Welding Inspection Heat Treatments Course Reference WIS 5

Heat Treatment of Steels

All heat treatments are basically cycles of three elements Heating Holding (soaking) Cooling Post weld heat treatments are used to change the properties of the weld metal, controlling the formation of structures Pre heat treatments are used basically to increase weldabilty, control expansion and contraction forces during welding.

The relevant variables for heat treatment process, which must be carefully controlled are as follows.

The heating rate Temperature attained

The time at the attained

temperature (soak time) Cooling rate

The basic heat treatments are:

Annealing Hardening Stress relieving Normalising Tempering Pre-heating

The method of applying the heat to the material may vary from procedure to procedure. e.g flame, electrical resistance and furnaces

Annealing Temperature: 920C hold for sufficient time Cooling: Furnace cool to 650C then cool down in air Result: Produces a very soft, low hardness material suitable for cold working or machining operations. Decreases toughness and lowers yield stress Normalising Temperature: 920C hold for sufficient time Cooling: Slow cool in air Result: Relieves internal stresses improves mechanical properties and increases toughness, grain refinement. Quench Harden Temperature: 920oC hold for sufficient time Cooling: Fast cool, quench in water, oil. Result: Hardens carbon steels. After this treatment the material is very hard and highly stressed. The material is brittle but with high tensile strength. Tempering Temperature: 250 to 680oC hold for sufficient time

Cooling: Slow cool in air

Result: Relieves residual stresses improves mechanical properties and increases toughness, may also be used to reduce hydrogen levels

Heat Treatments
Stress Relief Temperature: 550 to 680oC hold for sufficient time Cooling: Slow cool in air. Result: Relieves residual stresses improves mechanical properties and increases toughness, may also be used to reduce hydrogen levels Post Hydrogen Release Temperature: Approximately 250oC hold up to 10 hours Cooling: Slow cool in air Result: Relieves residual hydrogen

Preheat temperatures are arrived by taking into consideration the following: The heat input

The carbon equivalent (CE)

The combined material thickness The hydrogen scale required (A, B, C, D)

We can preheat metals and alloys when welding for a number of reasons. Primarily we use most pre-heats to achieve one or more of the following: 1. 2. 3. To control the structure of the weld metal and HAZ on cooling To improve the diffusion of gas molecules through an atomic structure. To control the effects of expansion and contraction.

Preheat controls the formation of un-desirable microstructures that are produced from rapid cooling of certain types of steels. Martensite is an undesirable grain structure very hard and brittle it is produced by rapid cooling form the austenite region.

Pre Heat Comparison Chart

200 180 175 150 125 160 140 120 Combined material thickness 100 80 60 40
A B C D E

100

75 50 20

20 0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

0.43 0.45 0.47 0.53 0.55

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

Heat input
Section Ref 14

Pre Heat
Advantages of preheat Slows down the cooling rate, which reduces the risk of hardening Allows absorbed hydrogen a better opportunity of diffusing out, thereby reducing the risk of cracking Removes moisture from the material being welded Improves overall fusion characteristics

Lowers stresses between the weld metal and parent material by ensuring a more uniform expansion and contraction

Methods of Measuring Pre Heat

Temperature indicating crayons (Tempil sticks) Thermocouples or touch pyrometers At intervals along of around the joint to be welded The number of measurements taken must allow the inspector to be confident that the required temperature has been reached In certain cases the preheat must be maintained a certain distance back from the joint faces If a gas flame is being used for preheat application the temperature should be taken form the opposite side to the heat source If this is not possible time must be allowed before taking the preheat temperature e.g 2 mins for 25mm thickness

Questions
QU 1. How can the levels of hardness be controlled in the HAZ?

QU 2.

What is the maximum recommended heat treatment temperature for steel weldments ?, state which heat treatments may be considered when maximum toughness is required

QU 3.

What are the four main considerations for determining preheat temperatures, and as a welding inspector which factors require inspection when applying pre-heat to a carbon steel joint to be welded?

QU 4.

What factors need to be checked/controlled during a heat treatment process

QU 5.

Which heat treatment process is required when maximum ductility is required for example for extensive cold working operations.