Thermally induced residual stresses in SS321 welded joints using CO2 laser beam: FEA and experimental study
Source abstract
Abstract
This study investigates the thermal behavior and residual stress development in CO2 laser beam welding of SS321 stainless steel using finite element analysis and experimental validation. A transient thermal simulation with a Gaussian heat source was conducted in ANSYS APDL, and welding experiments were designed with an L4 orthogonal array, varying the laser power, welding speed, and shielding gas flow. The simulation predicted narrow fusion zones and minimal heat-affected zones. Peak temperatures reached 2731 and 1855 K, corresponding to residual stresses of 179 and 108 MPa. Full penetration and defect-free joints were observed, with significant epitaxial grain formation. An increased heat input led to larger bead widths and higher residual stresses, remaining within the material yield strength. Trial-2 (3.0 kW, 1.5 mm/min) was the optimal condition, balancing quality and stress control. The average safety factor was 1.58 for all joints, and all identified residual stresses were observed to be compressive.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Welding Techniques and Residual Stresses · Advanced Welding Techniques Analysis · Laser Material Processing Techniques
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Marri Laxman Reddy Institute of Technology and Management 1 , Hyderabad 500043,
2 Working Integrated Learning Programmes, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar, Pilani, Rajasthan 333031, India.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mohan Babu University 3 , Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh 517102,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, VEMU Institute of Technology 4 , Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh 517112,
5 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sreyas Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, 500068, India.
6 Department of Research and Innovation, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu - 602105, India
Department of Peace and Development Studies, Njala University 7 , Bo Campus–18,
References (44)
Show source-provided references
1. The effect of the weld fusion zone shape on residual stress in submerged arc welding10.1007/s00170-016-9542-z ↗
2. 3D computational welding mechanics applied to IN625 nickel-base alloy10.1016/j.prostr.2022.12.032 ↗
3. Comparison of creep rupture behaviour of type 316L(N) austenitic stainless steel joints welded by TIG and activated TIG welding processes10.1016/j.msea.2011.05.052 ↗
4. Simulation of laser butt welding of AISI 316L stainless steel sheet using various heat sources and experimental validation10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2014.12.008 ↗
5. A review of the NeT task group 1 residual stress measurement and analysis round robin on a single weld bead-on-plate specimen10.1016/j.ijpvp.2014.05.002 ↗
6. Analysis of residual stress in SS321 laser butt-welded plates using finite element analysis10.1007/s12008-023-01362-0 ↗
7. Residual stresses in welded structures10.1016/j.ijpvp.2007.10.004 ↗
8. On the interaction of microstructural morphology with residual stress in fiber laser welding of austenitic stainless steel10.1016/j.cirpj.2021.03.009 ↗
9. Thermal mapping of SS316L experimental and simulation for GTA welding process with moving heat source model using FEA10.1007/s12008-023-01310-y ↗
10. Research progress on the relationship between microstructure and properties of AISI 321 stainless steel10.3390/app142210196 ↗
11. Experimental investigation of heat transfer characteristics of inclined aluminium two phase closed thermosyphon10.1515/kern-2023-0045 ↗
12. A new finite element model for welding heat sources10.1007/bf02667333 ↗
13. Coupling heat transfer, microstructure evolution and thermal stress analysis in weld mechanics10.1007/978-3-642-84731-8_1 ↗
14. Influence of heat treated Manihot Esculenta biosilica on friction stir welded AA 6065-Al2O3 metal matrix composite and microstructural, mechanical, and fatigue Analysis10.1590/1980-5373-MR-2024-0473 ↗
15. Effects of temperature-dependent material properties on welding simulation10.1016/s0045-7949(02)00040-8 ↗
16. Global sensitivity analysis in welding simulations—What are the material data you really need?10.1016/j.finel.2011.03.016 ↗
17. Experimental investigations of thermal solutions to increase heat transfer rate by utilizing the effects of pitch ratio and length10.1117/12.3011873 ↗
18. Vacuum laser beam welding of AZ31 magnesium alloy: Weld formability, microstructure and mechanical properties10.1016/j.optlastec.2023.110115 ↗
19. Comparative investigation on single laser beam and dual laser beam for lap welding of aluminum alloy10.2351/7.0000141 ↗
20. Effects of welding parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the AA6061 aluminium alloy joined by a Yb: YAG laser beam10.1016/j.jajp.2021.100047 ↗
21. Effect of laser and hybrid laser welding processes on the residual stresses and distortion in AISI type 316L(N) stainless steel weld joints10.1007/s11663-021-02202-w ↗
22. Laser and hybrid laser welding of type 316L(N) austenitic stainless steel plates10.1080/10426914.2020.1745231 ↗
23. Investigation on mechanical and microstructure characteristics of nickel based C-2000 super alloy using laser beam welding10.1016/j.matpr.2021.01.393 ↗
24. Thermal and mechanical analysis of C-276 alloy using CO2 laser beam welding process10.1007/s12666-024-03476-9 ↗
25. Microstructure and residual stress distribution of dissimilar joints of SS321 to hastelloy C-276 using CO2 laser beam welding: An experimental validation10.1063/5.0222415 ↗
26. Retrieved on November 4, 2019, https://www.sandmeyersteel.com/images/Alloy321-SpecSheet.pdf.
27. Evaluation of residual stresses in CO2 laser beam welding of SS316L weldments using FEA10.1088/2053-1591/acb0b5 ↗
28. Minimizing distortion in multi-pass GTAW welding of SS316L structures: A Taguchi approach10.1007/s12008-023-01512-4 ↗
29. Retrieved on November 4, 2019, https://astm.org/e2860-12.html.
30. Mechanical properties of CO2 laser beam butt-welded plates of Hastelloy c-27610.1177/09544089241239620 ↗
31. Optimization of process parameters of CO2 laser beam butt joints of SS32110.1007/s12008-024-02095-4 ↗
32. Effect of heat input on distortions and residual stresses induced by gas tungsten arc welding in SS 316L to INCONEL625 multipass dissimilar welded joints10.1155/2021/1028461 ↗
33. Microstructure and mechanical analysis of SS321 in CO2 laser beam welding joint10.1007/s00170-024-14850-8 ↗
34. Microstructure and mechanical behaviour study of the dissimilar weldment of ‘IN82 buttered’ P92 steel and AISI 304L steel for ultra super critical power plants10.1016/j.mtcomm.2023.107552 ↗
35. Residual stress analysis, microstructural characterization, and mechanical properties of tungsten inert gas-welded P92/AISI 304L dissimilar steel joints10.1177/14644207221124494 ↗
36. A comparison of creep rupture strength of ferritic/austenitic dissimilar weld joints of different grades of Cr-Mo ferritic steels10.1007/s11661-011-0957-8 ↗
37. A comparative study on fiber laser and CO2 laser welding of inconel 61710.1016/j.matdes.2015.03.033 ↗
38. Investigation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of the laser welded joint of P22 and P91 steel10.1016/j.optlastec.2021.107610 ↗
39. Study on microstructure and mechanical properties of laser welded dissimilar joint of P91 steel and INCOLOY 800HT nickel alloy10.3390/ma14195876 ↗
40. Development of welding technology for improving the metallurgical and mechanical properties of 21st century nickel based superalloy 68610.1016/j.msea.2017.03.042 ↗
41. Numerical simulation and experimental residual stress analyses of dissimilar GTA weldments of AA 5083 and AA 608210.1007/s12008-023-01216-9 ↗
42. Effect of welding processes on the residual stress and distortion in type 316LN stainless steel weld joints10.1016/j.jmapro.2014.09.004 ↗
43. Microstructure and residual stress distribution of similar and dissimilar electron beam welds – Maraging steel to medium alloy medium carbon steel10.1016/j.matdes.2009.08.007 ↗
44. Effect of heat input on microstructure and mechanical properties of Nd: YAG laser welded super duplex stainless steel-numerical and experimental approach10.1016/j.ijleo.2019.03.145 ↗