The Welding and Joining Metallurgy Group occupies approximately 2000 ft2 (~30 m2) in the OSU Welding Engineering Facility. These facilities include:
- Physical Simulation Laboratory (Gleeble 3800)
- Phase Transformation Laboratory
- Characterization Laboratory
- Metallurgical Preparation Facilities
- Undergraduate Microscopy Laboratory
The Group also has access to equipment and facilities at Edison Welding Institute and the Campus Electron Optics Facility (CEOF).
Physical Simulation Laboratory
The centerpiece of the Physical Simulation Laboratory is a Gleeble 3800, purchased in 2003. The Gleeble is a thermo-mechanical simulator which is designed to reproduce the complex thermal and mechanical cycles that occur during welding and other metalworking processes. The Gleeble at OSU is equipped with both a standard "pocket jaw" attachment that is used for thermal-only simulation and thermal-mechanical testing such as hot ductility, stress-rupture, and strain-to-fracture. Descriptions of these tests are included under the section Testing. The Gleeble 3880 at OSU is also equipped with a Hot Torsion Unit. With this capability, high strain and strain rate testing can be conducted under precise thermal control. Using the Hot Torsion capability, friction stir welding and processing have been successfully simulated in steels.
Phase Transformation Laboratory
The Phase Transformation Laboratory comprises both hardware and software for analyzing phase transformation behavior in a wide range of materials. Equipment includes a button melting apparatus for the production of special alloy compositions and precision furnaces for performing heat treatments under controlled heating and cooling conditions. A key component of this laboratory is the patented SS DTA™ technique - Single Sensor Differential Thermal Analysis. Using SS DTA, information from a single thermocouple can be processed to determine phase transitions (liquid-solid and solid-state) under a wide range of heating and cooling conditions. Phase transformations in steels, solidification temperature ranges in Ni-base alloys, recrystallization temperatures, and gamma-prime precipitation behavior in Ni-base superalloys have all been successfully determined using SS DTA.
Characterization Laboratory
The Characterization Laboratory contains optical metallographs, image capture systems, a standard Rockwell hardness tester, microhardness testers (both manual and automated), a Magne Gage for ferrite measurement, and a number of other instruments for metallurgical analysis. The group also has access to the Campus Electron Optics Facility (CEOF). This facility is equipped with X-ray diffraction equipment, scanning electron microscopes, and transmission electron microscopes.
Metallurgical Preparation Facilities
The Characterization laboratory is supported by a full range of metallographic preparation tools. These include an abrasive cutoff saw, precision sectioning saws, sample mounting presses, grinding and polishing stations, and a fume hood for sample etching and electro-polishing.
Undergraduate Microscopy Laboratory
A special laboratory for undergraduate students is equipped with optical metallographs and a binocular microscope for examination of metallographic samples. This laboratory supports two courses on Welding Metallurgy taught by Professors Lippold and Babu.
