The feasibility of the FRIEX welding process has been successfully proven. The study of this new variant of the friction welding process shows that the process is highly suitable for joining pipes. Using the experimental test set-ups, high quality welds could be produced for pipes (pipeline steel X42) with a maximum outer diameter of 5 inches. For the welding ring material, a high strength quench and tempered material was used. An extensive knowledge has been obtained concerning the heat distribution, heat flow, plasticity and material behaviour of the parts to be joined. Also several finite element models were developed, which were able to describe the newly developed friction welding variant. Using these models, it is possible to make predictions of the process parameters to be used for obtaining high quality welds. Based an the comparison of the modelled and the experimentally executed welds, it can be stated that the models are reliable. For the verification of the quality of the welds, visual and metallographic examinations, hardness measurements and mechanical tests were successfully executed. The results of, the tensile, bending and Charpy impact toughness tests were meeting the acceptance criteria formulated in the specific pipeline standards. At this moment a welding machine is being developed for the in-field welding of large diameter pipeline tubes.
FRIEX - A new variant of the friction welding process for joining of pipelines
FRIEX - Eine neue Variante des Reibrührschweißens für das Verbinden von Pipelines
2004
11 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 9 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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