ALBERT

Description: A fully automated welding system, which can operate totally independent of human intervention, is currently unavailable in the welding industry. Development of the Marshall Automated Weld System (MAWS) has been undertaken to fill this void. The system will enable application of statistical process control practices to assure weld quality prior to post weld nondestructive testing. The Variable Polarity Plasma Arc (VPPA) welding process has been baselined for MAWS because it has eliminated process related defects in the welding of the Space Shuttle External Tank. The few remaining weld defects occurring on the tank can be associated with human error. The system integrates multiple sensors (providing real time information on weld bead geometry, weld joint location, wirefeed entry, and inert gas quality) with a weld model (describing weld geometry in relation to critical parameters) and computer-controlled VPPA weld equipment. This system is designed to provide real-time, closed-loop control of the weld as it is being made.

Description: A fully automated welding system, which can operate totally independent of human intervention, is currently unavailable in the welding industry. Development of the Marshall Automated Weld System (MAWS) has been undertaken to fill this void. The system will enable application of statistical process control practices to assure weld quality prior to post weld nondestructive testing. The Variable Polarity Plasma Arc (VPPA) welding process has been baselined for MAWS because it has eliminated process related defects in the welding of the Space Shuttle External Tank. The few remaining weld defects occurring on the tank can be associated with human error. The system integrates multiple sensors (providing real time information on weld bead geometry, weld joint location, wirefeed entry, and inert gas quality) with a weld model (describing weld geometry in relation to critical parameters) and computer controlled VPPA weld equipment. This system is designed to provide real-time, closed-loop control of the weld as it is being made.

Description: Aluminum-Lithium (Al-Li) alloys offer significant performance benefits for aerospace structural applications due to their higher specific properties compared with conventional Al alloys. For example, the application of Al-Li alloy 2195 to the space shuffle external cryogenic fuel tank resulted in weight savings of over 7,000 lb, enabling successful deployment of International Space Station components. The composition and heat treatment of 2195 were optimized specifically for strength-toughness considerations for an expendable cryogenic tank. Time-dependent properties related to reliability, such as thermal stability, fatigue, and corrosion, will be of significant interest when materials are evaluated for a reusable cryotank structure. Literature surveys have indicated that there is limited thermal exposure data on Al-Li alloys. The effort reported here was designed to establish the effects of thermal exposure on the mechanical properties and microstructure of Al-Li alloys C458, L277, and 2195 in plate gages. Tensile, fracture toughness, and corrosion resistance were evaluated for both parent metal and friction stir welds (FSW) after exposure to temperatures as high as 300 F for up to 1000 hrs. Microstructural changes were evaluated with thermal exposure in order to correlate with the observed data trends. The ambient temperature parent metal data showed an increase in strength and reduction in elongation after exposure at lower temperatures. Strength reached a peak with intermediate temperature exposure followed by a decrease at highest exposure temperature. Friction stir welds of all alloys showed a drop in elongation with increased length of exposure. Understanding the effect of thermal exposure on the properties and microstructure of Al-Li alloys must be considered in defining service limiting temperatures and exposure times for a reusable cryotank structure.

Description: This viewgraph presentation describes the advantages of tapered thickness welds in FSW (friction stir welding), the structure of FSW welds, the adjustable pin tool used in FSW. Other topics described include compliance and temperature measurement in a FSW system, loads and torque upon the pin tool and its ability to penetrate different metals, and the results and metallurgy of FSW welds.

Description: This paper presents an over-view of friction stir welding (FSW) process development and applications at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). FSW process development started as a laboratory curiosity but soon found support from many users. The FSW process advanced very quickly and has found many applications both within and outside the aerospace industry. It is currently being adapted for joining key elements of the Space Shuttle External Tank for improved producibility and reliability. FSW process modeling is done to better understand and improve the process. Special tools have been developed to weld variable thickness materials including very thin and very thick materials. FSW is now being applied to higher temperature materials such as copper and to advanced materials such as metal matrix composites. FSW technology is being successfully transferred from MSFC laboratory to shop floors of many commercial companies.

Description: A gimbaled-shoulder friction stir welding tool includes a pin and first and second annular shoulders coupled to the pin. At least one of the annular shoulders is coupled to the pin for gimbaled motion with respect thereto as the tool is rotated by a friction stir welding apparatus.

Description: Weld process development are: (1) Execute a two-phased design of experiment (DOE) approach: process DOE to establish rotation and travel speeds and forge load;set-up DOE to establish allowable gap and centerline offset. (2) Determine the effect of process parameters on strength and weld quality: room and -320 deg F tensile testing; metalllurgical and NDE evaluation. (3) Weld quality goals: visual and radiographic acceptable; room temperature ultimate strength.

Description: This viewgraph representation provides an overview of sucessful research conducted by Lockheed Martin and NASA to develop an advanced self-reacting friction stir technology for complex curvature aluminum alloys. The research included weld process development for 0.320 inch Al 2219, sucessful transfer from the 'lab' scale to the production scale tool and weld quality exceeding strenght goals. This process will enable development and implementation of large scale complex geometry hardware fabrication. Topics covered include: weld process development, weld process transfer, and intermediate hardware fabrication.

Description: This paper presents viewgraphs on the effects of thermal exposure on the mechanical properties of both developmental and production mature Al-Li alloys. The topics include: 1) Aluminum-Lithium Alloys Composition and Features; 2) Key Characteristics of Al-Li Alloys; 3) Research Approach; 4) Available and Tested Material; and 5) Thermal Exposure Matrix. The alloy temperatures, gage thickness and product forms show that there is no deficit in mechanical properties at lower exposure temperatures in some cases, and a significant deficit in mechanical properties at higher exposure temperatures in all cases.

Description: Welding at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, Alabama, has taken a new direction through the last 10 years. Fusion welding processes, namely variable polarity plasma arc (VPPA) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) were once the corner stone of welding development in the Space Flight Center's welding laboratories, located in the part of MSFC know as National Center for Advanced Manufacturing (NCM). Developed specifically to support the Shuttle Program's External Tank and later International Space Station manufacturing programs, was viewed as the paragon of welding processes for joining aluminum alloys. Much has changed since 1994, however, when NASA's Jeff Ding brought the FSW process to the NASA agency. Although, at that time, FSW was little more than a "lab curiosity", NASA researchers started investigating where the FSW process would best fit NASA manufacturing programs. A laboratory FSW system was procured and the first welds were made in fall of 1995. The small initial investment NASA made into the first FSW system has certainly paid off for the NASA agency in terms of cost savings, hardware quality and notoriety. FSW is now a part of Shuttle External Tank (ET) production and the preferred weld process for the manufacturing of components for the new Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) and Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLLV) that will take this country back to the moon. It is one of the solid state welding processes being considered for on-orbit space welding and repair, and is of considerable interest for Department of Defense @OD) manufacturing programs. MSFC involvement in these and other programs makes NASA a driving force in this country's development of FSW and other solid state welding technologies. Now, a decade later, almost the entire on-going welding R&D at MSFC now focuses on FSW and other more advanced solid state welding processes.