Profiling stainless steel welding processes to reduce fume emissions, hexavalent chromium emissions and operating costs in the workplace

Nine gas metal arc welding (GMAW) processes for stainless steel were assessed for fume generation rates, fume generation rates per g of electrode consumed, and emission rates for hexavalent chromium (Cr(6+)). Elemental manganese, nickel, chromium, iron emissions per unit length of weld, and labor plus consumables costs were similarly measured. Flux-cored arc welding and shielded metal arc (SMAW) processes were also studied. The objective was to identify the best welding processes for reducing workplace exposures, and estimate costs for all processes. Using a conical chamber, fumes were collected, weighed, recovered, and analyzed by inductively coupled atomic emission spectroscopy for metals, and by ion chromatography for Cr(6+). GMAW processes used were Surface Tension Transfer, Regulated Metal Deposition, Cold Metal Transfer, short-circuit, axial spray, and pulsed spray modes. Flux-cored welding used gas shielding; SMAW used E308 rods. Costs were estimated as dollars per m length of a ¼ in (6.3 mm) thick horizontal butt weld; equipment costs were estimated as ratios of new equipment costs to a 250 ampere capacity SMAW welding machine. Results indicate a broad range of fume emission factors for the processes studied. Fume emission rates per g of electrode were lowest for GMAW processes such as pulsed-spray mode (0.2 mg/g), and highest for SMAW (8 mg fume/g electrode). Emission rates of Cr(6+) ranged from 50-7800 µg/min, and Cr(6+) generation rates per g electrode ranged from 1-270 µg/g. Elemental Cr generation rates spanned 13-330 µg/g. Manganese emission rates ranged from 50-300 µg/g. Nickel emission rates ranged from 4-140 µg/g. Labor and consumables costs ranged from $3.15 (GMAW pulsed spray) to $7.40 (SMAW) per meter of finished weld, and were measured or estimated for all 11 processes tested. Equipment costs for some processes may be as much as five times the cost of a typical SMAW welding machine. The results show that all of the GMAW processes in this study can substantially reduce fume, Cr(6+), manganese and costs relative to SMAW, the most commonly used welding process, and several have exceptional capabilities for reducing emissions.

Hazard of ultraviolet radiation emitted in gas tungsten arc welding of aluminum alloys

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) emitted during arc welding frequently causes keratoconjunctivitis and erythema. The extent of the hazard of UVR varies depending on the welding method and conditions. Therefore, it is important to identify the levels of UVR that are present under various conditions. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the hazard of UVR emitted in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) of aluminum alloys. The degree of hazard of UVR is measured by the effective irradiance defined in the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists guidelines. The effective irradiances measured in this study are in the range 0.10-0.91 mW/cm(2) at a distance of 500 mm from the welding arc. The maximum allowable exposure times corresponding to these levels are only 3.3-33 s/day. This demonstrates that unprotected exposure to UVR emitted by GTAW of aluminum alloys is quite hazardous in practice. In addition, we found the following properties of the hazard of UVR. (1) It is more hazardous at higher welding currents than at lower welding currents. (2) It is more hazardous when magnesium is included in the welding materials than when it is not. (3) The hazard depends on the direction of emission from the arc.

Direct welding of glass and metal by 1 kHz femtosecond laser pulses

In the welding process between similar or dissimilar materials, inserting an intermediate layer and pressure assistance are usually thought to be necessary. In this paper, the direct welding between alumina-silicate glass and metal (aluminum, copper, and steel), under exposure from 1 kHz femtosecond laser pulses without any auxiliary processes, is demonstrated. The micron/nanometer-sized metal particles induced by laser ablation were considered to act as the adhesive in the welding process. The welding parameters were optimized by varying the pulse energy and the translation velocity of the sample. The shear joining strength characterized by a shear force testing equipment was as high as 2.34 MPa. This direct bonding technology has potential for applications in medical devices, sensors, and photovoltaic devices.

Ultrasonic welding for fast bonding of self-aligned structures in lab-on-a-chip systems

Ultrasonic welding is a rapid, promising bonding method for the bonding of polymer chips; yet its use is still limited. We present two lab-on-a-chip applications where ultrasonic welding can be preferably applied: (1) self-aligned gapless bonding of a two-part chip with a tolerance of 50 μm; (2) bonding of a large area shallow chamber (1.8 cm(2) × 150 μm). Using injection moulding combined with ultrasonic welding we achieved a total production and bonding time of 60 s per chip, and a batch of chips could be produced within a day going from design to finished chips. We believe that the technical solutions offered here can significantly help bridge the gap between academia and industry, where the differences in production methods and materials pose a challenge when transferring technology.

Automatic laser welding and milling with in situ inline coherent imaging

Although new affordable high-power laser technologies enable many processing applications in science and industry, depth control remains a serious technical challenge. In this Letter we show that inline coherent imaging (ICI), with line rates up to 312 kHz and microsecond-duration capture times, is capable of directly measuring laser penetration depth, in a process as violent as kW-class keyhole welding. We exploit ICI's high speed, high dynamic range, and robustness to interference from other optical sources to achieve automatic, adaptive control of laser welding, as well as ablation, achieving 3D micron-scale sculpting in vastly different heterogeneous biological materials.

Vibration characteristics of aluminum surface subjected to ultrasonic waves and their effect on wetting behavior of solder droplets

The vibration characteristics of an aluminum surface subjected to ultrasonic waves were investigated with a combination of numerical simulation and experimental testing. The wetting behavior of solder droplets on the vibrating aluminum surface was also examined. The results show that the vibration pattern of the aluminum surface is inhomogeneous. The amplitude of the aluminum surface exceeds the excitation amplitude in some zones, while the amplitude decreases nearly to zero in other zones. The distribution of the zero-amplitude zones is much less dependent on the strength of the vibration than on the location of the vibration source. The surface of the liquid solder vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency that is higher than the vibration source, and the amplitude of the liquid solder is almost twice that of the aluminum surface. The vibration of the surface of the base metal (liquid solder) correlates with the oxide film removal effect. Significant removal of the oxide film can be achieved within 2s when the amplitude of the aluminum surface is higher than 5.4 μm or when the amplitude of the liquid solder surface is higher than 10.2 μm.

Arc fusion splicing effects in large-mode-area single-mode ytterbium-doped fibers

For the first time the effects of arc fusion splicing on the residual stress and refractive index of large-mode-area single-mode ytterbium-doped fibers (YDFs) are investigated using a state-of-the-art three-dimensional concurrent stress-index measurement method. The results, based on a commercially available fiber, describe a host of perturbations that decrease the core/cladding refractive index difference by as much as 1.74 × 10(-3) over an axial length of many hundreds of wavelengths. Simulations indicate that these perturbations result in an expansion of the mode-field-diameter by 39.6% and, based on the measured sample, result in an extra splice loss of 20.8%. The results of this investigation will be useful in the design and optimization of high-power all-fiber YDF lasers and amplifiers.

Crack-free conditions in welding of glass by ultrashort laser pulse

The spatial distribution of the laser energy absorbed by nonlinear absorption process in bulk glass w(z) is determined and thermal cycles due to the successive ultrashort laser pulse (USLP) is simulated using w(z) based on the transient thermal conduction model. The thermal stress produced in internal melting of bulk glass by USLP is qualitatively analyzed based on a simple thermal stress model, and crack-free conditions are studied in glass having large coefficient of thermal expansion. In heating process, cracks are prevented when the laser pulse impinges into glass with temperatures higher than the softening temperature of glass. In cooling process, shrinkage stress is suppressed to prevent cracks, because the embedded molten pool produced by nonlinear absorption process behaves like an elastic body under the compressive stress field unlike the case of CW-laser welding where the molten pool having a free surface produced by linear absorption process is plastically deformed under the compressive stress field.

Laser welding of ruptured intestinal tissue using plasmonic polypeptide nanocomposite solders

Approximately 1.5 million people suffer from colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease in the United States. Occurrence of leakage following standard surgical anastomosis in intestinal and colorectal surgery is common and can cause infection leading to life-threatening consequences. In this report, we demonstrate that plasmonic nanocomposites, generated from elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) cross-linked with gold nanorods, can be used to weld ruptured intestinal tissue upon exposure to near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Mechanical properties of these nanocomposites can be modulated based on the concentration of gold nanorods embedded within the ELP matrix. We employed photostable, NIR-absorbing cellularized and noncellularized GNR-ELP nanocomposites for ex vivo laser welding of ruptured porcine small intestines. Laser welding using the nanocomposites significantly enhanced the tensile strength, leakage pressure, and bursting pressure of ruptured intestinal tissue. This, in turn, provided a liquid-tight seal against leakage of luminal liquid from the intestine and resulting bacterial infection. This study demonstrates the utility of laser tissue welding using plasmonic polypeptide nanocomposites and indicates the translational potential of these materials in intestinal and colorectal repair.

[An experimental study of the coagulating properties of a laser beam applied to fix titanium prostheses of auditory ossicles with the use of platelet-rich plasma]

The displacement of prostheses of auditory ossicles at the concluding stage of surgery and in the early postoperative period is one of the factors influencing the functional outcome of stapedoplasty. The objective of the present experimental study was to estimate the effectiveness of the use of platelet-rich plasma as an alloy for the laser welding in order to improve fixation of titanium prostheses employed in ossiculoplastic surgery. The results of a series of experiments undertaken to assess the possibility of stabilization of titanium prostheses in the desired position with the help of laser welding indicate that this technique with the use of platelet-rich plasma as an alloy may be a reliable method for the fixation of the reconstructed chain of ossicles in the desired position.

[The application of laser beam welding of biological tissues for the purpose of ossiculoplasty]

The objective of the present work was to estimate the functional outcome of ossiculoplasty in the patients presenting with chronic suppurative otitis media and treated by means of laser beam welding of biological tissues. In order to obtain a good functional result of tympanoplasty including ossiculoplasty, it is necessary to conserve the elements of the sound-conducting system in the positions to which they were set during surgery. We reached this goal by fixing individual elements of the chain of the auditory ossicles by means of the laser beam welding of biological tissues with the use of platelet-rich plasma as a solder alloy. The audiometric examination of the patients within 1, 3, and 12 months after surgery showed that this technique improves the functional outcome of the treatment of the patients with chronic suppurative otitis media using prostheses for the substitution of the auditory ossicles.

Characterization and mechanism of glass microwelding by double-pulse ultrafast laser irradiation

We investigated the physical mechanism of high-efficiency glass microwelding by double-pulse ultrafast laser irradiation by measuring the dependences of the size of the heat-affected zone and the bonding strength on the delay time between the two pulses for delay time up to 80 ns. The size of the heat-affected zone increases rapidly when the delay time is increased from 0 to 12.5 ps. It then decreases dramatically when the delay time is further increased to 30 ps. It has a small peak around 100 ps. For delay time up to 40 ns, the size of the heat-affected zone exceeds that for a delay time of 0 ps, whereas for delay time over 60 ps, it becomes smaller than that for a delay time of 0 ps. The bonding strength exhibits the same tendency. The underlying physical mechanism is discussed in terms of initial electron excitation by the first pulse and subsequent excitation by the second pulse: specifically, the first pulse induces multiphoton ionization or tunneling ionization, while the second pulse induces electron heating or avalanche ionization or the second pulse is absorbed by the localized state. Transient absorption of glass induced by the ultrafast laser pulse was analyzed by an ultrafast pump-probe technique. We found that the optimum pulse energy ratio is unity. These results provide new insights into high-efficiency ultrafast laser microwelding of glass and suggest new possibilities for further development of other ultrafast laser processing techniques.

Lithium-assisted electrochemical welding in silicon nanowire battery electrodes

From in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, we present direct evidence of lithium-assisted welding between physically contacted silicon nanowires (SiNWs) induced by electrochemical lithiation and delithiation. This electrochemical weld between two SiNWs demonstrates facile transport of lithium ions and electrons across the interface. From our in situ observations, we estimate the shear strength of the welded region after delithiation to be approximately 200 MPa, indicating that a strong bond is formed at the junction of two SiNWs. This welding phenomenon could help address the issue of capacity fade in nanostructured silicon battery electrodes, which is typically caused by fracture and detachment of active materials from the current collector. The process could provide for more robust battery performance either through self-healing of fractured components that remain in contact or through the formation of a multiconnected network architecture.

Effect of welding parameters of the Nd:YAG laser on the penetration depth of cobalt chromium alloys

The aim of the investigation was to study the effect of the laser welding parameters of energy and spot diameter on the penetration depth of the weld of cast Co-Cr alloy when a single weld was performed. Within the limitations of the study as voltage increased and the spot diameter decreased, penetration depth increased. However, SEM investigation showed more defects in the welded area under these circumstances. The clinical significance is that during selection of the welding parameters the thickness of the components to be welded should be considered to achieve an extended welded area without the induction of micro-structural defects.

Determination of airborne nanoparticles from welding operations

The aim of this study is to assess the levels of airborne ultrafine particles emitted in welding processes (tungsten inert gas [TIG], metal active gas [MAG] of carbon steel, and friction stir welding [FSW] of aluminum) in terms of deposited area in pulmonary alveolar tract using a nanoparticle surface area monitor (NSAM) analyzer. The obtained results showed the dependence of process parameters on emitted ultrafine particles and demonstrated the presence of ultrafine particles compared to background levels. Data indicated that the process that resulted in the lowest levels of alveolar deposited surface area (ADSA) was FSW, followed by TIG and MAG. However, all tested processes resulted in significant concentrations of ultrafine particles being deposited in humans lungs of exposed workers.

Impact of different welding techniques on biological effect markers in exhaled breath condensate of 58 mild steel welders

Total mass and composition of welding fumes are predominantly dependent on the welding technique and welding wire applied. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of welding techniques on biological effect markers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of 58 healthy welders. The welding techniques applied were gas metal arc welding with solid wire (GMAW) (n=29) or flux cored wire (FCAW) (n=29). Welding fume particles were collected with personal samplers in the breathing zone inside the helmets. Levels of leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), and 8-isoprostane (8-iso-PGF(2α)) were measured with immunoassay kits and the EBC pH was measured after deaeration. Significantly higher 8-iso-PGF(2α) concentrations and a less acid pH were detected in EBC of welders using the FCAW than in EBC of welders using the GMAW technique. The lowest LTB(4) concentrations were measured in nonsmoking welders applying a solid wire. No significant influences were found in EBC concentrations of PGE(2) based upon smoking status or type of welding technique. This study suggests an enhanced irritative effect in the lower airways of mild steel welders due to the application of FCAW compared to GMAW, most likely associated with a higher emission of welding fumes.

Interfacial reaction of intermetallic compounds of ultrasonic-assisted brazed joints between dissimilar alloys of Ti6Al4V and Al4Cu1Mg

Ultrasonic-assisted brazing of Al4Cu1Mg and Ti6Al4V using Zn-based filler metal (without and with Si) has been investigated. Before brazing, the Ti6Al4V samples were pre-treated by hot-dip aluminizing and ultrasonic dipping in a molten filler metal bath in order to control the formation of intermetallic compounds between the Ti6Al4V samples and the filler metal. The results show that the TiAl(3) phase was formed in the interface between the Ti6Al4V substrate and the aluminized coating. For the Zn-based filler metal without Si, the Ti6Al4V interfacial area of the brazed joint did not change under the effect of the ultrasonic wave, and only consisted of the TiAl(3) phase. For the Zn-based filler metal with Si, the TiAl(3) phase disappeared and a Ti(7)Al(5)Si(12) phase was formed at the interfacial area of the brazed joints under the effect of the ultrasonic wave. Due to the TiAl(3) phase completely changing to a Ti(7)Al(5)Si(12) phase, the morphology of the intermetallic compounds changed from a block-like shape into a lamellar-like structure. The highest shear strength of 138MPa was obtained from the brazed joint free of the block-like TiAl(3) phase.

[New welding processes and health effects of welding]

This paper describes some of the recent developments in the control technology to enhance capability of Pulse Gas Metal Arc Welding. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) processing has been also considered. FSW is a new solid-state joining technique. Heat generated by friction at the rotating tool softens the material being welded. FSW can be considered a green and energy-efficient technique without deleterious fumes, gas, radiation, and noise. Application of new welding processes is limited and studies on health effects in exposed workers are lacking. Acute and chronic health effects of conventional welding have been described. Metal fume fever and cross-shift decline of lung function are the main acute respiratory effects. Skin and eyes may be affected by heat, electricity and UV radiations. Chronic effects on respiratory system include chronic bronchitis, a benign pneumoconiosis (siderosis), asthma, and a possible increase in the incidence of lung cancer. Pulmonary infections are increased in terms of severity, duration, and frequency among welders.

Estimation and control of droplet size and frequency in projected spray mode of a gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process

New estimators are designed based on the modified force balance model to estimate the detaching droplet size, detached droplet size, and mean value of droplet detachment frequency in a gas metal arc welding process. The proper droplet size for the process to be in the projected spray transfer mode is determined based on the modified force balance model and the designed estimators. Finally, the droplet size and the melting rate are controlled using two proportional-integral (PI) controllers to achieve high weld quality by retaining the transfer mode and generating appropriate signals as inputs of the weld geometry control loop.

The fatigue life of a cobalt-chromium alloy after laser welding

The aim of this study was to investigate the fatigue life of laser welded joints in a commercially available cast cobalt-chromium alloy. Twenty rod shaped specimens (40 mm x 1.5 mm) were cast and sand blasted. Ten specimens were used as controls and the remaining ten were sectioned and repaired using a pulsed Nd: YAG laser welder. All specimens were subjected to fatigue testing (30N - 2Hz) in a controlled environment. A statistically significant difference in median fatigue life was found between as-cast and laser welded specimens (p < 0.001). Consequently, the technique may not be appropriate for repairing cobalt chromium clasps on removable partial dentures. Scanning electron microscopy indicated the presence of cracks, pores and constriction of the outer surface in the welded specimens despite 70% penetration of the weld.

[Effectiveness of adjustment of bar constructions on implants by hydrogen and laser welding, metal soldering and electroerosive processing]

Marginal fit of bar constructions on dental implants was revealed. It's investigated success of correction with soldering, laser welding, "cast to" method and spark erosion.

Impact of two CO(2) laser heatings for damage repairing on fused silica surface

CO(2) laser is an interesting tool to repair defects on silica optics. We studied UV nanosecond laser-induced damage in fused silica after CO(2) laser heating. The localization of damage sites and the laser damage threshold are closely related to stress area in silica induced by heating. By applying a suitable second laser heating, we managed to eliminate the debris issued from redeposited silica and to modify the stress area. As a consequence, a significant increase of laser resistance has been observed. This process offers the possibility to improve damage repairing sufficiently to extend the lifetime of the silica components.