Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476

www.springerlink.com/content/1738-494x(Print)/1976-3824(Online)
DOI 10.1007/s12206-017-0138-9

Stress analysis and optimization of Nd:YAG pulsed laser processing of notches for
fracture splitting of a C70S6 connecting rod†
Shuqing Kou, Yan Gao*, Yong Zhao and Baojun Lin
Roll Forging Research Institute, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China

(Manuscript Received June 13, 2016; Revised August 16, 2016; Accepted September 29, 2016)

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Abstract

The pulsed laser pre-processing of a notch as the fracture initiation source for the splitting process is the key mechanism of an ad-
vanced fracture splitting technology for C70S6 connecting rods. This study investigated the stress field of Nd:YAG pulsed laser grooving,
which affects the rapid fracture initiation at the notch root and the controlled crack extension in the critical fracture splitting quality, to
improve manufacturing quality. Thermal elastic-plastic incremental theory was applied to build the finite element analysis model of the
stress field of pulsed laser grooving for fracture splitting based on the Rotary-Gauss body heat source. The corresponding numerical
simulation of the stress field was conducted. The changes and distributions of the stress during pulsed laser grooving were examined, the
influence rule of the primary technological parameters on the residual stress was analyzed, and the analysis results were validated by the
corresponding cutting experiment. Results showed that the residual stress distribution was concentrated in the Heat-affected zone (HAZ)
near the fracture splitting notch, which would cause micro-cracks in the HAZ. The stress state of the notch root in the fracture initiation
direction was tensile stress, which was beneficial to the fracture initiation and the crack rapid extension in the subsequent fracture split-
ting process. However, the uneven distribution of the stress could lead to fracture splitting defects, and thus the residual stress should be
lowered to a reasonable range. Decreasing the laser pulse power, increasing the processing speed, and lowering the pulse width can lower
the residual stress. Along with the actual production, the reasonable main technological parameters were obtained.
Keywords: Connecting rod; Pulsed laser; Notch; Fracture splitting; Stress field
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Previous research on the pulsed laser processing of notches

1. Introduction
for fracture splitting focused on the analysis of microstructures
Engine connecting rods are typical combined parts. The and properties near the fracture splitting notch, the simulation
fracture splitting process of connecting rods has become the of the temperature field generated during the production of a
main developing direction of the connecting rod manufactur- fracture notch using the single thermal analysis of ANSYS
ing technology, and it has several advantages such as simple under the condition of a Gauss surface heat source, which
process, low manufacturing cost, high efficiency, high assem- ignores the significance of the keyhole effect, the influence of
bly quality, large stiffness, and high bearing capacity of the process parameters on the dimension of the notch, and the
component [1]. Pre-processing a fracture splitting notch is the optimization of the geometric parameters of the cast iron
primary process of the fracture splitting technology. Its proc- notch using ABAQUS, which is suitable for solving the con-
essing quality directly affects the splitting force and fracture tact problem, among others [6-8]. However, the connecting
splitting quality in the subsequent directional splitting process. rod materials produce elastic-plastic deformation because of
The laser cutting process has developed rapidly in recent years the localized rapid heating and subsequent quick cooling dur-
[2-5]. The pulsed laser processing of notches is characterized ing pulsed laser processing. Residual stress must occur near
by rapid heating and cooling, no tool wear, narrow Heat- the fracture splitting notch after completing the process. The
affected zone (HAZ), high efficiency and versatility, and magnitude and distribution of residual stress not only affect
quenching treatment on the notch root. Therefore, pulsed laser the fracture initiation of fracture splitting notches and crack
grooving has been widely utilized in the pre-processing of extension during the subsequent splitting process but also
fracture splitting notches. cause the thermal cracks and instability of the crack extension,
which leads to fracture splitting defects. Therefore, optimizing
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 431 85095659, Fax.: +86 431 85095659 the laser processing parameters and controlling the stress field
E-mail address: gaoyan_ly@126.com
†
Recommended by Associate Editor Young Whan Park
of the pulsed laser processing of notches largely guarantee the
© KSME & Springer 2017 quality of the fracture splitting process.
2468 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476
Fig. 1. Core processes of the fracture splitting processing of a connect-
ing rod: (a) Pre-processing a fracture splitting notch; (b) splitting proc-
ess; (c) combined assembly.
Pulsed laser energy is relatively concentrated. The proc-
essed and affected areas of pulsed laser cutting are small, and
thus the stress field distribution of the pulsed laser processing
of notches cannot be obtained by experiment. Numerical
simulation technology is currently an effective estimation
device for process research. The simulation is not absolutely
real because of the limits to the calculation condition, but it
can still approximate reality using the finite element model
based on the actual condition. The stress field dynamics of the
pulsed laser processing of notches can be reproduced, and the
relationship among different physical quantities, such as laser
power, cutting speed, and material, can be analyzed through a
numerical simulation analysis. C70S6 steel is now widely
employed in the production of connecting rod fracture split-
ting technology. Combined with the cutting experiment, the
thermal elastic-plastic finite element method was applied for
the thermal-mechanical analysis in this research. The ANSYS
software, which is suitable for solving the multi-field coupling
problem, was selected. Its element “life” and “death” technol-
ogy can be effectively utilized to obtain an intuitive simulation
with the parametric design language. The numerical simula-
tion of the stress field of the pulsed laser processing of notches
of C70S6 steel was performed on the basis of the Rotary-
Gauss body heat source, which can properly reflect the key-
hole effect. The evolution process of the transient stress field
of the pulsed laser processing of notches was studied. The
distribution and effect factor of the stress field were then ex-
plored. The influence rule of the technological parameters on
the stress field of the pulsed laser processing of notches was
analyzed, and it provided reference to improve and optimize
the process in the actual production of the fracture splitting
processing of an engine connecting rod.
2. Connecting rod fracture splitting processing
The core procedures of the connecting rod fracture splitting
process are shown in Fig. 1. First, two fracture splitting
notches are designed and processed separately at a predeter-
mined splitting position of the inside part of the crankshaft
hole of the connecting rod big end. The normal stress load
perpendicular to the predetermined fracture surface is then
applied. Fracture initiates at the root of the notch, and cracks
begin to extend upon meeting the open-type fracture until the
parts are separated into two sections (i.e., connecting rod
cover and connecting rod body) by brittle fracture. Finally, 3D
concave and convex surfaces produced by the splitting process
are adopted for meshing to implement the combined assembly
between the cover and the body of the connecting rod. The
follow-up working procedures, such as the fine boring of
holes of two ends and bush extrusion, are performed after the
combined assembly process. The second combined assembly
is implemented when the meshing between the 3D concave
surface and convex surface is treated as the assembly and
location datum during the engine assembly.
Pre-processing a fracture splitting notch is the critical part
of the core processes of the fracture splitting processing of a
connecting rod. The processing quality of the fracture splitting
notch is the key to the subsequent splitting process. Fracture
splitting defects, such as fracture surface defect, plastic de-
formation of large end crankshaft holes, fracture line offset,
crack branching, chips inclusion at the outer edge, and even
single-side fracture, are closely related to the grooving meth-
ods, geometry size of the fracture splitting notch, notch proc-
essing precision, and notch surface quality. However, the
stress field changes and residual stress distribution in the
pulsed laser processing of notches, which are becoming hot-
spots in studying the pulsed laser processing of notches and
even fracture splitting technology, largely affect the quality of
the fracture splitting process.
3. Thermal elastic-plastic analysis of the pulsed laser
processing of notches
3.1 Material deformation characteristics
The laser pre-processing of a fracture splitting notch is a
thermal cutting method. The laser beam with high power den-
sity, which is focused by a lens, is applied to irradiate the
 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476
workpiece during laser cutting. The irradiated position of the
workpiece is rapidly melted and evaporated and reaches the
ignition point. The molten material is blown away by the high-
speed airflow coaxial with the laser beam, which then obtains
the fracture splitting notch.
Thermal stress in the entire pulsed laser cutting process is
produced by the thermal expansions and interaction between
the different workpiece parts. The gradual increase in thermal
stress is caused by the ever increasing thermal expansion as
the material temperature increases under the action of the laser
heat source. Elastic and plastic deformations are observed in
the workpiece when the local material thermal stress exceeds
the material yield strength. This part of the materials that de-
form plastically is restricted by the surrounding conditions and
is difficult to shrink freely during cooling. Phase transforma-
tion, nonlinearity, and other effect factors exist in processing a
fracture splitting notch. Therefore, the stress field of the
pulsed laser processing of notches is a complex thermal elas-
tic-plastic problem. Thermal elastic-plastic incremental theory
was applied for the Finite element analysis (FEA) of the stress
field of the laser processing of notches for accurate calculation
and analysis.
3.2 Thermal-mechanical coupling process
The stress and temperature fields interact during the pulsed
laser processing of notches. The laser beam transfers energy to
the processed workpiece, and then the local temperature of the
workpiece changes severely, thus leading to a large tempera-
ture gradient. Thermal stress is produced by the non-uniform
temperature of the different workpiece parts. A part of the
work conducted by the thermal stress deformation is con-
verted into heat, which affects the temperature field distribu-
tion. Compared with the heat effect caused by temperature
change and the absorption or release of the phase transforma-
tion latent heat, the heat effect caused by the stress deforma-
tion work can be ignored. Therefore, the one-way sequential
coupling method was adopted to simplify this process. First,
the temperature field of the entire process of the pulsed laser
processing of notches for fracture splitting was calculated. The
calculation results of the temperature field were applied as the
thermal load for the mechanical analysis of the structure. The
entire dynamic process of the stress field was finally obtained.
3.3 Basic assumptions
The following assumptions were made during the thermal-
mechanical coupling FEA based on the C70S6 steel character-
istics and processes of the pulsed laser processing of notches:
(1) Chemical combustion between the materials and oxygen
of auxiliary gases at high temperature was ignored;
(2) The mechanical properties of the materials changed with
temperature;
(3) The original materials were isotropic;
(4) The materials conformed to the Von Mises yield crite-
rion;
2469
(5) Effects of viscosity and creep were ignored;
(6) The material mechanical behavior conformed to the
plastic flow and hardening criteria in the plastic zone;
(7) Elastic, plastic, and temperature strain types were in-
separable;
(8) Changes in temperature-related material mechanical
properties and the stress and strain in small time increments
were linear with the temperature.
3.4 Thermal elastic-plastic constitutive equation
Thermal elastic-plastic theory states that the materials’
complete strain increment includes the elastic, plastic, and
temperature strain increments in the entire process of pulsed
laser processing. The strain increment at each time step is
described as follows:
d e ij = d e ije + d e ijp + d e ijT , (1)
where the superscripts e, p and T represent elasticity, plasticity,
and temperature, respectively.
The strain increment of the element in the elastic zone is
composed of the elastic and thermal strain increments as
shown in Eq. (2).
d {e } = d {e e } + d {e T } . (2)
As material properties depend on temperature, the stress-
strain increment relationship in the elastic zone is shown as
follows:
d {s } = ëéD ûùe d {e } - {C}e dT , (3)
where [D]e is the elasticity matrix, and {C}e is the tempera-
ture-related vector in the elastic zone.
The strain increment of the element in the plastic zone is
composed of the elastic, plastic, and temperature strain incre-
ments as shown in Eq. (4).
d {e } = d {e e } + d {e p } + d {e T } . (4)
The stress-strain increment relationship in the plastic zone is
shown as follows:
d {s } = éëD ùûep d {e } - {C}ep dT , (5)
where [D]ep is the elasticity-plasticity matrix, and {C}ep is the
temperature-related vector in the plastic zone.
4. Finite element modeling and key technologies
4.1 Heat source model and loading
The pulsed laser power density reached 106 W/cm2 to 107
W/cm2 during the processing of fracture splitting notches.
2470 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476
Combined with the previous assumptions, laser fusion cutting
was utilized to pre-process a fracture splitting notch. Therefore,
the body heat source model was adopted to effectively simu-
late the keyhole effect caused by the digging action of the
laser beam. The energy attenuation phenomenon was pro-
duced because of the multiple reflection-absorption of the
laser beam in the keyhole. Therefore, the Rotary-Gauss body
heat source was employed in the simulation. The mathemati-
cal expression of the Rotary-Gauss body heat source is as
follows [9]:
é ù
ê -9 2 2
ú
q ( x, y, z ) = Q exp ê ( x + y )ú ,
ê (ln H )r02 ú (1) The calculation model was divided into two parts to fa-
êë z úû
9 APm
Q= , (7)
2 1
p r0 H (1 - 3 )
e (2) The mapped meshing method, which is beneficial for
where Pm is pulse power, A is the effective absorption rate of
the materials for laser energy, H is the height of the heat
source, and r0 is the opening radius of the heat source, namely,
the spot radius.
The motion loading of the heat source is an important step
in the numerical simulation of the pulsed laser processing of
notches. The effects of different pulse powers, processing
speeds, and spot radiuses on the simulation results were
achieved in the form of heat source function parameters
through this step. The motion loading of the heat source dur-
ing the simulation was Achieved by the parametric design
language (APDL) that wrote the DO-loop statement and the
simultaneous function editing and loading in the laser irradiat-
ing stage. Moreover, the heat source treatment should be con-
sidered in the intermittent stage of the pulsed laser during the
calculating process considering the special form of the pulsed
laser processing. Therefore, the heat source, which was loaded
in the laser irradiating stage, was deleted in the intermittent
stage of pulsed laser. The corresponding calculation was then
performed.
4.2 Geometry model and meshing
The outer contour curve of the engine connecting rod is
complex and the fracture splitting notch is located at the inside
part of the crankshaft hole of the connecting rod big end. Thus,
the connecting rod big end was simplified as a rectangle to
improve the simulation accuracy, decrease the node number,
and control the calculated amount. These objectives were
based on the concentrated energy of the pulsed laser, smaller
processed area, and smaller affected area. Half of the rectangle
along the symmetrical plane of the fracture splitting notch was
selected for modeling according to the symmetry of the con-
necting rod crankshaft hole, laser heat source, and fracture
splitting notch. The hexahedron dimensions were 1.3 mm ×
1.3 mm × 1.3 mm.
Fig. 2. Finite element model.
(6)
cilitate the spot area selection and mesh control: V1 is the laser
irradiation area with a depth of 1 mm and width that is slightly
larger than the spot diameter; V2 is the base material area.
loading the heat source, selecting elements, and improving the
convergence, was utilized in the V1, and the free meshing
method was applied in the V2. The corresponding finite ele-
ment model is shown in Fig. 2.
4.3 Initial conditions and boundary conditions
(1) The initial sample temperature was set to room tempera-
ture of 25 °C.
(2) Natural convection and thermal radiation occurred be-
tween the workpiece and ambient air during the pulsed laser
processing of notches. Convection heat transfer and thermal
radiation were calculated in a different manner. Therefore, the
convection and thermal radiation heat transfers were com-
bined in this study. The overall heat transfer was calculated in
the form of convection heat transfer and applied on the model
surface.
(3) The adiabatic boundary was applied on the symmetry
surface according to the symmetry during modeling.
(4) Surfaces parallel to the X-axis beside the surface that
was irradiated by the pulsed laser in the model shown in Fig. 2
were constrained to the translational degrees of freedom in the
Y- and Z-directions based on the actual circumstance of the
pulsed laser processing of notches. The symmetry constraints
were also applied on the symmetry plane.
4.4 Material nonlinearity
Laser cutting is a process in which the workpiece is heated
rapidly to a high temperature in the local area and then rapidly
cooled. With the movement of the laser heat source, the tem-
perature changes rapidly with time and space during process-
ing. The different physical characteristics also largely change
correspondingly.
Connecting the rod materials for fracture splitting mainly
includes powder metallurgy material (e.g., Fe-2Cu-0.55C-
0.1S) and non-tempered steel (e.g., C70S6 and 36MnVS4).
 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476 2471

Table 1. C70S6 chemical composition.

Element Content (%) Element Content (%)

C 0.67-0.73 Cr 0.10-0.20
Si 0.15-0.25 V 0.03-0.04
Mn 0.45-0.55 Mo ≤ 0.03
P ≤ 0.045 Ni ≤ 0.02
S 0.06-0.07 Fe 98.435-98.055
Al ≤ 0.01

The manufacturing cost of the powder forging rod blank is

higher and its fatigue resistance is lower than those of the
forging steel connecting rod, thus indicating that the applica- (a)
tion range of the forged steel connecting rod is wider than
that of the powder forging connecting rod. The high carbon
micro-alloy non-quenched C70S6 steel is currently one of the
most widely used materials in the fracture splitting technol-
ogy of connecting rods. The chemical composition of C70S6
is presented in Table 1. The carbon content of C70S6 steel is
0.73 % and is larger than the 0.45 % carbon content of the
general connecting rod steel, thus guaranteeing that the full-
pearlite can be obtained by air cooling after forging. Plastic
deformation then decreases after the directional splitting
process, but the hardenability of the steel increases. Hardness
by air cooling after forging decreases, and bainite generation
can be avoided by lowering the manganese content to ensure
the excellent machinability of C70S6 steel. The physical
properties of C70S6 steel at high temperatures are too differ- (b)
ent to measure accurately because of the limitations of the Fig. 3. Changes in the C70S6 property parameters with temperature:
experimental conditions and the lack of critical data. The (a) Elastic modulus; (b) Poisson’s ratio.
nonlinearity of each element is difficult to process reasonably
and accurately in the specific process. Therefore, the non- Therefore, changes in the linear expansion coefficient in the
linear processing of connecting rod material properties, temperature range of phase transformation were considered to
which restricts the simulation of the pulsed laser processing characterize the solid-state phase transformation during the
of notches, is a difficult issue. Several software products that pulsed laser processing of notches. This approach can realize
calculate physical properties have recently emerged with the the numerical simulation of the transformation stress effect on
development of computer software technology. More accu- the stress field.
rate high-temperature thermophysical property parameters The phase transformation effect on the linear expansion co-
(e.g., specific heat capacity, density, and thermal conductiv- efficient was considered when the property parameters of
ity) and mechanical parameters (e.g., Young’s modulus, Pois- C70S6 were calculated in this study. The relationship between
son’s ratio, and linear expansion coefficient) of C70S6 steel the linear expansion coefficient and temperature was written
were obtained by the calculation software of the material into the APDL program flow. The calculation of the stress
physical properties to solve the material nonlinearity problem field of the pulsed laser processing of notches was realized
in this study. The changes in the C70S6 property parameters after considering the transformation stress.
with temperature obtained through calculation are shown in
Fig. 3.
4.6 Plastic material model

4.5 Transformation stress
The volume of C70S6 steel changes in the solid-state phase
transformation, and transformation stress, which affects the
transient and residual stress fields, is produced under the con-
straint condition. Volume changes are characterized by
changes in the linear expansion coefficient.
The multi-linear hardening model was selected and the
hardening Von Mises yield criterion was applied in this model
according to the material deformation characteristics of the
pulsed laser grooving of C70S6 steel for fracture splitting. The
stress-strain curve obtained from the calculation software of
the material physical properties was also utilized to simulate
the hardening effect in this model, as shown in Fig. 4.
2472 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476

Fig. 4. Stress-strain curve of the multi-linear hardening model.

5. Stress analysis of the pulsed laser processing of

notches
The following parameters were selected for simulation
analysis based on the current equipment conditions and practi-
cal experience of pulsed laser grooving for fracture splitting:
pulse power of 3 kW, processing speed of 15 mm/s, spot ra-
dius of 0.08 mm, and pulse width of 0.4 ms.

5.1 Temperature field analysis and experimental validation

The temperature field of the pulsed laser processing of

notches at different times is shown in Fig. 5. The vacancies in
the temperature field model are the shape of the fracture split-
ting notch. These vacancies were obtained by the element
“life” and “death” technology that kills elements with tem-
peratures higher than the melting point of the material. The
fracture splitting notch is composed of a series of closely
packed keyholes, as shown in Fig. 5(c). When the grooving
process reached steady state, the notch depth was 0.54 mm
and the notch width was 0.20 mm. When the first pulse proc-
essing is completed (t = 0.0004 s), part of the elements in the Fig. 5. Temperature distribution of the pulsed laser processing of
region where the laser beam was applied was killed because notches in different stages: (a) t = 0.0004 s; (b) t = 0.0604 s; (c) t =
the temperature of these elements was higher than the melting 1000 s.
point of C70S6. The shape of the first keyhole is shown in Fig.
5(a). High temperature gradient area was concentrated near
the last keyhole when the last pulse processing was completed
(t = 0.0604 s), as shown in Fig. 5(b). The workpiece tempera-
ture reached the room temperature when the time was 1000 s,
as shown in Fig. 5(c).
The experimental analysis of the pulsed laser processing of
C70S6 connecting rod notches was conducted under the con-
dition of the same parameter to verify the reliability of the
simulation of the pulsed laser processing of notches for frac-
ture splitting. TruPulse62 pulsed laser of TRUMP Laser
GmbH + Co.KG company, with a pulse power range of 0.25-
3.2 kW and average power of 60 W, was employed in the
experiment. A Scanning electric mirror (SEM) was selected to
analyze the microstructure of the fracture splitting notches. Fig. 6. Pulsed laser processing of notches for the fracture splitting of a
The experiment process and the result of the low magnifica- C70S6 connecting rod: (a) Pulsed laser grooving experiment; (b) frac-
tion SEM micrograph are shown in Fig. 6. Some keyholes as ture splitting notch.
 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476
Fig. 7. Dynamic distribution of thermal stress at different moments: (a) t = 0.0004 s; (b) t = 0.0204 s; (c) t = 0.0404 s; (d) t = 0.0604 s; (e) t = 50 s;
(f) t = 1000 s.
part of the fracture splitting notch obtained from the experi-
ment are illustrated in Fig. 6(b). The notch depth was 0.552
mm the notch width was 0.202 mm; the depth-to-width ratio
was large. The errors between the simulation result and the
experimental value of the notch width and notch depth were
1 % and 2.17 %, respectively. The errors under other parame-
ters could be controlled within 10 %, which proves the valid-
ity and reliability of the simulation model.
5.2 Transient stress analysis
The pulsed laser processing of notches is a dynamic process
at high temperatures. Temperature changes dramatically dur-
ing cutting and cooling, and the resultant stress is relatively
complex. The Mises equivalent stress dynamics during the
pulsed laser processing of notches is shown in Fig. 7.
When the first pulse processing is completed (t = 0.0004 s),
the stress is concentrated entirely around the first keyhole, as
shown in Fig. 7(a). Then, the stress field begins to change
regularly until the last pulse processing is completed (t =
0.0604 s), and the stress is mainly concentrated near the corre-
sponding keyhole, which is only processed at the moment
each pulse is completed, as shown in Figs. 7(b)-(d). The tem-
perature gradient near the corresponding keyhole is the highest,
and the material expands after being heated when the pulse
processing is completed. Therefore, a large thermal stress is
produced in the corresponding zone. Phase transformation can
also produce transformation stress. As the first keyhole is near
the free end surface with no constraints, most of the stress has
been released, and thus less stress occurs around the surface of
the first keyhole. Although the corresponding keyhole is also
2473
near the free end face of the model, much stress near the last
keyhole still occurs when the last pulse processing is com-
pleted because of the previous heat accumulation. The work-
piece begins to cool after the laser cutting is completed. At
1000 s, the workpiece cools to room temperature, the stress
field is entirely concentrated near the fracture splitting notch
(Fig. 7(f)), the maximum equivalent stress is 931 MPa, and the
equivalent stress in the area away from the fracture splitting
notch is near 0. As the temperature at some nodes on the notch
surface is still larger than the melting point of C70S6 after the
melted or gasified elements are killed, the equivalent stress in
the corresponding area is larger than the C70S6 tensile
strength of 900-1050 MPa, but the equivalent stress is smaller
than the C70S6 tensile strength as a whole.
5.3 Residual stress and micro-cracks
Residual stress largely affects the subsequent splitting proc-
ess. At 1000 s, the normal stress distribution is in the X-, Y-
and Z-directions, as shown in Fig. 8. Thus, X is the laser beam
moving direction, Z is the fracture splitting notch width direc-
tion and the fracture initiation direction, and Y is the fracture
splitting notch depth direction. The stress is mainly concen-
trated in the HAZ near the fracture splitting notch, and the
stress distribution is complex. The maximum tensile stress in
the X-direction is 1480 MPa (σxmax = 1480 MPa), the maxi-
mum tensile stress in the Y-direction is 1180 MPa (σymax =
1180 MPa), and the maximum tensile stress in the Z-direction
is 1260 MPa (σzmax = 1260 MPa). The maximum compressive
stress in the X-direction is −250 MPa (σxmax = −250 MPa), the
maximum compressive stress in the Y-direction is −361 MPa
2474 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476
Fig. 8. Normal stress distribution in the X-, Y- and Z-directions when t
= 1000 s: (a) X-direction; (b) Y-direction; (c) Z-direction.
(σymax = −361 MPa), and the maximum compressive stress in
the Z-direction is −532 MPa (σzmax = −532 MPa). The maxi-
mum residual tensile stress levels in the X-, Y- and Z-
directions are larger than the C70S6 tensile strength. Accord-
ingly, 3D tensile stress occurs in the principal stress directions
and the maximum principal stress is larger than the C70S6
tensile strength in some areas. Micro-cracks can appear in
these areas according to first strength theory. The cutting ex-
periment proves that micro-cracks exist in the HAZ. The local
drawing of high magnification SEM micrograph is shown in
Fig. 9. Martensite transformation occurs in the HAZ during
rapid cooling after the cutting process is completed. The mart-
ensite is partially pulled apart by the large residual tensile
stress that produces the micro-cracks. These micro-cracks can
affect the fracture initiation and crack extension in the subse-
quent fracture splitting process. An engine connecting rod also
Fig. 9. Micro-cracks in the HAZ of the pulsed laser processing of
notches.
bears the alternating loads in its work, and thus these micro-
cracks can become the fatigue crack source that leads to the
fracture if not removed. Therefore, the HAZ must be removed
by the subsequent fine machining of the cylindrical hole of a
connecting rod.
The fracture initiation point is located at the root of the frac-
ture splitting notch when fracture occurs. Therefore, the stress
distribution at the notch root is emphasized in studying the
stress field of the pulsed laser processing of notches. As
shown in Fig. 8, the stress state at the root of the fracture split-
ting notch is 3D tensile stress in the X-, Y- and Z-directions.
The corresponding principal stress state at the root of some
keyholes can satisfy the condition of micro-cracks generation,
and consequently micro-cracks can appear at the root of these
keyholes. These micro-cracks are beneficial to the brittle frac-
ture. In addition, the tensile stress of the notch root in the Z-
direction is beneficial to fracture initiation and crack extension
in the subsequent fracture splitting process. However, the un-
even distribution of the stress at the root of the fracture split-
ting notch occurs because of the stress release of the initial
fracture splitting notch. Asynchronous fracture initiation can
occur during fracture splitting, and it can lead to fracture split-
ting defects. The above analysis shows that residual stress
should be small in a reasonable range.
6. Influence of the technological parameters of the
pulsed laser processing of notches on residual
stress
6.1 Selection of technological parameters
Many factors affect the stress field of the pulsed laser proc-
essing of notches, and they mainly include pulse power, spot
radius, processing speed, pulse width, and defocusing amount.
Pulse power, processing speed, and pulse width, which are
important technological parameters for pulsed laser cutting,
are the focus of the optimization analysis. The required depth
of the fracture splitting notch of the connecting rod is 0.5-0.7
mm in the actual production. According to the dimension and
 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476 2475

Table 2. Technological parameters of pulsed laser processing of

notches.

Group 1 2 3
Pulse power (kW) 2.6/3.0/3.2 3.0 3.0
Spot radius (mm) 0.08 0.08 0.08
Pulse width (ms) 0.4 0.4 0.3/0.4/0.5
Processing speed (mm/s) 15 10/15/20 15
Pulse frequency (Hz) 50/50/47 50 46/50/42

continuity of the notch, the specific laser parameters and proc-

essing parameters are shown in Table 2. (a)

6.2 Influence of pulse power

Pulse power is an important technological parameter of the

pulsed laser processing of notches. The pulse power value
affects the temperature distribution of the workpiece as well as
the value and distribution of the stress. As shown in group 1 of
the technological parameters in Table 2, the stress field nu-
merical simulations of the pulsed laser processing of notches
under different pulse powers were performed. The influence
rule of pulse power on the residual stress is shown in Fig.
10(a). The residual stress increases with the pulse power.
When the pulse power increases from 2.6 kW to 3.2 kW, the (b)
maximum equivalent stress increases from 924 MPa to 936
MPa because heat stress is a major part of the stress produced
during the laser processing of notches. The larger the pulse
power is, the larger the input energy, HAZ range, and tem-
perature gradient. Therefore, the corresponding stress in-
creases. The set point of pulse power should be lowered be-
cause efficiency decreases when the operating power is lower
than the peak power levels. Pulse power should be lowered as
far as possible to guarantee the shape and quality of the frac-
ture splitting notch to decrease the residual stress and improve
the working life of the laser set in the actual pulsed laser proc-
essing of notches.
(c)
6.3 Influence of the processing speed
Fig. 10. Influence of pulse power and processing speed on the maxi-
Processing speed, which is the movement speed of the laser mum residual stress: (a) Pulse power; (b) processing speed; (c) pulse
width.
beam, is also a key technological parameter of the pulsed laser
processing of notches. The influence of processing speed on
the residual stress of the workpiece cannot be ignored. As comes weaker with the increase in processing speed when the
shown in group 2 of the technological parameters in Table 2, pulse power is constant. The HAZ generally becomes small,
the stress field numerical simulations of the pulsed laser proc- and the temperature gradient decreases. Therefore, the corre-
essing of notches under different processing speeds were con- sponding stress decreases. A high processing speed should be
ducted. The influence rule of processing speed on the residual selected as much as possible to guarantee the quality of the
stress is shown in Fig. 10(b). Processing speed has a certain fracture splitting notch to decrease the residual stress in the
effect on the residual stress of the workpiece, and the residual actual production of the pulsed laser processing of notches.
stress decreases with the increasing processing speed. The
maximum equivalent stress decreases from 936 MPa to 930 6.4 Influence of pulse width
MPa when the processing speed increases from 10 mm/s to 20
mm/s. The thermal effect of the laser on the workpiece be- Pulse width is the radiation time during a laser pulse, and it
2476 S. Kou et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 31 (5) (2017) 2467~2476
has an important technological effect on the quality of pulse
laser processing. The frequency range changes with the pulse
width when the pulse power is constant. As shown in group 3
of the technological parameters in Table 2, the stress field
numerical simulations of the pulsed laser processing of
notches under different pulse widths were conducted. The
influence rule of pulse width on the residual stress is shown in
Fig. 10(c). As the pulse energy is proportional to the pulse
width when the pulse power is constant, the residual stress
increases with the pulse width. The maximum equivalent
stress increases from 920 MPa to 943 MPa when the pulse
width increases from 0.3 ms to 0.5 ms. A small pulse width
should be selected in the reasonable range to lower the resid-
ual stress in the actual production of pulsed laser grooving.
The aforementioned comprehensive analysis and actual
production show that the reasonable pulsed power is 2.8 -3.0
kW, the logical processing speed is 15-18 mm/s, and the op-
timal pulse width is 0.3-0.4 ms.
7. Conclusions
(1) The material deformation characteristics and thermal-
mechanical coupling problems during the pulsed laser proc-
essing of notches were analyzed. The stress field analysis
model was built for the pulsed laser processing of notches for
fracture splitting based on thermal elastic-plastic theory.
(2) Key technical problems, such as the selection of the heat
source model, transformation stress, material nonlinearity, and
plastic material model, were studied. The Rotary-Gauss body
heat source model was employed, and the calculation method
of motion loading was determined.
(3) The results of the numerical simulation of the 3D tran-
sient stress field of the pulsed laser processing of notches
showed that the stress field dynamics were caused by the tem-
perature gradient and phase transformation during the pulsed
laser processing of notches. The stress was concentrated near
the fracture splitting notch. As the workpiece cooled, the stress
could not be fully released and the residual stress was concen-
trated entirely in the HAZ near the fracture splitting notch.
(4) The maximum residual tensile stress levels in the X-, Y-
and Z-directions were larger than the C70S6 tensile strength,
and micro-cracks could be produced in the HAZ of the frac-
ture splitting notch. The tensile stress state of the notch root in
the fracture initiation direction is beneficial to brittle fracture
in the subsequent fracture splitting process. However, the un-
even distribution of the stress could lead to fracture splitting
defects.
(5) The residual stress positively correlated with the laser
pulse power and pulse width but was negatively related to the
processing speed. Small pulse power, high processing speed,
and small pulse width should be selected in a reasonable range
in the actual production. The reasonable main technological
parameters are as follows: pulsed laser power of 2.8-3.0 kW,
processing speed of 15-18 mm/s, and pulse width of 0.3-
0.4 ms.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by
the National Science and Technology Major Project of China
(No. 2013ZX04002-021).
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Shuqing Kou, Ph.D., is a Professor
from the Roll Forging Research Institute,
Jilin University, Changchun, China. Her
main research direction is the efficient
precision manufacturing technology of
automobile key components.
Yan Gao, Ph.D. candidate, is a student
of the Roll Forging Research Institute,
Jilin University, Changchun, China. His
main research direction is the fracture
splitting technology of automobile key
components.