Publications and presentations

The transition of the powertrain from combustion to electric systems increases the demand for reliable copper connections. For such applications, laser welding has become a key technology. Due to the complexity of laser welding, especially at micro welding with small weld seam dimensions and short process times, reliable in-line process monitoring has proven to be difficult. By using a green laser with a wavelength of [lambda] = 515 nm, the welding process of copper benefits from an increased absorption, resulting in a shallow and stable deep penetration welding process. This opens up new possibilities for the process monitoring. In this contribution, the monitoring of the capillary depth in micro copper welding, with welding depth of up to 1 mm, was performed coaxially using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. By comparing the measured capillary depth and the actual welding depth, a good correlation between two measured values could be shown independently of the investigated process parameters and stability. Measuring the capillary depth allows a direct determination of the present aspect ratio in the welding process. For deep penetration welding, aspect ratios as low as 0.35 could be shown. By using an additional scanning system to superimpose the welding motion with a spacial oscillating of the OCT beam perpendicular to the welding motion, multiple information about the process could be determined. Using this method, several process information can be measured simultaneously and is shown for the weld seam width exemplarily.

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a solid-state welding process, wherein the properties of a weld joint are influenced by the state of friction and localised thermodynamic conditions at the tool-workpiece interface. An issue well-known about FSSW joints is their lack of reliability since they abruptly delaminate at the weld-faying interface (WFI). This study explores the origins of the delamination of multiple lap welded aluminium alloy (AA 5754-H111) sheets joined by FSSW at different rotational speeds typically used in industry. Experimental techniques such as the small punch test (SPT), Vickers hardness test, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Scanning Acoustic Microscope (SAM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Frequency-Modulated Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (FM-KPFM) were employed. The experimental results revealed that a complex interplay of stress-assisted metallurgical transformations at the intersection of WFI and the recrystallised stir zone (RSZ) can trigger dynamic precipitation leading to the formation of Al3Mg2 intermetallic phase, while metallic oxides and nanopits remain entrapped in the WFI. These metallurgical transformations surrounded by pits, precipitates and oxides induces process instability which in turn paves way for fast fracture to become responsible for delamination.

Stainless steels are indispensable materials in many industrial fields. They can be easily shaped and joined by traditional welding methods. Some problematics such as possible decrease in corrosion resistance at the welding bead and in the heat-effected zone, residual stress, crack formation and distortions may take place after welding. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) may be used for joining stainless steels in a single pass and for optimising microstructure and mechanical properties of the processed region. The application of FSW to the widely used AISI304 stainless steel is investigated in food implants. The mechanical properties together with corrosion resistance and surface finishing are characterized. A high energy input is chosen for the welding (2000 rpm tool rotational speed and 50 mm/min advancing speed). The stirred zone (SZ) is characterized by optical microscopy. Vickers microhardness in the SZ results 37% higher than in the base material. Tensile tests highlight elongations up to 40% keeping maximum stress values at 600 MPa. All samples pass accelerated corrosion tests that simulate 20 years of cleaning cycles in a typical food implant.

A customized code using the free and fully open-source CFD software package OpenFOAM was developed to simulate a two-dimensional axisymmetric model of an inductively coupled plasma torch. To efficiently calculate the high-frequency magnetic fields generated by the inductive coil, a technique based on the vector potential formulation of Maxwell's equations was implemented using the block coupled matrix solver provided by the foam-extend toolbox. While the fluid equations for the inner torch region are solved under the assumption of a laminar flowing argon plasma under atmospheric pressure and local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, the electromagnetic equations are solved on an overlapping mesh extended far outside the torch. Moreover, a novel technique for initializing the plasma solver by separately precomputing the velocity and temperature fields is presented. Using this approach our plasma solver can run in both steady-state and transient modes. The implementation has been validated by means of analytical methods, and the simulation results of the Tekna-PL50 plasma torch have been compared against literature data. The results obtained using the OpenFOAM code are in good agreement with those of the commercial CFD codes.

The increasing demand for energy-efficient vehicles requires suitable methods for cost and weight reduction. This can be achieved by the replacement of copper by aluminum, in particular for the on-board power systems. However, the complete substitution is restricted by the mechanical and physical material properties of aluminum as well as challenges in the aluminum copper interface. The challenges concern the corrosion vulnerability and the occurrence of brittle intermetallic compounds (IMC) which can negatively influence the mechanical properties and the electrical conductivity. Therefore, current investigations focus on the one hand on the realization of dissimilar aluminum copper joints by suitable joining technologies, like ultrasonic welding, and on the other hand on the assurance of a sufficient prevention against harmful corrosion effects. In cases where the joint cannot be protected against corrosion by sealing, nickel coatings can be used to protect the joint. In the present study, the influence of electroless, electroplated, and sulfamate nickel coatings was investigated regarding the long-term stability. The joints were performed as industry-related arrester connections, consisting of EN AW 1370 cables and EN CW 004A terminals. The samples were exposed to corrosive as well as electrical, thermal, and mechanical stress tests according to current standards and regulations.