Extension of the process limits in laser beam welding of thick-walled components using the Laser Multi-Pass Narrow-Gap welding (Laser-MPNG) on the example of the nickel-based material Alloy 617 occ

The joining of thick-walled components using beam-based joining techniques is content of worldwide research and development activities, but has not yet been established in industry. State of the art to weld nickel super alloys is currently a TIG narrow-gap welding. The present paper is focusing on a new specific laser beam welding process, the so-called Laser Multi-Pass Narrow-Gap welding (Laser-MPNG). It first explains the process principle based on 2D beam oscillation, the use of fiber lasers and the multi-pass principle. The potential of the Laser-MPNG welding process is demonstrated using the technically significant nickel-based material Alloy 617 occ. As a result, it was possible for the first time to realize a weld with a wall thickness of 140 mm free of cracks or bonding defects. Promising results of creep and low-cycle fatigue tests are used to show the potential that Laser-MPNG welded joints would have for future industrial applications.

Effect of Groove Designs on Residual Stress and Transverse Shrinkage in GMAW and PGMAW of A333 Seamless Steel Pipes

The effectiveness of weld joints primarily depends on the fusion of base metal, minimum heat-affected zone (HAZ) and lesser residual stresses. The severity of thermomechanical effects e.g. weld shrinkages and residual stresses is significantly minimized by narrow gap welding technique over the traditional welding. This work describes the welding of A333 Grade 3 steel pipes by the application of GMAW and PGMAW techniques. The analysis is made to capture the effects of groove designs on residual stress and transverse shrinkage. The process parameters used for the analysis are voltage, current and welding speed. In this work, narrow groove design using PGMAW process is capable of reducing the number of passes and area of weld deposit by 35–40% by volume. In PGMAW, decrement in residual stresses is observed with a narrow groove compared to conventional V groove technique. The results are validated by metallurgical and mechanical investigation of welded joints. This work will help other researchers to understand the effect of narrow gap welding using an optimum number of passes for thick pipes.