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Welder Training & Certification

PlasmaCuttingMachines
PlasmaTransferredArcWelding(PTA)
WeldingAutomation
PlasmaWeldingEquipments
MicroPlasmaWeldingMachines
MicroTIGWeldingMachines
WeldingInverters
BoreWeldingCladding
WeldingData

Plasma Cutting Machines

GENERALDESCRIPTIONANDWELDABILITYOFFERROUS
METALS
WeldingData>>GENERALDESCRIPTIONANDWELDABILITYOFFERROUSMETALS

For precision cutting of

Stainless steel, Aluminium and
all other Ferrous and Non
ferrousmetals.
StainlessSteelcuttingupto150
mmthickplates.

BACK TO WELDING DATA

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND WELDABILITY OF FERROUS METALS

PTA Hardfacing & Cladding

710.LOWCARBONSTEELS

(PTA)forHardfacing/Cladding
/ Reclamation & Protection of
Mechanicalparts.

a.General.Thelowcarbon(mild)steelsincludethosewithacarboncontentofupto0.30percent(fig.77).Inmostlowcarbon
steels,carbonrangesfrom0.10to0.25percent,manganesefrom0.25to0.50percent,phosphorous0.40percentmaximum,
andsulfur0.50percentmaximum.Steelsinthisrangearemostwidelyusedforindustrialfabricationandconstruction.These
lowcarbonsteelsdonothardenappreciablywhenwelded,andthereforedonotrequirepreheatingorpostheatingexceptin
specialcases,suchaswhenheavysectionsaretobewelded.Ingeneral,nodifficultiesareencounteredwhenweldinglow
carbonsteels.Properlymadelowcarbonsteelweldswillequalorexceedthebasemetalinstrength.Lowcarbonsteelsare
soft,ductile,canberolled,punched,sheared,andworkedwheneitherhotorcold.Theycanbemachinedandarereadily
welded.Caststeelhasarough,darkgraysurfaceexceptwheremachined.Rolledsteelhasfinesurfacelinesrunninginone
direction.Forgedsteelisusuallyrecognizablebyitsshape,hammermarks,orfins.Thefracturecolorisbrightcrystallinegray,
andthesparktestyieldssparkswithlong,yelloworangestreaksthathaveatendencytoburstintowhite,forkedsparklers.
Steelgivesoffsparkswhenmeltedandsolidifiesalmostinstantly.Lowcarbonsteelscanbeeasilyweldedwithanyofthearc,
gas,andresistanceweldingprocesses.

Welding Automation
IncreaseProductivityand
Capacity
Repeatablehighquality
welds
EnhanceQuality
Custommadesolutions

Plasma Welding
Lesssensitivitytochangesin
Arclength.
.

Micro Plasma Welding

Machines
Precisionweldingof
minature
parts
ControlledArcatlowcurrents
Automatedweldingatlow
currents.
WithbuiltinPilotarcing
system.

Micro TIG Welding

Machines
Precisionweldingof
minatureparts
Idealforsmallerrepairor
Assemblywork.
Builtinhighfrequency
ignition.

b.Coppercoatedlowcarbonrodsshouldbeusedforweldinglowcarbonsteel.Therodsizesforvariousplatethicknesses
areasfollows:

Platethickness
1/16to1/8in.(1.6to3.2mm)
1/8to3/8in.(3.2to9.5mm)
3/8to1/2in.(9.5to12.7mm)
1/2in.(12.7mm)andheavier

Welding Inverters

Roddiameter
1/16in.(1.6mm)
1/8in.(3.2mm)
3/16in.(4.8mm)
1/4in.(6.4mm)

Lightweight&compact:80%
lessweightcomparedto
conventionalmachines.

NOTE

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Rodsfrom5/16to3/8in.(7.9to9.5mm)areavailableforheavywelding.However,heavyweldscanbemadewiththe3/16or
1/4in.(4.8or6.4mm)rodsbyproperlycontrollingthepuddleandmeltingrateoftherod.
c. The joints may be prepared by flame cutting or machining. The type of preparation (fig. 78) is determined by the plate
thicknessandtheweldingposition.

d.Theflameshouldbeadjustedtoneutral.Eithertheforehandorbackhandweldingmethodmaybeused,dependingonthe
thicknessoftheplatesbeingwelded.
e.Themoltenmetalshouldnotbeoverheated,becausethiswillcausethemetaltoboilandsparkexcessively.Theresultant
grainstructureoftheweldmetalwillbelarge,thestrengthlowered,andtheweldbadlyscarred.
f.Thelowcarbonsteelsdonothardeninthefusionzoneasaresultofwelding.
g.MetalArcWelding.
(1)Whenmetalarcweldinglowcarbonsteels,thebare,thincoatedorheavycoatedshieldedarctypesofelectrodes
maybeused.Theseelectrodesareoflowcarbontype(0.10to0.14percent).
(2)Lowcarbonsheetorplatematerialsthathavebeenexposedtolowtemperaturesshouldbepreheatedslightlyto
roomtemperaturebeforewelding.
(3)Inweldingsheetmetalupto1/8in.(3.2mm)inthickness,theplainsquarebuttjointtypeofedgepreparationmay
beused.Whenlongseamsaretobeweldedinthesematerials,theedgesshouldbespacedtoallowforshrinkage,
becausethedepositedmetaltendstopulltheplatestogether.Thisshrinkageislesssevereinarcweldingthaningas
welding,andspacingofapproximately1/8in.(3.2mm)willbesufficient.
(4)Thebackstep,orskip,weldingtechniqueshouldbeusedforshortseamsthatarefixedinplace.Thiswillprevent
warpageordistortion,andwillminimizeresidualstresses.
(5)Heavyplatesshouldbebeveledtoprovideanincludedangleofupto60degrees,dependingonthethickness.The
partsshouldbetackweldedinplaceatshortintervalsalongtheseam.Thefirst,orroot,beadshouldbemadewithan
electrodesmallenoughindiametertoobtaingoodpenetrationandfusionatthebaseofthejoint.A1/8or5/32in.(3.2
or4.0mm)electrodeissuitableforthispurpose.Thefirstbeadshouldbethoroughlycleanedbychippingandwire
brushingbeforeadditionallayersofweldmetalaredeposited.Additionalpassesofthefillermetalshouldbemade
witha5/32or3/16in.(4.0or4.8mm)electrode.Thepassesshouldbemadewithaweavingmotionforflat,horizontal,
orverticalpositions.Whenoverheadwelding,thebestresultsareobtainedbyusingstringbeadsthroughouttheweld.
(6) When welding heavy sections that have been beveled from both sides, the weave beads should be deposited
alternatelyononesideandthentheother.Thiswillreducetheamountofdistortionintheweldedstructure.Eachbead
shouldbecleanedthoroughlytoremoveallscale,oxides,andslagbeforeadditionalmetalisdeposited.Themotionof
the electrode should be controlled so as to make the bead uniform in thickness and to prevent undercutting and
overlap at the edges of the weld. All slag and oxides must be removed from the surface of the completed weld to
preventrusting.
h.CarbonArcWelding.Lowcarbonsheetandplateupto3/4in.(19.0mm)inthicknesscanbeweldedusingthecarbonarc
weldingprocess.Thearcisstruckagainsttheplateedges,whicharepreparedinamannersimilartothatrequiredformetal
arcwelding.Afluxshouldbeusedonthejointandfillermetalshouldbeaddedasinoxyacetylenewelding.Agaseousshield
shouldbeprovidedaroundthemoltenbase.Fillermetal,bymeansofafluxcoatedweldingrod,shouldalsobeprovided.
Weldingmustbedonewithoutoverheatingthemoltenmetal.Failuretoobservetheseprecautionscancausetheweldmetal
toabsorbanexcessiveamountofcarbonfromtheelectrodeandoxygenandnitrogenfromtheair,andcausebrittlenessinthe
weldedjoint.
711.MEDIUMCARBONSTEELS
a.General.Mediumcarbonsteelsarenonalloysteelswhichcontainfrom0.30to0.55percentcarbon.Thesesteelsmaybe
heat treated after fabrication and used for general machining and forging of parts which require surface hardness and
strength. They are manufactured in bar form and in the cold rolled or the normalized and annealed condition. When heat
treatedsteelsarewelded,theyshouldbepreheatedfrom300to500F(149to260C),dependingonthecarboncontent(0.25
to 0.45 percent) and the thickness of the steel. The preheating temperature may be checked by applying a stick of 5050
solder(meltingpoint450F(232C))totheplateatthejoint,andnotingwhenthesolderbeginstomelt.Duringwelding,the
weldzonewillbecomehardenedifcooledrapidly,andmustbestressrelievedafterwelding.Mediumcarbonsteelsmaybe
weldedwithanyofthearc,gas,andresistanceweldingprocesses.
b. With higher carbon and manganese content, the lowhydrogen type electrodes should be used, particularly in thicker
sections. Electrodes of the lowcarbon, heavy coated, straight or reverse polarity type, similar to those used for metalarc
weldingoflowcarbonsteels,aresatisfactoryforweldingmediumcarbonsteels.
c.Smallpartsshouldbeannealedtoinducesoftnessbeforewelding.Thepartsshouldbepreheatedatthejointandwelded
withafillerrodthatproducesheattreatablewelds.Afterwelding,theentirepieceshouldbeheattreatedtorestoreitsoriginal
properties.
d. Either a low carbon or high strength rod can be used for welding medium carbon steels. The welding flame should be
adjusted to slightly carburizing, and the puddle of metal kept as small as possible to make a sound joint. Welding with a
carburizingflamecausesthemetaltoheatquickly,becauseheatisgivenoffwhensteelabsorbscarbon.Thispermitswelding
athigherspeeds.
e.Careshouldbetakentoslowlycoolthepartsafterweldingtopreventcrackingoftheweld.Theentireweldedpartshouldbe
stressrelievedbyheatingtobetween1100and1250F(593and677C)foronehourperinch(25.4mm)ofthickness,and

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thenslowlycooling.Coolingcanbeaccomplishedbycoveringthepartswithfireresistantmaterialorsand.
f.Mediumcarbonsteelscanbebrazedbyusingapreheatof200to400F(93to204C),agoodbronzerod,andabrazing
flux.However,thesesteelsarebetterweldedbythemetalarcprocesswithmildsteelshieldedarcelectrodes.
g.Whenweldingmildsteels,keepthefollowinggeneraltechniquesinmind:
(1)Theplatesshouldbepreparedforweldinginamannersimilartothatusedforweldinglowcarbonsteels.When
weldingwithlowcarbonsteelelectrodes,theweldingheatshouldbecarefullycontrolledtoavoidoverheatingtheweld
metalandexcessivepenetrationintothesidewallsofthejoint.Thiscontrolisaccomplishedbydirectingtheelectrode
moretowardthepreviouslydepositedfillermetaladjacenttothesidewallsthantowardthesidewallsdirectly.Byusing
this procedure, the weld metal is caused to wash up against the side of the joint and fuse with it without deep or
excessivepenetration.
(2)Highweldingheatswillcauselargeareasofthebasemetalinthefusionzoneadjacenttotheweldstobecome
hardandbrittle.Theareaofthesehardzonesinthebasemetalcanbekepttoaminimumbymakingtheweldwitha
seriesofsmallstringorweavebeads,whichwilllimittheheatinput.Eachbeadorlayerofweldmetalwillrefinethe
grainintheweldimmediatelybeneathit,andwillannealandlessenthehardnessproducedinthebasemetalbythe
previousbead.
(3) When possible, the finished joint should be heat treated after welding. Stress relieving is normally used when
joiningmildsteel,andhighcarbonalloysshouldbeannealed.
(4)Inweldingmediumcarbonsteelswithstainlesssteelelectrodes,themetalshouldbedepositedinstringbeadsin
ordertopreventcrackingoftheweldmetalinthefusionzone.Whendepositingweldmetalintheupperlayersofwelds
madeonheavysections,theweavingmotionoftheelectrodeshouldnotexceedthreeelectrodediameters.
(5)Eachsuccessivebeadofweldshouldbechipped,brushed,andcleanedpriortothelayingofanotherbead.
712.HIGHCARBONSTEELS
a.General.Highcarbonsteelsincludethosewithacarboncontentexceeding0.55percent.Theunfinishedsurfaceofhigh
carbonsteelsisdarkgrayandsimilartoothersteels.Highcarbonsteelsusuallyproduceaveryfinegrainedfracture,whiter
thanlowcarbonsteels.Toolsteelisharderandmorebrittlethanplatesteelorotherlowcarbonmaterial.Highcarbonsteel
canbehardenedbyheatingtoagoodredandquenchinginwater.Lowcarbonsteel,wroughtiron,andsteelcastingscannot
behardened.Moltenhighcarbonsteelisbrighterthanlowcarbonsteel,andthemeltingsurfacehasacellularappearance.It
sparksmorefreelythanlowcarbon(mild)steel,andthesparksarewhiter.Thesesteelsareusedtomanufacturetoolswhich
areheattreatedafterfabricationtodevelopthehardstructurenecessarytowithstandhighshearstressandwear.Theyare
manufacturedinbar,sheet,andwireforms,andintheannealedornormalizedandannealedconditioninordertobesuitable
formachiningbeforeheattreatment.Thehighcarbonsteelsaredifficulttoweldbecauseofthehardeningeffectofheatatthe
weldedjoint.Becauseofthehighcarboncontentandtheheattreatmentusuallygiventothesesteels,theirbasicproperties
areimpairedbyarcwelding.
b.Theweldingheatchangesthepropertiesofhighcarbonsteelinthevicinityoftheweld.Torestoretheoriginalproperties,
heattreatmentisnecessary.
c.Highcarbonsteelsshouldbepreheatedfrom500to800F(260to427C)beforewelding.Thepreheatingtemperaturecan
becheckedwithapinestick,whichwillcharatthesetemperatures.
d. Since high carbon steels melt at lower temperatures than low and medium carbon steels, care should be taken not to
overheat the weld or base metal. Overheating is indicated by excessive sparking of the molten metal. Welding should be
completedassoonaspossibleandtheamountofsparkingshouldbeusedasacheckontheweldingheat.Theflameshould
beadjustedtocarburizing.Thistypeofflametendstoproducesoundwelds.
e.Eitheramediumorhighcarbonweldingrodshouldbeusedtomaketheweld.Afterwelding,theentirepieceshouldbe
stressrelievedbyheatingtobetween1200and1450F(649and788C)foronehourperinch(25.4mm)ofthickness,and
thenslowlycooling.Ifthepartscaneasilybesoftenedbeforewelding,ahighcarbonweldingrodshouldbeusedtomakethe
joint.Theentirepieceshouldthenbeheattreatedtorestoretheoriginalpropertiesofthebasemetal.
f.Insomecases,minorrepairstothesesteelscanbemadebybrazing.Thisprocessdoesnotrequiretemperaturesashighas
thoseusedforwelding,sothepropertiesofthebasemetalarenotseriouslyaffected.Brazingshouldonlybeusedinspecial
cases,becausethestrengthofthejointisnotashighastheoriginalbasemetal.
g.Eithermildorstainlesssteelelectrodescanbeusedwithhighcarbonsteels.
h.Metalarcweldinginhighcarbonsteelsrequirescriticalcontroloftheweldheat.Thefollowingtechniquesshouldbekeptin
mind:
(1)Theweldingheatshouldbeadjustedtoprovidegoodfusionatthesidewallsandrootofthejointwithoutexcessive
penetration. Control of the welding heat can be accomplished by depositing the weld metal in small string beads.
Excessivepuddlingofthemetalshouldbeavoided,becausethiscancausecarbontobepickedupfromthebase
metal,whichinturnwillmaketheweldmetalhardandbrittle.Fusionbetweenthefillermetalandthesidewallsshould
beconfinedtoanarrowzone.Usethesurfacefusionprocedureprescribedformediumcarbonsteels(para711).
(2)Thesameprocedureforedgepreparation,cleaningofthewelds,andsequenceofweldingbeadsasprescribedfor
lowandmediumcarbonsteelsalsoappliestohighcarbonsteels.
(3)Small,highcarbonsteelpartsaresometimesrepairedbybuildingupwornsurfaces.Whenthisisdone,thepiece
shouldbeannealedorsoftenedbyheatingtoaredheatandcoolingslowly.Thepieceshouldthenbeweldedorbuilt
upwithmediumcarbonorhighstrengthelectrodes,andheattreatedafterweldingtorestoreitsoriginalproperties.
713.TOOLSTEELS
a.General.Steelsusedformakingtools,punches,anddiesareperhapsthehardest,strongest,andtougheststeelsusedin
industry. In general, tool steels are medium to high carbon steels with specific elements included in different amounts to
providespecialcharacteristics.Asparktestshowsamoderatelylargevolumeofwhitesparkshavingmanyfine,repeating
bursts.
b. Carbon is provided in tool steel to help harden the steel for cutting and wear resistance. Other elements are added to
providegreatertoughnessorstrength.Insomecases,elementsareaddedtoretainthesizeandshapeofthetoolduringits
heattreathardeningoperation,ortomakethehardeningoperationsaferandtoprovideredhardnesssothatthetoolretains
itshardnessandstrengthwhenitbecomesextremelyhot.Ironisthepredominantelementinthecompositionoftoolsteels.
Otherelementsaddedincludechromium,cobalt,manganese,molybdenum,nickel,tungsten,andvanadium.Thetoolordie
steelsaredesignedforspecialpurposesthataredependentuponcomposition.Certaintoolsteelsaremadeforproducingdie
blockssomearemadeforproducingmolds,othersforhotworking,andothersforhighspeedcuttingapplication.
c.Anotherwaytoclassifytoolsteelsisaccordingtothetypeofquenchrequiredtohardenthesteel.Themostseverequench
afterheatingisthewaterquench(waterhardeningsteels).Alessseverequenchistheoilquench,obtainedbycoolingthe
toolsteelinoilbaths(oilhardeningsteels).Theleastdrasticquenchiscoolinginair(airhardeningsteels).
d. Tool steels and dies can also be classified according to the work that is to be done by the tool. This is based on class
numbers.

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(1)ClassIsteelsareusedtomaketoolsthatworkbyashearingorcuttingactions,suchascutoffdies,shearingdies,
blankingdies,andtrimmingdies.
(2)ClassIIsteelsareusedtomaketoolsthatproducethedesiredshapeofthepartbycausingthematerialbeing
worked,eitherhotorcold,toflowundertension.Thisincludesdrawingdies,formingdies,reducingdies,forgingdies,
plasticmolds,anddiecastmoldingdies.
(3)ClassIIIsteelsareusedtomaketoolsthatactuponthematerialbeingworkedbypartiallyorwhollyreformingit
withoutchangingtheactualdimensions.Thisincludesbendingdies,foldingdies,andtwistingdies.
(4)ClassIVsteelsareusedtomakediesthatworkunderheavypressureandthatproduceaflowofmetalorother
materialcaressingitintothedesiredform.Thisincludescrimpingdies,embossingdies,headingdies,extrusiondies,
andstakingdies.
e. Steels in the tool steels group have a carbon content ranging from 0.83 to 1.55 percent. They are rarely welded by arc
weldingbecauseoftheexcessivehardnessproducedinthefusionzoneofthebasemetal.Ifarcweldingmustbedone,either
mildsteelorstainlesssteelelectrodescanbeused.
f.Uniformlyhighpreheatingtemperatures(upto1000F(583C))mustbeusedwhenweldingtoolsteels.
g. In general, the same precautions should be taken as those required for welding high carbon steels. The welding flare
should be adjusted to carburizing to prevent the burning out of carbon in the weld metal. The welding should be done as
quicklyaspossible,takingcarenottooverheatthemoltenmetal.Afterwelding,thesteelshouldbeheattreatedtorestoreits
originalproperties.
h.Drillrodscanbeusedasfillerrodsbecausetheirhighcarboncontentcomparescloselywiththatoftoolsteels.
i. A flux suitable for welding cast iron should be used in small quantities to protect the puddle of high carbon steel and to
removeoxidesintheweldmetal.
j.WeldingTechnique.Whenweldingtoolsteels,thefollowingtechniquesshouldbekeptinmind:
(1)Ifthepartstobeweldedaresmall,theyshouldbeannealedorsoftenedbeforewelding.Theedgesshouldthenbe
preheatedupto1000F(538C),dependingonthecarboncontentandthicknessoftheplate.Weldingshouldbedone
witheitheramildsteelorhighstrengthelectrode.
(2)Highcarbonelectrodesshouldnotbeusedforweldingtoolsteels.Thecarbonpickedupfromthebasemetalby
thefillermetalwillcausetheweldtobecomeglasshard,whereasthemildsteelweldmetalcanabsorbadditional
carbon without becoming excessively hard. The welded part should then be heat treated to restore its original
properties.
(3)Whenweldingwithstainlesssteelelectrodes,theedgeoftheplateshouldbepreheatedtopreventtheformationof
hardzonesinthebasemetal.Theweldmetalshouldbedepositedinsmallstringbeadstokeeptheheatinputtoa
minimum.Ingeneral,theapplicationprocedureisthesameasthatrequiredformediumandhighcarbonsteels.
k. There are four types of die steels that are weld repairable. These are waterhardening dies, oilhardening dies, air
hardeningdies,andhotworktools.Highspeedtoolscanalsoberepaired.
714.HIGHHARDNESSALLOYSTEELS
a.General.Alargenumberandvarietyofobtainhighstrength,highhardness,corrosionalloysteelshavebeendevelopedto
resistance,andotherspecialproperties.Mostofthesesteelsdependonaspecialheattreatmentprocessinordertodevelop
thedesiredcharacteristicinthefinishedstate.Alloysteelshavegreaterstrengthanddurabilitythanothercarbonsteels,anda
givenstrengthissecuredwithlessmaterialweight.
b.Highhardnessalloysteelsincludethefollowing:
(1) Chromium alloy steels. Chromium is used as an alloying element in carbon steels to increase hardenability,
corrosion resistance, and shock resistance, and gives high strength with little loss in ductility. Chromium in large
amountsshortensthesparkstreamtoonehalfthatofthesamesteelwithoutchromium,butdoesnotaffectthestream's
brightness.
(2) Nickel alloy steels. Nickel increases the toughness, strength, and ductility of steels, and lowers the hardening
temperaturesothatanoilquench,ratherthanawaterquench,isusedforhardening.Thenickelsparkhasashort,
sharplydefineddashofbrilliantlightjustbeforethefork.
(3)Highchromiumnickelalloy(stainless)steels.Thesehighalloysteelscoverawiderangeofcompositions.Their
stainless,corrosion,andheatresistantpropertiesvarywiththealloycontent,andareduetotheformationofaverythin
oxidefilmwhichformsonthesurfaceofthemetal.Sparksarestrawcolorednearthegrindingwheel,andwhitenear
theendofthestreak.Thereisamediumvolumeofstreakswhichhaveamoderatenumberofforkedbursts.
(4)Manganesealloysteels. Manganese is used in steel to produce greater toughness, wear resistance, easier hot
rolling, and forging. An increase in manganese content decreases the weldability of steel. Steels containing
manganeseproduceasparksimilartoacarbonspark.Amoderateincreaseinmanganeseincreasesthevolumeof
the spark stream and the intensity of the bursts. A steel containing more than a normal amount of manganese will
produceasparksimilartoahighcarbonsteelwithalowermanganesecontent.
(5)Molybdenumalloysteels.Molybdenumincreaseshardenability,whichisthedepthofhardeningpossiblethrough
heattreatment.Theimpactfatiguepropertyofthesteelisimprovedwithupto0.60percentmolybdenum.Above0.60
percentmolybdenum,theimpactfatigueproperisimpaired.Wearresistanceisimprovedwithmolybdenumcontent
above about 0.75 percent. Molybdenum is sometimes combined with chromium, tungsten, or vanadium to obtain
desiredproperties.Steelscontainingthiselementproduceacharacteristicsparkwithadetachedarrowheadsimilarto
thatofwroughtiron,whichcanbeseeneveninfairlystrongcarbonbursts.Molybdenumalloysteelscontaineither
nickeland/orchromium.
(6) Titanium and columbium (niobium) alloy steels. These elements are used as additional alloying agents in low
carbon content, corrosion resistant steels. They support resistance to intergranular corrosion after the metal is
subjectedtohightemperaturesforaprolongedperiodoftime.
(7)Tungstenalloysteels.Tungsten,asanalloyingelementintoolsteel,tendstoproduceafine,densegrainwhen
usedinrelativelysmallquantities.Whenusedinlargerquantities,from17to20percent,andincombinationwithother
alloys, tungsten produces a steel that retains its hardness at high temperatures. This element is usually used in
combinationwithchromiumorotheralloyingagents.Inasparktest,tungstenwillshowadullredcolorinthespark
streamnearthewheel.Italsoshortensthesparkstreamanddecreasesthesizeoforcompletelyeliminatesthecarbon
burst.Atungstensteelcontainingabout10percenttungstencausesshort,curved,orangespearpointsattheendof
thecarrierlines.Stilllowertungstencontentcausessmall,whiteburststoappearattheendofthespearpetit.Carrier
linesmaybefromdullredtoorange,dependingontheotherelementspresent,providingthetungstencontentisnot
toohigh.
(8)Vanadiumalloysteels.Vanadiumisusedtohelpcontrolgrainsize.Ittendstoincreasehardenabilityandcauses
markedsecondaryhardness,yetresiststempering.Itisaddedtosteelduringmanufacturetoremoveoxygen.Alloy
steelscontainingvanadiumproducesparkswithdetachedarrowheadsattheendofthecarrierlinesimilartothose
producedbymolybdenumsteels.

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(9)Siliconalloysteels.Siliconisaddedtosteeltoobtaingreaterhardenabilityandcorrosionresistance.Itisoftenused
withmanganesetoobtainastrong,toughsteel.
(10)Highspeedtoolsteels.Thesesteelsareusuallyspecialalloycompositionsdesignedforcuttingtools.Thecarbon
contentrangesfrom0.70to0.80percent.Theyaredifficulttoweld,exceptbythefurnaceinductionmethod.Aspark
testwillshowafewlong,forkedspadeswhicharerednearthewheel,andstrawcoloredneartheendofthespark
stream.
c.Manyofthesesteelscanbeweldedwithaheavycoatedelectrodeoftheshieldedarctype,whosecompositionissimilarto
that of the base metal. Low carbon electrodes can also be used with some steels. Stainless steel electrodes are effective
wherepreheatingisnotfeasibleordesirable.Heattreatedsteelsshouldbepreheated,ifpossible,inordertominimizethe
formationofhardzones,orlayers,inthebasemetaladjacenttotheweld.Themoltenmetalshouldnotbeoverheated,andthe
weldingheatshouldbecontrolledbydepositingthemetalinnarrowstringbeads.Inmanycases,theproceduresforwelding
mediumcarbonsteels(para711)andhighcarbonsteels(para712)canbeusedintheweldingofalloysteels.
715.HIGHYIELDSTRENGTH,LOWALLOYSTRUCTURALSTEELS
a.General.Highyieldstrength,lowalloystructuralsteels(constructionalalloysteels)arespecialsteelsthataretemperedto
obtainextremetoughnessanddurability.Thespecialalloysandgeneralmakeupofthesesteelsrequirespecialtreatmentto
obtain satisfactory weldments. These steels are special, lowcarbon steels containing specific, small amounts of alloying
elements.Theyarequenchedandtemperedtoobtainayieldstrengthof90,000to100,000psi(620,550to689,500kPa)and
atensilestrengthof100,000to140,000psi(689,500to965,300kPa),dependinguponsizeandshape.Structuralmembers
fabricatedfromthesehighstrengthsteelsmayhavesmallercrosssectionalareasthancommonstructuralsteelsandstillhave
equalstrength.Thesesteelsarealsomorecorrosionandabrasionresistantthanothersteels.Inasparktest,thesealloys
produceasparkverysimilartolowcarbonsteels.
b. Welding Technique. Reliable welding of high yield strength, low alloy structural steels can be performed by using the
followingguidelines:
CAUTION
Topreventunderbeadcracking,onlylowhydrogenelectrodesshouldbeusedwhenweldinghighyieldstrength,lowalloy
structuralsteels.
(1) Correct electrodes. Hydrogen is the number one enemy of sound welds in alloy steels therefore, use only low
hydrogen(MILE18038orMILE22200/1)electrodestopreventunderbeadcracking.Underbeadcrackingiscaused
byhydrogenpickedupintheelectrodecoating,releasedintothearc,andabsorbedbythemoltenmetal.
(2)Moisturecontrolofelectrodes.Iftheelectrodesareinanairtightcontainer,placethem,immediatelyuponopening
thecontainer,inaventilatedholdingovensetat250to300F(121to149C).Intheeventthattheelectrodesarenotin
anairtightcontainer,puttheminaventilatedbakingovenandbakefor11/4hoursat800F(427C).Bakedelectrodes
should,whilestillwarm,beplacedintheholdingovenuntilused.Electrodesmustbekeptdrytoeliminateabsorption
ofhydrogen.TestingformoistureshouldbeinaccordancewithMILE22200.
NOTE
MoisturestabilizerNSN3439004000090isanidealholdingovenforfielduse(MILM45558).
c. Low Hydrogen Electrode Selection. Electrodes are identified by classification numbers which are always marked on the
electrodecontainers.Forlowhydrogencoatings,thelasttwonunbersoftheclassificationshouldbe15,16,or18.Electrodes
of5/32and1/8in.(4.0and3.2mm)indiameterarethemostcommonlyused,sincetheyaremoreadaptabletoalltypesof
weldingofthistypesteel.Table714listselectrodesusedtoweldhighyieldstrength,lowalloystructuralsteels.Table715is
alistofelectrodescurrentlyestablishedintheArmysupplysystem.

d.SelectingWireFluxandWireGasCombinations.Wireelectrodesforsubmergedarcandgasshieldedarcweldingarenot
classifiedaccordingtostrength.Weldingwireandwirefluxcombinationsusedforsteelstobestressrelievedshouldcontain
nomorethan0.05recentvanadium.Weldmetalwithmorethan0.05percentvanadiummaybrittleifstressrelieved.When
usingeitherthesubmergedarcorgasmetalarcweldingprocessestoweldhighyieldstrength,lowalloystructuralsteelsto
lowerstrengthsteelsthewirefluxandwiregascombinationshouldbethesameasthatrecommendedforthelowerstrength
steels.
e.Preheating.Forweldingplatesunder1.0in.(25.4mm)thick,above50F(10C)isnotrequiredexcepttoremovesurface
moisturemetal.Table716containssuggestedpreheatingtemperatures.

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f.WeldingHeat.
(1)General.Itisimportanttoavoidexcessiveheatconcentrationinordertoallowtheweldareatocoolquickly.Either
theheatinputnomographortheheatinputcalculatorcanbeusedtodeterminetheheatinputintotheweld.
(2)Heatinputnomograph.Tousetheheatinputnomograph(fig.79),findthevoltsvalueincolumn1anddrawaline
totheampsvalueincolumn3.Fromthepointwherethislineintersectscolunm2,drawanotherlinetothein./minvalue
in column 5. Read the heat units at the point where this second line intersects column 4. The heat units represent
thousandsofjoulesperinch.Forexample,at20voltsand300amps,thelineintersectscolumn2atthevalue6.At12
in./min,theheatinputisdeterminedas30heatunits,or30,000joules/in.

(3)Heatinputcalculator.Theheatinputcalculatorcanbemadebycopyingthepatternprintedontheinsideofthe
back cover of this manual onto plastic, light cardboard, or other suitable material and cutting out the pieces. If no
suitablematerialisavailable,thecalculatormaybeassembledbycuttingthepatternoutofthebackcover.Afterthe
twopiecesarecutout,aholeispunchedinthecenterofeach.Theyarethenassembledusingapaperfastener,or
somesimilardevice,whichwillallowthepiecestorotate.Todetermineweldingheatinputusingthecalculator,rotate
untilthevalueonthevoltsscaleisaligneddirectlyoppositethevalueonthespeed(in./min)scale.Thevalueonthe
ampsscalewillthenbealigneddirectlyoppositethecalculatedvalueforheatunits.Aswiththenomograph,heatunits
representthousandsofjoulesperinch.
(4)Maximumheatinput.Checktheheatinputvalueobtainedfromthenomographorcalculatoragainstthesuggested
maximumsintables717and718.Ifthecalculatedvalueistoohigh,adjusttheamperes,travelspeed,orpreheat
temperatureuntilthecalculatedheatinputiswithintheproperrange.(Thetablesareapplicableonlytosinglearc,
shielded metalarc, submerged arc, gas tungstenarc, fluxcored arc, and gas metalarc processes. They are not
applicable to multiplearc or electroslag welding, or other high heat input verticalwelding processes, since welds
made by these in the "T1" steels should be heat treated by quenching and tempering.) For welding conditions
exceedingtherangeofthenomographorcalculator,theheatinputcanbecalculatedusingthefollowingformula:

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g. Welding Process. Reliable welding of high yield strength, low alloy structural steel can be per formal by choosing an
electrodewithlowhydrogencontentorselectingtheproperwirefluxorwiregascombinationwhenusingthesubmergedarc
or gas metal arc processes. Use a straight stringer bead whenever possible. Avoid using the weave pattern however, if
needed,itmustberestrictedtoapartialweavepattern.Bestresultsareobtainedbyaslightcircularmotionoftheelectrode
withtheweaveareaneverexceedingtwoelectrodediameters.Neveruseafullweavepattern.Thepartialweavepattern
should not exceed twice the diameter of the electrode. Skip weld as practical. Peening of the weld is sometimes
recommendedtorelievestresseswhilecoolinglargerpieces.Filletweldsshouldbesmoothandcorrectlycontoured.Avoid
toecracksandundercutting.Electrodesusedforfilletweldsshouldbeoflowerstrengththanthoseusedforbuttwelding.Air
hammerpeeningoffilletweldscanhelptopreventcracks,especiallyiftheweldsaretobestressrelieved.Asoftsteelwire
pedestalcanhelptoabsorbshrinkageforces.Butterweldinginthetoeareabeforeactualfilletweldingstrengthsthearea
whereatoecrackmaystart.Abeadislaidinthetoearea,thengroundoffpriortotheactualfilletwelding.Thisbutterweld
beadmustbelocatedsothatthetoeofthefilletwillbelaiddirectlyoveritduringactualfilletwelding.Becauseoftheadditional
materialinvolvedinfilletwelding,thecoolingrateisincreasedandheatinputsmaybeextendedabout25percent.
716.CASTIRON
a.General.Acastironisanalloyofiron,carbon,andsilicon,inwhichtheamountofcarbonisusuallymorethan1.7percent
andlessthan4.5percent.
(1)Themostwidelyusedtypeofcastironisknownasgrayiron.Grayironhasavarietyofcompositions,butisusually
suchthatitisprimarilyperlitewithmanygraphiteflakesdispersedthroughout.
(2)Therearealsoalloycastironswhichcontainsmallamountsofchromium,nickel,molybdenum,copper,orother
elementsaddedtoprovidespecificproperties.
(3)Anotheralloyironisausteniticcastiron,whichismodifiedbyadditionsofnickelandotherelementstoreducethe
transformationtemperaturesothatthestructureisausteniticatroomornormaltemperatures.Austeniticcastironshave
ahighdegreeofcorrosionresistance.
(4)Inwhitecastiron,almostallthecarbonisinthecombinedform.Thisprovidesacastironwithhigherhardness,
whichisusedforabrasionresistance.
(5)Malleablecastironismadebygivingwhitecastironaspecialannealingheattreatmenttochangethestructureof
thecarbonintheiron.Thestructureischangedtoperliticorferritic,whichincreasesitsductility.
(6)Nodularironandductilecastironaremadebytheadditionofmagnesiumoraluminumwhichwilleithertieupthe
carbon in a combined state or will give the free carbon a spherical or nodular shape, rather than the normal flake
shapeingraycastiron.Thisstructureprovidesagreaterdegreeofductilityormalleabilityofthecasting.
(7)Castironsarewidelyusedinagriculturalequipmentonmachinetoolsasbases,brackets,andcoversforpipe
fittingsandcastironpipeandforautomobileengineblocks,heads,manifolds,andwaterpreps.Castironisrarely
usedinstructuralworkexceptforcompressionmembers.Itiswidelyusedinconstructionmachineryforcounterweights
andinotherapplicationsforwhichweightisrequired.
b. Gray cast iron has low ductility and therefore will not expand or stretch to any considerable extent before breaking or
cracking. Because of this characteristic, preheating is necessary when cast iron is welded by the oxyacetylene welding
process.Itcan,however,beweldedwiththemetalarcprocesswithoutpreheatingiftheweldingheatiscarefullycontrolled.
This can be accomplished by welding only short lengths of the joint at a time and allowing these sections to cool. By this
procedure,theheatofweldingisconfinedtoasmallarea,andthedangerofcrackingthecastingiseliminated.Largecastings
with complicated sections, such as motor blocks, can be welded without dismantling or preheating. Special electrodes
designedforthispurposeareusuallydesirable.Ductilecastirons,suchasmalleableiron,ductileiron,andnodulariron,can
besuccessfullywelded.Forbestresults,thesetypesofcastironsshouldbeweldedintheannealedcondition.
c.Weldingisusedtosalvagenewironcastings,torepaircastingsthathavefailedinservice,andtojoincastingstoeachother
or to steel parts in manufacturing operations. Table 719 shows the welding processes that can be used for welding cast,
malleable,andnodularirons.Theselectionoftheweldingprocessandtheweldingfillermetalsdependsonthetypeofweld
properties desired and the service life that is expected. For example, when using the shielded metal arc welding process,
differenttypesoffillermetalcanbeused.Thefillermetalwillhaveaneffectonthecolormatchoftheweldcomparedtothe
basematerial.Thecolormatchcanbeadeterminingfactor,specificallyinthesalvageorrepairofcastings,whereadifference
ofcolorwouldnotbeacceptable.

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d.Nomatterwhichoftheweldingprocessesisselected,certainpreparatorystepsshouldbemade.Itisimportanttodetermine
theexacttypeofcastirontobewelded,whetheritisgraycastironoramalleableorductiletype.Ifexactinformationisnot
known,itisbesttoassumethatitisgraycastironwithlittleornoductility.Ingeneral,itisnotrecommendedtoweldrepairgray
ironcastingsthataresubjecttoheatingandcoolinginnormalservice,especiallywhenheatingandcoolingvaryoverarange
oftemperaturesexceeding400F(204C).Unlesscastironisusedasthefillermaterial,theweldmetalandbasemetalmay
havedifferentcoefficientsofexpansionandcontraction.Thiswillcontributetointernalstresseswhichcannotbewithstoodby
graycastiron.Repairofthesetypesofcastingscanbemade,butthereliabilityandservicelifeonsuchrepairscannotbe
predictedwithaccuracy.
e.PreparationforWelding.
(1)Inpreparingthecastingforwelding,itisnecessarytoremoveallsurfacematerialstocompletelycleanthecasting
intheareaoftheweld.Thismeansremovingpaint,grease,oil,andotherforeignmaterialfromtheweldzone.Itis
desirabletoheattheweldareaforashorttimetoremoveentrappedgasfromtheweldzoneofthebasemetal.The
skin or high silicon surface should also be removed adjacent to the weld area on both the face and root side. The
edgesofajointshouldbechippedoutorgroundtoforma60angleorbevel.Wheregroovesareinvolved,aVgroove
froma6090includedangleshouldbeused.TheVshouldextendapproximately1/8in.(3.2mm)fromthebottomof
the crack. A small hole should be drilled at each end of the crack to keep it from spreading. Complete penetration
weldsshouldalwaysbeused,sinceacrackordefectnotcompletelyremovedmayquicklyreappearunderservice
conditions.
(2)Preheatingisdesirableforweldingcastironswithanyoftheweldingprocesses.Itcanbereducedwhenusing
extremelyductilefillermetal.Preheatingwillreducethethermalgradientbetweentheweldandtheremainderofthe
cast iron. Preheat temperatures should be related to the welding process, the filler metal type, the mass, and the
complexityofthecasting.Preheatingcanbedonebyanyofthenormalmethods.Torchheatingisnormallyusedfor
relativelysmallcastingsweighing30.0lb(13.6kg)orless.Largerpartsmaybefurnacepreheated,andinsomecases,
temporary furnaces are built around the part rather than taking the part to a furnace. In this way, the parts can be
maintainedatahighinterpasstemperatureinthetemporaryfurnaceduringwelding.Preheatingshouldbegeneral,
since it helps to improve the ductility of the material and will spread shrinkage stresses over a large area to avoid
criticalstressesatanyonepoint.Preheatingtendstohelpsoftentheareaadjacenttothewelditassistsindegassing
thecasting,andthisinturnreducesthepossibilityofporosityofthedepositedweldmetalanditincreaseswelding
speed.
(3)Slowcoolingorpostheatingimprovesthemachinabilityoftheheataffectedzoneinthecastironadjacenttothe
weld. The post cooling should be as slow as possible. This can be done by covering the casting with insulating
materialstokeeptheairorbreezesfromit.
f.WeldingTechnique.
(1)Electrodes.
(a)Castironcanbeweldedwithacoatedsteelelectrode,butthismethodshouldbeusedasanemergency
measureonly.Whenusingasteelelectrode,thecontractionofthesteelweldmetal,thecarbonpickedupfrom
the cast iron by the weld metal, and the hardness of the weld metal caused by rapid cooling must be
considered. Steel shrinks more than cast iron when ceded from a molten to a solid state. When a steel
electrodeisused,thisunevenshrinkagewillcausestrainsatthejointafterwelding.Whenalargequantityof
fillermetalisappliedtothejoint,thecastironmaycrackjustbackofthelineoffusionunlesspreventivesteps
aretaken.Toovercomethesedifficulties,thepreparedjointshouldbeweldedbydepositingtheweldmetalin
shortstringbeads,0.75to1.0in.long(19.0to25.4mm).Thesearemadeintermittentlyand,insomecases,by
thebackstepandskipprocedure.Toavoidhardspots,thearcshouldbestruckintheV,andnotonthesurface
ofthebasemetal.Eachshortlengthofweldmetalappliedtothejointshouldbelightlypeenedwhilehotwitha
small ball peen hammer, and allowed to cool before additional weld metal is applied. The peening action
forgesthemetalandrelievesthecoolingstrains.
(b) The electrodes used should be 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) in diameter to prevent excessive welding heat. Welding
shouldbedonewithreversepolarity.Weavingoftheelectrodeshouldbeheldtoaminimum.Eachweldmetal
depositshouldbethoroughlycleanedbeforeadditionalmetalisadded.

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(c)Castironelectrodesmustbeusedwheresubsequentmachiningoftheweldedjointisrequired.Stainless
steelelectrodesareusedwhenmachiningoftheweldisnotrequired.Theprocedureformakingweldswith
theseelectrodesisthesameasthatoutlinedforweldingwithmildsteelelectrodes.Stainlesssteelelectrodes
provideexcellentfusionbetweenthefillerandbasemetals.Greatcaremustbetakentoavoidcrackinginthe
weld,contractsapproximately50percentmorethanbecausestainlesssteelexpandsandmildsteelinequal
changesoftemperature.

(2)ArcWelding.
(a)Theshieldedmetalarcweldingprocesscanbeutilizedforweldingcastiron.Therearefourtypesoffiller
metalsthatmaybeused:castironcoveredelectrodescoveredcopperbasealloyelectrodescoverednickel
base alloy electrodes and mild steel covered electrodes. There are reasons for using each of the different
specifictypesofelectrodes,whichincludethemachinabilityofthedeposit,thecolormatchofthedeposit,the
strengthofthedeposit,andtheductilityofthefinalweld.
(b)Whenarcweldingwiththecastironelectrodes(ECI),preheattobetween250and800F(121and425C),
dependingonthesizeandcomplexityofthecastingandtheneedtomachinethedepositandadjacentareas.
The higher degree of heating, the easier it will be to machine the weld deposit. In general, it is best to use
smallsizeelectrodesandarelatively1owcurrentsetting.Amediumarclengthshouldbeused,and,ifatall
possible,weldingshouldbedoneintheflatposition.Wanderingorskipweldingprocedureshouldbeused,
andpeeningwillhelpreducestressesandwillminimizedistortion.Slowcoolingafterweldingisrecommended.
Theseelectrodesprovideanexcellentcolormatchcmgrayiron.Thestrengthoftheweldwillequalthestrength
ofthebasemetal.Therearetwotypesofcopperbaseelectrodes:thecoppertinalloyandthecopperaluminum
types.Thecopperzincalloyscannotbeusedforarcweldingelectrodesbecauseofthelowboilingtemperature
ofzinc.Zincwillvolatilizeinthearcandwillcauseweldmetalporosity.
(c)Whenthecopperbaseelectrodesareused,apreheatof250to400F(121to204C)isrecommended.
Smallelectrodesandlowcurrentshouldbeused.Thearcshouldbedirectedagainstthedepositedmetalor
puddletoavoidpenetrationandmixingthebasemetalwiththeweldmetal.Slowcoolingisrecommendedafter
welding.Thecopperbaseelectrodesdonotprovideagoodcolormatch.
(d)Therearethreetypesofnickelelectrodesusedforweldingcastiron.Theseelectrodescanbeusedwithout
preheat however, heating to 100F (38C) is recommended. These electrodes can be used in all positions
however,theflatpositionisrecommended.Theweldingslagshouldberemovedbetweenpasses.Thenickel
andnickelirondepositsareextremelyductileandwillnotbecomebrittlewiththecarbonpickup.Thehardness
of the heataffected zone can be minimized by reducing penetration into the cast iron base metal. The
techniquementionedabove,playingthearconthepuddleratherthanonthebasemetal,willhelpminimize
dilution.Slowcoolingand,ifnecessary,postheatingwillimprovemachinabilityoftheheataffectedzone.The
nickelbaseelectrodesdonotprovideaclosecolormatch.
(e) Copper nickel type electrodes cane in two grades. Either of these electrodes can be used in the same
mannerasthenickelornickelironelectrodewithaboutthesametechniqueandresults.Thedepositsofthese
electrodesdonotprovideacolormatch.
(f)Mildsteelelectrodesarenotrecommendedforweldingcastironifthedepositistobemachined.Themild
steel deposit will pick up sufficient carbon to make a highcarbon deposit, which is impossible to machine.
Additionally,themildsteeldepositwillhaveareducedlevelofductilityasaresultofincreasedcarboncontent.
This type of electrode should be used only for small repairs and should not be used when machining is
required.Minimumpreheatispossibleforsmallrepairjobs.Smallelectrodesatlowcurrentarerecommended
to minimize dilution and to avoid the concentration of shrinkage stresses. Short welds using a wandering
sequenceshouldbeused,andtheweldshouldbepeenedasquicklyaspossibleafterwelding.Themildsteel
electrodedepositprovidesafaircolormatch.
(3)Carbonarcweldingofcastiron.Ironcastingsmaybeweldedwithacarbonarc,acastironrod,andacastiron
weldingflux.Thejointshouldbepreheatedbymovingthecarbonelectrodesalongthesurface.Thispreventstoorapid
coolingafterwelding.Themoltenpuddleofmetalcanbeworkedwiththecarbonelectrodesoastomoveanyslagor
oxidesthatareformedtothesurface.Weldsmadewiththecarbonarccoolmoreslowlyandarenotashardasthose
madewiththemetalarcandacastironelectrode.Theweldsaremachinable.
(4)Oxyfuelgaswelding.Theoxyfuelgasprocessisoftenusedforweldingcastiron.Mostofthefuelgasescanbe
used.Theflameshouldbeneutraltoslightlyreducing.Fluxshouldbeused.Twotypesoffillermetalsareavailable:the
castironrodsandthecopperzincrods.Weldsmadewiththepropercastironelectrodewillbeasstrongasthebase
metal.Goodcolormatchisprovidedbyalloftheseweldingreds.Theoptimumweldingprocedureshouldbeusedwith
regard to joint preparation, preheat, and post heat. The copper zinc rods produce braze welds. There are two
classifications:amanganesebronzeandalowfumingbronze.Thedepositedbronzehasrelativelyhighductilitybut
willnotprovideacolormatch.
(5)Brazingandbrazewelding.
(a)Brazingisusedforjoiningcastirontocastironandsteels.Inthesecases,thejointdesignmustbeselected
for brazing so that capillary attraction causes the filler metal to flow between closely fitting parts. The torch
methodisnormallyused.Inaddition,thecarbonarc,thetwincarbonarc,thegastungstenarc,andtheplasma
arccanallbeusedassourcesofheat.Twobrazingfillermetalalloysarenormallyusedbotharecopperzinc
alloys.Brazeweldingcanalsobeusedtojoincastiron.Inbrazewelding,thefillermetalisnotdrawnintothe
joint by capillary attraction. This is sometimes called bronze welding. The filler material having a liquidous
above850F(454C)shouldbeused.Brazeweldingwillnotprovideacolormatch.
(b) Braze welding can also be accomplished by the shielded metal arc and the gas metal arc welding
processes.Hightemperaturepreheatingisnotusuallyrequiredforbrazeweldingunlessthepartisextremely
heavyorcomplexingeometry.Thebronzeweldmetaldeposithasextremelyhighductility,whichcompensates
forthelackofductilityofthecastiron.Theheatofthearcissufficienttobringthesurfaceofthecastironuptoa
temperatureatwhichthecopperbasefillermetalalloywillmakeabondtothecastiron.Sincethereislittleor
nointermixingofthematerials,thezoneadjacenttotheweldinthebasemetalisnotappreciablyhardened.
Theweldandadjacentareaaremachinableaftertheweldiscompleted.Ingeneral,a200F(93C)preheatis
sufficientformostapplication.Thecoolingrateisnotextremelycriticalandastressreliefheattreatmentisnot
usually required. This type of welding is commonly used for repair welding of automotive parts, agricultural
implementparts,andevenautomotiveengineblocksandheads.Itcanonlybeusedwhentheabsenceofcolor
matchisnotobjectionable.
(6)Gasmetalarcwelding.Thegasmetalarcweldingprocesscanbeusedformakingweldsbetweenmalleableiron
andcarbonsteels.Severaltypesofelectrodewirescanbeused,including:
(a)Mildsteelusing75%argon+25%CO2 forshielding.
(b)Nickelcopperusing100%argonforshielding.
(c)Siliconbronzeusing50%argon+50%heliumforshielding.
Inallcases,smalldiameterelectrodewireshouldbeusedatlowcurrent.Withthemildsteelelectrodewire,theArgon
CO2 shieldinggasmixtureissuedtominimizepenetration.InthecaseofthenickelbasefillermetalandtheCopper
base filler metal, the deposited filler metal is extremely ductile. The mild steel provides a fair color match. A higher
preheatisusuallyrequiredtoreduceresidualstressesandcrackingtendencies.

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(7) Fluxcored arc welding. This process has recently been used for welding cast irons. The more successful
applicationhasbeenusinganickelbasefluxcoredwire.ThiselectrodewireisnormallyoperatedwithCO2 shielding
gas,butwhenlowermechanicalpropertiesarenotobjectionable,itcanbeoperatedwithoutexternalshieldinggas.
Theminimumpreheattemperaturescanbeused.Thetechniqueshouldminimizepenetrationintothecastironbase
metal.Postheatingisnormallynotrequired.Acolormatchisnotobtained.
(8)Studding.Cracksinlargecastingsaresometimesrepairedbystudding(fig.710).Inthisprocess,thefractureis
removedbygrindingaVgroove.Holesaredrilledandtappedatanangleoneachsideofthegroove,andstudsare
screwed into these holes for a distance equal to the diameter of the studs, with the upper ends projecting
approximately1/4in.(6.4mm)abovethecastironsurface.Thestudsshouldbesealweldedinplacebyoneortwo
beadsaroundeachstud,andthentiedtogetherbyweldmetalbeads.Weldsshouldbemadeinshortlengths,and
eachlengthpeenedwhilehottopreventhighstressesorcrackinguponcooling.Eachbeadshouldbeallowedtocool
andbethoroughlycleanedbeforeadditionalmetalisdeposited.Ifthestuddingmethodcannotbeapplied,theedges
ofthejointshouldbechippedoutormachinedwitharoundnosedtooltoformaUgrooveintowhichtheweldmetal
shouldbedeposited.

(9)Otherweldingprocessescanbeusedforcastiron.Thermitweldinghasbeenusedforrepairingcertaintypesof
castironmachinetoolparts.Solderingcanbeusedforjoiningcastiron,andissometimesusedforrepairingsmall
defectsinsmallcastings.Flashweldingcanalsobeusedforweldingcastiron.
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