*Article* **E**ff**ect of Heat Input on Weld Formation and Tensile Properties in Keyhole Mode TIG Welding Process**

**Zhenyu Fei 1,2, Zengxi Pan 1,2, Dominic Cuiuri 1,2, Huijun Li 1,2, Bintao Wu 1, Donghong Ding 3,\* and Lihong Su 1,2**


Received: 20 October 2019; Accepted: 4 December 2019; Published: 7 December 2019

**Abstract:** Keyhole mode Tungsten Inert Gas (K-TIG) welding is a novel advanced deep penetration welding technology which provides an alternative to high power density welding in terms of achieving keyhole mode welding. In order to facilitate welding procedure optimisation in this newly developed welding technology, the relationship among welding parameters, weld formation and tensile properties during the K-TIG welding was investigated in detail. Results show that except for travel speed, the heat input level also plays an important role in forming undercut defect by changing the plasma jet trajectory inside keyhole channel, leading to the formation of hump in the weld centre and exacerbation of undercut formation. Both undercut defect and root side fusion boundary can act as a stress concentration point, which affects the fracture mode and tensile properties considerably. The research results provide a practical guidance of process parameter optimisation and quality assurance for the K-TIG welding process.

**Keywords:** K-TIG; heat input; weld formation; tensile properties; welding procedure optimisation
