Explosive Welding

Explosive Welding is a solid state

fusion welding process in which the joining
of two metals is accomplished by the
application of the pressure released by the
detonation of an explosive pack.
 Operations
detonator explosive

Flyer plate explosive

Medium gap
Parent plate
jet
a) Before

b) During

c) End
 Process
The cladding plate collides progressively with the backer plate at a high
velocity .

This collision is completed in milliseconds

And removes the contaminating surface films like oxides and absorbed
gases in the form of a fine jet.

At the collision front thereby bringing together two virgin metal surfaces to
form a metallurgical bond by electron sharing.

This unique solid state welding process of Explosion Welding is capable of

bonding almost all metals

The resulting composite clad retains the individual characteristics of each

metal such as corrosion resistance of the cladding metal and
strength/economy of the backer metal
SETUP
Explosive Welding
Dynamic situation at the collision front
showing the jetting mechanism
Pressure isobars developed at the
collision point of the two metals.
 Parameters
Main Variables in explosive welding

– Detonation velocity and Energy

– Standoff distance
– Impact energy
– Bend angle
– Material properties
Explosive velocity affects
– Changes the penetration depth

– Should be lower than 120% of the

materials sonic velocity

– Characteristic of the explosive and its

density
Wave morphology variation
Equations

 Standoff Distance
– Affects plate velocity and impact energy
– Large enough to allow continuous acceleration
– Depends on flyer plate thickness
 Standoff determination

– For plates less than 0.26 in

Standoff = 2 x Flyer Thickness

– For plates greater than 0.26 in

Standoff = Flyer Thickness

 BOND MORPHOLOGY

A LAMINAR BOND WAS ACHIEVED AT DISTANCES

EQUAL TO APPROXIMATELY HALF THE FLYER PLATE
THICKNESS

A STABLE WAVY BOND ZONE WAS PRODUCED AT

INTERMEDIATE STANDOFF DISTANCES EQUAL TO 1.0
TO 1.5 TIMES THE FLYER PLATE THICKNESS

DELAMINATION OCCURRED AT DISTANCES ABOVE

TWO TIMES THE FLYER PLATE THICKNESS
 Impact Energy

– Maximum kinetic energy due to acceleration of

flyer plate

– Standoff distance limits acceleration

– Determined by energy of explosive

Bend Angle (ß)
– Directly affected by the standoff distance
– Affected by flyer plate properties
– Provides shear formation
– Promotes jetting
Material Properties
– Density (?)
– Young’s Modulus
– Material Yield Strength
– Toughness of Material
interface – Zr-Steel & Cu-Ta
Interface of a Ti/Fe cladding

Observations
Interface of a Ti/Fe cladding

Observations
Interface of a Ti/Fe cladding

Observations
Multilayer cladding

Explosive Cladding
Vortex formation
Vortex formation
Cladding process-Vortex formation
The joint is formed ,according to the movement
of Detonation shock wave of the explosive
Due to the unstable plastic flow of metal in the
surroundings of the point of incipient flow a wavy
interface is formed –Vortex-
The kinetic energy of the flyer plate is
transformed into heat
This energy raises the temp. in the vortex over
the melting point of the both metals,
Cladding process-Vortex formation
By this the melt off of the both metal is formed in
the vortex.
Due to the Stirring ,diffusing & solving of solid
fragments ,alloying of both liquid melts occur.
Homogenization of melt also take place
simultaneously .
The solidification of melt takes place , due to the
high cooling capabilities of the surroundings.
 Explosives
Detonation
Explosive velocity , m/s
RDX (Cyclotrimethylene trinitramine, C3H6N6O6 8100

PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate, C5H8N12O4) 8190

TNT (Trinitrotoluene, C7H5N3O6) 6600

Tetryl (Trinitrophenylmethylinitramine, 7800
C7H5O8N5)

Lead azide (N6Pb) 5010

Detasheet 7020

Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) 2655

 
Common clad material
combinations
 The advantages

Used to join dissimilar metals

Achieves high bond strength
Maintains parent metal qualities
Achieves welds over large areas
Requires low capital outlay
Produces minimal distortion of parent
metals
Enables welding in hostile environments
 Limitations
The metals must have high enough impact resistance,
and ductility.

Noise and blast can require operator protection,

vacuum chambers, buried in sand/water.

The use of explosives in industrial areas will be

restricted by the noise and ground vibrations caused
by the explosion.

The geometries welded must be simple – flat,

cylindrical, conical.
 Risks

Explosive welding requires a remote location

Has the danger of handling and storing

explosives and therefore needs strict security

The technique is restricted to a batch process

which limits the speed of weld production.
 Applications
Used to produce corrosion resistant
pressure vessels,
Transition joints for shipbuilding,
Electrical bus bars
Heat exchangers for nuclear installations.
Create advanced composite structures for
the aerospace industry.
 Applications-Justified
Clad Metal Industries Served
Chemical Processing
Petroleum Refining
Hydrometallurgy
Aluminum Smelting
Shipbuilding
Electrochemical
Oil & Gas
Power Generation
Cryogenic Processing
Pulp & Paper
Airconditioning & Chillers
Metal Production
 Chemical Processing

Clad over-layer or hot roll bonded such as tantalum, zirconium, titanium

 Petroleum Refining

 Requirements for corrosion resistant alloys (CRA)

Many different alloys and several backing metals are typically used
 Hydrometallurgy

Titanium Clad, High Pressure Acid Leach Autoclave &

also used in the gold autoclaves
 Aluminum Smelting

Electrical Transition Joints ,

In Al and Mg reduction cells aluminum-steel transition joints (ETJ),
aluminum-copper and steel-copper ETJ's
 Shipbuilding
Reliable Solutions for Marine Corrosion Problems

Aluminum, Steel, CRES, Copper-Nickel, Titanium, Inconel, and other metals.

 Clad Metal Applications in Power
Generation

Large, drilled titanium clad condenser tube sheet.

Condenser Tube Sheets are used almost exclusively for
titanium clad steel construction
 Cryogenic Processing

Array of Cryo Transition Joints, 1-inch to 20-inch

Cryogenic Transition Joints (TJ’S) - Aluminum and Stainless Steel

are the primary metals of construction for cryogenic equipment
 Metal Production

Magnesium melting pot crucibles. Nickel alloy cladding outside,

for high temperature oxidation resistance.

Bi-metallic or tri-metallic components can be fabricated from combinations

of aluminum, copper, steel, silver, titanium or other metals.
 Fastening boss & rings

 SS/Al Bi-metallic Boss 3/4" Dia 3" Diameter Al/SS Ring

Microstructures
Interface of Mn steel-Steel (Low carbon steel)
 Interface of Bronze-Steel

Joint interface of Bronze-Steel

Bond Zone of Fe-Ti
Interface of Ti-Steel
Experiment in Explosive welding
Thank you