Titanium

Resistance Welding
Lesson Objectives
When you finish this lesson
you will understand:

Learning Activities
1. View Slides;
2. Read Notes,
3. Listen to lecture
4. Do on-line workbook
Keywords

Donachie, Titanium,
ASM, 1988
Donachie, Titanium,
ASM, 1988
Unique Properties
Light Weight
Excellent Corrosion Resistance
Strong tightly adherent oxide
High strength-to-weight ratio
Applications
Chemical Industry
Aerospace Industry
Marine Fields
Medical Applications
Titanium
Melting
point
3035 F
1670 C
Boiling
Point
5900 F
3260 C
Coefficient
of
Expansion
F / in / in 67 . 4
Density
3
in / lb 163 . 0
UTS 30 ksi Pure Ti
200 ksi Alloys
Ductility 15 25%
Phases in Pure Titanium
Alpha {hcp} < 1620F (880C)
Beta {bcc} > 1620F
Classification of Titanium Alloys
Alpha & near Alpha Alloys
Alpha-Beta Alloys
Metastable Beta Alloys
AWS Welding Handbook
AWS Welding Handbook
Can Lead to Brittleness
Especially in welds (see below)
AWS Welding Handbook
Commercially Pure Titanium
Yield Strengths 35-80 ksi (interstitial O, N, C)
Alpha Titanium Alloys
Not heat treated to increase strength
Used for moderate elevated-temp strength and creep resistance
Near-alpha Alloys
Contain small amount of Beta stabilizers
Marginally heat treatable
Most contain Si for improved high temp properties
Alpha-Beta Alloys (e.g. Ti-6Al-4V)
Mixture of Alpha & Beta
Annealed or Solution heat treated and aged
Outstanding strength to density ratio in heat treated condition
Excellent fracture toughness when annealed
Metastable Titanium Alloys
Contain high percentage of Beta stabilizing elements
Slow transformation - air cooling gives 100% Beta
Aging precipitates of fine Alpha can occur
Aging give strength but ductility and fracture toughness sacrificed
Frequently used for fasteners and springs
Applications Using Titanium Alloys
For more information about applications see:
http://www.titanium.org/GIsec2a.htm

General Weld Problems
Oxygen Contamination Cracking
Oxygen > 3000ppm = WM & HAZ Cracking
Alpha (hcp) particularly susceptible
Removal of surface oxide film recommended
Gas shielding generally recommended (especially for seam welds)
Degree of Oxidation
Silver (mild oxidation)
Straw
Blue
White (severe oxidation - weld problems likely)
General Weld Problems
Iron Contamination Cracking
Iron particle dissolve into surface causing loss of :
Corrosion
Embrittlement (when sufficient iron)

Prevention
Avoid steel fabrication near titanium fabrication
Avoid airborne dust
Avoid tools used for both Fe and Ti
Scratch Brush just prior to welding
Use clean gloves for handling
Http://www.twi.co.uk/bestprac/jobknol/jk24.html
General Weld Problems
Hydrogen Embrittlement
Precipitation of titanium hydrides
Hydrogen > 200ppm can cause problems
Use low moisture shielding gas
AWS Welding Handbook
Example of Hydride Formation in Resistance Seam Weld
%

H
y
d
r
i
d
e

C
o
a
t
i
n
g
Days
100
0
500
2 days no hydrides
43 days-at toe
227 days-1/2 around
450 days-Full around
25 ppm Hydrogen
2056 ppm hydrogen
H
Toosky, R. Evaluation of Titanium
Hydride Formation in Resistance Seam
Welded Dissimilar Titanium Joints,
Boeing Co., 1998
Toosky, R. Evaluation of Titanium Hydride Formation in Resistance
Seam Welded Dissimilar Titanium Joints, Boeing Co., 1998
Seam Weld Start, Nugget Pull-Out
General Weld Problems
Porosity
H & O partitioned between solidifying dendrites
Micropores form when diatomic gas overcomes head pressure
AWS Welding Handbook
Mircopores coalesce to form macropores
To keep O & H out of weld pool, clean & degrease
AWS Welding Handbook
General Weld Problems
Ductility Dip
Alpha-beta alloys containing Nb rather than V more susceptible
Alpha films at prior beta boundaries more susceptible
Niobium Containing
Material in HAZ with these peak Temp can experience Dip
Cracks are intergranular
Believed to be caused by volumetric difference during
transformation
Resistance Spot Welding
Surface Cleaning - Mechanical or Chemical {HF-HNO
3
}
To lower surface resistance to below 50 microhms
To keep Titanium Oxide out of weld metal - embrittlement
Handle with gloves
Store in low-humidity less than 48 hours
Higher resistivity for Alloys than steel = lower current
Pure Ti can use SS Schedule
Class 2 Electrodes with 3 in radius spherical face
Gas shielding not required for spot welds
AWS Welding Handbook
Same Schedule
as SS for Pure
Titanium, But
Not For alloys
AWS Welding Handbook
Schedule for Two Typical Alloys
AWS Welding Handbook
Equiaxed Grains
Columnar Grains due to
Effect of Alloys
Resistance Seam Welding
AWS Welding Handbook
Same Cleaning procedures as spot welding
Class 2 Electrode Wheels with radius face = wheel radius
Inert shielding gas recommended
Electrode Force and Welding Current slightly
higher than for spot welds in the same material
Flash Welding Titanium
Use machine capacities similar to that for steel
Gas Shielding not absolutely necessary but recommended
(Titanium Oxidizes rapidly)
Use fast flashing rates & shorter flashing times than steel
(minimize weld contamination)
Lower upset force than for steel
Flashing and upset distances slightly less than for steel
Flash Welding Has Been Done on Following:
Commercially Pure Ti
Ti-6Al-4V
Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V
Ti-5Al-2.5Sn
Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo
Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo
Info from AWS and Titanium Industries Inc.
Some
Titanium
Welding
Applications
Froes, FH, et al, Non-Aerospace Applications of Titanium Feb 1998, TMS
SAAB 340 Aero Engine Shroud
constructed from commercially pure
titanium using resistance, spot and TIG
welding.
http://www.swantec.com/industry.htm
Welding Battery Connectors for Implantable Medical Device
Electrodes
Shield Gas (Ar) Tube
Battery Case
Battery Case Top
Feed Through Contacting Pin
(glass sealed in case top)
Battery Tab
Weld Conditions
1000 amps
40 msec
3.5 kgrams
Weld Combinations (inch)
0.018 Ti tab to 0.035 Nb pin
0.018 Ti tab to 0.020 Mo pin
0.018 Ti tab to 0.020 Ta pin
0.004 Ni tab to 0.020 Mo pin
Berkowitz, F, et al, Implantable Medical Device With High Reliability
Electrical Connection using Reactive Metals US Patent 5,712,462 Jan 27, 1998
Resistance Weld Ti Alloy Honeycomb
Structures for High Speed Civil Transport
(Requirement 72,000 hours @ 350F)
(Al-Li max use temp = 225F)
Weld
Heat Treat
1675-1825 F
15 min 4 hours
Weld between Ti 6242S face
sheet and Beta 21S honeycomb
low heat treatment Low
mechanical Boundary Present
Weld with heat treatment
good properties
El-Soudani, S, Process for Enhancing the Bond Strength of
Resistance Welded Joints Between Titanium Alloy Articles US
Patent 5,830,289 Nov 3, 1998