Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Analysis of solidification cracking susceptibility in side-by-side dual-beam laser welding of aluminum alloys

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental study combined with a numerical model consideration of both thermal conduction and fluid flow in the molten pool were carried out, aiming to analyze solidification cracking susceptibility of dual-beam laser welding on Al alloys. The maximum accumulated transverse displacement in the mushy zone was calculated based on the strip expansion technique and employed to evaluate centerline solidification cracking susceptibility. Numerical calculations showed that increasing inter-beam spacing in side-by-side dual-beam laser welding of Al alloys could lead to increased accumulated transverse displacement in the weld, resulting in higher solidification cracking susceptibility, which agreed well with experimental observations. The analysis results also showed that increasing the laser power or reducing the welding velocity increased hot cracking susceptibility. The optimum cracking-free welding condition for dual-beam laser welding of Al can be determined with the help of numerical modeling, in which the hot cracking susceptibility can be evaluated and numerically reduced by adjusting welding process variables.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rappaz M, Drezet JM, Gremaud M (1999) A new hot-tearing criterion. Metall Mater Trans A 30:449–455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Kou S (2003) Solidification and liquation cracking issues in welding. Jom 55:37–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Eskin DG, Suyitno KL (2004) Mechanical properties in the semi-solid state and hot tearing of aluminum alloys. Prog Mater Sci 49:629–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Chen HC, Pinkerton AJ, Li L (2011) Fiber laser welding of dissimilar alloys of Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718 for aerospace applications. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 52:977–987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Gao ZG (2012) Numerical modeling to understand liquation cracking propensity during laser and laser hybrid welding (I). Int J Adv Manuf Technol 63:291–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Akesson B, Karlsson L (1976) Prevention of hot cracking of butt welds in steel panels by controlled additional heating of the panels. Weld Res Int 6:35–52

    Google Scholar 

  7. Glumann C, Rapp J, Dausinger F, Hugel H (1993) Welding with combination of two CO2 lasers-advantages in processing and quality. Proceedings of ICALEO’ 93 international conference on applications of lasers and electro-optics, Orlando, pp 672–681

    Google Scholar 

  8. Scott A, Frewin M (1997) Tandem Nd:YAG laser welding. Proceedings of ICALEO’ 97 international conference on applications of lasers and electro-optics, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  9. Plochikhine V, Zoch HW, Karkhin VA, Makhutin M, Pesch HJ (2002) Numerical optimization of the temperature field for the prevention of solidification cracking during laser beam welding using the multi-beam technique. In : Proceedings of international conference on materials week, pp:1-7

  10. Xie J (2002) Dual-beam laser welding. Weld J 81:223–230

    Google Scholar 

  11. Drezet JM, Lima MSF, Wagniere JD, Rappaz M, Kurz W (2008) Crack-free aluminum alloy welds using a twin laser process. In : Proceedings of international conference on safety and reliability of welded components in energy and processing industry, pp:87-94

  12. Chen W, Molian P (2008) Dual-beam laser welding of ultra-thin AA 5052-H19 aluminum. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 39:889–897

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hsu R, Engler A, Heinemann S (1998) The gap bridging capability in laser tailored blank welding. In: Proceedings of ICALEO’ 98 international conference on applications of lasers and electro-optics, pp:225-231

  14. Ploshikhin V, Prihodovsky A, Ilin A (2011) Experimental investigation of the hot cracking mechanism in welds on the microscopic scale. Front Mater Sci 5:135–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Furukawa K, Katoh M, Nishio K, Yamaguchi T, Nagata F (2007) Evaluation of welds of aluminum alloy AA6022-T4 welded using an electrode force changeable resistance spot welding machine. Weld Int 21:471–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Voller VR, Prakash C (1987) A fixed grid numerical modeling methodology for convection-diffusion mushy region phase-change problems. Int J Heat Mass Transfer 30:1709–1719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mundra K, DebRoy T, Kelkar KM (1996) Numerical prediction of fluid flow and heat transfer in welding with a moving heat source. Numer Heat Transfer A 29:115–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Moraitis GA, Labeas GN (2008) Residual stress and distortion calculation of laser beam welding for aluminum lap joints. J Mater Process Technol 198:260–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Guo H, Hu J, Tsai HL (2010) Three-dimensional modeling of gas metal arc welding of aluminum alloys. J Manuf Sci Eng 132:021011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Chihoski RA (1972) The character of stress fields around a weld arc moving on aluminum sheet. Weld J 51:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kong F, Kovacevic R (2010) 3D finite element modeling of the thermally induced residual stress in the hybrid laser/arc welding of lap joint. J Mater Process Technol 210:941–950

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Cao X, Wallace W, Immarigeon JP, Poon C (2003) Research and progress in laser welding of wrought aluminum alloys. II. Metallurgical microstructures, defects, and mechanical properties. Mater Manuf Process 18:23–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hu B, Richardson IM (2006) Mechanism and possible solution for transverse solidification cracking in laser welding of high strength aluminum alloys. Mater Sci Eng A 429:287–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Guillaume T, Corinne A, Eric L, Jean-Michel Q (2013) Control of aluminum laser welding conditions with the help of numerical modeling. J Mater Process Technol 213:337–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Laser Processing and Modification, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Xiaojie Wang, Fenggui Lu & Yixiong Wu

  2. General Motors Global Research & Development, MC 480-1060-224, 30500 Mound Road, Warren, MI, 48090, USA

    Hui-Ping Wang & Blair E. Carlson

Authors
  1. Xiaojie Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hui-Ping Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fenggui Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Blair E. Carlson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yixiong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fenggui Lu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, X., Wang, HP., Lu, F. et al. Analysis of solidification cracking susceptibility in side-by-side dual-beam laser welding of aluminum alloys. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 73, 73–85 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-5810-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-5810-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation