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THERMAL TREATMENT
J.S Hornsey B.Sc (Mech Eng), SAIW, SAIMech.Eng, CGLI (Dist Weld) CGLI (Dist Metallurgy)
VSR(Africa)cc December 2004
ABSTRACT
In an introductory review, the techniques and equipment for vibratory stress relieving are
described and applications exemplified with case histories. It has been proven that the
process gives stabilisation results comparable with and in many cases exceeding those
obtained with thermal treatment, whilst being quicker, cheaper, more versatile as the
equipment is completely portable and the technique offers many advantages when machined
parts or heavy fabrications are involved.
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budgets were treated in fatigue test machines at There are various VSR systems, some effective
fixed frequencies and amplitudes. some less so. The only common denominator
Recent testing (Oct 2003) in conjunction with The being that the component to be treated is placed
Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, upon rubber isolators and subjected to a cyclic
again due to budget restraints used a simple force. Recent research has identified the
welded specimen two plates 150mm x 150mm x successful and not so successful processes.
25mm thick, butt welded together. This is The three main VSR approaches are resonant (R-
certainly not a good example of actual VSR), modal sub-resonant (SB-VSR) and sub
components owing to perfect welding conditions harmonic (SH-VSR).
with the welding carried out by personnel from The British “VCM series” is the only equipment
The South African Institute of Welding and range that is specifically designed for R-VSR. It
consequently very low inductions of stress. The has superior frequency/force ranges and a
results obtained showed strain redistribution of remarkable tolerance to high “g” forces. The
up to 90% and a reduction in stress of 42% formula 62 and Fouriermatic systems claim to be
In some tests fixed foundry knock-out shakers successful for resonant VSR but research
and de-burring barrels have been used and the mentioned below cast’s doubts on their
work audaciously claimed to relate to vibratory effectiveness – possibly because of poor
stress relieving! There are obvious reasons why frequency range, “g” tolerance etc. Practice
most of these low budget methods did not seems to support this.
succeed in producing the desired result.
Recent tests carried out amongst others by the RESONANT VSR
University of Strathclyde and the Department of This has evolved over a 40-year period. For the
Trade and Industry has redressed some of the VCM series mid 1997 saw major research-led
inadequacies of the older test methods, a list of changes in both approach and equipment
papers and tests will be included in the specification. In well defined areas of application.
bibliography at the end of this paper. R-VSR is now 100% successful in its main
EQUIPMENT objective stress relief-component stabilisation.
Although any equipment can satisfy the “easy to The treatment of components from less than 1kg
treat / little need” category, only the best to in excess of 100 ton is commonplace.
equipment with optimum force / frequency Procedures stipulate a progression up the peaks
characteristics and maximum “g” tolerance to resonance, consisting of a pause at the foot to
successfully treats the most challenging end of allow any critically high stresses to diminish, prior
the range. As examples and research show, it is a to treating at the mid height region and then a
range that spans the entire materials and short defined number of cycles at the actual
engineering spectra. Gone are the days when peak. As long as the mean stress is allowed to
heat treatment contractors took an adversial float the resulting cyclic imposed, strains
attitude to vibratory stress relieving. Some have progressively add to the residual strains in the
purchased their own VSR equipment; and many
others use an on-site service. As well as enabling
them to treat parts hitherto too large for their
furnace, vibratory stress relieving opens up
completely new areas of business. However, for
coded components such as pipework and
pressure vessels etc. thermal stress relief must
be used as only this gives the required
metallurgical benefits. There have been many
requests to include vibratory stress relieving into
the various codes but the reluctance to do so is
still dominant in the industry
Stability is the main requirement for which
vibratory stress relieving is applied. When VSR is
used stability more than matches that of thermal
stress relieving. Stability can be improved by re-
material to cause stress reduction and
applying VSR to components in near finished
distribution as with TSR. For the most uniform
condition thus saving components that might
stress relief and stability, as many as the natural
otherwise have been scrapped. Vibratory stress
frequencies as possible are reached. The greater
relieving does not reduce rigidity or affect
the equipment’s range and the more complex the
material properties or fatigue life.
loading pattern then the better the treatment.
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Research and over 40 years of application have cycles, considerable stress relief occurs with no
shown that there is no damage due to high reduction in fatigue life.
resonance. This is because critically high-imposed Practice supports this. The time for treatment
stresses are impossible to achieve as damping varies from equipment to equipment.
increases dramatically with high cyclic strain. Strain measurements have indicated that modal
R-VSR is normally applied before machining, SR-VSR is most effective against high tensile
ideally though it should be applied after rough stresses, whereas R-VSR works well either on
machining as it then also reduces machining both high tensile and high compressive stresses.
stresses. Application before final grinding For stability after machining and in service, both
achieves even closer tolerances. Treatment at tensile and compressive stress peaks must be
this or the finished stage eliminates micro lowered if they are approaching yield value. After
movement occurring between leaving the all, stability is the main requirement for which R-
customer or in service. The most accurate and VSR or modal SR-VSR is applied.
stable components are R-VSR treated. In general, When resonance is used, stability more than
even using old style R-VSR, where suitable matches that of thermal stress relief, as it can be
components have been excited at one or more re-applied near finished machine size.
resonant frequencies, the results have been It is best carried out with the equipment used for
stress reductions of 30% or more depending R-VSR processing because of its superior
mainly on the equipment used. Meanwhile an AC frequency range.
vibrator system with a ‘g’ tolerance of over 80g VCM 90/905 machines which have twice the
can obviously be expected to be the most range of any other equipment.
efficient means of stress relief Strachen showed
an 80% reduction with mild steel welded SUB-HARMONIC VSR (MetaLax)
specimens and a 60% reduction in stainless steel If neither of the above conditions are met (due to
welded pieces. Zveginceva found over a 40% resonant responses being way beyond the range
decrease and Zubchenko showed a 73% of the equipment), conventional wisdom indicates
reduction with large mild steel welded bedplates. that no stress relief is possible. This seems to be
Treatment at a succession of modes, each having the domain of sub-harmonic VSR. Treatment is
a different strain pattern was shown by Polnov to said to take place at the foot of a minute sub-
cause substantial reduction and redistribution of harmonic of a true resonant peak. Sales literature
stresses. At the limit 1% stress relief makes the states that the process depends on energy
difference between instability and stability. absorption being at a maximum near the foot of a
With the advent of the 5-220Hz range of VSR sub-harmonic peak. Because exciter force
machines, Jesensky Bonthuys Ohol and increases with the square of the speed one might
Sagalevich have shown reductions of 40-80% logically expect the highest sub-harmonic peak to
using resonant frequencies. The higher be the most effective for treatment, however the
percentage figure will not be achieved if the manufacturers, actually advocate treatment at a
researchers did not invoke the cyclic properties of low one. This possibly indicates that their
the material. Much is to be learned from the equipment has poor ‘g’ tolerance. The
excellent research by Walker, Waddell & mechanism by which SH-VSR is said to work has
Johnstone . no connection with either R-VSR or modal SR-
Manufactures of vibrating plant use R-VSR for VSR.
stress relief and fitness for purpose testing and The diagram used to promote the process and its
thereby extend warranties on screen, deck mechanism appears unconvincing if drawn to
support frames, moulds etc. scale. SH-VSR claims to vibrate the atoms and
move them relative to one another in the
MODAL SUB-RESONANT VSR strained crystal lattice of the material. This
If when attempting R-VSR, only the base of the seems farcical, as the energy used is so low that
peak is achievable (due to the peak being just out the vibration usually cannot be either felt or
of range). Treatment would be classed as modal heard.
sub-resonant VSR i.e. the mode shape would be
evident, but the peak not achievable. Optimum RESEARCH
results are obtained if up to 10 times the number Researchers have investigated aspects of VSR for
of cycles required for R-VSR are applied in over 40 years. Some were legitimately exploring
inverse proportion to the magnitude of the cyclic its boundaries but others have toyed with test-
response. pieces and procedures not remotely connected
Where only modal sub-resonant treatment is with VSR resulting in some misconceptions. All
possible Waddell has proved that, given sufficient the research reported below was conducted with
actual VSR equipment, assisted by the equipment
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manufactures or their direct agents. Whereas Fan Impellors and Rotating Equipment:
historically research projects in the mid/late Vibratory Stress Relieving is used to stabilise fans
nineties have consistently disproved the and impellors ranging in size from 800mm
effectiveness of American dc resonant, non- diameter x 100mm to 2m diameter x 900mm in
resonant and sub harmonic equipment. A 2-year fabricated mild steel and stainless steel.
Dutch/German EU project tested two dc types of Sometimes these are repaired components, and
equipment – SRE Co, Formula 62 and VSR Eng sometimes replacements. After fabricating, but
Martin LT120/MX800 re: stress reduction and prior to dynamic balancing, the components are
fatigue of components. Little or no benefit was subjected to VSR. Since introducing this
found. British EU and later DTI projects tested two treatment, no fans or impellors have gone out of
other dc types; both automatic Bonal Meta-lax balance in service, even under hot conditions –
sub harmonic system and VSR Eng. KD16 hitherto a troublesome area. Installations are now
Fourier scan re stress reduction and stability. The much quieter and last longer between overhauls.
projects lasted nearly six years and little or no Novenco Aerex, the UK’s largest fan and impellor
benefit was found. Particularly difficult manufacturer, have had their own VSR unit for
components were tested as an adjunct to the DTI many years and endorse the benefits stated
project. above. Their Canadian plant also uses VSR. In
both cases the system paid for itself in 4 – 5
They were treated using the Meta-lax and months. Rubber coated, steel fan blades have
VCM 90 equipment. The results showed that been treated to overcome instability.
Meta-lax brought about little change
whereas the VCM 90 was on par with
thermal stress relief (see bar diagram).
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20 off EN19 Shafts treated prior to final
machining
Gearbox Casings
In this example the manufacturer had a
reclamation problem involving the rewelding and
finish machining of lightweight gearboxes already
Vibratory stress relieving being carried out on a in a part machined condition. The components
cast iron precision machine bed. had already undergone one heat treatment prior
to the reclamation operation, during which
Some twenty three years ago, Dean Smith & distortion had taken place sufficient to indicate
Grace became disillusioned with thermal stress that a further thermal treatment would render
relieving when cast iron saddles, consistently in them suitable only for scrap. After consultation
tolerance on final inspection in the UK, were 20% VSR was attempted on a reclaimed sample of the
out on arrival in the USA, necessitating rework. weakest component, the gearbox hood, following
VSR solved the problem and today, DSG rely on it a rigorous dimensional check. The hood was
solely to stabilise saddles, beds, etc. satisfactorily crack detected and finish machined
Before that time QA records showed that, using and all other items successfully treated, thereby
thermal stress relief 98% of beds were reworked avoiding complete remanufacture. VSR is used
in-house after final machining due to movement extensively for this type of fabrication which
during handling. Subsequently, only one of 533 requires close machining tolerances.
beds was reworked – 0.2%. Dean Smith & Grace’s
subcontract machine shop also finishes mild steel
fabricated beds up to 10m long and 1m x 900mm
section, basically in 12mm plate, but with
sideway sections up to 100 x 300mm and weight
up to 12 tons.
A 10m bed has a welding time of approximately
50 hours. The fabrication is solely VSR treated.
Operation procedure is to fabricate, apply VSR,
inspect, rough machine removing up to 35mm to
produce sideway profile, ship to Dean Smith &
Grace, apply VSR and finish machine to five
microns in 6m by grinding. No machinability
problems are encountered at any stage, despite Picture courtesy Sasol Synthetic Fuels South
extensive machining of flame cut edges up to Africa
100mm thick.
Treating the parts that thermal stress
relieving cannot treat
There are thousands of components in need of
stabilising that cannot be thermally stress
relieved but can be treated using a VSRS.
Here follow some typical examples:
Treatment of the above tippler cage and its Based on the attained data the
associated components was carried out on behalf implementation of VSR procedures as a
of Saldanha Steel at DCD Dorbyl. The tippler cage replacement of stress relief annealing for
weighed 119,000kgs and treatment was in the the stabilisation of weldments, castings and
range of 2 hours at resonant frequencies, the forging leads to high savings of production
complete assembly including the end rings was in costs to our national economy. The saving
7
of thermal energy has to be emphasized fabricated structures.’ Proceedings of the
first of all because in the VSR procedure it National Welding Seminar, Indian Institute of
does not exceed 1% of the energy required Welding October 1986.
for the annealing of weldments and in • De. Rudder, A. Et al. Studie van het utrillen van
average only 0.4% of production costs. lasspanningen.’ Hoger Technisch Institut,
Oostende, 1970-71.
• Claxton, RA. ‘Vibratory stress relieving of metal
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