The ABC's of Arc Welding

Why Dissimilar Metal

Welding is Needed,
and How to Select Proper
Filler Metals

Since ancient times people have been joining

dissimilar metals. Ornaments and trinkets were made Among various combinations of dissimilar metals,
with metals of differing colors and workability, even some can readily be fusion welded, but some cannot
though the joining methods used in ancient times were because of inherent features of particular metals. Joining
very different from those in present. austenitic stainless steel (more resistible to corrosion) to
carbon steel (more easy to process and inexpensive) is a
Nowadays, joining dissimilar metal is indispensable in common combination that can readily be fusion welded,
manufacturing and constructing advanced equipment provided the welding procedure is proper.
and machinery. Different kinds of metals feature
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different chemical, physical, and metallurgical In welding Type 304 to mild steel for instance, the
properties: some are more resistible to corrosion, some choice of filler metal is a key point. If you use Type
are lighter, and some are stronger. Joining dissimilar E308 filler metal, the diluted weld metal with the
metals is, therefore, to compose different properties of formation of martensite (a brittle structure) may contain
metals in order to minimize material costs and at the cracking, because the filler metal cannot tolerate
same time maximize the performance of the equipment dilution by both base metals. A proper filler metal, in
and machinery. Presently, the methods of joining this case, is Type E309, for applications below 800F
dissimilar metals include fusion welding, pressure (427) in general. The procedure of estimating the
welding, explosion welding, friction welding, diffusion microstructure of the E309-type diluted weld metal can
welding, brazing, and soldering. This article, however, be done by using a Schaeffler diagram (Fig. 1); the
discusses fusion welding only, because it is used in a diluted weld metal will contain about 4% of ferrite and
wide range of industries. no martensite in the austenitic matrix, which is resistible
to cracking.
Nickel Equivalent = %Ni + 30x%C + 0.5x%Mn

28
t
Austenite rri
Fe
24 0%
E309 5%
filler metal
%
Probable weld micro- 10
20 structure with 25% dilution
(at the 1/4-point of c-d line) %
20
Type 304
16 A+M base metal 40%
Equal fusion of b d
both base metals
(at the midpoint of e A+F
12 80%
a-b line)

Mild steel c
8
base metal 100%

Martensite A+M+F
4
a M+F Ferrite
F+M
0
048 1216 20 24 2832 3640
Chromium Equivalent = %Cr + %Mo + 1.5x%Si + 0.5x%Nb

Fig. 1A Schaeffler diagram and the procedure (abcde) of estmating the

microstructure of E309-type diluted weld metal in welding Type 304 to mild steel.