PAPER REVIEW

LASER BUTT WELDING OF TITANIUM AND

STAINLESS STEEL

SUBMITTED BY: Zaryan Ijaz

SUBMITTED TO: Dr. Mushtaq

In this paper laser butt welding, between titanium and stainless steel, an
important industrial application, is discussed. The process can be
achieved through various methods, but the different configurations and
formation of IMCs (Inter Metallic Compounds) make the laser welding
process a viable one.
The laser butt welding of Ti and SS is aided with the use of Copper as filler
material, as it increases metallurgical reaction and reduces residual stress,
but this paper discusses welding without the use of filler as it is more
convenient to weld without a filler and it will better help us understand the
failure characteristics of the weld.
The paper focussed on studying the effect of offsetting of the laser beam
towards a particular element of the weld. Welding was done at five
different offset positions of 0, 0.3mm, 0.6mm, -0.3mm and -0.6mm. The
minus sign representing offsetting towards titanium. The products due to
offset of 0 and -0.3mm were complete brittle failures. Offsets of 0.3mm,
0.6mm and -0.6mm showed better qualities. Titanium having major
components as aluminium, vanadium was welded with Stainless Steel
having major components as Nickel and Chromium.
The layers produced with positive offsets had a uniform thickness and
displayed better mechanical qualities whereas the thickness of the layers
was irregular for the negative offset. Also the layers had irregular
thickness with negative offsets. As much as four different layers were
identified, I and II for positive offset, and I, II, III and IV for the negative
offsets. The -0.6mm weld did not have a uniform thickness and showed
three different regions with the upper portion showing welding. All layers
contained a mixture of IMCs like Fe-Ti, Fe2Ti and Ti5Fe17Cr5 and their
interfaces.
The failure test procedures were implemented on the various offsets. The
positive offsets had a uniform layer thickness and their fracture surface
was rough. The negative offsets had a smooth fracture surface, resulting
in a lower crack propagation energy, and thus a lower mechanical
strength. Fe-Ti, Ti and Fe2Ti were found in all fracture surfaces and thus
showed that fractures occurred at the different layer interfaces.
The better mechanical propertied of the positive offset was attributed to
the better thermal conductivity of Stainless Steel as compared to titanium,
thus resulting in a lower temperature gradient and uniform thickness of
IMCs.
Thus it was proved that for better weld ability the laser beam should be
offset towards the Stainless Steel side.

ERRORS:

Throughout the paper FeAl has been used for the Layer 1 IMC which
should be FeTi, as clearly shown in the ternary phase diagram.
On page six of the report the author clearly should write the laser
beam offsetting towards SS should reduce liquid state mixing as
compared to offsetting towards the titanium side.