| Abstract | Ti-5Al-5V-5Mo-3Cr butt joints were welded using a 4 kW continuous wave Nd:YAG laser. The effect of welding speed and defocusing distance on the weld quality was investigated. Welds with full penetration were achieved at a defocusing distance ranging from-1 to 0 mm and welding speeds from 2·25 to 6·0 m min -1. Underfill and porosity were the two main defects most frequently observed; however, within the optimum process window, these defects could be maintained to meet aerospace specification tolerances. The fusion zone consisted entirely of retained β with a refined dendritic morphology. Compared with the bimodal α+β microstructure of the base metal, dissolution of the α phase in the heat affected zone and the presence of entirely metastable/retained β phase in the fusion zone were observed, which led to a significant decrease in the HAZ and FZ hardness. To determine the tensile properties of the welds, an automated three-dimensional deformation measurement system was used to measure the local strain in the weld region. The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength increased with welding speed, achieving a maximum joint efficiency of 75%, albeit with a concomitant reduction in the ductility. © 2011 Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. |
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