The objective of this work was to develop a new method for establishing the coefficient of friction for the machining conditions found on the rake face of a cutting tool. Critical aspects include the high pressures and high temperatures in the cutting zone. Using the base of an existing High-load High Temperature tribometer an adaptation referred to as a double-sided pin was implemented. The objectives were two-fold to improve the repeatability of the measurements and reduce the setup time by simplifying the alignment problems experienced on the previously used system. The concept of the new setup is to press a double-end spherical pin made of the tool material between two flat surfaces made of workpiece material and rotating it using a string connected to a slider module. The normal load applied, the friction force needed to rotate the pin together with the temperature provided by a welder are then gathered and with the measurements of the imprints the coefficient of friction under specific loads can be established. This work also studied the impact on the tests of pin radius and roughness of the pin surface in order to stablish the measurement limitations and conditions for a successful test. Roughness of the pin had a significant impact on coefficient of friction results. Pins with roughness values around Ra = 0.5 demonstrated half the values of coefficient of friction than pins with Ra = 0.05. This was due the wear and the penetration of the pin into the workpiece sample material. The increase in pin dimensions facilitated testing on softer materials like AISI 1045. It was found to avoid seizure conditions but could not achieve pressures typical of machining difficult to cut materials like Ti-6Al-4V. The increase in pin size also helped in developing an understanding of how to measure the temperature at the contact zone between the pin and disk. Final testing showed a system repeatability of 8% was achieved with setup time reduced by approximately five times. / Thesis / Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

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Thesis (M. Tech. (Engineering: Mechanical)) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, / The Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) manufactures implants using Electro Optical Systems (EOS) titanium Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder (further referred to as EOS Ti64 powder) by means of Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process on the EOSINT M 270 machine. For this reason, there is a need to characterise and acquire knowledge of the basic properties of direct metal laser sintered EOS titanium Ti-6Al-4V alloy samples (further referred to as DMLS Ti64 samples) under static tensile loading in order to provide the CRPM with engineering design data. The first objective of this Master’s study is to acquire the characteristics of EOS Ti64 powder in order to ascertain its suitability in the DMLS process. Secondly, the study aims to assess tensile properties and elastic constants of DMLS Ti64 samples produced from the set process parameters of EOSINT M 270 machine. Thirdly, it is to investigate microstructures of DMLS Ti64 samples subjected to different heat treatment techniques which will eventually assist in the determination of a suitable heat treatment technique that will yield higher ductility. Finally, the study aims to validate the static behaviour of DMLS Ti64 samples subjected to the static tensile loading up to a yield point in order to determine failure due to yielding. The samples were manufactured at CRPM Bloemfontein. The metallographic examinations, heat treatment and the determination of mechanical properties were done at the CSIR in Pretoria. Optical Microscope (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to determine microstructures of DMLS Ti64 samples while Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analyses were performed using SEM. The samples were heat treated at temperatures of 700, 1000 and 1100°C respectively, and subsequently either cooled with the furnace, air or were water quenched. The mechanical property tests included tensile, hardness and determination of elastic constants. The static behaviour of DMLS Ti64 samples under static tensile load up to a yield point was predicted and verified using ABAQUSTM Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The stress-strain curves from ABAQUSTM were interpreted using MDSolid program. The point of interest was Von Mises yield stress at 0.2% offset, in order to determine failure due to yielding. EOS Ti64 powder particles were spherical in shape and the alpha and alpha+beta phases were identified. As-laser sintered samples possess a very fine and uniform alpha case with islands of martensitic plates; samples were brittle and showed low levels of ductility with an average elongation of 2.6% and an area reduction of 3.51%. Ultrasonic test results showed that DMLS Ti64 samples have Young’s modulus of 115 GPa, Shear modulus of 43 GP, a bulk modulus of 109 GPa and Poisson’s ratio of 0,323 while the density was 4.4 g/cm3. Slow cooling of DMLS Ti64 samples from 1000 and 1100oC resulted in a microstructure constituted more by the alpha phase of lower hardness than those from 700oC and as-laser sintered samples. High hardness was obtained by water quenching. The water quenched samples showed martensitic transformation and high hardness when compared to furnace cooled samples. Beta annealing tailored a microstructure of as-laser sintered samples into a lamellar structure with different lath sizes as per cooling rate. Beta annealing improved ductility levels up to 12.67% elongation for samples furnace cooled for 4 hours and even higher to 18.11% for samples furnace cooled for 34 hours, while area reduction increased to 25.94% and 33.39%, respectively. Beta annealing conversely reduced yield strength by 19.89% and ultimate tensile strength was reduced by 23.66%. The calculated maximum Von Mises stresses found were similar to the FEA interpreted results. The average percentage error, without the stress concentration factor, was approximately 8.29%; with the stress concentration factor included, it was 0.07%. The small reaction forces induced in both x-axis and z-axis contributed to this error of 0.07% between the calculations and ABAQUSTM FEA results. Samples that were not heat treated fell outside the Von Mises criterion and failed due to yielding. This justified the brittleness found in the tensile test results where elongation and area reduction were 2.6% and 3.51% respectively. However, all samples that were heat treated fell within the Von Mises criterion. The objectives of this study were achieved; the mechanical properties were similar to those of standard specification for wrought annealed Ti-6Al-4V alloy for surgical implant applications and EOS GmbH manufacturer’s material data sheet. DMLS Ti64 samples must be beta annealed in order to attain higher levels of ductility. A recommendation was made to further investigate the effect of heat treatment on the other mechanical properties. Furthermore, detailed results of basic properties of DMLS Ti64 samples are provided in the appendices in chart format and were written on a CD disc.

Millimeterstora och svårupptäckta defekter kan uppstå internt i stora och komplexa gjutgods av Ti-6Al-4V, ibland går dessa oupptäckta tills detaljen genomgått mekanisk bearbetning och en stor kostnad redan har gått in i den. Dessa defekter och andra industriella olyckshändelser leder till ett behov av additiva reparationsmetoder där den för tillfället rådande metoden är TIG-svetsning. Denna metod reparerar defekterna men leder till oacceptabla restspänningar vilka kan åtgärdas med värmebehandling som i sin tur kan orsaka ytdefekten alpha case. Därav finns ett industriellt behov av reparationsmetoder som leder till mindre eller negligerbara restspänningsnivåer i reparerad detalj. Detta arbete utfört hos GKN Aerospace – Engine Products Sweden i Trollhättan analyserar eventuella förhållanden mellan parametrarna Effekt, Spot size, och Svetshastighet och de resulterande restspänningarna i ett lågparameterområde på materialet Ti-6Al-4V. En parameterrymd uppspänd av 17 parameteruppsättningar etablerades, svetsades och analyserades med mikrografi. Ur denna rymd simulerades de 8 yttre parametrarna med hjälpa av Finita Elementmetoden i svetssimuleringsmjukvaran MARC och ett förhållande mellan ingående parametrar och resulterande restspänningar undersöktes. En statistiskt säkerställd trend erhölls för att en minskad Svetshastighet leder till minskade tvärspänningar i mitten på en 20mm lång svetssträng. Detta är applicerbart för svetsar nyttjande start och stopplåtar. Det noterades även att en ökning i Effekt eller Spot size, eller en minskning utav svetshastigheten leder till att det av restspänningar utsatta området ökar i storlek. Detta är har implikationer för efterföljande värmebehandling i avgörandet av form och storlek på området som skall värmebehandlas. / Minute defects may occur in large complex Ti-6Al-4V castings, sometimes these are unnoticed until after machining and a high cost has been sunk into the part. These defect and other potential manufacturing mishaps render a need for additive repair methods. The state of the art method TIG welding can repair the parts but may leave unacceptable residual stresses, where the state of the art solution of Post Weld Heat Treatment might create a surface defect known as alpha case. Therefore there is a need for a repair weld method that results in lesser or negligible residual stresses. This thesis, carried out at GKN Aerospace – Engine Products Sweden, Trollhättan analyses the potential relationships between the laser welding parameters Power, Spot size, and Weld speed and the resulting residual stresses in a low energy parameter area on the material Ti-6Al-4V. A parameter box of 17 parameter sets was established, laid down and analyzed under micrograph, of this box the outer 8 parameter sets were simulated via the Finite Element Analysis welding simulation software MARC and a relationship between the input parameters and their resulting residual stresses was analyzed. A statistically significant trend was found supporting the claim that a decrease in transversal stresses in the center of a 20mm weld line is caused by an increase in Weld speed. This has implications for welds using run-on & run-of plates. It was also noted that an increase in Power or Spot size, or a decrease in Weld speed increases the area under residual stress; both as individual parameters and in synergy. This has implications for Post Weld Heat Treatment in determining the size and shape of the area in need of treatment.

The alloys of Ti are extensively used in a number of industries with the α+β alloy Ti-6Al-4V (referred to as Ti64 hereafter) being the most popular. Recently, it was demonstrated that the addition of a small amount of B – as small as 0.04 wt.% – results in an order-of-magnitude reduction in the as-cast grain size. Consequently, there is considerable current interest in understanding the mechanical behaviour of B-modified alloys, with particular emphasis on correlating the microstructural changes with the property variations and the deleterious effects – if any – of TiB particles especially in the context of fatigue. Prior studies have indicated that the addition of 0.1 wt.% B to Ti64 yields the most optimum combination of room temperature properties. The research reported in the current thesis builds further on it, with the objective of exploring the utility of Ti64-B alloys in the engineering applications context. Towards this end, mechanical behaviour of cast and wrought Ti64-B alloys at cryogenic and high temperatures, the possible effect of hydrogenation on the tensile properties, and strain-controlled low cycle fatigue was experimentally evaluated as detailed below. While extensive work is reported on as-cast alloys, the mechanical properties of wrought alloys have not been examined hitherto. Keeping this in view, room temperature tensile and fatigue properties of wrought Ti64-B alloys were investigated. Microstructures of wrought alloys show kinking of the  lamellae and alignment of TiB particles along the flow direction. Marginal enhancement in tensile and fatigue properties upon forging is noted. Decrease in fatigue strength of wrought Ti64-0.04B is observed due to increase in volume fraction of the grain boundary α phase with B addition, which acts as a crack nucleation site. No significant effect of TiB particles on tensile and fatigue properties is observed. Next, strain-controlled fatigue behaviour was investigated. Results show significant softening when the strain amplitudes, ΔεT/2, are ≥0.75%. B addition was found to improve the fatigue life for ΔεT/2 ≤ 0.75% as it corresponds to the elastic regime and hence strength dominated. At ΔεT/2 = 1%, in contrast, the base alloy exhibits higher life as TiB particle cracking due to strain incompatibility renders easy crack nucleation in the B-modified alloys. To examined whether the addition of B to Ti64 is beneficial in enhancing its high temperature mechanical behavior, tensile and creep tests are carried out in the temperature range of 475-550 °C. Experimental results show that the B addition enhances both elevated temperature strength and creep properties of Ti64, especially at the lower end of the temperatures investigated. The steady state creep rate in the B-modified alloys were lower than that in the base alloy, and both the strain at failure as well as the time for rupture increases with the B content. These marked improvements in the creep resistance due to B addition to Ti64 were attributed primarily to the increased number of inter-phase interfaces – a direct consequence of the microstructural refinement that occurs with the B addition – that provide resistance to dislocation motion. Titanium alloys are widely used in various ambient and high temperature applications. However, in some instances these alloys are exposed to hydrogen and low operating temperature environments. Ti64 alloy shows poor ductility in hydrogen and cryogenic environments. Whether the microstructural refinement that occurs with the B addition also improves its relative mechanical performance in such environments is examined. For this purpose, alloys were H charged at 500 and 700 °C for up to 4 h. Microstructures and room temperature tensile properties of the resulting alloys have been evaluated. Experimental results show that charging at 700 °C for 2 h leads to the formation of titanium hydride in the microstructure, which in turn causes severe embrittlement. For shorter durations of charging, a marginal increase in strength was noted, which is attributed to the solid solution strengthening by hydrogen. The mechanical performance of the B modified alloys was found to be relatively better, implying that B addition is beneficial in applications that involve H environment. Finally, the utility of B-modified Ti64 for cryogenic applications is examined through notched and unnotched tensile tests at 77 and 20 K. While the addition of B up to 0.3 wt.% increases the strength at both 77 and 20 K. However, the ductility of the alloys decreases drastically with decrease in temperature. The tensile stress-strain responses of Ti64-B alloys exhibit serrations beyond yielding at 20 K. The extent of serrations were found to be maximum in coarse grained B-free Ti64 alloy, while only one serration could be identified in B-containing alloys. Activation of deformation twinning at 20 K results in the formation of serrations. Three twinning modes were identified in coarse grained B-free Ti64 alloy- {10 ̅2}, {11 ̅1} and {5 ̅1 ̅} while only{10 ̅2}twinning mode was activated in B-containing alloys. Extensive deformation through twinning results in higher ductility of B-free Ti64 alloy at 20 K in comparison to B containing alloys.

Laser cladding is a more recent approach to repair of aviation components within a damage tolerant framework, with its ability to restore not simply the geometric shape but the static and fatigue strength as well. This research analysed the fatigue performance of Ti-6Al-4V that has undergone a laser clad repair, comparing baseline specimens with laser clad repaired, and repaired and heat treated specimens. First an understanding of the microstructure was achieved by use of BSE imagery of the substrate, clad repaired region and post heat treated regions. The substrate of the material was identified with large grains which compared to a repaired clad region with a much finer grain structure that did not change with heat treatment. Next, performance of the specimens under tensile fatigue loading was conducted, with the clad specimens experiencing unexpectedly high fatigue performance when compared to baseline samples; the post heat treated specimen lasting significantly longer than all other specimens. It is theorised that the clad may have contributed to an increase in fatigue resilience due to its fine microstructure, when compared to the softer, more coarse substrate. The heat treatment is likely to have relaxed any residual stresses in the specimens leading to a reduction in any potential undesirable stresses, without impacting the microstructure. Residual stress analysis using EDD was unproductive due to the unexpected coarse microstructure and did not provide meaningful results. Fractography using the marker-band technique was explored with some success, proving a feesable method for measuring fatigue crack growth through a specimen post failure. Unfortunately fatigue crack growth throughout the entire fatigue life was not possible due to the tortuous fracture surface and potentially due to the fine micro-structure of the clad, resulting in interrupted marker-band formation. Future research shall expand on this work with a greater focus on residual stress analysis and its impact on fatigue.

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