The austeno-ferritic Stainless Steels are commonly employed in various applications requiring structural performances with enhanced corrosion resistance. Their characteristics can be worsened if the material is exposed to thermal cycles, since the high-temperature decomposition of ferrite causes the formation of detrimental secondary phases. The Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) process is currently adopted for joining DSS owing to its relatively simple execution, cost savings, and using molten slag and granular flux from protecting the seam of atmospheric gases. However, since it produces high contents of δ-ferrite in the heat affected zone and low content of γ-austenite in the weld, high-Ni filler materials must be employed, to avoid excessive ferritization of the joint. The present work is aimed to study the effect of 3 and 6 hours isothermal heat treatments at 850°C and 900°C in a SAF 2205 DSS welded joint in terms of phases precipitation. The results showed the presence of σ-phase at any time-temperature combination, precipitating at the δ/γ interphases and often accompanied by the presence of χ-phase. However, certain differences in secondary phases amounts were revealed among the different zones constituting the joint, ascribable both to peculiar elements partitioning and to the different morphology pertaining to each microstructure.

The present work describes the effect of FSW on the result microstructure in the stir zone (SZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), heat affected zone (HAZ) and base metal (BM) of a TRIP-780 steel. X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM) and EBSD were used for determinations retained austenite (RA) in the SZ, It was found that the amount of RA developed in SZ was relatively large, (approximately 11% to 15%). In addition, recrystallization and the formation of a grain texture were resolved using EBSD. During FSW, the SZ experienced severe plastic deformation which lead to an increase in the temperature and consequently grain recrystallization. Moreover, it was found that the recrystallized grain structure and relatively high martensite levels developed in the SZ lead to a significant drop in the mechanical properties of the steel. In addition, microhardness profiles of the welded regions indicated that the hardness in both the SZ and TMAZ were relatively elevated confirming the development of martensite in these regions. In particular, to evaluate the mechanical strength of the weld, lap shear tensile test was conducted; exhibited the fracture zone in the SZ with shear fracture with uniformly distributed elongation shear dimples.

In this work an Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) sheet of the Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) type currently employed in the automotive sector was welded using a Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and a CO2 Laser Beam Welding (LBW) processes. The mechanical properties of welded tensile specimens including microhardness were determined and the results were related to the exhibited microstructures. It was found that LBW lead to relatively high hardness in the fusion zone (FZ) indicating that the resultant microstructure was predominantly martensite. In the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), a mixture of phases consisting of bainite and ferrite was present. Similar phase mixtures were found in the HAZ and Fusion Zone (FZ) of the GMAW samples. The exhibited microstructure did not result in mechanical degradation when the GMAW specimens were tested in tension as all the fractures occurred in the BM. In contrast, the region adjacent to the HAZ of most tensile specimens welded using LBW failed by brittle cleavage. Apparently, in this region tempering effects due to heat dissipation in the LBW process promoted carbide growth and a relatively coarse microstructure. No embrittlement was found that could be associated with the development of martensite.

Advancement in automotive part development demands new cost-effective materials with higher mechanical properties and improved wear resistance as compared to existing materials. For instance, Aluminum Matrix Composites (AMC) shows improved mechanical properties as wear and abrasion resistance, high strength, chemical and dimensional stability. Automotive industry has focused in AMC for a variety of applications in automotive parts in order to improve the fuel economy, minimize vehicle emissions, improve design options, and increase the performance. Wear resistance is one of the most important factors in useful life of the automotive components, overall in those components submitted to mechanical systems like automotive brakes and suspensions. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) rises as the most capable process to joining AMC, principally for the capacity to weld without compromising their ceramic reinforcement. The aim of this study is focused on the analysis of wear characteristics of the friction-stir welded joint of aluminum matrix reinforced with 20 percent in weight silicon carbide composite (A359/SiC/20p). The experimental procedure consisted in cut samples into small plates and perform three welds on these with a FSW machine using a tool with 20 mm shoulder diameter and 8 mm pin diameter. The wear features of the three welded joints and parent metal were analyzed at constant load applying 5 N and a rotational speed of 100 rpm employing a Pin-on - Disk wear testing apparatus, using a sapphire steel ball with 6 mm diameter. The experimental results indicate that the three welded joints had low friction coefficient compared with the parent metal. The results determine that the FSW process parameters affect the wear resistance of the welded joints owing to different microstructural modifications during welding that causes a low wear resistance on the welded zone.