Thomas R. Watkins

Effect of Cutting-Edge Geometry and Workpiece Hardness on Surface Residual Stresses in Finish Hard Turning of AISI 52100 Steel

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effects of tool cutting-edge geometry (edge preparation) and workpiece hardness on surface residual stresses for finish hard turning of through-hardened AISI 52100 steel. Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) inserts with representative types of edge geometry including up-sharp edges, edge hones, and chamfers were used as the cutting tools in this study. This study shows that tool edge geometry is highly influential with respect to surface residual stresses, which were measured using x-ray diffraction. In general, compressive surface residual stresses in the axial and circumferential directions were generated by large edge hone tools in longitudinal turning operations. Residual stresses in the axial and circumferential directions generated by large edge hone tools are typically more compressive than stresses produced by small edge hone tools. Microstructural analysis shows that thermally-induced phase transformation effects are present at all feeds and workpiece hardness values with the large edge hone tools, and only at high feeds and hardness values with the small edge hone tools. In general, continuous white layers on the workpiece surface correlate with compressive residual stresses, while over-tempered regions correlate with tensile or compressive residual stresses depending on the workpiece hardness.

Surface residual stresses in machined austenitic stainless steel

Surface residual stresses due to turning operations in AISI 304 type stainless steel were studied as a function of machining speed, feed rate, depth of cut, and tool geometry and coating. Residual stress tensors were determined using X-ray diffraction technique. The effects of turning conditions and tool on the residual stresses were discussed in terms of mechanically and thermally induced non-homogeneous plastic deformation of the surface layers of the workpiece.

Comparison of residual stresses in Inconel 718 simple parts made by electron beam melting and direct laser metal sintering

Residual stress profiles were mapped using neutron diffraction in two simple prism builds of Inconel 718: one fabricated with electron beam melting (EBM) and the other with direct laser metal sintering. Spatially indexed stress-free cubes were obtained by electrical discharge machining (EDM) equivalent prisms of similar shape. The (311) interplanar spacings from the EDM sectioned sample were compared to the interplanar spacings calculated to fulfill stress and moment balance. We have shown that applying stress and moment balance is a necessary supplement to the measurements for the stress-free cubes with respect to accurate stress calculations in additively manufactured components. In addition, our work has shown that residual stresses in electron beam melted parts are much smaller than that of direct laser metal sintered parts most likely due to the powder preheating step in the EBM process.

Nanoindentation characterization of surface layers of electrical discharge machined WC/Co

Abstract This study applies nanoindentation and other analysis techniques to investigate the influence of wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) process on the structure and properties of machined surface layers of WC–Co composites. Multiple indents were conducted on the cross-section of the surface recast layer, sub-surface heat-affected zone, and bulk material. The energy disperse X-ray spectrometry and X-ray diffraction were used to analyze the material compositions in the heat-affected zone and recast layer and to study the electrical spark eroded surface. The indents were inspected by scanning electron microscopy to distinguish between regular and irregular indents in these three regions. Irregular indents were caused by the porosity, soft matrix material, separation of grain boundaries, and thermal cracks caused by EDM process. The hardness and modulus of elasticity obtained from regular indents in bulk material and heat-affected zone were comparable to those of WC. It was found that the recast layer had lower hardness and modulus of elasticity than the bulk material and heat-affected zone.

Novel heat spreader coatings for high power electronic devices

A new set of heat spreader coatings consisting of multilayers of diamond/AlN/diamond were deposited on high heat capacity substrates of molybdenum and silicon nitride. Bonding of the heat spreaders to the device wafers using gold-tin eutectic solder was carried out after metallization layers of titanium, gold and copper were deposited on diamond. Prior to bonding, backside of the silicon wafers was also metallized with titanium, gold and copper and the gallium arsenide wafers with titanium, copper-germanium alloy and gold. Characterization of the multilayer diamond films was carried out by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The bonded wafers were tested for adhesion strength, resistance against peeling due to thermal cycling and failure under stress. Further, the bonded regions were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray mapping of different elements. The heat spreader characteristics of the single layer diamond and the multilayer diamond substrates were tested by infrared imaging. The results illustrate that the multilayer diamond heat spreader coatings provide better heat dissipation and also possess better adhesion strength and resistance against peeling under thermal cycling. These novel multilayer diamond/AlN/diamond heat spreaders are expected to considerably improve the life of high frequency power devices.

Residual Stress Measurements

Portions of the contribution have been prepared by UT-Battelle, LLC, Operator of Oak Ridge National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725, with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Cost-Effective Grinding of Zirconia Using the Dense Vitreous Bond Silicon Carbide Wheel

Results of grinding zirconia using wheels with fine grain size SiC and dense vitreous bond are presented. Wheel wear results demonstrated that this type of SiC wheel could grind fully and partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) very effectively. X-ray diffraction was used to analyze the percentage of monoclinic phase in the PSZ base material, ground surface, and debris. As expected, due to the stress- and temperature-induced phase transformation during grinding, the percentage of monoclinic phase on the ground surface was increased relative to the base material. However, X-ray diffraction showed no monoclinic phase in the PSZ debris. This suggests that, during grinding, the low thermal conductivity of zirconia and SiC, compared to that of diamond, facilitates heat retention in the chip and softens the work-material. This makes the efficient grinding of PSZ possible. Grinding temperature measurement results supported this hypothesis.@DOI: 10.1115/1.1559167#

The effects of residual α phase on the 1370 °C creep performance of yttria-doped HIPed silicon nitride

The creep behaviour at 1370°C (2500°F) of yttria-doped, hot isostatically pressed silicon nitride was examined as a function of residual α phase content. The pre-test silicon nitride materials had either 30% or 40% α phase content. The creep resistance was found to increase as the residual α phase content decreased. For equivalent times and stresses, the higher α-containing silicon nitride accumulated more creep strain and exhibited faster creep rates. The residual α phase decreased as a function of time at 1370°C and converted to β phase; it was also found that the α to β phase transformation rate was enhanced by stress. In the absence of stress, the kinetics of the α to β phase transformation at 1370°C followed a first-order reaction. If a first-order reaction was assumed for the α to β phase transformation in the presence of stress at 1370°C, then the magnitude of the reaction rate constant for this transformation was twice as large for tensile stresses equal to or greater than 130 MPa than for the reaction rate constant describing the transformation with no applied stress.

Mechanical characterization of an additively manufactured Inconel 718 theta-shaped specimen

Two sets of “theta”-shaped specimens were additively manufactured with Inconel 718 powders using an electron beam melting technique with two distinct scan strategies. Light optical microscopy, mechanical testing coupled with a digital image correlation (DIC) technique, finite element modeling, and neutron diffraction with in situ loading characterizations were conducted. The cross-members of the specimens were the focus. Light optical micrographs revealed that different microstructures were formed with different scan strategies. Ex situ mechanical testing revealed each build to be stable under load until ductility was observed on the cross-members before failure. The elastic moduli were determined by forming a correlation between the elastic tensile stresses determined from FEM, and the elastic strains obtained from DIC. The lattice strains were mapped with neutron diffraction during in situ elastic loading; and a good correlation between the average axial lattice strains on the cross-member and those determined from the DIC analysis was found. The spatially resolved stresses in the elastic deformation regime are derived from the lattice strains and increased with applied load, showing a consistent distribution along the cross-member.

In-Situ Studies of Intercritically Austempered Ductile Iron Using Neutron Diffraction

Intercritically austempered ductile irons hold promise for applications requiring fatigue durability, excellent castability, low production energy requirements, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and excellent machinability. In the present study, four different ductile iron alloys, containing manganese and nickel as the primary austenite-stabilizing elements, were heat treated to obtain different quantities of austenite in the final microstructure. This article reports the microstructures and phases present in these alloys. Furthermore, lattice strains and diffraction elastic constants in various crystallographic directions and the transformation characteristics of the austenite were determined as a function of applied stress using in situ loading during neutron diffraction at the second generation Neutron Residual Stress Facility at the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.