BASIC STEEL WELD

METALLURGY

Elements in steel
Grain structures
Heat affected zone (HAZ)
 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
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
 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
Carbon is the key element in steels.
It influences;
Strength.
Toughness.
Hardness.
Ductility.
ELEMENTS IN STEELS.

Increase in carbon;

Increases in tensile strength.

Increase in hardness

Decrease in elongation (ductility)

 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
PART OF THE IRON CARBON EQUILIBRIUM DIAGRAM

Austenite Austenite

Ferrite + Austenite +
Austenite Cementite

Pearlite +
Ferrite Cementite +
Pearlite

Low carbon / medium carbon steels High Carbon steels Cast irons

Hypoeutectoid Hypereutectoid
 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
KEY POINTS OF THE IRON CARBON
EQUILIBRIUM DIAGRAM
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.

 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
KEY POINTS OF THE IRON CARBON
EQUILIBRIUM DIAGRAM
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.

 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
KEY POINTS OF THE IRON CARBON
EQUILIBRIUM DIAGRAM

The Eutectoid Point contains approximately 0.83% carbon.

Above 723C it will be a mixture of

Ferrite & Austenite.

Below 723C it is entirely Pearlite .

 ELEMENTS IN STEELS.
KEY POINTS OF THE IRON CARBON
EQUILIBRIUM DIAGRAM

HYPOEUTECTOID - Below 0.83%C.

Consists of Ferrite andPearlite.

HYPEREUTECTOID - Above 0.83%C.

Consists of Cementite & Pearlite.
 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
 ALLOY STEELS.
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.
 ALLOY STEELS.
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.
CARBON CONTENT / 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
CARBON CONTENT / 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
CARBON CONTENT / 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%
GRAIN STRUCTURES.
Grain structures in materials are
influenced by:

Elements in the material.

Temperature.

Cooling rate.
 GRAIN STRUCTURES.
There are five grain structures that
the welding inspector needs to be aware
of;
1. AUSTENITE.
2. FERRITE.
3. PEARLITE.
4. BAINITE.
5. MARTENSITE.
 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. AUSTENITE.
 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.
 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
 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
 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.
 GRAIN STRUCTURES.

CRITICAL COOLING RATE

The rate of cooling from the austenite

region which determines the final grain
structure.
CRITICAL COOLING RATE.
AUSTENITE REGION
Temperature Range 723C - >910C Carbon Content<0.1% - 0.8%
Gamma() iron.Face-centered cubic.

Non magnetic SLOW COOLING

TO AMBIENT

TWO THINGS HAPPEN

AUSTENITE BECOMES CARBON BECOMES

FERRITE CEMENTITE (Iron Carbide Fe 3)
Alpha () iron.Body centered cubic.

Magnetic PEARLITE
 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.