Friction press joining is an innovative joining process for bonding plastics and metals without additives in an overlap configuration. A model-based approach for the design of an axial force controller for friction press joining is presented in this paper. A closed-loop control was set up on the machining center, in which the plunge depth was used as the controlling variable. In order to support the controller development, a nonparametric dynamic process model was developed via a data-based system identification. Subsequently, various control concepts were designed off-line and verified on the actual system. The most promising ones, a proportional controller, a controller created with the pole placement method, and a model predictive controller, were selected for further investigations. The three controllers were re-evaluated and compared by means of a defined input of disturbance variables and reference variables. The model predictive control (MPC) approach as well as the proportional controller were also tested for model uncertainties. For this purpose, different material combinations were joined using the different controllers. Thereby, it was shown that the MPC controller resulted in smaller standard deviations when encountering large model uncertainties. The investigations demonstrated the high potential of friction press joining of plastic components with metals. The results form the basis for future research, whereby the force can be specified as an additional input parameter instead of the plunge depth.
Coaxial Laser Metal Deposition with wire (LMD-w) is a valuable complement to the already established Additive Manufacturing processes in production because it allows a direction-independent process with high deposition rates and high deposition accuracy. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the adjustment of the process parameters during process development to build defect-free parts. Therefore, in this work, a process development for coaxial LMD-w was conducted using an aluminum wire AlMg4,5MnZr and a stainless steel wire AISI 316L. At first, the boundaries for parameter combinations that led to a defect-free process were identified. The proportion between the process parameters energy per unit length and speed ratio proved crucial for a defect-free process. Then, the influence of the process parameters on the height and width of single beads for both materials was analyzed using a regression analysis. It was shown that linear models are suitable for describing the correlation between the process parameters and the dimensions of the beads. Lastly, a material-independent formula is presented to calculate the height increment per layer needed for an additive process. For future studies, the results of this work will be an aid for process development with different materials.
Reactive particles consisting of nickel and aluminum represent an adaptable heat source for joining applications, since each individual particle is capable of undergoing a self-sustaining exothermic reaction. Of particular interest are particles with intrinsic lamellar microstructures, as they provide large contact areas between the reactants nickel and aluminum. In this work, the exothermic reaction as well as the microstructure of such lamellar reactive particles produced by high energy planetary ball milling were investigated. Based on statistically designed experiments regarding the milling parameters, the heat of reaction was examined by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A statistical model was derived from the results to predict the heat of reaction as a function of the milling parameters used. This model can be applied to adjust the heat of reaction of the reactive particles depending on the thermal properties of the joining partners. The fabricated microstructures were evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Through the development of a dedicated SEM image evaluation algorithm, a computational quantification of the contact area between nickel and aluminum was enabled for the first time. A weak correlation between the contact area and the heat of reaction could be demonstrated. It is assumed that the quantification of the contact areas can be further improved by a higher number of SEM images per sample. The findings obtained provide an essential contribution to enable reactive particles as a tailored heat source for joining applications.
Coaxial laser metal deposition with wire (LMD-w) is an innovative additive manufacturing technology in which a wire is coaxially fed through the center of a hollow laser beam into a laser-induced melt pool. This special configuration results in a direction-independent process, which facilitates the manufacturing of thin-walled metal components at high deposition rates. However, laborious experimental test series must be conducted to adjust the process parameters so that the substrate and the part do not overheat. Therefore, models are needed to predict the resulting temperature field and melt pool dimensions efficiently. This paper proposes a finite element simulation model using an innovative heat source, which considers the unique intensity distribution of the annular laser spot. The heat source parameters were calibrated experimentally based on fusion lines obtained from metallographic cross sections of aluminum alloy samples (AA5078 wire and AA6082 substrate). Subsequently, the temperature distribution in the substrate plate was measured by means of thermocouples to validate the developed model. It was shown that the proposed heat source replicates the heat input accurately. With the presented model, essential features for process development, such as the temperature field and the melt pool dimensions, can be reliably predicted. The model contributes to a better understanding of the LMD-w process and facilitates an efficient process development in future research work as well as for industrial applications. Key words: thermal simulation, annular laser spot, heat source, laser metal deposition, coaxial wire feeding, directed energy deposition
Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing (FSAM) is a novel process with which large-scale aluminum structures can be produced from high-strength alloys such as the 7xxx series. Due to the prevalence of these alloys in airplanes and rockets, the process offers high application potential, for example in fabricating stringers and stiffeners. The building process in FSAM is characterized by sequentially stacking and friction stir lap welding (FSLW) metal sheets. Before adding the next layer, the surface is machined (i.e., by milling). So far, this is a necessary step to enable gap-free welding of the layers, which results in increased costs and reduced layer heights. The investigations described in this paper were aimed at improving the weld surface quality to enable defect-free FSAM without the additional machining step. For this, FSLW was conducted using different welding tools. The resulting welds were evaluated based on superficial and internal characteristics as well as the mechanical properties (shear strength). With a welding tool in which both a rotating and a stationary shoulder were combined, defect-free weld seams with a mean underfill and a mean flash height of 0.07 mm were produced. In a subsequent study, it was proven that defect-free FSAM without surface machining is possible up to the fifth layer using the combined welding tool.
Laser metal deposition (LMD) is an additive manufacturing process in which a metal powder or wire is added to a laser-induced molten pool. This localized deposition of material is used for the manufacturing, modification, and repair of a wide range of metal components. The use of wire as feedstock offers various advantages over the use of powder in terms of the contamination of the process environment, the material utilization rate, the ease of handling, and the material price. However, to achieve a stable process as well as defined geometrical and microstructural properties over many layers, precise knowledge on the effects of the input variables of the process on the resulting deposition characteristics is required. In this work, the melt pool temperature was used as an input parameter in LMD with coaxial wire feeding of stainless steel, which was made possible through the use of a dedicated closed-loop control system based on pyrometry. Initially, a temperature range was determined for different process conditions in which a stable deposition was obtained. Within this range, the cause-effect relationships between the melt pool temperature and the resulting geometry as well as the material properties were investigated for individual weld beads. It was found that the melt pool temperature is positively correlated with the width of the weld bead as well as the dilution. In addition, a dependence of the microhardness distribution over the cross section of a weld bead on the melt pool temperature was demonstrated, with an increased temperature negatively affecting the hardness.
Due to their outstanding characteristics, additive manufacturing processes are attracting increasing industrial interest. Among these processes, laser metal deposition (LMD) is an innovative technology for the production of metal components. In order to create three-dimensional parts, wire or powder is deposited layer-wise onto a substrate. When wire is used as feedstock, major drawbacks of the powder-based process, such as the low material usage, contamination of the process cell with metal powder, and health or safety issues, can be overcome or even avoided. In addition, recent developments in laser optics allow for a coaxial wire feeding in the center of an annular laser beam. This eliminates the strong directional dependence of the process when feeding the wire laterally. However, wire-based LMD is highly sensitive to process disturbances, which impedes its broader industrial application. Since it is necessary to completely melt the fed wire to achieve a stable process, self-regulating effects such as overspray in powder-based LMD are not present. In contrast to the widely investigated thin walls, the build-up of multi-track solid structures poses a particular challenge. Therefore, process strategies for producing such solid structures are presented in this paper. The experiments were carried out using a laser processing head that enables coaxial wire feeding (CoaxPrinter, Precitec). By systematically varying the lateral overlap between adjacent weld beads, it was shown that an optimum exists at which minimum surface waviness is achieved. Based on this, defect-free multi-layer solid components could be generated in a reproducible manner. During the process, the melt pool temperature was evaluated using a pyrometer. Furthermore, a microscopic examination of the resulting parts was conducted. The results obtained show the need for process monitoring and control, for which a novel and holistic approach has been developed.
In an industrial joining process, exemplified by deep penetration laser beam welding, ensuring a high quality of welds requires a great effort. The quality cannot be fully established by testing, but can only be produced. The fundamental requirements for a high weld seam quality in laser beam welding are therefore already laid in the process, which makes the use of control systems essential in fully automated production. With the aid of process monitoring systems that can supply data inline to a production process, the foundation is laid for the efficient and cycle-time-neutral control of welding processes. In particular, if novel, direct measurement methods, such as Optical Coherence Tomography, are used for the acquisition of direct geometric quantities, e.g., the weld penetration depth, a significant control potential can be exploited. In this work, an inline weld depth control system based on an OCT keyhole depth measurement is presented. The system is capable of automatically executing an inline control of the deep penetration welding process based only on a specified target weld depth. The performance of the control system was demonstrated on various aluminum alloys and for different penetration depths. In addition, the ability of the control to respond to unforeseen external disturbances was tested. Within the scope of this work, it was thus possible to provide an outlook on future developments in the field of laser welding technology, which could develop in the direction of an intuitive manufacturing process. This objective should be accomplished through the use of intelligent algorithms and innovative measurement technology—following the example of laser beam cutting, where the processing systems themselves have been provided with the ability to select suitable process parameters for several years now.
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