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March 28, 2013

Economics of Advanced Welding Techniques. March 28, 2013. Stephen Levesque Director, EWI Nuclear Fabrication Center Email: slevesque@ewi.org Office: 614-688-5183 Mobile: 614-284-5426. Nuclear Fabrication Consortium.

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March 28, 2013

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  1. Economics of Advanced Welding Techniques March 28, 2013 Stephen Levesque Director, EWI Nuclear Fabrication Center Email: slevesque@ewi.org Office: 614-688-5183 Mobile: 614-284-5426

  2. Nuclear Fabrication Consortium • Some information in this presentation was based upon research funded by the US Department of Energy through the Nuclear Fabrication Consortium (operated by EWI) • The Nuclear Fabrication Consortium (NFC) was established to independently develop fabrication approaches and data that support the re-establishment of a vibrant US nuclear industry

  3. Overview • Laser Welding • Process description (Laser and Hybrid Laser Technologies) • Potential applications • Cost benefit • Friction Stir Welding • Process description • Potential applications • Cost benefit • Cladding Technologies • Comparison of various technologies • Tandem GMAW (bonus)

  4. Laser Welding

  5. Laser Background • Solid-state laser technology is rapidly advancing • Output powers are continuously increasing • Price per kilowatt is dropping (~$750K for 20-kW) • Improved portability and electrical efficiency • Improved beam quality – fiber deliverable • Two laser technologies primarily responsible • Fiber Laser (IPG Photonics) • Disk Laser (Trumpf) • ROI for laser processing is becoming more attractive • Cost/watt, cycle time, penetration, distortion

  6. Advantages and Challenges • The main advantages of laser processing include: • High productivity • Low heat input • Minimal distortion • Some challenges include: • Critical joint preparation due to limited gap bridging • Increased capital cost compared to traditional arc-welding equipment 0.005-in. gap 0.010-in. gap 0.015-in. gap

  7. Laser Beam Laser-Induced Vapor Plume Shielding gas Liquid Weld Pool Laser Keyhole or Vapor Cavity Solidified Weld Metal General Terminology • Autogenous Laser Welding

  8. GMAW Torch Laser Beam General Terminology • Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding (Hybrid Welding) • The combination of two welding processes in the same weld pool • Most often GMAW and Laser Welding

  9. “Arc-Leading” HLAW “Laser-Leading” HLAW Hybrid Terminology • The HLAW process can be used in two orientations:

  10. Laser Tube Sheet Welding • High-level cost model built by EWI • Assumes 1 min. of arc time for GTAW and 2 sec. of laser time per tube • Varied process efficiency to evaluate the ROI

  11. Laser Tube Sheet Welding

  12. Containment Welding • Hybrid Laser-GMAW welding vs.Tandem GMAW vs. Submerged Arc Welding

  13. Productivity • For one weldment X long Includes setup time and weld time

  14. Cost Comparison Includes setup time/weld time (@$75/hr) and filler metal cost • For one weldment X long

  15. Combined Comparison Data 200-in

  16. Other Benefits • Peak Temperature Models showing reduction in heat input SAW HLAW GMAW-T

  17. Distortion and Residual Stress SAW Tandem HLAW

  18. Friction Stir Welding

  19. Friction Stir Welding • Invented by TWI in 1991 • Wayne Thomas • Solid-state joining process • No bulk melting of the substrate • Capable of joining • Aluminum, Magnesium, Copper, Steel, Titanium, Nickel, many more • Non-consumable tool rotates and traverses along a joint • Combination of frictional heating and strain causes dynamic recrystallization • Adiabatic heating • Creates a very fine grain microstructure • Low distortion • Excellent weld properties

  20. Friction Stir Welding Variables • Essential FSW variables • Vertical (Forge) force, Fz • RPM,  • Travel (Traverse) speed, Vf • Process forces • Travel (Traverse) force, Fx • Cross (Transverse) force, Fy • Vertical (Forge) force, Fz Ref: Arbegast, William J., "Week 2 Friction Stir Joining: Process Optimization." (2003).

  21. Friction Stir Welding Main Spindle Fixturing Local Clamp FSW Tool

  22. FSW Economics • FSW of Aluminum • 15% reduction in man-hour per ton rate in aluminum panel fabrication – Hydro Aluminum • Total fabrication savings of 10% in shipbuilding - Fjellstrand • 60% cost savings on Delta II and IV rockets – Boeing • 400% improvement in cycle time for fabricating 25mm thick plates – General Dynamics Land Systems • FSW of Steel Pipeline • Estimated cost savings • Onshore construction, 7% • Offshore construction (J-Lay), 25% • Kallee, S. W. (2010). Industrial Applications of Friction Stir Welding. In D. Lohwasser, & Z. Chen, Friction Stir Welding From Basics to • Applications (pp. 118-163). Boca Raton: CRC Press. • Kumar, A., Fairchild, D. P., Macia, M., Anderson, T. D., Jin, H. W., Ayer, R., . . . Mueller, R. R. (2011). Evaluation of Economic • Incentives and Weld Properties for Welding Steel Pipelines Using Friction Stir Welding.Proceedings of the Twenty-first (2011) • INternational Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (pp. 460-467). Maui: ISOPE.

  23. FSW of Steel Cost Model • Assumptions • Plain carbon steel • Simple butt joint configuration • Use of EWI DuraStir™ tools • Machine and fixturing purpose built for assumed application • Range of thicknesses • 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 19 mm • Broken down in terms of cost/meter based upon weld length achievable each month

  24. FSW Cost Summary

  25. Cladding

  26. Introduction • Many process options exist for weld cladding and hardfacing • A number of factors should be considered when selecting a process: • Desired deposition rate • Required dilution level • Welding position • Component size/geometry • Method of application • Manual/semi-automatic • Mechanized • Automated • Welder/operator skill • Alloy/material to be deposited • Equipment cost

  27. Available Processes for Surfacing Include • Thermal spray • Resistance cladding • Laser cladding • Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) • Plasma arc welding (PAW) • Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) • Submerged arc welding (SAW) • Single and multi-wire SAW • Submerged arc strip cladding • Electroslag strip cladding • Explosion welding

  28. Resistance Cladding • Uses Simple off the shelf sheet material and may use interlayers to make a fusion type weld between CRA and Pipe • Can make the clad weld in one pass • Uses sheet metal consumables which are much lower cost than wire consumables • Post weld surface finish should meet customer requirements • No dilution of base metal into CRA surface

  29. Resistance Cladding

  30. Current Cladding Techiques • Explosive Welding $$$$ • Requires post cladding longitudinal seam weld which impacts fatigue • Roll Bonding • Requires post clad longitudinal seam weld • GMAW / GTAW / SAW welding • Processing time intensive with inspectability issues • Liner Expansion (lowest cost) • Risk of liner buckling is concerning to customers during installation or dynamic lines

  31. Resistance Cladding • Cost comparison

  32. Tandem GMAW Bonus Material

  33. Deposition rate (lbs/hr) Why Use Tandem GMAW? • Improve Productivity and Quality • Increased deposition rates • Faster travel speeds • Maintain or improve overall weld quality, gap filling capability Image courtesy of Lincoln Electric

  34. Example • 5.25-in.-thick test joint • 0.5-in.wide groove • 2° included angle • Travel speed: 15 ipm • Heat input: 46 kJ/in. • Single bead per layer • 27 passes required to fill 4.5 in. • Fill height per pass ≈ 0.17 in. • Clean UT results

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