Strengthening mechanism and forming control of linear friction welded GH4169 alloy joints

Numerical simulation and experimental research on Linear Friction Welding (LFW) for GH4169 superalloy were carried out. Based on the joint microstructure and mechanical properties, a suitable welding process was determined, which provided an important theoretical basis for the manufacture and repair of aeroengine components such as the superalloy blisk. The results show that the joint strain rate gradually increases with the increase of welding frequency, and the deformation resistance of the thermoplastic metal increases in the welding process, resulting in the interface thermoplastic metal not being extruded in time to form a flash, so the joint shortening amount gradually decreases. The thermoplastic metal in the center of the welding surface is kept at high welding temperature for a long time, resulting in the decrease of the joint strength. The microhardness of the joint shows a “W” distribution perpendicular to the weld, and most of the joints break in the Thermo-Mechanically Affected Zone (TMAZ) with high tensile strength and low elongation. When the welding area is increased without changing the aspect ratio of the welding surface, the interface peak temperature increases gradually, and the joint shortening amount decreases with the increase of the welding interface size.