, softens the metal and makes it easier to deform. As in any thermo-mechanical processing of metal, the flow conditions are critical to the quality of the weld. For example, extrusion of metal from under the shoulder of an excessively hot weld may relax local pressure and result in wormhole defects. The trace of the weld joint in the wake of the weld may vary geometrically depending upon the flow streamlines around the tool with some geometry more vulnerable to loss of strength from joint contamination than others. The material flow path around the tool cannot be seen in real time during the weld. By using analytical "tools" based upon the principles of mathematics and physics, a weld model can be created to compute features that can be observed. By comparing the computed observations with actual data, the weld model can be validated or adjusted to get better agreement. Inputs to the model to predict weld structures and properties include: hot working properties ofthe metal, pin tool geometry, travel rate, rotation and plunge force. Since metals record their prior hot working history, the hot working conditions imparted during FSW can be quantified by interpreting the final microstructure. Variations in texture and grain size result from variations in the strain accommodated at a given strain rate and temperature. Microstructural data from a variety of FSWs has been correlated with prior marker studies to contribute to our understanding of the FSW process. Once this stage is reached, the weld modeling process can save significant development costs by reducing costly trial-and-error approaches to obtaining quality welds.

Schneider, Judy↗

Force reduction of friction stir welding and processing of steel

Friction stir welding and processing (FSW&P) is considered as a new fabrication method for canisters and repair of existing dry cask storage system canisters (generally made of austenitic stainless steel). Low heat input compared to fusion joining processes and grain refinement associated with low-temperature FSW&P result in a material with improved mechanical properties and equivalent generalized corrosion performance relative to the base metal. But FSW&P of austenitic stainless steel requires significant tool forge axis force to produce a weld (or a run). Exploratory runs utilizing forge axis force control were conducted to investigate the minimum force required to achieve defect-free runs. The correlation between forge axis force and resultant plunge depth was also investigated. Furthermore, detailed microstructural characterization was conducted to display the microstructural variation within the nugget zone.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quantitative characterization of gradient microstructures: A study on friction stir spot processing of pure cobalt

Heterogeneous microstructures in polycrystalline metals can enhance the strength and ductility, outperforming homogeneous structures of similar composition. This study investigates deformed cobalt via friction stir spot processing with varying dwell times to uncover the effects of plastic deformation and heat generation on the formation of morphological, phase, and grain boundary character gradients. A new approach to quantify the morphological gradients in materials, which describes grain morphology in terms of density followed by parametric regression, enables direct quantification of processing depth and gradient sharpness. Results show that longer processing times increase the steepness of morphological gradients and reduce the deformation depth for friction stir spot processing with low plunge depths and high tool rotational speeds. The amount of retained FCC is increased in the shorter processing conditions, primarily due to refined grain size, increased defect content, and reduced heat generation. Crystallographic texture analysis of the HCP phase indicated a dominant B-fiber described by (0001) ∥ shear plane normal in the extreme processing conditions and the formation of a P-fiber, shear direction ∥ ⟨11$\bar2$0⟩ for intermediate dwell times. The texture of the FCC phase for low processing times was a C texture {100}⟨011⟩ where longer processing times were dominated by a [001] fiber texture with a main {110}⟨100⟩ orientation and emergence of a slight [111] fiber in the longest processing condition. The approaches outlined in this work give insight into quantifying gradients and improve the understanding of highly deformed cobalt.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Tailored Materials for High Efficiency CIDI Engines

The overall goal of the project, Tailored Materials for High Efficiency Compression Ignition Direct Injection (CIDI) Engines, is to enable the implementation of new combustion strategies, such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI), that have the potential to significantly increase the energy efficiency of current diesel engines and decrease fuel consumption and environmental emissions. These strategies, however, are increasing the demands on conventional engine materials, either from increases in peak cylinder pressure (PCP) or from increases in the temperature of operation. The specific objective of this project is to investigate the application of a new material processing technology, friction stir processing (FSP), to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of engine components. The concept is to modify the surfaces of conventional, low-cost engine materials. The project focused primarily on FSP in aluminum materials that are compositional analogs to the typical piston and head alloys seen in small- to mid-sized CIDI engines. Investigations have been primarily of two types over the duration of this project: (1) FSP of a cast hypoeutectic Al-Si-Mg (A356/357) alloy with no introduction of any new components, and (2) FSP of Al-Cu-Ni alloys (Alloy 339) by physically stirring-in various quantities of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers or carbon fibers. Experimental work to date on aluminum systems has shown significant increases in fatigue lifetime and stress-level performance in aluminum-silicon alloys using friction processing alone, but work to demonstrate the addition of carbon nanotubes and fibers into aluminum substrates has shown mixed results due primarily to the difficulty in achieving porosity-free, homogeneous distributions of the particulate. A limited effort to understand the effects of FSP on steel materials was also undertaken during the course of this project. Processed regions were created in high-strength, low-alloyed steels up to 0.5 in. deep that showed significant grain refinement and homogeneous microstructures favorable to increased fracture toughness and fatigue performance. The final tasks of the project demonstrated that the FSP concept can be applied to a relevant part geometry by fabricating diesel piston crowns with FSP regions applied selectively to the edge of the bowl rim. This area of the piston typically suffers from conditions at high PCP that cause severe thermal fatigue issues. It is expected that, given the data from coupon testing, the durability of pistons modified by FSP will allow much higher fatigue lifetime and potentially also greater resistance to elevated stress-level effects on fatigue.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Thermal Microstructural Stability of AZ31 Magnesium after Severe Plastic Deformation

Both equal channel angular pressing and friction stir processing have the ability to refine the grain size of twin roll cast AZ31 magnesium and potentially improve its superplastic properties. This work used isochronal and isothermal heat treatments to investigate the microstructural stability of twin roll cast, equal channel angular pressed and friction stir processed AZ31 magnesium. For both heat treatment conditions, it was found that the twin roll casted and equal channel angular pressed materials were more stable than the friction stir processed material. Calculations of the grain growth kinetics showed that severe plastic deformation processing decreased the activation energy for grain boundary motion with the equal channel angular pressed material having the greatest Q value of the severely plastically deformed materials and that increasing the tool travel speed of the friction stir processed material improved microstructural stability. The Hollomon-Jaffe parameter was found to be an accurate means of identifying the annealing conditions that will result in substantial grain growth and loss of potential superplastic properties in the severely plastically deformed materials. In addition, Humphreys’s model of cellular microstructural stability accurately predicted the relative microstructural stability of the severely plastically deformed materials and with some modification, closely predicted the maximum grain size ratio achieved by the severely plastically deformed materials.

FSW↗

Solid Phase Processing of Mg-Al-Mn-Ca for High Strength and Ductility

While rare-earth Mg alloys have remarkable properties for high strength applications, lower cost alternatives are necessary for the widespread industry use of Mg. Ca added Mg alloys have shown promise as an alternative to rare-earth alloys. Ca-based precipitates can reduce basal texture, reduce casting porosity, and increase mechanical strength. However, the accumulation of Ca-based precipitates along inter-dendritic regions can severely limit ductility. Here, we apply two solid phase processing techniques, friction stir processing and shear assisted processing and extrusion, to produce wrought microstructure sheet and extruded tubes from a cast Mg-Al-Mn-Ca alloy. Ductility of the alloy is enhanced by densification under applied force and elevated temperature, grain refinement, and refinement of (Al,Mg)-Ca based precipitate.

Garcia, David↗

Adiabatic Shear Localization and Microstructure in Ultrafine Grained Aluminum Alloy at Cryogenic Temperature

Adiabatic shear localization plays an important role in the deformation and failure of ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy processed by friction stir processing. To understand the effects of temperature and strain on adiabatic shear localization in the ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy, it has been investigated dynamic mechanical behavior of ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy under the controlled shock loading experiments. Deformation characteristics and microstructures in the shear band were performed by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The shear band in the ultrafine grained aluminum alloy is a long and straight band distinguished from the matrix. The width of the shear band decreases with increasing nominal strain. The results show that the grains in the boundary of the shear band are highly elongated along the shear direction and form the elongated cell structures (0.2 μ in width), and the core of the shear band consists of a number of recrystallized equiaxed grains 0.2-0.3 μ in diameters and the second phases distribute in both the boundary and the inner of the equiaxed new grains. The calculated temperature in the shear band is about 692 K. Rotational dynamic recrystallization mechanism is responsible for the formation of the microstructure in the shear band.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermo-Mechanical Processing in Friction Stir Welds

Friction stir welding is a solid-phase joining, or welding process that was invented in 1991 at The Welding Institute (TWI). The process is potentially capable of joining a wide variety of aluminum alloys that are traditionally difficult to fusion weld. The friction stir welding (FSW) process produces welds by moving a non-consumable rotating pin tool along a seam between work pieces that are firmly clamped to an anvil. At the start of the process, the rotating pin is plunged into the material to a pre-determined load. The required heat is produced by a combination of frictional and deformation heating. The shape of the tool shoulder and supporting anvil promotes a high hydrostatic pressure along the joint line as the tool shears and literally stirs the metal together. To produce a defect free weld, process variables (RPM, transverse speed, and downward force) and tool pin design must be chosen carefully. An accurate model of the material flow during the process is necessary to guide process variable selection. At MSFC a plastic slip line model of the process has been synthesized based on macroscopic images of the resulting weld material. Although this model appears to have captured the main features of the process, material specific interactions are not understood. The objective of the present research was to develop a basic understanding of the evolution of the microstructure to be able to relate it to the deformation process variables of strain, strain rate, and temperature.

Schneider, Judy↗

Mechanisms of Oxide Formation in the Self-Reacting Friction Stir Weld Process

The initial objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an extended delay time between preweld cleaning and the completion of a self-reacting friction stir welding (SRFSW) process on the resulting quality of various thickness panels of AA2219-T87. The current NASA standard specifies no more than a 48 hour delay between preweld cleaning and actual welding. The concern is whether increasing the cleaning delay time results in development of the residual oxide defect (ROD) in SRFSW. This concern emanates from the possibility of increased time correlating with increased oxide layer thickness on the faying surfaces. Oxide content on the faying surfaces has been reported to correlate with the occurrence of the ROD which reduces mechanical properties. When the SRFSW process was first adopted by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), unexpected low tensile values that resulted were attributed to oxides within the weld that appeared to follow the former faying surface contours. Mitigation of the ROD was achieved through a combination of modifications to the processing parameters, tool designs, and incorporation of a weld seam offset. Two operations are involved in preweld cleaning: the first is removal of oil and grease, and the second is removal of surface oxides. In arc welding, improper cleaning of the faying surfaces of aluminum welded joints can increase the sensitivity toward development of defects. As the aluminum is locally melted, these contaminants contribute toward the development of porosity, inclusions, entrapped oxides, and other discontinuities which can degrade the strength of the weld joint. For weldment of large structures, the weld joint is typically cleaned, fit-up, and tack welded prior to the final full penetration welding pass. Because of the stringent joint fit-up requirements for mismatch and peaking for launch vehicle structures, the joint fit-up can sometimes contribute to lengthy delays between cleaning and tack welding, especially for circumferential weld joints on large diameter components. When the conventional friction stir welding (CFSW) process was introduced at the NASA MSFC, there was no procedure for cleaning prior to the solid-state joining process. As the process expanded to include SRFSW, preparation of the faying, crown, and root surfaces were implemented to overcome the ROD. Although the solid-state process is not expected to reach temperatures high enough for dissociation of the native oxide layer, concern remained regarding the redeposition of the native oxide layer within the stir zone. NASA has previously established the allowable time at 48 hours between preweld cleaning and a SRFSW process. The effect of potential 2 contamination resulting from an extended delay to 188 hours was subsequently evaluated for SRFSWs using tensile testing and metallographic imaging. Tensile specimens were tested at room temperature (RT), and at cryogenic conditions of liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid hydrogen. No detrimental effect on weld quality, as determined by weld strength, was reported for cleaning delays of 48, 120, 168, 240 or 288 hours. While no trends were established in this study, which extended the delay from 48 to 188 hours, there were a few outliers in terms of ultimate tensile strength (UTS). According to M. Fisher's 2014 Boeing Company Memo no. EYBF-MAF-14-029, all outliers were above the minimum acceptance criteria, but out of family with respect to the average values. As the robustness and reliability of any process ultimately depends on the average values as well as the outliers, an understanding of the cause of these outliers will ultimately improve the process. This report examines those outliers and their possible causes.

Schneider, J. A.↗