PRESENTATION REPORT ON

EXPLOSIVE WELDING
Submitted By:
PULKIT MATOLIA (ME/12/734)

Department of Mechanical Engineering

SHRI BALWANT INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Approved by AICTE, Min of HRD, Govt of India & DTE, Govt of Haryana
Affiliated to DCR University of Science and Technology, Murthal, Sonepat
Meerut Road (Pallri), Near DPS, Sonepat-131001, Haryana

ABSTRACT
Explosion welding which is a solid-phase welding process, was probably discovered by
chance by Philipchuk, who states that he first observed the effect when explosively forming
an aluminium U-channel on steel die. It was found that the U-channel could not be removed
from the die because a circular-shaped area had become welded to the die. From more
recent work it would appear that an excessive exp. charge must have been used in this
forming exercise to have achieved the impact velocity required for welding. Allen, Maps,
and Wilson carried out experiment Concerned with the impact of right cylindrical bullets
fired at thin targets and they noted a rip. of the surface of the bullet. Abrahamson, who was
concerned with the rip. or wave action, continued the work of Allen et al. and observed,
when firing a steel bullet against an oblique copper target, that adhesion occurred between
the steel and the copper; he shows a pm. of the wavy interface typical of exp. welding. This,
of course, leads to the conclusion that exp. welding is associated with the oblique impact
between the two surfaces to be welded. Crossland and Bahrani also noted that it was well
known during the First World War that a bullet or shrapnel could stick to metal surfaces
which they impacted, though it was not appreciated that this could be the basis of a welding
process.

CERTIFICATE
2

This is to certify that the Seminar Topic entitled as EXPLOSIVE WELDING and
submitted by PULKIT MATOLIA having Roll No ME/12/734, embodies the
bonafide work done by his/her under my supervision.

Signature of the Supervisor

Place: SBIT CAMPUS

Date:

CONTENT
INTRODUCTION.........5
THE BEGINNINGS...6
THE PROCESS....................................................................................7
SOME APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROCSS..8
EXAMPLES..9
EXPLOSIVE USED...10
ADVANTAGES....11
DISADVANTAGES.....11
PROCESS CONTROL..12
CONCLUSION.13
REFRENCES....14

INTRODUCTION

Explosion welding, or bonding, is a solid state welding process that is used for
metallurgical joining of metals. Explosion welding can be used to join a wide variety of
dissimilar metals. Simply stated, explosion bonding uses the controlled detonation of
explosions to accelerate one or both of the constituent metals into each other in such a
manner as to cause the collision to fuse them together.
The metallurgical joining occurs when the clad metal is driven down into the base metal by
the explosive energy. The force of the explosion set up an angular collision which produces
ejected plasma. The plasma jet acts to remove impurities from both metals surfaces in front
of the collision point, leaving behind clean metal for joining. The pressures at the collision
point, which can be from 100,000 600,000 psi, are enough to squeeze the metals into
behaving like viscous fluids. The fluid like behaviour is responsible for creating the wave
pattern bond line in an explosive weld.
The process of explosive cladding, orexplosive welding, has been understood for decades.
Although academia has acknowledged explosive welding as a novel and fascinating
process, with several specific exceptions, industry has been slow to realize its potential and
the possible composites that it makes available. More recently, explosive welding
manufacturers, such as SOURIAU PA&E's Bonded Metals Division, formally known as
Northwest Technical Industries (NTI), have characterized and defined many aspects of the
process and have made efforts to inform design engineers of the many composite
possibilities that explosive bonding allows.
A composite can be designed and fabricated to combine desirable properties of very
different metals. This process allows the designers to optimize the performance of the
composite for high temperature, cryogenic, high strength, thermal or electrical conductivity,
enhanced mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, or any other application.

THE BEGINNINGS
Its origins, however, go back to World War I, when it was observed that pieces of shrapnel
sticking to armor plating were not only embedding themselves, but were actually being
welded to the metal. Since the extreme heat involved in other forms of welding did not play
a role, it was concluded that the phenomenon was caused by the explosive forces acting on
the shrapnel. These results were later duplicated in laboratory tests and, not long
afterwards, the process was patented and put to use.

In 1962, DuPont applied for a patent on the explosion welding process, which was granted
on June 23, 1964 under US Patent 3,137,937[2] and resulted in the use of the Detaclad
trademark to describe the process. On July 22, 1996, Dynamic Materials Corporation
completed the acquisition of DuPont's Detaclad operations for a purchase price of
$5,321,850. Explosion welded bi-metal transitions components provide the corrosion
control solution. In 1962 DuPont patented the explosion welding process (EXW) after
developing it in the 1950s.
One of several unique attributes of explosive welding is the ability to make a metallurgical
joint between highly dissimilar metals. Many of the reactions used in the chemicals
industry are highly corrosive.
Metals such as titanium, zirconium and tantalum are expensive but resistant to severe
process conditions. These metals form brittle, intermetallic compounds with iron-based
metals, such as steel, in the molten phase and in the presence of oxygen. Therefore,
conventional, fusion weld overlay is not an option. DuPont had a solution for the industrys
need for corrosion resistant bi-metallic clad equipment: explosion weld clad plate. Working
with the US Navy.
DuPont developed the Detacouple Transition joint concept for making aluminium-steel
welds in shipyard environments. This was the first of many applications of explosion
welding in ship construction. In the 1960s the explosion welding process was licensed to
several companies over the world. Over the subsequent forty years the technology has been
qualified, mastered and is, today, a robust industrial technology. In recent years the original
Dupont Detaclad division and several of the licensor companies have been consolidated
into a single company with manufacturing plants around the world. Although the
technology was originally implemented for highly dissimilar metals, it is equally good for
welding metallurgical similar metals that can be joined by more traditional welding
technologies. In much of todays explosion weld production, common metal combinations
are combined, such as 300 series stainless steel applied to carbon steel. EXW is utilized

THE PROCESS

To form an explosive weld the following conditions need to occur:

Two surfaces that need to be joined are initially spaced at a small distance (standoff
distance).
An explosive force brings these two surfaces together
progressively at a collision front.
The collision front's velocity must be lower than the speed of sound in the materials, so that
the shock wave precedes the bond being formed. If not, the shockwave would interfere with
the contacted surfaces preventing a bond occurring.
The interfacial pressure at the collision front must exceed the yield strength of the
materials, so that plastic deformation will occur.

A jet of metal is formed just ahead of the collision front

Comprising of the two component surfaces, this is finally ejected from the interface. The
surfaces and any surface
Contaminants are removed in the jet. Behind the collision front, the now clean surfaces
bond, under extreme pressure, in the solid state. In cross section, the materials usually bond
together in an undulating wave form and the process can weld a parent plate of thickness
0.025mm to over 1m (the maximum flyer plate thickness is one third that of the parent
plate). Up to 30m2 can be welded in one explosion.

SOME APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROCESS

a) Weld Transitions:-

Explosively welded bimetal sheets can be used as weldable transitions between two
dissimilar metals. For example, an explosively bonded strip of aluminum and stainless steel
can be inserted between an aluminum structure and a stainless steel structure. This allows
for direct conventional welding of the stainless steel structure to the stainless steel side of
the Bimetallic strip and then direct conventional welding of the aluminum structure to the
aluminum side of the bimetallic Strippling The resulting joint is a fully welded aluminumto-stainless steel structure. This application allows designers and fabricators to apply
specific materials to the location or function that they are best suited for without having to
make the entire structure out of one of the metals, thereby limiting the designs potential.

b) Precious Metal Conservation:Thin layers of precious metals, refractory metals, and other expensive alloys can be
explosively welded to the specific area of a part where it is needed. This not only
significantly reduces the cost of the manufactured part, but allows for the use of more
structurally sound materials to be used where strength is required.

c) Galvanic Corrosion Prevention:Explosively welded dissimilar metals act as a significant inhibitor to galvanic activity that
would occur between mechanically fastened dissimilar metals. Maritime applications
benefit from the use of explosively weld metals by allowing for weldable transitions
between dissimilar metals that significantly reduce or eliminate galvanic corrosion.

d) Corrosion-Resistant Linings:A common application for explosively welded (or clad) metals is as corrosion- or erosionresistant linings for pressure vessels, chemical process tanks, heat exchangers, and tube
sheets. In addition, there is a significant cost reduction afforded by the opportunity to
utilize structural steels to improve wall strength without having to manufacture the entire
structure from the typically costly corrosion-resistant metals.

e) Radiation Shielding:Thin layers of shielding materials can be bonded to other structural metals or components.
This has been a cost-effective method of providing radiation shielding to satellites.

EXAMPLES
a) Marine Shipbuilding Components:Because of the galvanic corrosion prevention characteristics referred to previously,
explosion welded transition materials have become prevalent throughout the
shipbuilding industry. Cylindrically bonded aluminum-to-steel transition rings enable
shipbuilders to securely weld forged steel cup-and-cross tie-down elements into the
aluminum deck of aircraft carriers.

b) Chemical Process Vessels:On the other dimensional scale, explosion welding can be used to create some rather
large structures. Dynamic Materials Corp. explosively clads large plates of hot-rolled
carbon steel with corrosion resistant materials such as titanium or stainless steel. The
plates are rolled into cylinders then welded together to form large process and pressure
vessels. Plates 40 ft. long and ten ft wide are routinely bonde.

c) Hermetic Electronic Packaging:Electronics packages used for modern military and aerospace applications invariably
require the use of lightweight materials while simultaneously providing the utmost in
reliability. In the past, connectors made from steel or Kovar were gold plated then
soldered into a gold-plated aluminum housing. With prolonged usage and temperature
swings, the solder joints were prone to fail. This allowed moisture to enter the housing
and cause the entire unit to fail. By utilizing precision machined aluminum-to-steel
explosively welded transitions, the assembly can be laser beam welded, eliminating
solder joints entirely. As an added benefit should a connector fail, the damaged part can
be machined out and a new connector welded in its place, without affecting the rest of
the package. With solder technology, connector removal requires heating the entire
package, which could destroy the housing.

d) Sputter Targets:-

Cathodic sputtering targets used in semiconductor manufacturing are made from

expensive, high-purity materials to minimize contamination during the sputtering
process. In order to reduce the quantity consumed of these materials, the target plate is
usually welded to a lowermost backing plate, which provides mechanical support and
enables cooling through the back side. This bond must provide very good thermal and
electrical conductivity between the carrier and backer plates, as well as maintain these
properties as the target erodes through normal operation and becomes thinner. During
operation, thermal stresses develop that could lead to a debonding of soldered or brazed
assemblies.

EXPLOSIVE USED
EXP.

DETONATION VELOCITY , M/S

RDX (CYCLOTRIMETHYLENE TRINITRAMINE, C3H6N6O6

8100

PETN (PENTAERYTHRITOL TETRANITRATE, C5H8N12O4)

8190

TNT (TRINITROTOLUENE, C7H5N3O6)

6600

TETRYL (TRINITROPHENYLMETHYLINITRAMINE, C7H5O8N5)

7800

LEAD AZIDE (N6PB)

5010

DATASHEET

7020

AMMONIUM NITRATE (NH4NO3)

2655

ADVANTAGES
1. Can bond many dissimilar, normally unweldable metals.
2. Minimum fixturing/jigs.
3. Simplicity of the process.
4. Extremely large surfaces can be bonded.
5. Wide range of thicknesses can be explosively clad together.
6. Small quantity of explosive used.
7. No effect on parent properties

DISADVANTAGES
1. The metals must have high enough impact resistance, and ductility.
2. Noise and blast can require operator protection.
3. The use of exp. in industrial areas will be restricted by the noise and ground
vibrations caused by the explosion.
4. The geometries welded must be simple flat, cylindrical.
5. The metals must have high enough impact resistance, and ductility.
6. Noise and blast can require operator protection, vacuum chambers, buried in
Sand/water.
7. The use of exp. in industrial areas will be restricted by the noise and ground
vibrations caused by the explosion.

PROCESS CONTROL
Cladding multilaminates by explosive welding involves a working knowledge of the
process phenomena and the ability to utilize them efficiently to create quality composites.

In order to produce a quality weld, the variables affecting the weld formation must be
tightly controlled. The amplitude and periodicity of the wave pattern formed during
explosive welding can be controlled by adjusting three major parameters: detonation
velocity (Vd), explosive load, and the interface spacing. The wave pattern formed at the
bond line is most often described as resulting from a fluid-flow collision. The two
constituent metals can be considered to act as viscous fluids in the reaction zone and, just as
in describing laminar or turbulent flow, a Reynolds number can be determined for the
system. In a fluid-flow collision, the interface turbulence is controlled by the detonation
velocity and the collision angle (Figure 2). The interface morphology is important for some
specific applications.
For example: it may be desirable to attain a wavy interface to increase transition joint's
shear strength. It also may be desirable to attain a flat interface in a system, where a
reaction zone must be minimized for thermal reasons, or where it is necessary to know the
depth of a bond line on a microscopic level.
It is also important to know the metallurgy involved in a particular system whenselecting
bonding parameters. In very turbulent wave patterns, localized melt pockets can occur at
the "crests" of the waves. These melt pockets can contain a variety of binary alloys,
rapidly-solidified microstructures and intermetallic compounds. Some systems that form a
very stable intermetallic compound may form a continuous layer of that compound at high
bonding pressures. Such a bond, with a continuous intermetallic layer, usually shows very
high tensile strength, but low ductility and impact resistance. It will also react poorly to
thermal cycling.. Explosively welded multilaminates come very close to achieving ideal
composite conditions i.e. a sharp transition between layers; physical and mechanical
properties which are constant or enhanced throughout individual layer thickness'; and a
metallurgical bond between layers. These composites are available for a wide variety of
industrial and strategic applications. The geometry used for any given product depends on
the end requirements for the material. Explosive cladding offers advantages over other
coating technologies, because after sheets of material are bonded together, they retain
essentially 100% of their theoretical density. Other coating techniques, which employ spray
or vapor deposition, have much higher porosity and, as a result, do not protect the substrate
as well.

CONCLUSION
More recently the process has moved away from simple cladding and is used to produce
corrosion resistant pressure vessels, transition joints for shipbuilding, electrical bus bars
and heat exchangers for nuclear installations. Future developments of the technique might
create advanced composite structures for the aerospace industry. Explosion welded parts
and components offer the marine designer and constructor options to improve corrosion
resistance. The explosion-welded products increase the design options, improve service life
and save money. The process of explosive cladding, orexplosive welding, has been

understood for decades. Although academia has acknowledged explosive welding as a

novel and fascinating process, with several specific exceptions, industry has been slow to
realize its potential and the possible composites that it makes available. More recently,
explosive welding manufacturers, such as SOURIAU PA&E's Bonded Metals Division,
formally known as Northwest Technical Industries (NTI), have characterized and defined
many aspects of the process and have made efforts to inform design engineers of the many
composite possibilities that explosive bonding allows.
A composite can be designed and fabricated to combine desirable properties of very
different metals. This process allows the designers to optimize the performance of the
composite for high temperature, cryogenic, high strength, thermal or electrical conductivity,
enhanced mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, or any other application. Explosion
welded parts and components offer the marine designer and constructor options to improve
corrosion resistance. The explosion-welded products increase the design options, improve
service life and save money

REFRENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Wikipedia-the free encyclopedia

The fundamentals of Explosion Welding By Colin Merriman
What you can do with Explosion Welding By David Cutter
Explosive Welding technology By Henry Tan (2008)
Explosive Welding of Dissimilar Metal, High energy Metals, Inc.
Introduction to Explosion Welding Metal Web News