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This procedure should be followed if joint is under high restraint. Where restraint is low,
some relaxation of the following procedures may be possible.
2. For MMA (SMAW) welding, use basic coated electrodes, e.g. AWS E7016 or
E7018, preferably vacuum packed, or dried at the temperature and time
recommended by the electrode manufacturer to give a weld metal hydrogen
content below 5ml/100g. It should be noted however, that depending upon
the parent material heat treatment condition, these electrodes may not
match the tensile strength of the parent steel. Alternatively, use alloyed basic
coated electrodes giving welds with yield strengths matching the alloy steel.
MIG/MAG (GMAW) welding or flux cored arc welding can also be used with
consumables giving weld metal of appropriate strength.
3. When welding is completed allow components to cool to 200°C before tempering
4. Heat to 620 - 650°C at a maximum heating rate of 100°C/hr or 6000/thickness
(mm) °C/hr, whichever is the smaller. Temper for 2 hours. Cool to 200°C at
controlled cooling rate of 100°C/hr maximum. Cool to room temperature in still
air. In very highly restrained conditions, it may be necessary to consider an
intermediate, lower temperature stress relief treatment.
5. If it is not convenient to hold the component at an intermediate temperature after
welding, pending heating for tempering, the following alternative procedures
(below) could be applied. However, if restraint is very high this alternative
procedure may not prevent the occurrence of hydrogen induced cracking.
Alternative procedure:
Suitable electrodes are: AWS E309 (23.12.L to BS EN ISO 3581: 2012); AWS
E312 (29.9 to BS EN ISO 3581: 2012); AWS A5.11 ENiCrFe-3; AWS A5.11
ENiCrMo-3.
When stainless steel or nickel based electrodes are used the intermediate heat
treatments recommended in clauses 3 and 5 are not necessary unless restraint
is very high. Cooling to room temperature after welding can be carried out but
tempering will be required if a brittle heat affected zone is unsuitable for service
conditions.
10. It is important to note that these procedures, a) may NOT give the mechanical
properties required by design considerations and b) will result in weld metal and
HAZs which do not match the parent material.