알루미늄합금 6061-T6 판재에 대하여 마찰교반용접과 텅스텐 이너트 가스 용접의 교차 용접부의 미세조직과 기계적 특성에 있어서 용접 순서의 영향을 분석하기 위한 시험편을 성공적으로 제작하였다. FSW-ED 시험편이 다른 조합들보다 가장 좋은 기계적 특성을 나타내었다. 흥미롭게도, TIG-FSW ED 시험편이 FSW-TIG ED 시험편보다 높은 인장강도를 나타내었다. 용접부 경도의 경우, FSW 시편이 TIG-FSW 및 FSW-TIG 시험편보다 높은 값을 나타내었고, TIG-FSW 시험편이 FSW-TIG 시험편보다 높은 값을 나타내었다. FE-SEM을 이용한 인장 파면에 대한 관찰을 통하여, 모든 시험편에서 연성파괴를 나타내는 다양한 크기의 딤플들이 관찰되었다. FSW-TIG 시험편의 파면에서는 용융지(熔融池) 표면 영역에서 기공들이 관찰되는 반면, TIG-FSW 시험편에서는 기공의 형성은 관찰되지 않았다. 경도와 미세조직의 결과를 통해 TIG-FSW 공정이 FSW-TIG 공정보다 높은 인장강도를 확보할 수 있는 공정임을 확인하였다.

In this study, the structural analysis and welding performance experiments were performed to reduce the weight of the semi-automatic TIG welding device. The structural analysis based on finite element method was performed on the lightweight design of the wire feeder's main frame to evaluate the structural safety and straightness of the lightweight frame. To reduce the weight of the welding wire feeder, the step motor was changed to a servo motor and a pinion gear made of lightweight reinforced plastic material was applied. In addition, a new type of welding torch was developed to reduce the weight of the welding torch and to supply more effective fillers. As a result of performing the TIG welding experiment using a prototype of TIG welding device consisting of a lightweight frame, feeding device and welding torch, it was confirmed that the working criteria were satisfied in terms of welding speed, welding bead shape, feeding uniformity and torch durability. The developed lightweight TIG welding device is expected to improve welding productivity and work convenience.

To precisely assemble the fuel test rod, an orbital TIG welding system was designed and developed to accurately conduct orbital TIG welding for the nuclear fuel test rod. Using this system, a welding process needs to confirm the welding properties for orbital TIG welding. Therefore, preliminary weld tests were performed on the cladding tubes under various conditions, and the results show that the width and depth of HAZ of the cladding specimen welded using identical power during an orbital TIG welding cycle was continuously increased from a welded start-point to a welded end-point because of heat accumulation. The performance tests were conducted under the welding conditions considered through preliminary welding tests, and the properties of the specimens were conformed through surface and microstructure analyses.

To conduct a nuclear fuel irradiation test, the inside of the nuclear fuel rod must be assembled along with the test fuel, several different parts, and sensors, and then filled with high-pressure and high-purityhelium gas. Therefore, it is necessary to develop helium gas filling techniques that can achieve exact TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) spot welding at a pin-hole of the nuclear fuel rod to fill helium gas into the nuclear fuel test rod. However, previous apparatuses do not have repeatability for TIG spot welding as they lack an electrode position control jig to exactly fix a TIG electrode in a high-pressure chamber, and they consume a large amount of helium gas. Therefore, a TIG spot welding apparatus was developed to easily and accurately conduct TIG spot welding and significantly reduce the gas consumption. In addition, the optimum welding conditions of this welding apparatus were established through various weld tests.