Welding of dissimilar materials such as steel and cemented carbides (hardmetals, cermets) is particularly challenging e.g. because mismatches in their thermal expansion coefficients and thermal conductivities result in residual stress formation and because of the formation of brittle intermetallic phases. Laser beam welding of cemented carbides to steel appears as an attractive complementary technique to conventional brazing processes due to its high precision, high process speed, low heat input and the option of welding without filler.Here a laser welding process including pre-heat treatment and post-heat treatment was applied successfully to joining as-sintered and nitrided hardmetals and cermets to low alloyed steel. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the welds are investigated by microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microhardness measurements, and bending tests. The results reveal that the three-step laser beam welding process produced crack-free and non-porous joints. Nitridation of the cemented carbides results in a significant reduction of the amount of brittle intermetallic phases. The mechanical properties of the joints are competitive to those of the conventional brazed steel-cemented carbide joints.Keywords: hardmetals; cermets; nitridation; laser beam welding; g-phases.

Abstract:In this work, three welding programs for orbital gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), previously developed, were used, using pulsed current and increasing speed (#A), constant current (#B) and pulsed current and decreasing current (#C)

The present work describes details of the several steps of the technology involved for the orbital Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process of pure commercially titanium tubes. These pieces will be used to connect the several components of the propulsion system of the China-Brazilian Satellite CBERS, and is part of the Brazilian aerospace industry development. The implantation involved the steps of environment control; cut and facing of the base metal; cleaning procedures; piece alignment; choice of the type, geometry and installation of the tungsten electrode; system for the pressure of the purge gas; manual tack welding; choice of the welding parameters; and, finally, the qualification of welding procedures. Three distinct welding programs were studied, using pulsed current with increasing speed, continuous current and pulsed current with decreasing amperage levels. The results showed that the high quality criteria required to the aerospace segment is such that usual welding operations must be carefully designed and executed. The three welding developed programs generated welds free of defects and with adequate morphology, allowing to select the condition that better fits the Brazilian aerospace segment, and to be implanted in the welding of the CBERS Satellite Propulsion System.

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