Temper Bead Welding

What Is It?

Temper Bead

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Definition
Temper Bead Welding. A weld bead
placed at a specific location in or at the
surface of a weld for the purpose of
affecting the metallurgical properties of
the heat-affected-zone or previously
deposited weld metal. (partial)

Temper Bead

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Weld Metal and HAZ

Weld Metal
HAZ

Temper Bead

HAZ

Fe-C Equilibrium Phase Diagram

Temperature

2750F

Liquid
Austenite (FCC)

1650F

Upper Transformation (A3)

Magnetic Transformation (A2)

1350F

Lower Transformation (A1)

Alpha Iron
(BCC)
Temper Bead

Ferrite + Carbide

0.8%

% Carbon

Body-Centered Cubic

Temper Bead

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Face-Centered Cubic

Temper Bead

Body-Centered Cubic

Temper Bead

Face-Centered Cubic

Temper Bead

Temper Bead

Temper Bead

Fe-C Equilibrium Phase Diagram

Temperature

2750F

1650F

Liquid
Austenite
Solid
(FCC)
Upper Transformation (A3)
Magnetic Transformation (A2)

1350F

Lower Transformation (A1)

Alpha Iron
(BCC)
Temper Bead

Ferrite + Carbide

0.3% 0.8

% Carbon

Nonequilibrium Cooling
Ac3
Furnace Cool

Oil Quench

Air Cool

Water
Quench

Temper Bead

Time

Temper Bead

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T-T-T Diagram
Austenite

AR1

Temperature

Pearlite

Bainite

Austenite

Martensite Start
Martensite Finish
0
Temper Bead

10

100

1000

10000

100000

Time (s)

Quench and Temper

A3
A1
Martensite
Temperature

Rapid Cool

Time

Zones subject to hardening

Liquid
Austenite
(FCC)

Upper Transformation (A3)

Bead on plate
1350F

Lower Transformation (A1)

Alpha Iron
(BCC)
Temper Bead

Ferrite + Carbide
%C

Other Zones in HAZ

1900F

Liquid

Austenite
Upper Transformation (A3)
1350F
Lower Transformation (A1)
Alpha Iron

Subcritical Tempering/Stress-relief
Ferrite + Carbide

Temper Bead

0.8%

%C

Weld Zones (simple version)

Liquid (Cast)

Coarse Grain
Fine Grain
Intercritical
Subcritical
Tempered (PWHT)

Temper Bead

The whole bead on plate

Temper Bead

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Second Pass --overlapped HAZ

Temper Bead

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Two layers. . . . . .

Temper Bead

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The real thing. . . . .

Temper Bead

What is temper bead welding?

Temper Bead

What is temper bead welding?

Temper Bead

Note the depth of the

HAZ of the first pass

Where is temper bead welding used?

It was first used thousands of years ago as the
half-bead technique:
Deposit a layer of weld metal
Grind half of it off
Deposit a layer of weld metal
Grind half of it off
Deposit a layer of weld metal. . .

Until you are done. . . Or until you have

several layers of weld metal. . . then just weld
using small beads to ensure plenty of
interbead tempering

Where is temper bead welding used?

Half-bead? How do you know how much of
the weld was ground off???
Among other things, EPRI did some work in
the 1990s and found that grinding could be
eliminated by controlling heat input ratios
in successive layers.
The ratio of heat input in one layer of weld to
that of the previous layer is increased by about
50%, that optimizes the overlapping resulting in
overlapping the

Heat Input Ratio

Where is temper bead welding used?

Very prescriptive half-bead
technique was permitted in ASME
Sections III and VIII for small and
shallow in-process repairs of
components that were already heat
treated.
In 2000, ASME Section IX issued
rules for qualification of temper bead
WPSs based on the EPRI work to
replace those rules with userdeveloped procedures.

QW-290 Temper Bead Welding

Used to make welds where PWHT would
normally be required. Usually for repairs,
but may be permitted for some new
construction in the future. Fully
incorporated into NBIC
Applies when permitted by construction
code
Builds on existing qualifications
Requires special control of volts, amps and
travel speed for each layer of weld metal

Basic Qualification
All WPSs shall be qualified for groove
welding in accordance with the rules
for qualification by groove welding in
QW-202 or the rules in QW-283 for
welds with buttering and QW-214 or 216 for overlay.
Temper Bead

Upgrading Previous Qualifications

One can upgrade an existing WPS by
welding and testing a new test coupon big
enough to do the required testing

WPSs already qualified for temper bead

welding can be modified for use with different
temper bead variables by welding and testing
a test coupon big enough to do the required
testing.
Temper Bead

Welding Process Restrictions

Temper bead welding is limited to SMAW, GTAW,
SAW, GMAW (including FCAW) and PAW.
Manual and semi-automatic GTAW and PAW are
prohibited.
Rationale: To effectively use temper bead welding,
heat input and bead size must be controlled. In
manual GTAW and PAW, the bead size is
uncontrolled.
Temper Bead

Welding Process Restrictions

TWO EXCEPTIONS:
Manual GTAW and PAW may be used for:
The root pass of groove welds made from one
side
as described in paragraph QW-290.6 for making
(in-process) repairs to temper bead welds.

Temper Bead

Default Qualification Basis

Unless the construction code specifies
that impact testing is the basis for
acceptance, the qualification variables
are those listed for hardness testing. In
case of conflict with QW-250 variables,
these variables apply.
Nonessential variables always apply.

Temper Bead

Impact Tests
When specified by the applicable Section or
Design Specification, the test coupon shall
be Charpy V-notch impact tested and the
supplemental variables of QW-250
applicable to the process being qualified
shall apply.

Temper Bead

Hardness Variable QW-403.26

An increase in the Carbon Equivalent
IIW formula
CE = C + Mn/6 + (Cr + Mo + V)/5 + (Ni + Cu)/15
P-number qualified still applies

Temper Bead

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QW-409.29

A change in the ratios of heat input

beyond the following (See Figure QW462.12.):

Temper Bead

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Temper Bead in Groove

Temper Bead

Heat Input Ratio

An increase or decrease in the ratio of heat
input between the first tempering bead layer
and the weld beads deposited against the
base metal of more than 20% for P-1 and P-3
metals and 10% for all other P-number
metals

Temper Bead

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Heat Input Ratio

An increase or decrease in the ratio of heat
input between the second tempering bead
layer and the first tempering bead layer of
more than 20% for P-1 and P-3 metals and
10% for all other P-number metals.

Temper Bead

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Heat Input Ratio

the ratio of heat input between subsequent
layers shall be maintained until a minimum
of 3/16 inches of weld metal has been
deposited over the base metal

Temper Bead

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Heat Input Formula

Standard Heat input measurements:
Volts X Amps X 60 / Travel Speed or Instantaneous
Power/unit length of weld bead
Deposit Length / Unit Length of Electrode
Volume of weld metal = size (width X thickness) of
the weld bead
For machine or automatic GTAW or PAW, the power ratio
is measured as:
Power ratio = (Amperage X Voltage)
[(WFS/TS) X Af]
Temper Bead

Surface Temper Beads

QW-410.58
The deletion of surface temper beads or a
change from surface temper beads that
cover the weld surface to beads that are
only deposited along the toes of the weld.

Temper Bead

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Temper Bead In Butt Weld

Surface Temper
Beads

Note 3: This is the distance from the edge of the

surface temper beads to the toe of the weld.

Temper Bead

Temper Bead on Plate

This layer doubles as a Surface Temper Weld Reinforcement

Temper Bead

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Temper Bead applied to a

Fillet weld

Temper Bead

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Surface Temper Bead Offset

Surface Temper Weld Bead
Offset Distance S

Note 3: This is the distance from the edge of the

surface temper beads to the toe of the weld.

Temper Bead

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QW-410.61
The distance S from the edge of the surface temper
weld reinforcing bead to the toe of the weld shall be
limited to the distance measured on the test coupon
1/32 +1/16 inch. Alternatively, a range for S may be
established by locating surface temper beads at
various distances from the toe of the weld followed
by hardness traverses for each distance.

Temper Bead

QW-410.63 Bead Overlap

A change in visible bead overlap
beyond +15% of that qualified. (e.g., if
the qualified overlap is 50%, the
overlap range permitted is from 35 to
65%.). Bead overlap shall measured as
shown below.

Temper Bead

Visible Bead Overlap

A

Direction of bead sequence

% Visible Overlap = (A-B)/A X 100%

Temper Bead

QW-410.62

Surface Grinding of Temper

Bead Layers
The addition or deletion of grinding such as flat topping or
half-bead removal of temper bead layers. Grinding
required to clean the surface or remove minor surface
flaws is permitted without specific qualification.
Half-bead just will not go away. . . .
Temper Bead

Temper Bead in Groove

Note 1: Weld beads shown above may be

deposited in any sequence that will result
in placement of the beads as shown
Temper Bead

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Possible Bead Sequence 1A

Temper Bead

Possible Bead Sequence 1B

Temper Bead

Possible Bead Sequence 1C

Temper Bead

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Possible Bead Sequence 2

Temper Bead

Possible Bead Sequence 3

Temper Bead

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In-process Repairs
In-process repairs are repairs in
which a flaw is mechanically
removed and a repair weld is made
before a joint is presented for final
visual inspection (i.e., the welder
blew it. . . . )

Temper Bead

In-process Repairs
For processes other than manual and
semi-automatic GTAW and PAW, repairs
shall be made using the parameters given
in the WPS for production temper bead
welding. Then guess what layer you are at
-- and use the parameters for the layer(s)
being fixed.
Temper Bead

In-Process Repairs
When it is necessary to make repairs
using manual or semi-automatic GTAW
or PAW, a WPS shall be prepared based
on PQRs developed for temper bead
welding using machine or automatic
GTAW or PAW respectively.
Bead size and heat input details must be
described in the WPS.
Temper Bead

Welder qualfication
Code has nothing special.
I recommend that each welder weld a
test coupon consisting of a mock-up
making beads of the size specified in the
WPS using the heat input specified in the
WPS. Only visual examination is
required.

Temper Bead

What does TB welding do?

Modifies the microstructure of the HAZ to minimize untempered
microstructures.
1)That softens hardened structures that might be present - - like
martensite.
2)Does not soften all of the microstructure there are always local
hard spots. If hardness is an issue for service (e.g., H2S), TB
may not be a suitable option. Do testing.
3)For hardenable materials, the microstructure is predominately
tempered martensite which has excellent toughness.
4)Is of questionable value for low-hardenability metals
5)Residual stresses are still yield-point magnitude.
Temper Bead

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Temper Bead Welding

Grrr . . . .

Temper Bead

Arrgh!

Sperko Engineering 2004