WELDABILITY

Basic Steel Weld Metallurgy.

Elements in steel.
Grain structures.
Heat affected zone.

Section 22

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ELEMENTS IN STEEL.
Basic Steel Weld Metallurgy.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon
(0.01 - 1.4%C). Plain Carbon Steels
Plain Carbon Steels come in three types;
Low Carbon Steels
0.01 - 0.3%C
Medium Carbon Steels
0.3 - 0.6%C
High Carbon Steels
0.6 - 1.4%C

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EFFECT OF CARBON IN STEELS.

Carbon is the key element in steels.
It influences;
Strength.
Toughness.
Hardness.
Ductility.
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EFFECT OF CARBON IN STEELS

Increase in carbon;
Increases in
tensile strength.
Increase in
hardness
Decrease in
elongation
(ductility)

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PART OF THE IRON CARBON EQUILIBRIUM

DIAGRAM.

Austenite

Austenite

Austenite
+
Cementite

Ferrite +
Austenite

Pearlite +
Ferrite

Cementite
+ Pearlite

Low carbon / medium

carbon steels
High Carbon steels

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Cast irons

Hypoeutectoi Hypereutectoid
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KEY POINTS.
Iron is Allotropic.
It can exist in two crystalline forms.

Below approximately 723C the crystal

lattice is Body Centred Cubic (BCC), a 9
atom structure known as Ferrite or Alpha
iron, and is magnetic .

Consists of a mixture of Ferrite & Pearlite.

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KEY POINTS.
At approximately 910C the crystal lattice changes from Body
Centred Cubic to Face Centred Cubic (FCC), a 14 atom structure
known as Austenite or Gamma iron.

In this form steel is non magnetic.

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KEY POINTS.
The Eutectoid Point contains
approximately 0.83% carbon.
Above 723C it will be a mixture of
Ferrite & Austenite.
Below 723C it is entirely Pearlite .

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KEY POINTS.
HYPOEUTECTOID - Below 0.83%C.
Consists of Ferrite and Pearlite.

HYPEREUTECTOID - Above
0.83%C. Consists of Cementite &
Pearlite.

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ALLOY STEELS.
Alloy steels contain iron and carbon plus
other alloying elements to give the steel
required mechanical & metallurgical
properties;
Low alloy steels:
Fe & C +Mn,Cr,Ni,Mo < 7% total
High alloy steels:
Fe & C + Mn,Cr,Ni,Mo> 7% total

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EFFECT OF OTHER ALLOYING

ELEMENTS.
Manganese (Mn) - Primary
desulphuriser & secondary deoxidizer.
Added to steels to reduce carbon.
Affects strength & hardenability.
Silicon (Si) - Primary deoxidizer.
Aluminium (Al) - Grain refiner &
tertiary
deoxidizer.
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EFFECTS OF OTHER ALLOYING

ELEMENTS IN STEEL.
Molybdenum (Mo)- Improves creep
resistance and temper
embrittlement.
Chromium (Cr) - Improves hardness &
resistance to wear. A major element
in stainless steels to give corrosion
resistance.
Nickel (Ni) - Improves ductility,
strength & toughness. A key
element in austenitic st/st to improve
corrosion resistance from acids.
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EFFECTS OF OTHER ALLOYING

ELEMENTS IN STEEL.
Sulphur (S). An impurity in steels.
Harm full because it can cause hot
shortness - cracking during hot
working.
Phosphor (P). An impurity in steels.
Harm full in steels when over
0.05% because it can cause cold
shortness- cracking during cold
working.
Both elements sometime referred to as
tramp elements.
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CARBON CONTENT Vs CARBON

EQUIVALENT.
Carbon Content:
The actual amount of carbon in the steel.
Carbon Equivalent:
The carbon content in relation to other
alloying elements.
Ceq% = C + Mn + Cr + Mo + V + Cu + Ni
6
5
15

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CARBON CONTENT Vs CARBON

EQUIVALENT.
Because Manganese has 1/6 of the
effect
on hardenability compared to one
part
Carbon.
The formula can be shortened to;
Ceq% = C + Mn
6

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CARBON CONTENT Vs CARBON

EQUIVALENT.
A steel contains 0.12%C and 1.3%Mn.
What is the carbon equivalent?
Ceq% = C + Mn
6
= 0.12 + 1.3
6
= 0.12 + 0.216r
Ceq = 0.336%
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ELEMENTS IN STEEL .

QUESTIONS ?

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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
Grain structures in materials are
influenced by:
Elements in the material.
Temperature.
Cooling rate.

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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
There are six grain structures that
the welding inspector needs to be
aware
of;
1. AUSTENITE.
2. FERRITE.
3. PEARLITE.
4. BAINITE.
5.
6. MARTENSITE.
CEMENTITE.
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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
AUSTENITE.
A solid solution of gamma iron &
carbon
existing above approximately 723C.
Temperature at which steels are fully
austenitic depends on the carbon
content.
0.1% Carbon - >910C.
0.8% Carbon - 730C.
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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
FERRITE.
Primarily pure iron at room
temperature,
contains very little or no carbon.
Formed from the austenite region.
Ferrite is very soft and ductile with
very
low tensile strength, but has good
machining properties.
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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
PEARLITE*

Forms from the austenite region under

slow cooling. A lamellar structure
consisting of very thin plates of ferrite
and cementite. The most frequently
encountered grain structure in
constructional steel.
*Lamellar appearance resembles mother-of-pearl

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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
BAINITE
Forms from the austenite region when
the
cooling rate is too fast for pearlite to
form.
Harder and usually tougher than
pearlite.
Often forms in the HAZ of C-Mn steel
welds
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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
MARTENSITE

A very hard & brittle grain structure

formed from the austenite region by
quenching or very fast cooling.
Only forms in plain carbon steels with
carbon>0.3%.
For alloy steels this figure is much lower.
The presence of martensite should be
avoided.
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GRAIN STRUCTURES.
CEMENTITE
The name given to the compound
of iron and carbon, Fe3C (ironcarbide).
A microstructural constituent
found as the normal form of
carbon occurring in many types of
steel.
Forms pearlite when interspersed
with ferrite
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GRAIN STRUCURES.
CRITICAL COOLING RATE
The rate of cooling from the
austenite
region which determines the final
grain
structure.

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CRITICAL COOLING RATE.

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CRITICAL COOLING RATE.

AUSTENITE REGION
Temperature Range 723C - >910C Carbon Content<0.1% - 0.8%
Gamma() iron.Face-centered cubic.

SLOW COOLING
TO AMBIENT

Non magnetic

TWO THINGS HAPPEN

AUSTENITE BECOMES
+ CARBON
FERRITE

CARBON BECOMES
CEMENTITE (Iron Carbide Fe3)

Alpha () iron.Body centered cubic.

Magnetic

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PEARLITE

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GRAIN STRUCTURES .

QUESTIONS ?

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HEAT AFFECTED ZONE (HAZ).

THREE FACTORS WHICH WILL AFFECT THE
MICROSTRUCTURE OF THE HAZ:
1. MATERIAL COMPOSITION.
ESPECIALLY CARBON
CONTENT.
2. HEAT INPUT.
THE HIGHER THE H.I.(ARC
ENERGY) THE WIDER THE HAZ.
3. COOLING RATE.
THE FASTER THE COOLING RATE THE
HARDER THE HAZ. ESPECIALLY IF CEQ% IS
HIGH.
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Maximum
Temperature

Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)

solid
weld
metal

solid-liquid Boundary
grain growth zone
recrystallised zone
partially transformed zone
tempered zone
unaffected base
material

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HEAT AFFECTED ZONE (HAZ).

1. Coarse grain region
2. Grain refined region
3. Partial
transformation
4. Region of
spherodization

>1100C
900 -1100C
750 - 900C
< 750C

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GRAIN STRUCTURES .

QUESTIONS ?

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HEAT AFFECTED ZONE (HAZ).

Coarse Grain Region:

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