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Materials & Design

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Materials and Design 29 (2008) 14591466

Technical Report

Eect of current pulsing on tensile properties of titanium alloy

V. Balasubramanian a, V. Jayabalan b, M. Balasubramanian
a c

c,*

Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar 608 002, India b Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Anna University, Guindy, Chennai 600 025, India Department of Mechanical Engineering, Maamallan Institute of Technology, Sriperumpudur 602 105, India Received 29 January 2007; accepted 10 July 2007 Available online 24 July 2007

Abstract Titanium and its alloys have been considered as one of the best engineering metals for industrial applications. This is due to the excellent combination of properties such as elevated strength to weight ratio, high toughness, excellent resistance to corrosion and good fatigue properties make them attractive for many industrial applications. Recently, considerable research has been performed on pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding process and reported advantages include improved bead contour, lower heat input requirements, reduced residual stresses and distortion. Metallurgical advantages of pulsed current welding frequently reported in literature include renement of fusion zone grain size, reduced width of heat aected zone, etc. All these factors will help in improving the mechanical properties. Hence, in this investigation an attempt has been made to study the eect of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding parameters on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction The drive to improve the weld quality associated with improvement in process parameters demands the use of improved welding techniques and materials. Unfortunately, welding of titanium alloy leads to grain coarsening at the fusion zone and heat aected zone. Weld fusion zones typically exhibit coarse columnar grains, because of the prevailing thermal conditions during weld metal solidication. This often results in inferior weld mechanical properties and poor resistance to hot cracking. In order to remedy this situation, it is desirable to choose appropriate materials and appropriate methods of welding and to formulate mathematical models [1] for the responses. By doing this, it is hoped that the degree of empiricism which

Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 044 25026503; fax: +91 044 24819579. E-mail addresses: visvabalu@yahoo.com (V. Balasubramanian), jbalan@annauniv.edu (V. Jayabalan), manianmb@redimail.com (M. Balasubramanian). 0261-3069/$ - see front matter 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2007.07.007

is usually associated with the choice of welding parameters might be reduced or even eliminated [2,3]. Current pulsing has been used by several investigators [47] to obtain grain renement in weld fusion zones and improvement in weld mechanical properties. However, reported research work on relating the pulsed current parameters and tensile properties are very scanty. With the development of titanium industries, many welding methods such as gas tungsten arc welding, resistance welding and diusion welding have already been developed. Because of their high chemical activity, titanium alloys are easy to absorb harmful gas and many problems such as low mechanical properties and unstable structure would result [35], hence gas tungsten arc welding is a usually preferred method. Ti6Al4V also have excellent specic tensile and fatigue strengths and corrosion resistance, mainly used for aircraft structural and engine parts, material for petrochemical plants and surgical implants. It has been reported that pulsed current variation results in grain renement in mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium alloys and titanium alloys. Renement in microstructure would result in enhanced mechanical properties [5,7].

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2. Experimental The predominant factors which are having greater inuence on fusion zone grain renement of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding process have been identied from the literature survey [410]. They are peak current, background current, pulse frequency and pulse-on-time. A large number of trial runs have been carried out using 1.6 mm thick sheets of titanium (Ti6Al4V) alloy to nd out the feasible working limits of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding parameters. Dierent combinations of pulsed current parameters have been used to carryout the trial runs. The bead contour, bead appearance and weld quality have been inspected to identify the working limits of the welding parameters given in Table 1. Further details of observations made on trial runs and mathematical modeling are given elsewhere [11]. 2.1. Conducting the experiments and recording the responses The base metal used in this investigation is a high strength titanium alloy of Ti6Al4V grade. By considering all the above conditions, the feasible limits of the parameters have been chosen in such a way that the Ti6Al4V alloy could be welded without any weld defects. Due to wide ranges of factors, it has been decided to use four factors, ve levels, rotatable central composite design matrix to optimize the experimental conditions. The chemical composition of the base metal was obtained using a vacuum spectrometer (ARL-Model: 3460). Sparks were ignited at various locations of the base metal sample and their spectrum was analyzed for the estimation of alloying elements. The chemical composition and mechanical prop-

erties of the base metal is presented in Tables 2 and 3, respectively. Tensile specimens were prepared as per the ASTM E8M-05 guidelines as shown in Fig. 1. Tensile tests were carried out in 100 kN, electro-mechanical controlled Universal Testing Machine (Make: FIE-BLUE STAR). The specimen was loaded at the rate of 1.5 kN/min as per ASTM specications, so that tensile specimen undergoes deformation exhibited in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1. Dimensions of tensile specimen.

Table 1 Important factor and their levels Serial Factor number 1 2 3 4 Peak current Base current Pulse frequency Pulse-on-time Notation Unit Levels coded (2) (1) (0) P B F T A A Hz s (+1) (+2)

60 70 80 90 100 20 30 40 50 60 0 3 6 9 12 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%

Table 2 Chemical composition (wt%) of the base metal Elements % By weight Al 6.3 V 4 C 0.006 Fe 0.17 O 0.166 N 0.006 H 0.002 Ti Balance

Table 3 Mechanical properties of base metal Ultimate tensile strength (MPa) 998 Notch tensile strength (MPa) 1146 Yield strength (MPa) 910 Elongation (%) Vickers hardness (0.5 kg) 320 Charpy impact test (J) 18 Fig. 2. Photograph of specimen before and after testing. (a) Tensile specimen (unnotched) and (b) tensile specimen (notched) before testing. (a) Tensile specimen (unnotched) and (b) tensile specimen (notched).

10

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3. Result and discussion The maximum and minimum value of tensile strength, notch tensile strength, yield strength and elongation percentage obtained during the experimentation of 31 samples using central composite design was 1160 MPa and 975 MPa, 1450 MPa and 985 MPa, 1110 MPa and 923 MPa, 5.9% and 2.4%, respectively. Fig. 3 shows the eect of pulsing current parameters on Yield strength. The observation from the graph is as presented below.  The eect of pulse frequency on the yield strength show two regions irrespective of variations in the other parameters such as peak current, base current and pulse-on-time.  The yield strength was observed to increase between the pulse frequency values of 06 Hz.

 It was also observed that the yield strength tends to decrease between the pulse frequency values of 6 12 Hz.  When the base current is increased by 50%, the yield strength decreased by a maximum of 2.8% with respect to the maximum yield strength obtained at constant pulse-on-time of 45%.  When the pulse-on-time is increased by 57%, the yield strength decreased by 3% with respect to the maximum yield strength obtained at constant base current of 50 A.  When peak current is increased from 60 to 80 A, the yield strength increases and when increased after 80 100 A, yield strength decreases irrespective of change in base current and pulse-on time. Fig. 4 shows the eect of pulsing current parameters on tensile strength.

1200
Base Current = 40 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

1200
Base Current = 60 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

1100

Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

1100

Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

Yield Strength (MPa)

1000

Yield Strength (MPa)

Peak Current = 100 Amps

Peak Current = 100 Amps

1000

900

900

800

800

700 0 3 6 9 12 15

700 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1200
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 35 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1200
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 55 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

1100

Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

1100

Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

Yield Strength (MPa)

1000

Yield Strength (MPa)

Peak Current = 100 Amps

Peak Current = 100 Amps

1000

900

900

800

800

700

700

12

15

12

15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 3. Eect of pulse current parameters on yield strength.

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 The tensile strength was found to increase between the pulse frequency values of 06 Hz.  It was also found that the tensile strength decreased between the pulse frequency values of 612 Hz.  When the base current is raised by 50%, the tensile strength decreased by 3.04% when compared to the maximum yield strength obtained at constant pulseon-time of 45%.  When the pulse-on-time is raised by 57%, the tensile strength decreased by 2.91% when compared to the maximum yield strength obtained at constant base current of 50 A.  When peak current is raised from 60 to 80 A, the tensile strength tend to increase and when increased after 80 100 A, tensile strength tend to decrease irrespective of change in base current and pulse-on-time. Fig. 5 shows the eect of pulsing current parameters on elongation.

 The eect of pulse frequency on the elongation showed two areas of signicance irrespective of variations in the other parameters such as peak current, base current and pulse-on-time.  The elongation was noticed to gallop between the pulse frequency values of 06 Hz.  It was noticed that the elongation has a tendency to decrease when pulse frequency is raised from 6 to 12 Hz.  When the base current is raised by 50%, the elongation decreased by 15.64% when related to the highest elongation obtained at constant pulse-on-time of 45%.  When the pulse-on-time is raised by 57%, the elongation decreased by 13.76% when relate to the highest elongation obtained at constant base current of 50 A.  When peak current is on the increasing trend from 60 to 90 A, the elongation is noticed to increase and when increased after 90100 A, elongation is noticed to decrease without having any eect with change in base current and pulse-on-time.

1300
Base Current = 40 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps

1300
Base Current = 60 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps

1200

Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

1200

Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

Tensile Strength (MPa)

Tensile Strength (MPa)

1100

Peak Current = 100 Amps

1100

Peak Current = 100 Amps

1000

1000

900

900

800

800

700 0 3 6 9 12 15

700 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1300
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 35 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1300
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 55 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps

1200

Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

1200

Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps

Tensile Strength (MPa)

1100

Peak Current = 100 Amps

Tensile Strength (MPa)

1100

Peak Current = 100 Amps

1000

1000

900

900

800

800

700 0 3 6 9 12 15

700 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 4. Eect of pulse current parameters on tensile strength.

V. Balasubramanian et al. / Materials and Design 29 (2008) 14591466

8
Base Current = 40 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

1463

8
Base Current = 60 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Elongation (%)

Elongation (%)
0 3 6 9 12 15

0 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

8
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 35 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

8
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 55 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Elongation (%)

Elongation (%)
0 3 6 9 12 15

12

15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 5. Eect of pulse current parameters on elongation.

Fig. 6 shows the eect of pulsing current parameters on notch tensile strength. Pulse frequency on the notch tensile strength was viewed to have two regions irrespective of variations in the other parameters such as peak current, base current and pulseon-time.  When pulse frequency ranges between 0 and 6 Hz, the notch tensile strength was observed to increase.  When pulse frequency values fall between 6 and 12 Hz, It was also observed that the notch tensile strength tends to decrease.  When the base current is raised by 50%, the notch tensile strength decreased by 9.73% when related to the highest notch tensile strength obtained at constant pulse-ontime of 45%.  When the pulse-on-time is raised by 57%, the notch tensile strength decreased by 13.83% when related to the highest Notch tensile strength obtained at constant base current of 50 A.

 The notch tensile strength was viewed to increase, when peak current is increased from 60 to 90 A and noticed to decrease when increased after 90100 A, for lower base current (i.e.) 40 A and for higher base current (i.e.) 60 A, notch tensile strength increases between 60 and 80 A and falls back after 80100 A for constant pulseon-time of 45%. Fig. 7 shows the eect of pulsing current parameters on notch strength ratio. The notch strength ratio was seen to improve between the pulse frequency values of 06 Hz.  It was also seen that the notch strength ratio has a tendency to fall after pulse frequency values of 6 12 Hz.  The increase in base current to 50% resulted in decrease of the notch strength ratio by 6.45% when compared to the highest notch strength ratio resulting at constant pulse-on-time of 45%.

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V. Balasubramanian et al. / Materials and Design 29 (2008) 14591466

1750
BaseCurrent = 40 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

Base Current = 60 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %

Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

1500

Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

1500

Peak Current = 80 Amps Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Notch Tensile Strength (MPa)

1250

Notch Tensile Strength (MPa)

15

1250

1000

1000

750

750

500 0 3 6 9 12

500 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1750
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 35 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1500
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 55 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

1500

Peak Current = 80 Amps

Notch Tensile Strength (MPa)

Notch Tensile Strength (MPa)

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

1250

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

1250

1000

1000

750

750

500 0 3 6 9 12 15

500 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 6. Eect of pulse current parameters on notch tensile strength.

 The increase in pulse-on-time to 57% resulted in decrease of the notch strength ratio by 8.95% when compared to the maximum notch strength ratio resulting at constant base current of 50 A.  The increase in notch strength ratio was evident from the graph when increase in peak current is observed between 60 and 80 A and seen to decrease when increased after 80100 A, irrespective of change in base current.

3.1. Discussion Heat transfer experienced by the weldment during welding can alter the microstructure and thus the property of the weldment. Therefore the heat transfer and uid ow in the weld pool can signicantly inuence factors such as weld pool geometry, temperature gradient local cooling rates and solidication structure. The consequence of the thermal uctuations leads to periodic interruption in

the process of solidication. As the pulse current decays, the solid liquid interface advances in towards the arc and increasingly becomes vulnerable to any disturbances in the arc form. Yield strength and tensile strength are slightly higher than the base metal. Reduction of ductility when compared to the parent metal would have been probably due to low ductility of martensite, large grain size and contaminant embrittlement. In our current study, the prior b grain size is observed (Fig. 8) to reduce in size due to pulsing and it attains a minimum value at 6 Hz. This may be responsible for increase in tensile ductility at 6 Hz. At very low frequencies, the eect of pulsing on the weld bead is found to be very less when compared to high frequency pulsing. It is also true that mechanical and thermal disturbances to the weld pool at low frequency of pulsing are expected to be less intense. At high frequencies, the vibration amplitude and temperature oscillation induced on the weld pool is reduced to greater extent resulting in reduced eect on the weld pool. Moreover, at high pulse

V. Balasubramanian et al. / Materials and Design 29 (2008) 14591466

1.60
Base Current = 40 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

1465

1.60
Base Current = 60 Amps Pulse on Time = 45 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

1.40

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

1.40

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Notch Strength Ratio

1.20

Notch Strength Ratio

0 3 6 9 12 15

1.20

1.00

1.00

0.80

0.80 0 3 6 9 12 15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1.60
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 35 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

1.60
Base Current = 50 Amps Pulse on Time = 55 %
Peak Current = 60 Amps Peak Current = 70 Amps Peak Current = 80 Amps

1.40

Peak Current = 90 Amps

1.40

Peak Current = 90 Amps Peak Current = 100 Amps

Notch Strength Ratio

1.20

Notch Strength Ratio

Peak Current = 100 Amps

1.20

1.00

1.00

0.80

0.80

12

15

12

15

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Pulse Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 7. Eect of pulse current parameters on notch strength ratio.

frequency values the molten pool is agitated more resulting in grain renement in the weld region, in turn resulting in increased tensile strength. To provide a baseline for comparison, the mechanical and metallurgical properties of the base metal were also determined. Hence there exists

an optimum pulse frequency at which grain renement is optimum leading to improved mechanical and metallurgical properties. Thus there exists an optimum frequency at which greatest eect is produced. In the current investigation, the frequency of 6 Hz resulted in maximum grain renement. From the test results obtained, it is evident that the tensile properties tend to increase when the pulse frequency is increased from 0 to 6 Hz. The increase in tensile properties is normally due to slow cooling rate in TIG welding, which results in more rened equiaxed grains as evidenced in the microstructure exhibited in Fig. 8. 4. Conclusions The eect of pulsing current on gas tungsten arc welded titanium alloy was studies. It was observed that eect of pulsing frequency and peak current had two regions with initially increasing the tensile properties and then decreasing the tensile properties irrespective of changes in base

Fig. 8. Microstructure of weld fusion zone.

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V. Balasubramanian et al. / Materials and Design 29 (2008) 14591466 [2] Vitek JM, David SA, Johnson JA, Smartt HB, Debroy T, editors, Trends in welding research. In: Proceedings of the 5th international conference, ASM Int Mater; 1999. [3] Thomas BG, Beckermann C, editors. Modeling of casting, welding and advanced solidication processes VIII. Warrendale, PA: The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society; 1998. [4] Sundaresan S, Janaki Ram GD, Madhusudhan Reddy G. Microstructural renement of weld fusion zones in alphabeta titanium alloy using pulsed current welding. Mater Sci Eng 1999;A262:88100. [5] Prasad Rao K. Fusion zone grain renement in GTA welds using magnetic arc oscillation and current pulsing. RAMP; 2001. p. 17696. [6] Shinoda T, Ueno Y, Masumoto I. Eect of pulsed welding current on solidication cracking in austenitic stainless steel welds. Trans Jap Weld Soc 1990;vol. 4:18. [7] Madhusudhan Reddy G, Gokhale AA, Prasad Rao K. Optimization of pulse frequency in pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding of Al lithium alloysteels. J Mater Sci Technol 1998;14:616. [8] Senthil Kumar T, Balasubramanian V, Sanavullah MY, Eect of pulsed current TIG welding parameters on tensile properties of AA6061 Aluminium alloy. IWS 2005; p 2939. [9] Balasubramanian M, Jayabalan V, Balasubramanian V. Optimizing the pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding parameters. J Mater Sci Technol 2006;vol. 22(6):8215. [10] Balasubramanian M, Jayabalan V, Balasubramanian V. A mathematical model to predict impact toughness of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welded titanium alloy. J Adv Manufactur Technol 2006. available on line. [11] Balasubramanian M, Jayabalan V, Balasubramanian V. Developing mathematical model to predict tensile properties of pulsed current gas tungsten arc welded Ti6Al4V alloy. Mater Des 2007. available on line.

current and pulse-on-time. Because of grain renement and equiaxed large prior beta grain size in the fusion zone, the tensile properties found to have a slight increase in the weld fusion zone. It has been understood that there is a value of optimum frequency at which the tensile properties are maximum. The use of current pulsing has been justied in improving the weld metal properties. Acknowledgements The authors thank the Head of the Department and faculty members of Manufacturing Engineering Department, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu for rendering their support and for making all the facilities available in the Metal joining laboratory and Material testing laboratory to carry out this investigation. The authors are also grateful to Mr. K. Anbazhagan of Chennai, Chennai for making necessary arrangements to procure the base metal for investigation. The authors wish to thank Mr. S. Babu, DRDO Project Associate, Annamalai University for rendering helping hand to carry out the statistical analysis. References
[1] Cerjak H, editor. Mathematical modeling of weld phenomena 4. London: The institute of Materials; 1988.