Experimental Investigation on Spin Arc Welding of 15CDV6 HSLA Steel and its Parameter Optimization

Abstract

This research focuses on utilizing the Spin Arc Welding technique to join High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steel of grade 15CDV6, that is widely used in aerospace, automotive, and defence applications due to its exceptional mechanical properties. The experiments were designed following the L9 Taguchi matrix, incorporating current, travel speed, wire feed rate, and spin rotation speed as input parameters. The weld quality was evaluated by analysing bead geometry and microhardness. The Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) was employed to identify the optimal welding parameters, resulting in the following optimal settings: current at 230 A, voltage at 24 V, travel speed at 720 mm/min, and spin rotation speed at 1500 rpm. Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) was applied to the optimized weld, significantly enhancing its properties, as evidenced by a 79% increase in microhardness. This increase in microhardness was primarily attributed to the reduction in ferrite content and the presence of Vanadium carbide (VC) precipitates as detected by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS).