Quality assurance of laser welding processes by adaptive closed-loop process control

Author(s):  
H. K. Tönshoff ◽  
A. Ostendorf ◽  
W. Specker
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
DeShui Yu ◽  
JianPing Zhou ◽  
DaQian Sun ◽  
HongMei Li

Abstract To avoid the formation of Ti-Ni intermetallics in a joint, three laser welding processes for Ti alloy–NiTi alloy joints were introduced. Sample A was formed while a laser acted at the Ti alloy–NiTi alloy interface, and the joint fractured along the weld centre line immediately after welding without filler metal. Sample B was formed while the laser acted on a Cu interlayer. The average tensile strength of sample B was 216 MPa. Sample C was formed while the laser acted 1.2 mm on the Ti alloy side. The one-pass welding process involved the creation of a joint with one fusion weld and one diffusion weld separated by the remaining unmelted Ti alloy. The mechanical performance of sample C was determined by the diffusion weld formed at the Ti alloy–NiTi alloy interface with a tensile strength of 256 MPa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 326 ◽  
pp. 08005
Author(s):  
Mete Demirorer ◽  
Wojciech Suder ◽  
Supriyo Ganguly ◽  
Simon Hogg ◽  
Hassam Naeem

An innovative process design, to avoid thermal degradation during autogenous fusion welding of high strength AA 2024-T4 alloy, based on laser beam welding, is being developed. A series of instrumented laser welds in 2 mm thick AA 2024-T4 alloys were made with different processing conditions resulting in different thermal profiles and cooling rates. The welds were examined under SEM, TEM and LOM, and subjected to micro-hardness examination. This allowed us to understand the influence of cooling rate, peak temperature, and thermal cycle on the growth of precipitates, and related degradation in the weld and heat affected area, evident as softening. Although laser beam welding allows significant reduction of heat input, and higher cooling rates, as compared to other high heat input welding processes, this was found insufficient to completely supress coarsening of precipitate in HAZ. To understand the required range of thermal cycles, additional dilatometry tests were carried out using the same base material to understand the time-temperature relationship of precipitate formation. The results were used to design a novel laser welding process with enhanced cooling, such as with copper backing bar and cryogenic cooling.


Author(s):  
Maia R. Bageant ◽  
David E. Hardt

Microfluidic technologies hold a great deal of promise in advancing the medical field, but transitioning them from research to commercial production has proven problematic. We propose precision hot embossing as a process to produce high volumes of devices with low capital cost and a high degree of flexibility. Hot embossing has not been widely applied to precision forming of hard polymers at viable production rates. To this end we have developed experimental equipment capable of maintaining the necessary precision in forming parameters while minimizing cycle time. In addition, since equipment precision alone does not guarantee consistent product quality, our work also focuses on real-time sensing and diagnosis of the process. This paper covers both the basic details for a novel embossing machine, and the utilization of the force and displacement data acquired during the embossing cycle to diagnose the state of the material and process. The precision necessary in both the forming machine and the instrumentation will be covered in detail. It will be shown that variation in the material properties (e.g. thickness, glass transition temperature) as well as the degree of bulk deformation of the substrate can be detected from these measurements. If these data are correlated with subsequent downstream functional tests, a total measure of quality may be determined and used to apply closed-loop cycle-to-cycle control to the entire process. By incorporating automation and specialized precision equipment into a tabletop “microfactory” setting, we aim to demonstrate a high degree of process control and disturbance rejection for the process of hot embossing as applied at the micron scale.


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