# US 10,442,036 B2 · Test plate for approving steel or metal welding parameters: method of approving steel and metal welding parameters: under matched butt welded plates

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- Number: US 10,442,036 B2
- Document ID: US10442036B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/319,482
- Filed: 2015-06-16
- Published: 2017-05-11
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-18
- Assignees: BAE SYSTEMS plc
- Applicants: BAE SYSTEMS plc
- Inventors: Norman Cooper
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10442036B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/207: Welded or soldered joints; Solderability
- B23K 31/02: relating to soldering or welding
- B23K 31/125: {Weld quality monitoring}
- B23K 33/00: Specially-profiled edge portions of workpieces for making soldering or welding connections; Filling the seams formed thereby
- B23K 2103/04: Steel {or steel} alloys
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

A test method is provided to reproducibly test under matched HY100 welds to robustly establish the production parameters for the welding process. The test method comprises forming a ‘U’ shaped groove in a plate to which steel members are welded on the reverse side. The steel members comprise transverse members that extend across the weld. The transverse members are arranged at a density of at least four members for each 0.5 m length of weld and preferably five transverse members. The steel members further comprise longitudinal stiffeners that extend parallel to the weld. The longitudinal stiffeners are arranged at a density of two stiffeners per 0.4 m width of the plate. The high density of stiffeners has provided a reproducible and reliable weld test method that is capable of being used to establish and approve production parameters for the welding process of under matched HY100 welds.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A test plate for approving HY100 welding parameters using an under matched weld consumable compared to HY100 steel, the test plate comprising:
a plate of HY100 steel having a groove machined along a length of a front of the plate and through only a portion of a thickness of the plate;
a plurality of transverse stiffening members welded to a rear of the plate and extending across the groove; and
a plurality of longitudinal stiffening members welded to the rear of the plate and extending parallel to the groove.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein a density of the transverse stiffening members is five members for each 0.5 m of groove.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal stiffening members have a density of two members for each 0.4 m of plate width.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein each transverse stiffening member extends a width of the plate and transverse the groove.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein each transverse stiffening member has a width relative to the length of the plate in a direction of the groove of between 7% to 10%.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal stiffening members are formed into longitudinal stiffening groups, wherein the longitudinal stiffening members of each group are aligned along a common plane that runs parallel to the groove.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The test plate of claim 6, wherein the longitudinal stiffening members of each group extend between the transverse stiffening members.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal stiffening members have a width relative to a width of the plate transverse the groove of between 6% to 9%.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The test plate of claim 8, wherein the relative width is between 7% and 8% of the width of the plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein the plate has a width across the groove of 0.4 m and a length along the groove of 0.5 m.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A method of approving HY100 welding parameters using an under matched weld consumable, the method comprising:
using the test plate of claim 1, depositing a weld in the groove using the weld parameters to be approved, and conducting non-destructive examination (NDE) testing of the formed weld using time of flight diffraction (ToFD).

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

An under matched butt weld joining two plates of HY100 steel, wherein the weld has been formed following welding parameters approved using the method of claim 11.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The under matched butt weld of claim 12, wherein the weld is formed using a minimum preheat of less than 90° C.

### Claim 14

A test plate for approving steel or metal welding parameters using an under matched weld consumable compared to the test plate material, the test plate comprising:
a plate of steel or metal having a groove machined along a length of a front of the plate and through only a portion of a thickness of the plate, wherein transverse and longitudinal stiffening members are welded to a rear of the plate; and
the transverse stiffening members having a density in a direction parallel to a direction of the length, the transverse stiffening member density being more than three members for each 0.5 m of the length; and
the longitudinal stiffening members having a density in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the length, the longitudinal stiffening member density being at least two members for each 0.4 m of plate width.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A method of approving steel or metal welding parameters using an under matched weld consumable, the method comprising using the test plate of claim 14, depositing a weld in the groove using the weld parameters to be approved, and conducting non-destructive examination (NDE) testing of the formed weld using time of flight diffraction (ToFD).

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein a density of the transverse stiffening members is at least four members for each 0.5 m of groove.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The test plate of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal stiffening members have a density of two members for each 0.3 m of plate width.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The test plate of claim 14, wherein the transverse stiffening member density is four members for each 0.5 m of the length.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The test plate of claim 14, wherein the transverse stiffening member density is five members for each 0.5 m of the length.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The test plate of claim 14, wherein the longitudinal stiffening member density is at least two members for each 0.3 m of plate width.