Heat treatment after welding

c)
Types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Carbon steel types flanges welded on by the metal arc process shall have the
welds stress relieved where the design depth of the weld recess is greater than 20 mm.
d)
Where type 1 flanges are attached by oxy-acetylene welding the welds shall be normalised.

e)
The procedure to be observed in the stress relieving and normalising of welds shall be in
accordance with the following requirements:-

(i) Stress relieving:-(a) For Carbon Steel, a stress relieving heat treatment shall be performed by heating
the part to at least 600C 20C.

When required by the characteristics of the material, different temperature may be necessary to obtain
appropriate stress-relieving. The part to be stress-relieved shall be brought, slowly upto the specified
temperature and held at that temperature for a period proportionate on the basis of at least two and
half minutes per millimetre of the maximum thickness of the part (approximately one hour per twenty
six millimetre of the thickness) and shall be left to cool in the furnace to a temperature which, for parts
with the thickness greater than 20 millimetre does not exceed 400C. After withdrawal from the
furnace, the part shall be moved to a still atmosphere. A temperature time diagram of the stressrelieving process shall be provided when the Inspecting Authority requires it.

Note: Other stress relieving heat treatments at a temperature as low as 550C may be adopted,
provided attention is given to the holding time in order to ensure a specific degree of stress relieving.
(b) For alloy steel, a stress relieving heat treatment shall be carried out on the basis of the composition
of the alloy as shown in the table below:-

Table

Type of Steel

Range of

Temperature
in degree centigrade

Time at temperature per mm of thickness of plate

Mo
Cr Mo

620-660

2.5 minutes (30 minutes min.)

1Cr Mo

630-670

2.5 minutes (30 minutes min.)

2Cr 1Mo

650-750

2.5 minutes (1 hour min.)

1Cr Mo

Note: For pipes of 2Cr 1Mo specification up to and including 127 mm outside diameter and up to and
13 mm wall thickness, the time may be 30 minutes minimum.

The heat treatment of steels having Cr Mo V shall be carried out as per the requirements of the code of
manufacture of plates, pipes

(c) Stress relieving shall be carried out by any of the following methods:

(1) Local heating using a portable muffle furnace, induction coils or other suitable appliances. Particular
care shall be taken to apply heat uniformly over the area to be treated. The use of procedures that do
not provide adequate control for this purpose such as manual operation gas torches is not permissible.
The temperature shall be measured by the thermocouples pinned, welded or otherwise suitably
attached to the surface of the pipe and where necessary, protected from flame impingement.

(2) Heating in a stationary industrial furnace. The temperature of the joint shall be measured by
thermocouples so disposed within the furnace as to give a true measure of the joint temperature.

(ii) Normalising.-Welds in mild steel pipes shall be normalised by heating the metal to a temperature
between 900 and 950C. (1650-1740F.), the temperature then being maintained for not less than two
minutes for pipes up to and including 102 mm (4) bore, and for not less than five minutes for pipes over
102mm. (4) bore. Welds in pipes made from the alloy steel shall be normalised by heating the metal to
a temperature between 925 and 975C. (1700-1790F), the temperature then being maintained for not

less than two minutes for pipes up to and including 102 mm (4) bore. The higher temperatures of
between 950 and 975C (1740-1790F) shall be used for alloy steels having a carbon content up to and
including 0.12 per cent and the lower temperatures of between 925 and 950C (1700-1740F) shall be
used for alloy steel having a carbon content of more than 0.12 per cent. After normalising the joint shall
be covered with a suitable muff or asbestos cloth to ensure slow and even cooling. The normalising of
welds in pipes up to 102 mm (4) bore may be carried out with welding flames the temperature being
judged with the aid of a colour card, or measured by means of one or more thermocouples or an optical
pyrometer. The normalising of welds in pipes over 102 mm (4) bore shall preferably be carried out in a
portable pipe normalising furnace or muffle, the temperature being measured by means of one or more
thermocouples or an optical pyrometer. The width of the zone to be heat treated to the specified
temperature shall extend at least 13 mm. (1/2) on either side of the weld reinforcement.