• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.68-76
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• 1998

A CCD camera with a laser stripe was applied to realized the automatic weld seam tracking. The 3-dimensional information obtained from the vision system made it possible to generate the weld torch path. The adaptive Hough transformation was used to extract laser stripes an to obtain specific weld points. It takes relatively long time to process image on-line control using the basic control using the basic Hough transformation, but it has a tendency of robustness over the noises such as spatter. For this reason, it was complemented with adaptive Hough transformation to have an on-line processing ability for scanning specific weld points. The dead zone, where the sensing of weld line is impossible, was eliminated by rotating the camera with its rotating axis centered at the weld torch. When weld lines were detected, the camera angle was controlled in order to get the minimum image data for sensing of weld lines. Consequently, the image processing time was reduced.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.77-83
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• 2000

This study proposes the analysis and evaluation method of time series ultrasonic signal using the attractor analysis. Features extracted from time series signal analyze quantitatively characteristics of weld defects. For this purpose, analysis objective in this study is fractal dimension and attractor quadrant feature. Trajectory changes in the attractor indicated a substantial difference in fractal characteristics resulting from distance shifts such as parts of head and flange even though the types of defects are identified. These difference in characteristics of weld defects enables the evaluation of unique characteristics of defects in the weld zone. In quantitative fractal feature extraction, feature values of 3.848 in the case of part of head(crack) and 4.102 in the case of part of web(side hole) and 3.711 in the case of part of flange(crack) were proposed on the basis of fractal dimensions. Proposed attractor analysis and DAC in this study can enhance the precision rate of ultrasonic evaluation for defect signals of rail weld zone such as side hole and crack.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.4-17
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• 1984

Overlaid weld metals of austenitic stainless steel in a pressure vessel of power reactor are usually post-weld heated for a long period of time after welding. The PWHT is considered as a kind of sensitizing and it is important to check the soundness of the weld metal after PWHT, especially about the precipitation of carbides. The purpose of this report is to obtain information on the relation between the change of microstructure and Post-Weld Heat Treatment in the overlaid weld metals. Metallurgical aspects of the problem on austenitic stainless steel heated at $625^{\circ}C$, $670^{\circ}C$, $720^{\circ}C$ and $760^{\circ}C$ for 3, 10, 30, 100 and 300 hours have been investigated by means of optical-micrography, micro-hardness measurement, scanning electron microscope and electron-probe micro analysis. From the results obtained, the following conclusions are drawn; 1) The PWHT above $625^{\circ}C$ for a long time causes a diffusion of carbon atoms from low alloy steel into stainless steel, and consequently carbon is highly concentrated at the boundary layer of stainless steel. 2) C in ferritic steel migrated to austenitic steel and carbides precipitated in austenitic steel along fusion line. At higher temperatures, the ferrite grains coarsened in the decarburized zone. 3) In the change of microstructure of stainless steel overlaid weld metal, the width of carbides precipitated zone and decarburized zone increased with increase of PWHT temperature and time. 4) At about $625^{\circ}C$ to $760^{\circ}C$, chromium carbides, mainly $M_{23} C_6$, precipitate very closely in the carburized layer with remarkable hardening. 5) Precipitation of delta ferrite from molten weld metal depends on solidification phenomenon. There was a small of ferrite near the bond in which the local solidification time was short, comparing with after parts of weld metal. Shape and amount of ferrite were not changed by Post-Weld Heat Treatment after solidification.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2014

A Failure or degradation of reactor upper head penetration is a recurring problem due to long term operation at nuclear power plants. And a flaw in the reactor upper head penetration has caused unplanned plant shutdown for repair as well as high economic impact on the plants. Consequently, a detection of flaws is of the utmost importance. Prior to the replacement of reactor upper head penetration, some utilities have repaired the flaws of reactor upper head penetration generated by overlay weld. Until now, only the base metal in reactor upper head penetration has been inspected according to 10 CFR 50.55a and ASME code case N-729-1. Accordingly, it is difficult to detect manufacturing defects and repair defects in overlay weld. This paper presents a case study on the application of Time of Flight Diffraction technique for reactor head penetration mockup with artificial flaws in overlay weld. This study offers a way to understand the flaws detected in reactor upper head penetration overlay weld.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.76-85
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• 1998

The resistance spot welding process has been used for joining the sheet metal in automotive engineering. In the resistance spot welding, the weld quality is very important, because the quality of weld is one of the most important factors to the automobile quality. The size of he molten nugget has been utilized to estimate the weld quality. However, it is not easy to find the weld defects. For weldability estimation, we have to use the nondestructive method such as X-ray or ultrasonic inspection. But these kinds of approaches are not suitable for detecting the defects in real time. The purpose of this study is to develop the real time monitoring of the weld quality in the resistance spot welding. Obtained data were used to estimate weldability using fuzzy algorithm. It is sound that this monitoring and estimation system can be useful to improve the weld quality in the resistance spot welding process and it is possible to estimate the weldability in real time.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.29-36
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• 2014

Recently, in order to enhance the function and usefulness of products, cladding of dissimilar materials that maximizes the performance of the material is being widely used in all areas of industry as an important process. Clad steel plate, produced by cladding stainless steel plate, an anticorrosive material, on carbon steel plate, is being used to produce pressure vessels. Stainless steel plate has good corrosion resistance, and carbon steel plate has good rigidity and strength; clad steel can satisfy all of these qualities at once. This study aims to find the ${\delta}$-ferrite behavior, mechanical properties, structure change, integrity and reliability of clad steel weld on hot rolled steel plates. For this purpose, multi-layer welding, repair welding and post weld heat treatment were implemented according to welding procedure specifications (WPS). In order to observe the mechanical properties and toughness of clad steel weld zone, post weld heat treatment was carried out according to ASME Sec. VIII Div.1 UW-40 procedure for post weld heat treatment. With heat treatment at $625^{\circ}C$, the hold time was used as the process variable, increased by intervals that were doubled each time, from 80 to 1,280 min. The structure of weld part was typical cast structure; localized primary austenite areas appeared near central vermicular ferrite and fusion line. The heat affected zone showed rough austenite structure created by the weld heat input. Due to annealing effects of heat treatment, the mechanical properties (tensile strength, hardness, impact value) of the heat affected area tended to decrease. From the results of this study, it is possible to conclude the integrity of clad steel welds is not affected much in field welding, repair welding, multi-layer welding, post weld heat treatment, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.158-164
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• 2002

This paper proposes the optimization of ultrasonic signal recognition in ferrite carbon steel weld zone using neural networks. For these purposes, the ultrasonic signals for defects as porosity, incomplete penetration and slag inclusion in the weld zone are acquired in the type of time series data. And then their applications evaluated feature extraction based on the time-frequency-attractor domain(peak to peak, rise time, rise slope, fall time, fall slope, pulse duration, power spectrum, and bandwidth) and attractor characteristics (fractal dimension and attractor quadrant) etc. The proposed neural networks system in this study can enhances performance of ultrasonic signal recognition.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2003

This study proposes the neural network simulator for the integrity evaluation of weld zone in railway rails. For these purposes, the ultrasonic signals for defects(crack) of weld zone in frames are acquired in the type of time series data and echo strength. The detection of the natural defects in railway truck is performed using the characteristics of echodynamic pattern in ultrasonic signal. And then their applications evaluated feature extraction based on the time-frequency-attractor domain(peak to peak, rise time, rise slope, fall time, fall slope, pulse duration, power spectrum, and bandwidth) and attractor characteristics (fractal dimension and attractor quadrant) etc. The constructed neural network simulator agrees fairly well with the measured results of test block(defect location, beam propagation distance, echo strength, etc). The Proposed neural network simulator in this study can be used for the integrity evaluation of weld zone in railway rails.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.59-72
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• 1994

This paper presents an on-line quality monitoring and control method to obtain a uniform weld quality in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) processes. The geometrical parameters of the weld pool such as the top bead width and the penetration depth plus half back width are utilized to assess the integrity of the weld quality. Since a good quality weld is characterized by a relatively high depth-to-width ratio in its dimensions, the second geometrical parameter is regulated to a desired one. The monitoring variables are the surface temperatures measured at various points on the top surface of the weldment which are strongly related to the formation of the weld pool The relationship between the measured temperatures and the weld pool size is implemented on the multilayer perceptrons which are powerful for realization of complex mapping characteristics through training by samples. For on-line quality monitoring and control, it is prerequisite to estimate the weld pool sizes in the region of transient states. For this purpose, the time history of the surface temperatures is used as the input to the neural estimator. The control purpose is to obtain a uniform weld quality. In this research, the weld pool size is directly regulated to a desired one. The proposed controller is composed of a neural pool size estimator, a neural feedforward controller and a conventional feedback controller. The pool size estimator predicts the weld pool size under growing. The feedforward controller compensates for the nonlinear characteristics of the welding process. A series of simulation studies shows that the proposed control method improves the overall system response in the presence of changes in torch travel speed during GMA welding and guarantees the uniform weld quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.841-846
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• 2010

The present study examined the mechanical properties of the friction welding with hollow and solid shaft of SM45, of which the diameter is 25.2mm and 33mm. Friction welding was conducted at welding conditions of 2,000rpm, friction pressure of 50MPa, upset pressure of 70MPa, friction time of 0.4sec to 1.4sec by increasing 0.2sec, upset time of 2.0 sec including variable such as friction time are following. Under these conditions, a tensile test, a hardness test and a microstructure of weld interface were studied. The results were as follows : When the friction time was 1.0 seconds under the conditions, the maximum tensile strength of the friction weld happened to be 1,094MPa, which is 120% compared with the tensile strength of SM45C base metal. The upset length linearly increased as friction time increased. According to the hardness test, the hardness distribution of the weld interface was formed from 475Hv to 739Hv. HAZ(Heat Affected Zone) was formed from the weld interface to 2mm of SM45C.