Effect of processing parameters on microstructure and tensile properties of austenitic stainless steel 304L made by directed energy deposition additive manufacturing

Spot welding, particularly resistance spot welding (RSW), is a critical joining process in automotive industry. The development of advanced high strength steels for applications in automotive industry is accompanied with a challenge to better understand the physical and mechanical metallurgy of these materials during RSW. The present paper critically reviews the fundamental understanding of structure–properties relationship in automotive steels resistance spot welds. The focus is on the metallurgical characteristics, hardness–microstructure correlation, interfacial to pullout failure mode transition and mechanical performance of steel resistance spot welds under quasi-static, fatigue and impact loading conditions. A brief review of friction stir spot welding, as an alternative to RSW, is also included.

Critical review of automotive steels spot welding: process, structure and properties

Process modelling techniques are used to describe the changes in yield strength due to age hardening of heat-treatable aluminium alloys. A model for the isothermal ageing curve is developed. This is demonstrated for a number of alloys and the success of the approach is assessed. Applications and a new diagram, showing the variation of strength with temperature and time, are described in an accompanying paper.

A process model for age hardening of aluminium alloys—I. The model

Laser nitriding of metals

Simulation of metal additive manufacturing microstructures using kinetic Monte Carlo

A second report on diagrams of microstructure and hardness for heat-affected zones in welds

A theoretical model is developed for determining the optimum notch position in an implant test used for predicting the susceptibility to hydrogen cracking during welding. Using a microcomputer for processing the equations for weld-bead geometry and heat flow during welding, a microstructural cross-section, with the notch positioned at the centre of the grain-growth zone, and an implant testing diagram, showing the notch position and microstructure as a function of welding parameters, can be generated. A single bead-on-plate weld is used to determine the unknown kinetic and geometrical constants in the equations. It is shown that notch position is very sensitive to the type of welding process employed and that implant diagrams thus can be used to position the notch with greater reliability and hence reduce the scatter in the fracture loads measured in this test.MST/46

John Ion

Papers

A second report on diagrams of microstructure and hardness for heat-affected zones in welds

Computer modelling of weld-implant testing