Soldagem similar de aços inoxidáveis ferríticos e austeníticos pelo processo “friction stir welding”

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the similar welding of several ferritic and austenitic stainless steels (AISI 304L, AISI 316L, AISI 410S and AISI 444) by the friction stir welding process (FSW), evaluating operational and metallurgical aspects to produce joints without defects. The FSW welding of four materials in this study was performed at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (Germany) due to the establishment of a cooperation agreement with the Universidade Federal do Ceará. The welding parameters range were based on papers found in literature, for the other kinds of stainless steel, different this study, changes the parameters were changed to determine an acceptable combination of surface finish, absence of cracks and good penetration. The better welding conditions based on surface finish and defects free for each welded steels were subjected to mechanical evaluation through tensile test, bending test and microhardness test. In the same way, for the better welded conditions, samples were extracted to metallographic preparation and evaluated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results from microscopy techniques allows the correlation between microstructure with the microhardness profiles, as well as the causes of low mechanical properties for same welds by the identification of defects in the stir zone such, as voids and lack of penetration. The ferritic stainless steels welds showed the best results in mechanical assessment due to grain refinement that occurred in the stir zone and thermomechanical affected zone. The calculation of equivalent heat input showed that for stainless steel AISI 304L and AISI 410S, higher values of heat input determine the highest incidences of chromium carbide precipitation and other possible deleterious phases in the stir zone, however DL-EPR technique and mechanical testing have shown that it is possible to weld the stainless steels by FSW process with excellent corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties.