Researchers at Punjabi University have developed a metal-joining technique using microwave hybrid-heating technology, university officials announced on Sunday. The research was led by D S Sahota from the university's department of mechanical engineering, under the supervision of Vinod Kumar from Punjabi University and co-supervisor Amit Bansal from I K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala.
Breakthrough in Welding Technology
The study demonstrates the use of microwave hybrid heating technology for metal welding applications, particularly in joining diverse metallic materials. Sahota explained that welding metals using microwave energy has historically been challenging due to the reflective nature of metals at room temperature. However, microwave energy generates internal heat at the molecular level, reducing processing time while improving the properties of the joined materials.
According to the researchers, this process enables more uniform heating compared to conventional welding methods. Vinod Kumar, who guided the study, claimed that the process consumes significantly less energy and processing time than traditional techniques. The study successfully joined stainless steel grades such as Ferritic Stainless Steel (FSS-430) and Austenitic Stainless Steel (SS-316L), including both similar and dissimilar metal combinations.
Experimental Details
During the experiments, the team used nickel-based and stainless steel filler materials in micron and nano sizes. The experiments were conducted in an industrial microwave system operating at 2.45 GHz and 1.1 kW capacity. The microwave hybrid heating (MHH) technology allows microwave energy to generate heat internally at the molecular level, helping metals heat more uniformly.
Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Jagdeep Singh congratulated the research team and stated that such innovations could contribute towards cost-effective and sustainable industrial solutions.
How the Technique Works
The researchers used microwave hybrid heating technology to join metals instead of relying solely on conventional heat sources. In this process, microwave energy generates internal heat at the molecular level, promoting uniform heating. The experiments were conducted using an industrial microwave system operating at 2.45 GHz frequency and 1.1 kW power capacity. The team used nickel-based and stainless steel filler materials in micron and nano sizes during the joining process. The technique was tested on stainless steel grades such as FSS-430 and SS-316L, including both similar and dissimilar metal combinations. Researchers claim that the method can reduce processing time and energy consumption compared to conventional welding techniques.
