Development of

data selection
for welding
dissimilar metals
 Introduction (Con’t)

What is dissimilar joining ?

Homogeneous joint:
Welded joint in which the weld metal and parent material
have no significant differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical
composition.
Example: two carbon steel plates welded with a matching carbon
steel electrode.

Heterogeneous joint:
Welded joint in which the weld metal and parent material
have significant differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical composition.
Example: a repair weld of a cast iron item performed with a nickel base electrode.

Dissimilar joint:
Welded joint in which the parent materials have significant
differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical composition.
Example: a carbon steel lifting lug welded onto an austenitic stainless steel pressure vessel.

Ref – BS EN ISO 15607 : Terms and definitions

 Introduction (Con’t)

AWS Welding Handbook Vol 4. : Metals and Their Weldability

Dissimilar Metals :
Consider to be either those that are chemically different or alloys of a particular metal
that are significantly different from a metallurgical standpoint .
They can be base metal, filler metal, or weld metal.
 Introduction (Con’t)

What is dissimilar joining ?

Homogeneous joint:
Welded joint in which the weld metal and parent material
have no significant differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical
composition.
Example: two carbon steel plates welded with a matching carbon
steel electrode.
Consider dissimilar welds
Heterogeneous joint:
Welded joint in which the weld metal and parent material
have significant differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical composition.
Example: a repair weld of a cast iron item performed with a nickel base electrode.

Dissimilar joint:
Welded joint in which the parent materials have significant
differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical composition.
Example: a carbon steel lifting lug welded onto an austenitic stainless steel pressure vessel.

Ref – BS EN ISO 15607 : Terms and definitions

Introduction (Con’t)

Dissimilar Weld

• Chemical composition
• Metallurgical characteristic
• Mechanical properties
• Physical properties

Weldability
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity

• Dilution and phase diagram prediction

1

• Melting Temperature, Thermal conductivity and Thermal

2 expansion

• Welding consideration
3

• Heat treatment consideration

4

• Service consideration
5
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

1 • Dilution and phase diagram prediction

➢ Dilution : The melting of base metal and the subsequent mixing with filler metal causes the final
chemistry of the weld deposit to be between that of the base and filler metals
➢ Weld metal composition : Calculation of average composition of whole weld metal
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

1 • Dilution and phase diagram prediction

➢ Dilution : The melting of base metal and the subsequent mixing with filler metal causes the final
chemistry of the weld deposit to be between that of the base and filler metals
➢ Weld metal composition : Calculation of average composition of whole weld metal

ERNiCr-3 Element Cr-Mo 316 SS ERNiCr-3

alloy
A
Cr 2.5 17 20
Cr-Mo alloy B C 316 SS
Ni - 12 72

B = 15% and C = 20%

Mo 1.0 2.5 -
Fe 95.5 63 3

Cr,% = 0.15(2.5) + 0.20(17) + 0.65(20) = 16.8

Ni,% = 0.15(0) + 0.20(12) + 0.65(72) = 49.2
Mo,% = 0.15(1) + 0.20(2.5)+ 0.65(0) = 0.65
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

1 • Dilution and phase diagram prediction

De long
➢ Schaeffler, De Long and WRC diagram

WRC
 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

1 • Dilution and phase diagram prediction

ERNiCr-3
A

Cr-Mo alloy B C 316 SS

B = 15% and C = 20%

Element Cr-Mo 316 SS ERNiCr-3

alloy
Cr 2.5 17 20
Ni - 12 72
Mo 1.0 2.5 -
Fe 95.5 63 3
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

2
• Melting Temp, Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Expansion

➢ Wide difference in melting temperature range, liquation cracking of the metal with
lower melting temp will occur
➢ Rapid heat conduction depend on significant different in heat flow [ heat flow = f(temp,K) ]
➢ Differences in thermal expansion generates stresses during changes in temperature
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

2
• Melting Temp, Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Expansion

Buttering by filler metal with intermediate melting temp.

reduce melting temp. differential.
 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

3 • Welding consideration
Excess depth-to-width ratio (high-penetration processes) with single-pass procedures
such as submerged arc welding are especially susceptible to hot crack

Joint
design Welding
process

Slightly changes in the variables can result in large changes in dilution

Position, direction, speed, material thickness, backing, joint type, pulsed or continuous,
Welding wave shape, pulse duration, vibration, workpiece temps, and numerous other things.

Consideration

Selection Buttering
of suitable
filler metal

Soundness
Structural stability
Physical and mechanical properties
Corrosion properties
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

4 • Heat treatment consideration

Preheat
• When welding two different P-No. materials, the preheat temperature
shall be the higher temperature for the material being welded

PWHT
• Heat treatment of welded joints between dissimilar ferritic metals shall
be at the higher of the temperature ranges.
• Heat treatment of welded joints including both ferritic and austenitic
metals shall be as required for the ferritic material or materials unless
otherwise specified in the engineering design.
 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

4 • Heat treatment consideration

➢ Preheat ➢ PWHT
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Mechanical
properties

Corrosion and
Microstructural
oxidation
stability
resistance
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Mechanical properties
➢ Dissimilar joint leads to different mechanical properties in weld metal and HAZ
➢ Weld metal should be equal or stronger than the weaker material being joints, although the ASME code
allows a weld strength of 95% in some case
➢ Dissimilar weld should be located in areas of low service stress because of addition of thermal stress
 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Microstructural stability
➢ Composition gradient between weld metal and HAZ

ER309L
A

4140 alloy B C 316 SS

 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Microstructural stability
➢ Microstructural changes when the weld is subject to elevated temperatures in PWHT or in services
➢ Reduces the service life of dissimilar weld
 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Microstructural stability
➢ Composition gradient between weld metal and HAZ
➢ Microstructural changes interdiffusion at elevated temperature of base and weld metal
➢ Reduces the service life of dissimilar weld
Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Corrosion and oxidation resistance

➢ Galvanic cells formation – Corrosion of anodic metal
 Basic Factor Influencing Dissimilar Welds Integrity (Con’t)

5 • Service consideration

Corrosion and oxidation resistance

➢ Compositional variation at interfaces – selective oxidation at high temp – notches

Estimated corrosion rates (mm/year)

Data selection for dissimilar weld

Chevron Engineering Standard

• WEM-PU-6089-A : Qualified Welding Procedures

API 577, API 582

• API 577 Annex D : Guide To Common Filler Metal Selection
• API 582 Clause 6 : Welding Consumables (Filler Metal and Flux)

Welding Handbook
• AWS Vol 4, ASM Vol 6, etc.

Engineering and/or Science journal

Data selection for dissimilar weld

• Key to success dissimilar weld

Overall
Condition
➢ Material specification and service condition

Non-STD-RCR
Selection ➢ Select non-standard RCR as per material specification

➢ Mechanical properties, physical properties, chemical

Weldability
composition and metallurgical characteristics

Mock-up test
➢ Mechanical testing, corrosion resistance testing
(if required)

➢ Use qualified welder

Execution
➢ Control welding parameter