MAKIN' SPARKS MATERIALS JOINING ENGINEERING In addition to their capstone senior design and other class projects, LeTourneau MJE students have a unique opportunity to conduct materials joining research and development at the undergraduate level, most of which is sponsored by the same companies that hire our graduates. One such research project was conducted during the summer of 2010. It involved quantifying the amount of hydrogen cracking in welds made under highly stressed conditions and then finding preheat temperatures to eliminate the hydrogen induced cracking (HIC). Hydrogen cracking can be a serious issue with many of the metals used today. By solving the problem under welding conditions much more severe than in the field, students are then able to confidently make recommendations to the sponsors about how the welds should be made in the field. This worst case scenario concept is used frequently in research with the idea in mind that if a weld will not fail under the most severe conditions possible, it will hold up well under normal conditions. photos by Josh '10 Materials Joining Engineering MajorRelated Links: |
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