SPACE WELDING

HISTORY OF SPACE WELDING: Welding in space is totally different from

welding on earth. Generally, we carry out welding where there is atmosphere and
gravity but in space these are absent. So it becomes very difficult to carry out
welding in these conditions. Therefore, special techniques are to be adapted to
carry out welding in space. Russians were the first to experiment welding in space
and they adopted three processes to weld orbital craft named Soyuz6. They are
Electron Beam welding, Low pressure plasma arc welding and consumable
electrode welding. But the parameters involved in such atmosphere are entirely
different from normal and they were unable to estimate the parameters
correctly. So it resulted in an accident in the craft and everyone escaped merely
from the verge of death. Nasa has also conducted experiments but they are
conducted on the ground as welding in space is very challenging. They adapted
friction stir welding, ultrasonic stir welding, hand held laser welding

Fig-1 astronaut performing welding in space

In many cases the temperature gradient is enough to cause cracks in the space
environment. Very special equipment and special techniques are to be used.
Because of many limitations the equipment used to weld must be light weight
with low power consumption and easy to operate. Automatic and semiautomatic
welding techniques are appropriate to weld in space.
WHY ARC WELDING IS CHALLENGING:
i) In arc welding in order to maintain the arc there must be an electrical
conducting medium like gas. But in space there is vacuum and pressure is about
10-12 mm hg. So under these circumstances the rates of diffusion of gas is very
high. Therefore, the process of initiation and maintenance of arc is very difficult in
space.

ii) When there is involvement of big weld pools the weightlessness in space
causes troubles. It separates solid liquid gases from the weld hence creating pores
and impurities.

iii) During welding the basemetal and the weldzone raises to very high
temperature. But the temperature in vacuum is very less. This difference in
temperature can cause cracks.

WHAT WELDING TECHNIQUES ARE FAVOURABLE IN SPACE: Conditions in space

are extremely favorable for types of welding like cold welding, electron beam
welding, laser welding, diffusion welding, resistance welding, friction stir welding,
ultrasonic stir welding and solar welding etc.

We shall discuss all the mentioned welding techniques in detail.

Friction stir welding: Friction stir welding is a technique that is a solid state
joining process that uses non consumable tool to join two facing workpieces
without melting the workpiece material. A non-consumable tool with a shoulder
and a pin is rotated with optimum rpm to cause plastic deformation in the edges
to be joined and it is traversed in the direction of joint. This is a solid state
bonding technology process
This is very useful because there is no usage of arc. When arc is not used there is
no need of shielding gas. Therefore, the problem with gas diffusion can be
eliminated.
One more advantage here is that aluminum alloys can be welded with this
technique. Often Al alloys cant be welded because it because they come under
non weldable materials. It is because of poor microstructure solidification and
formation of small holes in the fusion zone.
This method can be used extensively in comparison with arc welding because of
the following mechanical, environmental and energy advantages.
Metallurgical benefits Environmental benefits Energy benefits
1. Good dimensional 1. No requirement of 1. very less power
accuracy shielding gas consumption as required
2. Reduction in loss of 2. no of surface to other welding
material preparation. processes
3. Very good properties 2. no need of carrying
of the joint fuel and because of this
4. No crack formation there is decrease in
5. No spatter weight

Fig-2 friction stir welding.

ULTRSONIC STIR WELDING: Friction stir welding has experienced a breakthrough
with inclusion of ultrasonic systems into it. This technique was first developed by
nasa. This can be used to weld very high strength materials such as titanium
Inconel etc. Ultrasonic welding is a modification of friction stir welding and it
works under the principle of addition of ultrasonic energy at a frequency of
20,000 Hz. Because of this the frictional forces are reduced. The axial forces and
the shear forces are also reduced. Hence the tool is increased to very great
extent. High melting materials can be welded with very good weld quality. The
ultrasonic energy is transferred to the tool in pulses. It is turned on and off in
cycles. Due to this kind of energy transfer to the tool the tool action is slightly
tweaked. When the energy is in off condition the tool acts as a stirrer and it
plastically deforms the abutting surfaces. When the energy is turned on the
energy is transferred to the weld nugget therefore reducing the axial frictional
and shear forces on the tool. Heat is given to the abutting surfaces with the help
of separate heat unit included in the system. This is heated though induction. And
also the process parameters can be controlled independently. Therefore, the
temperature of the nugget can be maintained uniform throughout the weld.

Advantages over friction stir welding:

i) Much more improved weld quality
ii) increased depth penetration
iii) increased tool life and decrease in wear
iv) reduction of friction without the lubricants.

Fig-3 ultrasonic stir welding equipment

SOLAR WELDING: Solar welding works under the principle of welding with the
help of focusing the solar energy into the area where it has to be welded. This
equipment uses a combination of mirrors and lenses to concentrate and
redistribute the energy into the confined area of interest. The advantage here is
that the energy comes from the radiation emitted from the sun and there is no
need of external source of energy. And there are many advantages with this type
of welding such as ability to weld the refractory metals and the process is sterile.
It means that it has the ability very good quality welds. But the disadvantage here
is that the complexity of equipment that is it is very difficult to handle and it has
to be done with at most care. Because of this limitation this process of welding is
not extensively used.
Advantages of solar welding Disadvantages of solar welding
i) Useful for welding refractory i) complexity in equipment
metals. makes it very difficult for
ii) There is no need of external usage
source of energy ii)
iii) Very good weld quality
iv) No requirement of shielding
gas etc.

Fig-4 concentrated solar cell welding

LASER WELDING: Laser welding also known as laser beams welding is a welding
technique used to weld the multiple pieces of metal using laser. Laser beam is a
concentrated energy of radiation. The power density is usually in the order of
1 MW/cm2 and the power is sufficient to pierce through the metals. The spot size
usually varies from 0.2mm to 13 mm but usually smaller spot sizes are used for
welding. If the focal point is below the surface of the metal to welded so as to get
deeper welds. Smaller spot size enables to weld thicker metals easily as the
intensity of radiation will be higher. Because of smaller spot size the heat affected
zone is extremely small and the rates of heating and cooling are high. So we get a
very good weld joint compared to conventional arc welding. There is no need of
shielding in this welding process and it has almost negligible difference in air or
vacuum. Laser beam welding is a versatile process. Because of high cooling rates
cracks may occur while welding high carbon steels. This is to be taken care
otherwise the weld contains defects. One more advantage is that there is no
production of x rays in this process but in electron beam welding there is a
possibility of production of x rays which is harmful. Laser pulses can also be used
to weld thin foils etc
ADVANTAGES OF LASER WELDING DISAVANTAGES OF LASER WELDING
i) High quality welds can be i) Expensive equipment
produced
ii) Deep welds can be obtained
iii) Shielding gas is not required
iv) X rays are not produced
v) No heat affected zone or
very less heat affected zone
vi) No change in microstructure
and very less thermal
distortion
vii) No post weld operation is
required.
viii) Capability of automated
systems using laser
ix) No filler material is required.
x) Hand held laser welding is
also possible
Fig-5 laser welding
ELECTRON BEAM WELDING: Electron beam welding is a welding technique that is
especially suitable only in vacuum. It is welding technique that is similar to laser
beam welding and the difference is that as the name suggests laser beam welding
uses laser beam to weld and electron beam welding uses an electron beam to
weld. The principle behind the electron beam welding is that free electrons are
accelerated using strong electric to achieve high kinetic energy of electrons and
their kinetic energy is totally converted to heat energy when they collide with
atoms. Magnetic field is used to focus the electron to very small diameter such as
1/100 of a millimeter. Because of such high concentration of power in very
minute area the intensity of radiation is very huge and the deepest welds are
achieved through this technique. Because of very minute spot of beam the heat
affected zone is very narrow.

Fig-6 electron beam welding setup

 ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRON BEAM DISADVANTAGES OF ELECTRON BEAM
WELDING WELDING
i) No gas contamination i) Generation of x rays
ii) Achievement of deepest ii) Time consuming as more
welds cycle time.
iii) Very high depth to width iii) Hand held electron beam
ratios are obtained welding is not possible like
iv) Small heat affected zone hand held laser welding
v) Very high weld speeds are
possible
vi) Ability to weld high melting
materials
vii) Control over process
parameters is very easy to
get desired penetration
viii) This process is suitable only
in vacuum hence more easier
to weld in space.

DIFFUSION BONDING: Diffusion bonding is a solid state welding technique used

to join two metals of same material or different having same crystalline structure.
The principle under this technique is diffusion of metal atoms over the other
surfaces when they are heated to the recrystallization temperature and sufficient
pressure is applied such that the atoms diffuse over the surfaces creating a very
good weld joint. The plastic deformation caused in this welding is limited only to
the surface and it causes the asperities to deform and during this deformation the
raw material starts to diffuse over the boundaries under suitable conditions. High
strength materials are welded with high quality in which there is no porosity and
discontinuity exists at the interface. There is no need of filler material in this
process. But the surfaces to be welded are to cleaned polished and surface
treatment has to be done prior to the weld to ensure the occurrence of diffusion.
Otherwise the diffusion does not happen and there will be defects in the weld
joint. Very complex shapes can be welded using this technique. It is also used in
welding refractory metals in aerospace industry.
 Advantages of diffusion bonding Disadvantages of diffusion bonding
i) Very good quality of weld i) Time consuming process
joints can be obtained ii) Surface preparation of
ii) Complex shapes can be metals prior to the weld are
welded difficult and they are very
iii) High strength materials are critical for good weld joint
welded easily iii) Size of the weld is
iv) High precision components constrained to the
can be achieved equipment available
v) Low cost of process
vi) No filler material
vii) Similar and dissimilar
materials can be welded
viii) No interface discontinuity
and porosity
ix) Simple nature of process.

Fig-7 diffusion welding setup

COLD WELDING: Cold welding is a solid state welding technique in which welding
occurs at the interface without any application of heat and pressure when they
are joined together in vacuum. This welding technique is not used extensively but
however the welding technique is being exploited to weld 10 nm diameter gold
wire under the application of very less pressure within seconds.
RESISTANCE WELDING: The resistance welding is a welding process in which the
metals are welded together with help of heat generated in them due to passage
of current and the force required to hold the metals together. The heat generated
is directly proportional to the square of current and the resistance offered by the
metals plus the interface and the duration in which current is passed through
them. In this process there is no requirement of filler metal or any shielding gas
and hence it can be performed in space easily.
Advantages of resistance welding Disadvantages of resistance welding
i) Heating duration is very less i) Complex equipment
and hence very small
deformation of weld
ii) No shielding gas required
iii) Can weld similar and
dissimilar metals
iv) Simple process and
automation can be
implemented
v) Low cost

Fig-8 resistance welding setup

By A.Sai Vamsi
2015ME20717
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