• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.43-48
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• 2005

This work was carried out to obtain sound welds and to select a most suitable binary metal joint among three different dissimilar binary metal combinations such as Zr-4/Ta, Mo/Ta and Ti/Ta(seal tube/sensor sheath) joints fur the instrumented nuclear fuel irradiation test. To do this, Taguchi experimental method was employed to optimize the experimental data. In addition, metallography, micro-focus x-ray radiography and hardness test were conducted to examine the welds. From the weld bead appearance, penetration depth and bead width as well as weld defects standpoint, Zr-4/Ta joint is suggested for the circumferential joining between a seal tube and a sensor sheath. The optimized welding parameters based on Zr-4/Ta joint are suggested as well.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.2755-2770
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• 2022

The need for Dissimilar Welded Joint (DWJ) in the power plant components arises in order to increase the overall efficiency of the plant and to avoid premature failure in the component welds. The Activated-Tungsten Inert Gas (A-TIG) welding process, which is a variant of Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding, is focus of this review work concerning the DWJ of nuclear grade creep-strength enhanced ferritic/martensitic (CSEF/M) steels and austenitic steels. A-TIG DWJs are compared with Multipass-Tungsten Inert Gas (M-TIG) DWJ based on their mechanical and microstructural properties. The limitations of multipass welding have put A-TIG welding in focus as A-TIG provides a weld with increased depth of penetration (DOP) and enhanced mechanical properties. Hence, this review article covers the A-TIG welding principle and working parameters along with detailed analysis of role played by the flux in welding procedure. Further, weld characteristics of martensitic and austenitic steel DWJ developed with the A-TIG welding process and the M-TIG welding process are compared in this study as there are differences in mechanical, microstructural, creep-related, and residual stress obtained in both TIG variants. The mechanics involved in the welding process is deliberated which is revealed by microstructural changes and behavior of base metals and WFZ.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.2823-2834
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• 2023

Austenitic stainless steel welds (ASSWs) of nuclear components undergo aging-related degradations caused by high temperature and neutron radiation. Since irradiation leads to the change of material characteristics, relevant quantification is important for long-term operation, but limitations exist. Although ion irradiation is utilized to emulate neutron irradiation, its penetration depth is too shallow to measure bulk properties. In this study, a systematic approach was suggested to estimate mechanical properties of ion irradiated 308 ASSW. First of all, weld specimens were irradiated by 2 MeV proton to 1 and 10 dpa. Microstructure evolutions due to irradiation in δ-ferrite and austenite phases were characterized and micropillar compression tests were performed. In succession, dislocation density based stress-strain (S-S) relationships and quantification models of irradiation defects were adopted to define phases in finite element analyses. Resultant microscopic S-S curves were compared to verify material parameters. Finally, macroscopic behaviors were calculated by multiscale simulations using real microstructure based representative volume element (RVE). Validity of the approach was verified for the unirradiated specimens such that the estimated S-S curves and 0.2% offset yield strengths (YSs) which was 363.14 MPa were in 10% agreement with test. For irradiated specimens, the estimated YS were 917.41 MPa in 9% agreement.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.47-55
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• 2015

With using adaptive control of the resistance spot welding machine, the advantage on electrode life time for galvanized steels has been addressed. This study was aimed to evaluate the electrode life time of galvanized steels with applying the constant current control and the adaptive control resistance spot welding process for a comparison purpose. The growth in diameter of electrode face was similar for both the constant current and the adaptive control up to 2000 welds. The button diameter was decreased with weld numbers, however, sudden increase in button diameter with use of the adaptive control after 1500 welds was observed. The peak load was continuously decreased with increasing number of welds for both the constant current and the adaptive control. The current compensation during a weld was observed with using the adaptive control after 1800 welds since the ${\beta}$-peak on dynamic resistance curve was detected at later weld time. The current compensation with adaptive control during resistance spot welding enhanced the nugget diameter at the faying interface of steel sheets and improved the penetration to thinner steel sheet.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.757-762
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• 2002

Many reports have been shown that the buoyancy, electromagnetic force, surface tension, and gas shear stress are the driving forces of weld pool circulation in arc welding. Among them, the surface tension of molten metal plays an important role in the flow in weld pool, which are clarified by the specially designed experiments with small particles as well as the numerical simulations. The surface tension is also related to the penetration in arc welding. Therefore, a quantitative evaluation of surface tension is demanded for the development of materials and arc process control. However, there are few available data published on the surface tension of molten metals, since it depends on the temperature and the composition of materials. In this study, a new method was proposed for the evaluation of surface tension and its temperature dependence, in which it is evaluated by the equilibrium condition of acting forces under a given surface geometry, especially back surface. When this method was applied to the water pool and to the back surface of molten pool in the stationary gas tungsten arc welding of thin plate, following results were obtained. In the evaluation of surface tension of water, it was shown that the back surface geometry was very sensitive to the evaluation of surface tension and the evaluated value coincided with the surface tension of water. In the measurement of molten pool in the stationary gas tungsten arc welding, it was also shown that the comparison between the surface tension and temperature distribution across the back surface gave the temperature dependent surface tension. Applying this method to the mild steel and stainless steel plates, the surface tension with negative gradient for temperature is obtained. The evaluated values are well matched with ones in the published papers.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.90-95
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• 2013

Pipe inside clad welding is mainly used to the flow pipe of sub-sea or chemical plant. For the inside clad welding to the medium pipe with the diameter of about 12", TIG welding is frequently applied with filler metal. In this case, the clad welding has the very broad weld area over $10m^2$. And, the non-destructive test (NDT) such as ultrasonic test (UT) or radiographic testing (RT) should be conducted on the broad weld area, and it costs very high due to the time-consuming work. Therefore, the present study investigated the variation of arc voltage to develop the in-line quality monitoring system for the pipe inside TIG cladding. The 4 experimental parameters (current, arc length, wire feed position, and shield gas flow rate) varied to observe the change of arc voltage and to establish the model for the monitoring. The arc voltage was decreased when the wire was fed to the backward eccentric position(over 2mm), and the shield gas flow rate was insufficient under 10L/min. In the case of the backward eccentric position over 2mm, the bead appearance was not good and the dilution ratio was increased due to deep penetration. When the shield gas flow rate was lower than 10L/min, the bead surface was oxidized.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.79-86
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• 2007

The shape of excessive penetration mainly depends on welding conditions(welding current and welding voltage), and welding process(groove gap and welding speed). These conditions are the major affecting factors to width and height of back bead. In this paper, back-bead prediction and weldability estimation using artificial neural network were investigated. Results are as follows. 1) If groove gap, welding current, welding voltage and welding speed will be previously determined as a welding condition, width and height of back bead can be predicted by artificial neural network system without experimental measurement. 2) From the result applied to three weld quality levels(ISO 5817), both experimented measurement using vision sensor and predicted mean values by artificial neural network showed good agreement. 3) The width and height of back bead are proportional to groove gap, welding current and welding voltage, but welding speed. is not.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.50-57
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• 2014

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a complex process with several mutually interdependent parameters. A slight difference from known settings may lead to imperfections in the stirred zone. These inhomogeneities affect on the mechanical properties of the FSWed joints. In order to prevent the failure of the welded joint it is necessary to detect the most critical defects non-destructive. Especially critical defects are wormhole and lack of penetration (LOP), because of the difficulty of detection. Online thermography is used process-accompanying for defect detecting. A thermographic camera with a fixed position relating to the welding tool measures the heating-up and the cool down of the welding process. Lap joints with sound weld seam surfaces are manufactured and monitored. Different methods of evaluation of heat distribution and intensity profiles are introduced. It can be demonstrated, that it is possible to detect wormhole and lack of penetration as well as surface defects by analyzing the welding and the cooling process of friction stir welding by passive online thermography measurement. Effects of these defects on mechanical properties are shown by tensile testing.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2005

During laser spot welding of the braun tube electron gun, phenomena such as serious spattering and oxidative reaction, etc. were occurred. The spatter occurred from weld pool affects the braun tube, namely it blocks up a very small hole on the shadow mask and causes short circuit between two poles of the electron gun. We guessed that high power density and oxidative reaction are main sources of these problems. So, we studied to prevent and to reduce spatter occurring in spot welding of the braun tube electron gun using pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The characteristics of laser output power was estimated, and the loss of laser energy by optical parameter and spatter was measured by powermeter. The effects of welding parameters, laser defocused distance and incident angle, were investigated on the shape and penetration depth of the laser welded bead in flare and flange joints. From these results, the laser peak power was a major factor to control penetration depth and to occur spatter. It was found that the losses of laser energy by optic parameter and sticked spatter affect seriously laser weldability of thin sheets.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.2 s.32
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• pp.51-57
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• 1999

In this study, one side fillet welded T-joint, used in box type girder and other welding structure, was investigated by stress analysis and bending fatigue test without edge preparation, with variation of joint shape. The purpose of this study is to give the welding condiltion and design standard on manufacturing one side fillet welded T-joint. As a result, the following conclusions were obtained. 1) In one side fillet welded T-joint, the larger the leg length and the penetration depth, the greater the bending fatigue strength because reduction of stress and strain on toe and root. The increase of the longitudinal leg length rather than vertical leg length contributed to the increase in bending fatigue strength. 2) In one side fillet welded T-joint without edge preparation, both general manual welding and general automatic welding were carried out with same condition. In this case, automatic welding showed deeper penetration and more increased longitudinal leg length than manual welding, so that automatic welding offers greater bending fatigue strength. 3) For one side fillet welded T-joint without edge preparation with automatic welding, the ratio(h/t) of the leg length(h) and the main plate thickness(t) in which toe crake can occur was 1.0 over.