Influence of IP-TIG welding parameters on weld bead geometry, tensile properties, and microstructure of Ti6Al4V alloy joints

Vaithiyanathan Vijayakumar; Tushar Sonar; Sivamaran Venkatesan; Arun Negemiya; Mikhail Ivanov

doi:10.1515/mt-2023-0237

Article

Influence of IP-TIG welding parameters on weld bead geometry, tensile properties, and microstructure of Ti6Al4V alloy joints

Vaithiyanathan Vijayakumar
Dr. Vaithiyanathan Vijayakumar is working as QA/QC Engineer in Welding Inspection Technology, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Welding) from Annamalai University in the year 2019. He is a recipient of the prestigious GATET research fellowship from the Gas Turbine Research and Establishment (GTRE), Bangalore, India for the years 2015–2019. He has total of 12 years of research work experience. His research interests include welding and joining, titanium alloys, stainless steels, nickel-based alloys etc.
, Tushar Sonar
Dr. Tushar Sonar is working as a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Welding Engineering, Institution of Engineering and Technology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Welding) from Annamalai University in the year 2021. He is a recipient of the prestigious ISRO RESPOND research fellowship for the years 2017–2021. He has 8 years of research work experience. His research interests include welding and joining, additive manufacturing, surfacing, coating, corrosion, and high entropy alloys.
, Sivamaran Venkatesan
Dr. Sivamaran Venkatesan is working as Post-Doctoral Researcher in The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre (PMTC), Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Nanomaterials and Technology) from Annamalai University in the year 2019. He is a recipient of the prestigious research fellowship from VBC Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, for the years 2015–2019. He has total of 12 years of research work experience. His research interests include nanomaterials and nanotechnology, composite materials and manufacturing, welding and joining, characterization and mechanical testing.
, Arun Negemiya
Dr. Arun Negemiya is working as Assistant Professor at Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Welding) from Annamalai University in the year 2019. He is a recipient of the prestigious UGC research fellowship for the years 2015–2017. He has 08 years of experience in research and his area of interest are materials joining and diffusion bonding, metal joining processes and material science.
and Mikhail Ivanov
Prof. Dr. Mikhail Ivanov is working as Head of the Department of Welding Engineering and Director of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia. He completed his PhD in Technical Sciences (Foundry) from South Ural State University in the year 2007. He is recipient of many prestigious awards in Russia including Gratitude of the Minister of Education and Science of the Chelyabinsk Region and Honorary Diploma of the Rector for active participation in the preparation of high-quality applications for competitions and grants. He has total of 17 years of teaching and research work experience. His research interests include welding and joining, hot tears, cold cracks, simulation of welding phenomena.

Published/Copyright: February 27, 2024

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From the journal Materials Testing Volume 66 Issue 9

Abstract

The primary aim of this study is to analyze the influence of inter-pulse tungsten inert gas (IP-TIG) welding parameters (peak current, inter-pulse current, and inter-pulse frequency) on weld bead geometry, tensile properties, and microstructure of Ti6Al4V alloy joints for gas turbine applications. IP-TIG welding principally featured by magnetic arc constriction and pulsing was employed to overcome the high heat input problems in TIG welding of thin Ti6Al4V alloy sheets such as wider bead and HAZ, coarsening of beta grains, inferior ductility, distortion of joints, and atmospheric contamination which significantly deteriorates the mechanical performance of welded sheets. The tensile properties and microhardness of IP-TIG joints were evaluated and correlated to the microstructural features. The microstructural features were analyzed using optical microscopy. The fractured surfaces of tensile specimens were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the Ti6Al4V alloy joints developed using peak current of 50 A, inter-pulse current of 30 A, and inter-pulse frequency of 20 kHz exhibited greater strength, hardness and elongation. It showed greater tensile strength of 1030 MPa, yield strength of 981 MPa, and elongation of 10 % and FZ microhardness of 391 HV_0.2. It is mainly due to the development of refined grains in fusion zone (FZ).

Keywords: IP-TIG welding; Ti6Al4V alloy; weld bead; tensile properties; microstructure; microhardness

Corresponding author: Vaithiyanathan Vijayakumar, QA/QC Engineer, Welding Inspection Technology, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, 620017, India, E-mail: vaithimfg@gmail.com

About the authors

Vaithiyanathan Vijayakumar

Dr. Vaithiyanathan Vijayakumar is working as QA/QC Engineer in Welding Inspection Technology, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Welding) from Annamalai University in the year 2019. He is a recipient of the prestigious GATET research fellowship from the Gas Turbine Research and Establishment (GTRE), Bangalore, India for the years 2015–2019. He has total of 12 years of research work experience. His research interests include welding and joining, titanium alloys, stainless steels, nickel-based alloys etc.

Tushar Sonar

Dr. Tushar Sonar is working as a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Welding Engineering, Institution of Engineering and Technology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Welding) from Annamalai University in the year 2021. He is a recipient of the prestigious ISRO RESPOND research fellowship for the years 2017–2021. He has 8 years of research work experience. His research interests include welding and joining, additive manufacturing, surfacing, coating, corrosion, and high entropy alloys.

Sivamaran Venkatesan

Dr. Sivamaran Venkatesan is working as Post-Doctoral Researcher in The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre (PMTC), Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Nanomaterials and Technology) from Annamalai University in the year 2019. He is a recipient of the prestigious research fellowship from VBC Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, for the years 2015–2019. He has total of 12 years of research work experience. His research interests include nanomaterials and nanotechnology, composite materials and manufacturing, welding and joining, characterization and mechanical testing.

Arun Negemiya

Dr. Arun Negemiya is working as Assistant Professor at Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He completed his PhD in Manufacturing Engineering (Welding) from Annamalai University in the year 2019. He is a recipient of the prestigious UGC research fellowship for the years 2015–2017. He has 08 years of experience in research and his area of interest are materials joining and diffusion bonding, metal joining processes and material science.

Mikhail Ivanov

Prof. Dr. Mikhail Ivanov is working as Head of the Department of Welding Engineering and Director of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia. He completed his PhD in Technical Sciences (Foundry) from South Ural State University in the year 2007. He is recipient of many prestigious awards in Russia including Gratitude of the Minister of Education and Science of the Chelyabinsk Region and Honorary Diploma of the Rector for active participation in the preparation of high-quality applications for competitions and grants. He has total of 17 years of teaching and research work experience. His research interests include welding and joining, hot tears, cold cracks, simulation of welding phenomena.

Research ethics: None declared.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Research funding: None declared.
Data availability: The data that supports the findings of this study is avaialbe within the article.

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Published Online: 2024-02-27

Published in Print: 2024-09-25

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/mt-2023-0237

Keywords for this article

IP-TIG welding; Ti6Al4V alloy; weld bead; tensile properties; microstructure; microhardness