The main aim of the paper is to present the results of experimental investigations on the deformation process of cellular structures with gradient topologies under quasi-static loading conditions. The specimens used in the tests were designed with the use of a hexagon shape of a unit cell with a graded size preserving the equivalent global size and wall thickness dimensions. The manufacturing process of structure samples was realized by two different 3D printing methods: FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) and SLA (Selective Laser Sintering). Additionally, two types of materials differing with mechanical properties were used to determine the mechanism of structure damage during the deformation process. As a result of the conducted investigations, it was possible to define a relationship between a structure topology and relative density versus energy absorption capacity.
Measurements of thermal diffusivity, heat capacity and thermal expansion of X37CrMoV5-1 (1.2343) hot-work tool steel and Maraging 350 (1.6355) steel in the temperature range from −50 °C to 1000 °C were carried out in this paper. Both X37CrMoV5-1 and Maraging 350 are tested for military use as barrel steels. Thermophysical properties were tested using specialised test stands from NETZSCH. Thermal diffusivity was studied using both the LFA 427 laser flash apparatus in the temperature range of RT–1000 °C and the LFA 467 laser flash apparatus in the temperature range of −50 °C–500 °C. Specific heat capacity was investigated using a DSC 404 F1 Pegasus differential scanning calorimeter in the range RT–1000 °C, and thermal expansion was investigated using both a DIL 402 Expedis pushrod dilatometer in the range −50 °C–500 °C and a DIL 402 C in the range RT–1000 °C. Inconel 600 was selected as the reference material during the thermal diffusivity test using LFA467. Tests under the light microscope (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Vickers microhardness measurements were carried out to detect changes in the microstructure before and after thermophysical measurements. This paper briefly characterises the research procedures used. In conclusion, the results of testing the thermophysical properties of X37CrMoV5-1 hot-work tool steel and Maraging 350 steel are compared with our results on 38HMJ (1.8509), 30HN2MFA and Duplex (1.4462) barrel steels. The thermophysical properties of X37CrMoV5-1 (1.2343) hot-work tool steel and Maraging 350 (1.6355) steel are incomplete in the literature. The paper presents the thermophysical properties of these steels over a wide range of temperatures so that they can be used as input data for numerical simulations of heat transfer in cannon barrels.
This paper discusses the microstructure effects on the machinability of Inconel 718 by conducting machining tests on an additively manufactured (AM) workpiece with a strongly textured grain structure and a wrought workpiece incorporating a finer and more equiaxed grain structure. The AM workpiece was produced as a thin tube using Laser Melting Powder Bed Fusion and optimal processing conditions for this alloy. A lathe was used to conduct instrumented orthogonal machining tests on the two workpiece materials under dry cut and coolant conditions using a semisynthetic emulsion coolant. The process parameters studied were feed from 0.05 to 0.15 mm/rev and cutting speed from 60 to 120 m/min with a cut time of 2 sec duration for each process condition. Measures for each process condition included cutting forces in the feed and main cut direction, and images of chip forms were obtained. The grain structures of the workpiece materials were characterized using Electron Back Scattered Diffraction (EBSD). New findings suggest that grain structures can significantly affect the machinability of the superalloy at a higher feed for all cutting speeds studied, and insights into the cause are discussed. Other important findings comment on the effectiveness of the coolant as a lubricant for reducing friction in machining.
The paper describes Electromagnetic Ring Expansion Tests (ERET) performed on Laser Melting Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) Inconel 718 stress relieved test pieces, to establish the effect of a randomly dispersed spherically voided microstructure on tensile ductility, fracture, and fragmentation at high strain rate (10−3 < ε < 104 s−1). An empirical model to predict porosity type and growth rates as a function of laser energy density was established, to select the LPBF process parameters to fabricate test pieces under stable conduction and keyhole melting. The size, shape, distribution of macro and keyhole pores in the test pieces obtained for ERET testing were characterised. At high strain rate the number of ring fragments for the highest porosity doubled, accompanied by a reduction in true strain at maximum uniform elongation and fracture strain. The trend for reducing fracture strain with increasing porosity at high strain rate was described by a decaying power law. Overall, there was a significant positive strain rate effect on tensile ductility at lower porosities attributed strain rate hardening (Hart, 1967) [1]. Fracture surfaces containing the highest porosity identified four different void coalescence mechanisms that helped explain the influence of larger pores on the stress state in the alloy.
316L steel specimens with three different shear zones made by SLM (Selective Laser Melting) were subjected to dynamic tests using the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar method. The effect of high-speed deformation on changes in microstructure was analyzed. In addition, the stress-strain relationship was determined from the SHPB results. To visualize the deformation process of the specimens during the tests, a camera with a high frame rate was used. It was shown that as the plastic deformation increases, the hardness of the material increases. Microstructural analysis of dynamically loaded areas revealed numerous defects. Twinning was found to be the main deformation mechanism. Large plastic deformation and many other microstructural changes such as shear bands, cracks and martensite nucleation were also observed.
The paper presents the results of computer simulations of the transient heat flow in the barrel wall of a 35 mm caliber cannon for a single shot and a sequence of seven shots for a selected 30HN2MFA barrel steel. It was assumed that the inner surface of the barrel does not have a protective layer of chromium or nitride. When calculating heat transfer in a barrel, constant and temperature variable values of thermal conductivity, specific heat and density (in the range from RT (Room Temperature) up to 1000) in the 30HN2MFA steel were assumed. The test results were compared for both cases. A barrel with a total length of 3150 mm was divided into 6 zones (i = 1,, 6) and in each of them, the heat flux density was calculated as a function of the time q _i (t) on the inner surface of the barrel. In each zone, the heat transfer coefficient, as a function of the time hi(t) and bore gas temperature as a function of the time Tg(t) to the cannon barrel for given ammunition parameters, was developed. A calculating time equaling 100 ms per single shot was assumed. The results of the calculations were obtained using FEM implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics ver. 5.6 software.
The purpose of the conducted experiments was to test the selected properties of materials intended for porous sintered bearings containing layered materials in the form of powders with an average particle size of 0.5–1.5 μm, with very good tribological properties. The subject of the research was a sinter based on iron powder with the addition of layered materials; molybdenum disulfide MoS2 (average particle size 1.5 μm), tungsten disulfide WS2 (average particle size 0.6 μm), hexagonal boron nitride, h-BN (average particle size 0.5 and 1.5 μm) with two different porosities. The article presents the results of density and porosity tests, compressive strength, metallographic and tribological tests and the assessment of changes in the surface condition occurring during the long storage period. The use of layered additives allows for an approximately 20% lower coefficient of friction. In the case of sulfides, the technological process of pressing 250 MPa, 350 MPa, and sintering at a temperature of 1120 °C allows us to obtain a material with good strength and tribological properties, better than in the case of h-BN. However, the main problem is the appearance of elements from the decomposition of sulfide compounds in the material matrix, which results in rapid material degradation. In hexagonal boron nitride, such disintegration under these conditions does not occur; the material as observed does not degrade. In this case, the material is characterized by lower hardness, resulting from a different behavior of hexagonal boron nitride in the pressing and sintering process; in this case, pressing at a pressure of 350 MPa seems to be too low. However, taking into account that even with these technological parameters, the obtained material containing 2.5% h-BN with an average grain size of 1.5 μm allowed obtaining a coefficient of friction at the level of 0.41, which, with very good material durability, seems to be very positive news before further tests.