SGS finds root cause of ATV suspension failure
A
SGS SA - Industrial Services product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Mar 6, 2009
SGS has helped an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) manufacturer trace the root cause of suspension system failure during field-testing procedure.
On-site investigation showed that a ball joint, which is part of the front suspension system, was broken.
The location of the fracture was the bearing ball/stud interface, which is a fusion-welded joint, and occurred after approximately 20 hours of field-testing.
The two parts are made out of carbon steel and were previously heat-treated.
Microscopic examination showed that manganese sulphide (MnS) orientation changed in the fusion joint area.
The inclusions had been redirected during the welding process and laid parallel to the fracture surface.
This reorientation caused a significant decrease in the effective cross section of the joint.
On a fracture plane, MnS inclusions are elongated across the fracture.
From a metallurgical point of view, this is considered as a peculiar phenomenon.
On a cut cross section, MnS will be typically round on an axial cut and elongated in the axial direction.
Round and elongated particles are present at the same time - they have well-established locations, with round MnS at the centre and elongated MnS in radial direction.
The modification of the MnS orientation was caused by metallurgical phenomena typically associated with the fusion welding procedure.
MnS are inclusions that originated during the steel-making process.
They are essentially ductile and have a melting temperature higher than that of the steel, which makes them relatively insensitive to ordinary heat-treating.
However, since they are highly ductile, they are easily deformed when heating is combined with plastic deformation.
The ball joint failed under centred tensile overloading in a ductile mode.
It was found that the low mechanical strength of the joining plane caused the failure.
The reduction in mechanical strength was the result of the MnS particles and their orientation.
Although not significant in size, the clustering phenomenon of the MnS particles in this plane is considered the root cause of the ball joint failure.
SGS professionals have concluded that the failure would have not occurred in the absence of a plane rich in MnS.
It was recommended that microscopic cleanliness of the components should be considered as an important issue in order to improve the fusion joining resistance, especially for small-sized parts.
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