Efficiency of using vibration treatment of welded stainless steel structures at the welding stages and after its completion

Abstract

Vibration treatment of welded structures is a tool for relaxation of residual welding stresses, used to stabilize the dimensions over time. The use of this advanced technology in different periods of production has its own characteristics. The traditional performance of vibration action after welding is carried out at resonant or near-resonant frequencies; the result of this action can be estimated by the change in the amplitude-frequency characteristic that occurs due to deformations during relaxation of residual stresses. Another method involves combining welding with vibration, performed at frequencies that ensure the formation of high-quality penetration, the efficiency of this processing is determined, among other things, by reducing residual stresses; in addition, the values of residual deformations are reduced, the shape of the penetration is optimized. The problem of choosing the optimal period of exposure to welded stainless steel structures manufactured using argon arc welding is reduced to comparing the efficiency according to various criteria: redistribution of residual stresses, influence on residual deformations, suitability for control, change in mechanical properties.

Keywords:

• Vibration welding process (vibration accompanying welding)
• post-weld vibration treatment
• arc welding
• residual stresses
• residual deformations
• laser interferometry
• laser 3D-scanning
• amplitude frequency response (AFR)