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At least 127 records · Page 7

Effects of processing and microstructure on the fatigue behaviour of the nickel-base superalloy Rene95

Forms of the nickel-base superalloy Rene95 produced by three processing methods were evaluated in tensile, low cycle fatigue and fatigue crack propagation tests at 540 and 650 C. Two powder-metallurgy (PM) forms, hot-isostatically-pressed and extruded-and-forged, and a conventionally cast-and-wrought form were all given the same heat treatment. The extruded-and-forged form showed superior fatigue life in low strain range tests though the two PM forms exhibited nearly identical mechanical behavior in all other respects. Further, this life difference could not be explained by significant differences in the types, sizes or shapes of the defects initiating failure. The cast-and-wrought Rene95, however, had lower strength, ductility and fatigue life, but higher fatigue crack propagation resistance because of a larger grain size. It did not exhibit the environmentally-assisted intergranular mode of propagation which occurs in PM Rene95 and other fine-grained superalloys at these test temperatures and frequencies.

Miner, R. V.↗

Controlled-Shape, Ultrasonic-Angle-Beam Standard Reflector

New ultrasonic angle-beam standard reflector uses impression of letter "l" steel-die stamp. NDE techniques and standard reflector apply to use of pulse-echo-type ultrasonic equipment for inspection of wrought metals including forgings and forging stock; rolled billet, bar or plate; and extruded bar, tube, and shapes. "l" reference standard reflector affords advantages of easy insertion in inspected item using common hand-tools and greatly reduced implementation time through elimination of machining operations.

Berry, J., Robertf.↗

Energy efficient engine. Volume 2. Appendix A: Component development and integration program

The large size and the requirement for precise lightening cavities in a considerable portion of the titanium fan blades necessitated the development of a new manufacturing method. The approach which was selected for development incorporated several technologies including HIP diffusion bonding of titanium sheet laminates containing removable cores and isothermal forging of the blade form. The technology bases established in HIP/DB for composite blades and in isothermal forging for fan blades were applicable for development of the manufacturing process. The process techniques and parameters for producing and inspecting the cored diffusion bonded titanium laminate blade preform were established. The method was demonstrated with the production of twelve hollow simulated blade shapes for evaluation. Evaluations of the critical experiments conducted to establish procedures to produce hollow structures by a laminate/core/diffusion bonding approach are included. In addition the transfer of this technology to produce a hollow fan blade is discussed.

Moracz, D. J.↗

Study on effects of powder and flake chemistry and morphology on the properties of Al-Cu-Mg-X-X-X powder metallurgy advanced aluminum alloys

The effects of alloy chemistry and particulate morphology on consolidation behavior and consolidated product properties in rapid solidification processed, powder-metallurgical Al-3Li-1.5Cu-1Mg-0.5Co-0.2Zr and Al-4.4Cu-1.5Mg-Fe-Ni-0.2Zr extrusions and forgings were studied. Microstructures and mechanical properties of both alloys are largely unaffected by particulate production method (vacuum atomization, ultrasonic atomization, or twin-roller quenching) and by particulate solidification rates between 1000 and 100,000 K/s. Consolidation processing by canning, cold compaction, degassing, and hot extrusion is sufficient to yield mechanical properties in the non-Li-containing alloy extrusions which are similar to those of 7075-Al, but ductilities and fracture toughnesses are inferior owing to poor interparticle bonding caused by lack of a vacuum-hot-pressing step during consolidation. Mechanical properties of extrusions are superior to those of forgings owing to the stronger textures produced by the more severe hot working during extrusion. The effects on mechanical properties of dispersoid size and volume fraction, substructural refinement, solid solution strengthening by Mg, and precipitate size and distribution are elucidated for both alloy types.

Meschter, P. J.↗

Fatigue-resistant nickel-base superalloys

New γ' strengthened nickel-base superalloy compositions are described that, when forged and properly heat treated, demonstrate superior resistance to fatigue crack growth accompanied by very good high temperature properties. Parts can be fabricated (e.g., using conventional cast and wrought processing) from these alloys without encountering difficulty in forging.

Keh-Minn Chang↗

Improved Warm-Working Process For An Iron-Base Alloy

Warm-working process produces predominantly unrecrystallized grain structure in forgings of iron-base alloy A286 (PWA 1052 composition). Yield strength and ultimate strength increased, and elongation and reduction of area at break decreased. Improved process used on forgings up to 10 in. thick and weighing up to 900 lb.

Cone, Fred P.↗

Compression behavior of quaternary and higher order solid-solution L1(2) trialuminides

Results from preliminary studies undertaken to evaluate the existence of single-phase L1(2) solid solutions between pairs of ternary L1(2) trialuminides are presented. Two-kilogram ingots of selected quaternary compositions were cast, homogenized and forged into pancakes; compression specimens were machined from the forgings and tested as a function of temperature. The results are compared against existing data for the ternary alloys. The ternary L1(2) trialuminides Al66Ti25Mn9, Al67Ti25Cr8, and Al22Ti8Fe3 were found to exhibit continuous solubility in one another. The quaternary Cr-Mn composition does not indicate any strength advantage over its ternary counterparts. The continuous replacement of Mn with Fe enhances the strength of the quaternary compound over the ternary Al66Ti25 Mn9.

Kumar, K. S.↗

Robotic NDE inspection of advanced solid rocket motor casings

The Advanced Solid Rocket Motor program determined the need to inspect ASRM forgings and segments for potentially catastrophic defects. To minimize costs, an automated eddy current inspection system was designed and manufactured for inspection of ASRM forgings in the initial phases of production. This system utilizes custom manipulators and motion control algorithms and integrated six channel eddy current data acquisition and analysis hardware and software. Total system integration is through a personal computer based workcell controller. Segment inspection demands the use of a gantry robot for the EMAT/ET inspection system. The EMAT/ET system utilized similar mechanical compliancy and software logic to accommodate complex part geometries. EMAT provides volumetric inspection capability while eddy current is limited to surface and near surface inspection. Each aspect of the systems are applicable to other industries, such as, inspection of pressure vessels, weld inspection, and traditional ultrasonic inspection applications.

Mcneelege, Glenn E.↗

Bell Helicopter Advanced Rotocraft Transmission (ART) program

Future rotorcraft transmissions require key emerging material and component technologies using advanced and innovative design practices in order to meet the requirements for a reduced weight to power ratio, a decreased noise level, and a substantially increased reliability. The specific goals for the future rotorcraft transmission when compared with a current state-of-the-art transmission (SOAT) are: (1) a 25 percent weight reduction; (2) a 10 dB reduction in the transmitted noise level; and (3) a system reliability of 5000 hours mean-time-between-removal (MTBR) for the transmission. This report summarizes the work conducted by Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. to achieve these goals under the Advanced Rotorcraft Transmission (ART) program from 1988 to 1995. The reference aircraft selected by BHTI for the ART program was the Tactical Tiltrotor which is a 17,000 lb gross weight aircraft. A tradeoff study was conducted comparing the ART with a Selected SOAT. The results showed the ART to be 29 percent lighter and up to 13 dB quieter with a calculated MTBR in excess of 5000 hours. The results of the following high risk component and material tests are also presented: (1) sequential meshing high contact ratio planetary with cantilevered support posts; (2) thin dense chrome plated M50 NiL double row spherical roller planetary bearings; (3) reduced kinematic error and increased bending strength spiral bevel gears; (4) high temperature WE43 magnesium housing evaluation and coupon corrosion tests; (5) flexure fatigue tests of precision forged coupons simulating precision forged gear teeth; and (6) flexure fatigue tests of plasma carburized coupons simulating plasma carburized gear teeth.

Henry, Zachary S.↗

The Effect of Heat Treatment on Residual Stress and Machining Distortions in Advanced Nickel Base Disk Alloys

This paper describes an extension of NASA's AST and IDPAT Programs which sought to predict the effect of stabilization heat treatments on residual stress and subsequent machining distortions in the advanced disk alloy, ME-209. Simple "pancake" forgings of ME-209 were produced and given four heat treats: 2075F(SUBSOLVUS)/OIL QUENCH/NO AGE; 2075F/OIL QUENCH/1400F@8HR;2075F/OIL QUENCH/1550F@3HR/l400F@8HR; and 2160F(SUPERSOLVUS)/OIL QUENCH/1550F@3HR/ 1400F@8HR. The forgings were then measured to obtain surface profiles in the heat treated condition. A simple machining plan consisting of face cuts from the top surface followed by measurements of the surface profile opposite the cut were made. This data provided warpage maps which were compared with analytical results. The analysis followed the IDPAT methodology and utilized a 2-D axisymmetric, viscoplastic FEA code. The analytical results accurately tracked the experimental data for each of the four heat treatments. The 1550F stabilization heat treatment was found to significantly reduce residual stresses and subsequent machining distortions for fine grain (subsolvus) ME209, while coarse grain (supersolvus) ME209 would require additional time or higher stabilization temperatures to attain the same degree of stress relief.

Gayda, John↗

Thermal Stir Welding: A New Solid State Welding Process

Thermal stir welding is a new welding process developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. Thermal stir welding is similar to friction stir welding in that it joins similar or dissimilar materials without melting the parent material. However, unlike friction stir welding, the heating, stirring and forging elements of the process are all independent of each other and are separately controlled. Furthermore, the heating element of the process can be either a solid-state process (such as a thermal blanket, induction type process, etc), or, a fusion process (YG laser, plasma torch, etc.) The separation of the heating, stirring, forging elements of the process allows more degrees of freedom for greater process control. This paper introduces the mechanics of the thermal stir welding process. In addition, weld mechanical property data is presented for selected alloys as well as metallurgical analysis.

Ding, R. Jeffrey↗

Ceramic Inclusions In Powder Metallurgy Disk Alloys: Characterization and Modeling

Powder metallurgy alloys are increasingly used in gas turbine engines, especially as the material chosen for turbine disks. Although powder metallurgy materials have many advantages over conventionally cast and wrought alloys (higher strength, higher temperature capability, etc.), they suffer from the rare occurrence of ceramic defects (inclusions) that arise from the powder atomization process. These inclusions can have potentially large detrimental effect on the durability of individual components. An inclusion in a high stress location can act as a site for premature crack initiation and thereby considerably reduce the fatigue life. Because these inclusions are exceedingly rare, they usually don't reveal themselves in the process of characterizing the material for a particular application (the cumulative volume of the test bars in a fatigue life characterization is typically on the order of a single actual component). Ceramic inclusions have, however, been found to be the root cause of a number of catastrophic engine failures. To investigate the effect of these inclusions in detail, we have undertaken a study where a known population of ceramic particles, whose composition and morphology are designed to mimic the 'natural' inclusions, are added to the precursor powder. Surface connected inclusions have been found to have a particularly large detrimental effect on fatigue life, therefore the volume of ceramic 'seeds' added is calculated to ensure that a minimum number will occur on the surface of the fatigue test bars. Because the ceramic inclusions are irregularly shaped and have a tendency to break up in the process of extrusion and forging, a method of calculating the probability of occurrence and expected intercepted surface and embedded cross-sectional areas were needed. We have developed a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the distributions of these parameters and have verified the simulated results with observations of ceramic inclusions found in macro slices from extrusions and forgings. The ultimate goal of this study will be to use probabilistic methods to determine the reliability detriment that can be attributed to these ceramic inclusions.

Bonacuse, Pete↗

Thermal Stir Welding: A New Solid State Welding Process

Thermal stir welding is a new welding process developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. Thermal stir welding is similar to friction stir welding in that it joins similar or dissimilar materials without melting the parent material. However, unlike friction stir welding, the heating, stirring and forging elements of the process are all independent of each other and are separately controlled. Furthermore, the heating element of the process can be either a solid-state process (such as a thermal blanket, induction type process, etc), or, a fusion process (YG laser, plasma torch, etc.) The separation of the heating, stirring, forging elements of the process allows more degrees of freedom for greater process control. This paper introduces the mechanics of the thermal stir welding process. In addition, weld mechanical property data is presented for selected alloys as well as metallurgical analysis.

Ding, R. Jeffrey↗

Strength, Fatigue, and Fracture Toughness of Ti-6Al-4V Liner from a Composite Over-Wrapped Pressure Vessel

It was demonstrated by way of experiment that Composite Over-wrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) Ti-6Al-4V liner material can sustain the expected service loads and cycles. The experiments were performed as part of investigations on the residual life of COPV tanks being used in Space Shuttle Orbiters. Measured properties included tensile strength, compressive strength, reversed loading cycles to simulate liner proof strains, and cyclic fatigue loading to demonstrate the ability to sustain 1000 cycles after liner buckling. The liner material came from a salvaged 40 in. Columbia (orbiter 102) tank (SN029), and tensile strength measurements were made on both boss-transition (thick) and membrane regions (thin). The average measured yield strength was 131 ksi in the boss-transition and membrane regions, in good agreement with measurements made on 1970 s vintage forged plate stock. However, Young s modulus was 17.4+/-0.3 Msi, somewhat higher than typical handbook values (approx.16 Msi). The fracture toughness, as estimated from a failed fatigue specimen, was 74 ksi/sq in, in reasonable agreement with standardized measurements made on 1970 s vintage forged plate stock. Low cycle fatigue of a buckled test specimen implied that as-imprinted liners can sustain over 4000 load cycles.

Salem, Jonathan A.↗

Advances in Solid State Joining of Haynes 230 High Temperature Alloy

The J-2X engine is being designed for NASA s new class of crew and launch vehicles, the Ares I and Ares V. The J-2X is a LOX/Hydrogen upper stage engine with 294,000 lbs of thrust and a minimum Isp of 448 seconds. As part of the design criteria to meet the performance requirements a large film-cooled nozzle extension is being designed to further expand the hot gases and increases the specific impulse. The nozzle extension is designed using Haynes 230, a nickel-chromium-tungsten-molybdenum superalloy. The alloy was selected for its high strength at elevated temperatures and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. The nozzle extension is manufactured from Haynes 230 plate spun-forged to form the contour and chemically-milled pockets for weight reduction. Currently fusion welding is being evaluated for joining the panels which are then mechanically etched and thinned to required dimensions for the nozzle extension blank. This blank is then spun formed into the parabolic geometry required for the nozzle. After forming the nozzle extension, weight reduction pockets are chemically milled into the nozzle. Fusion welding of Haynes results in columnar grains which are prone to hot cracking during forming processes. This restricts the ability to use spin forging to produce the nozzle contour. Solid state joining processes are being pursued as an alternative process to produce a structure more amenable to spin forming. Solid state processes have been shown to produce a refined grain structure within the joint regions as illustrated in Figure 1. Solid state joining processes include friction stir welding (FSW) and a patented modification termed thermal stir welding (TSW). The configuration of TSWing utilizes an induction coil to preheat the material minimizing the burden on the weld tool extending its life. This provides the ability to precisely select and control the temperature. The work presented in this presentation investigates the feasibility of joining the Haynes 230 alloy using the solid state welding processes of FSW and TSW. Process descriptions and attributes of each weld process will be presented. Weld process set-up and welding techniques will be discussed leading to the challenges experienced in joining the superalloy. Mechanical property data will also be presented.

Ding, R. Jeffrey↗

Gas Shielding Technology for Welding and Brazing

Welding is a common method that allows two metallic materials to be joined together with high structural integrity. When joints need to be leak-tight, light-weight, or free of contaminant-trapping seams or surface asperities, welding tends to be specified. There are many welding techniques, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of these techniques include Forge Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Friction Stir Welding, and Laser Beam Welding to name a few. Whichever technique is used, the objective is a structural joint that meets the requirements of a particular component or assembly. A key practice in producing quality welds is the use of shielding gas. This article discusses various weld techniques, quality of the welds, and importance of shielding gas in each of those techniques. Metallic bonds, or joints, are produced when metals are put into intimate contact. In the solid-state "blacksmith welding" process, now called Forge Welding (FOW), the site to be joined is pounded into intimate contact. The surfaces to be joined usually need to be heated to make it easier to deform the metal. The surfaces are sprinkled with a flux to melt surface oxides and given a concave shape so that surface contamination can be squeezed out of the joint as the surfaces are pounded together; otherwise the surface contamination would be trapped in the joint and would weaken the weld. In solid-state welding processes surface oxides or other contamination are typically squeezed out of the joint in "flash."

Nunes, Arthur J.↗

Using Dust from Asteroids as Regolith Microsamples

Meteorite science is rich with compositional indicators by which we classify parent bodies, but few sample groups are definitively linked with asteroid spectra. More robust links need to be forged between meteorites and their parent bodies to understand the composition, diversity and distribution. A major link can be sample analysis of the parent body material and comparison with meteorite data. Hayabusa, the first sample return mission of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), was developed to rendezvous with and collect samples from asteroid Itokawa and return them to Earth. Thousands of sub-100 micron particles were recovered, apparently introduced during the spacecraft impact into the surface of the asteroid, linking the asteroid Itokawa to LL chondrites [1]. Upcoming missions Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-REx will collect more significant sample masses from asteroids. In all these cases, the samples are or will be a collection of regolith particles. Sample return to earth is not the only method for regolith particle analysis. Dust is present around all airless bodies, generated by micrometeorite impact into their airless surfaces, which in turn lofts regolith particles into a "cloud" around the body. The composition, flux, and size-frequency distribution of dust particles can provide significant insight into the geological evolution of airless bodies [2]. For example, the Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) detected salts in Enceladus' icy plume material, providing evidence for a subsurface ocean in contact with a silicate seafloor [3]. Similar instruments have flown on the Rosetta, LADEE, and Stardust missions. Such an instrument may be of great use in obtaining the elemental, isotopic and mineralogical composition measurement of dust particles originating from asteroids without returning the samples to terrestrial laboratories. We investigated the ability of a limited sample analysis capability using a dust instrument to forge links between asteroid regolith particles and known meteorite groups. We further set limits on the number of individual particles statistically needed to robustly reproduce a bulk composition.

microsamples↗

Thermophysical Properties of Nickel-Based Superalloys

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) electrostatic levitation (ESL) laboratory has a long history of providing materials research and thermophysical property data. The lab can measure thermophysical properties such as density, surface tension, and viscosity of liquid materials, including elements, alloys, glasses, ceramics, and oxides. Nickel-based superalloys (e.g. Inconel, Hastelloy, and Waspaloy) have many high performance applications, including turbine engines for aerospace. Superalloy parts are typically manufactured by casting and forging. These processes generate both polycrystalline and monocrystalline parts. A relatively new method of fabrication of turbine disk materials is additive manufacturing, which is typically done for aerospace parts by powder-bed methods such as selective laser melting (SLM). Accurate modeling of casting and forging, as well as additively manufacturing processes, require thermophysical properties (density, surface tension, and viscosity). The thermophysical properties of liquid nickel-based superalloys, both conventional and additively manufactured, were measured at several temperatures in both undercooled and superheated condition. Surface tension and viscosity was measured using the oscillating drop method and density and thermal expansion was measured using edge detection methods.

SanSoucie, Michael P.↗