Improving the mechanical properties of TIG welding Ti-6Al-4V by post weld heat treatment

After several years of service under high temperatures and high pressure, the Ti-6Al-4V aero-engine components may need to be repaired by Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding to prevent crack growth. However, the material properties tend to worsen after TIG welding due to residual stresses developed adjacent to the fusion zone (FZ) and the heat affected zone (HAZ). It can lead to premature failure of the repair area resulting in a shortened service life of the components. Post weld heat treatment (PWHT) is generally adopted to reduce the residual stresses and to improve the mechanical properties. A comprehensive study of the effects of PWHT on the mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V was conducted in this paper. The residual stresses, micro-hardness, tensile strength and low cycle tensile fatigue life of as-welded Ti-6Al-4V before and after PWHT were compared and analyzed. The results indicate that the PWHT at 700 °C for 1 hour increases the yield strength of weld metal around 2.1% and improves the low cycle tensile fatigue life significantly under fatigue loads from 750 MPa to 950MPa by reducing residual stresses to close to 0 MPa.NRF (Natl Research Foundation, S’pore)Published versio