Heat Treatment and The Effect of Welding: Week 2
Heat Treatment and The Effect of Welding: Week 2
Heat Treatment and The Effect of Welding: Week 2
of Welding
Week 2
Heat Treatment of Steels
The basis of heat treatment is that FCC iron
can dissolve all carbon in steel (up to 2%
C), while BCC iron can dissolve practically
none (<0.02% C).
Steel heated until it is transformed
completely to Austenite has all its carbon in
solution & uniformly distributed
Steel Phase Diagram
Cont’d
On cooling the carbon will attempt to precipitate
out of solution as Cementite
By controlling the mode of cooling the
distribution of Cementite & hence the mechanical
properties can be controlled
Steels are heated slowly to the Austenite region (+
30 to 50 °C) to ensure it is fully Austenitic & that
the grains are as small as possible
Final properties depend on the mode of cooling
Cooling
Partial penetration
Cont’d
Fillet Weld
t = throat
l1 = vertical leg
l2 = horizontal leg
t l1
l2
Defects
Residual stresses
Distortions
Undercut
Incomplete penetration
Porosity
Slag inclusion
Weld Metal Solidification
Cracking
Weld metal solidification cracking – hot
cracking – longitudinal in a fillet weld –
blue appearance (oxidised surface) – due to
material composition and/or weld restrain &
bead shape
Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)
Cracking
Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) Cracking – heat
affected zone due to weld – adjacent to
bead – affected by heat input & cooling
cycle – depends on composition but cooling
rate can affect microstructure – hardening –
more brittle – carbide formation
Susceptibility also affected by hydrogen in
the weld metal – introduced from the weld
rod which is consumable
Carbon Equivalent
Metal arc welding of carbon & carbon
manganese steels need to be checked by
reference to BS EN 1011 – 2: 2001 –
guidance on carbon equivalents – suggests
suitable preheat levels to reduce cooling
rate for various thicknesses & limits on
hydrogen levels – sometimes need post heat
(heat treatment)
Empirical Formula
CE C Mn / 6 (Cr Mo V ) / 5 ( Ni Cu ) / 15
HAZ
Lamellar Tearing
Associated with non-metallic manganese –
sulphides & silicates when rolled material is
extended as planer type inclusions (like
wrought iron)
Welds run parallel to inclusions & cracks
are induced through contractile stressing
across thickness of the plate
Lamellar Tear Diagram
Inclusions
thin planer
types
Lamellar tear
BS 4360 Steel (grade 50C)
Typical ladle analysis:
C = 0.21%
Mn = 1.50%
Cr = 0.025%
Mo = 0.015%
Determine the carbon
Ni = 0.04% equivalent & comment
Cu = 0.04% on weldability
Carbon Equivalent of BS 3460
Steel
CE C Mn / 6 (Cr Mo V ) / 5 ( Ni Cu ) / 15
Region depleted of
Grain boundaries (scale of chromium & no longer
grains grossly exaggerated) stainless – is attacked
preferentially by corrosion
Welding & Structural Steels
Designed to be weldable
No serious loss of performance in the weld
or the HAZ
Structural engineers make allowance for
HAZ in the design process (typically a
20N/mm2 reduction in the yield strength is
applied)
Electric Arc Welding
Electric Arc Welding Equipment
Use of Electric Arc Welding
Metal Arc Inert Gas Shielded
MIG Equipment
Use of MIG Equipment
Butt Weld
Slag Inclusion
X-Ray Testing