Stainless Steel

High Ni & Cr Content

Low (Controlled) Interstitials

Austenitic Nitrogen Strengthened

Austenitic

Martensitic Ferritic

Precipitation Hardened Super Austenitic

Super Ferritic Duplex

 AOD Furnace

Argon & Oxygen

Today, more than 1/2 of the high chromium steels
are produced in the AOD Furnace Linnert, Welding Metallurgy
AWS, 1994
A=Martensitic Alloys
B=Semi-Ferritic
Castro & Cadenet, Welding Metallurgy of
C=Ferritic Stainless and Heat-resisting Steels
Cambridge University Press, 1974
We will look at these properties in next slide! AWS Welding Handbook
 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
 Static Resistance Comparison
Plain-carbon Steel
Electrode
Stainless Steel

Higher Bulk Resistance

Alloy Effect

Workpieces
Higher Surface Resistance
Chromium Oxide
Class 3 Electrode
Electrode
Higher Resistance
Resistance

Higher Resistances = Lower Currents Required

 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
 Conduction in Plain Carbon
Conduction in SS

Base Metal
Weld Nugget
Base Metal

Only 40 - 50% Heat conduction in SS

Less Heat Conducted Away
Therefore
Lower Current Required
Less Time Required (in some cases less than 1/3)
 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
 Melting Temp of Plain Carbon

Base Metal
Weld Nugget
Base Metal

Melting Temp of SS

Melting Temp of SS is lower

Nugget Penetrates More
Therefore
Less Current and Shorter Time Required
 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
 Ferritic, Martensitic, Ppt. = 6 - 11% greater expansion
Austenitic = 15% greater expansion than Plain Carbon Steel
Therefore
Warpage occurs especially in Seam Welding Dong et al, Finite Element Modeling of
Hot Cracking can Occur Electrode Wear Mechanisms,
Auto Steel Partnership, April 10, 1995
 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
 Force

High Strength
High Hot Strength

• Need Higher Electrode Forces

• Need Stronger Electrodes (Class 3, 10 & 14 Sometimes Used)
 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
 Oxide from Hot Rolling

Oxide Protective Film

• Chromium Oxide from Hot Rolling must be removed by Pickle

• Ordinary Oxide Protective Film is not a Problem
 General Properties of Stainless Steels
• Electrical Resistivity
– Surface & bulk resistance
is higher than that for plain-
carbon steels
• Thermal Conductivity
– About 40 to 50 percent that
of plain-carbon steel
• Melting Temperature
– Plain-carbon:1480-1540 °C
– Martensitic: 1400-1530 °C
– Ferritic: 1400-1530 °C
– Austenitic: 1370-1450 °C
• Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
– Greater coefficient than plain-
carbon steels
• High Strength
– Exhibit high strength at room
and elevated temperatures
• Surface Preparation
– Surface films must be
removed prior to welding
• Spot Spacing
– Less shunting is observed
than plain-carbon steels
Look at Each Grade & Its Weldability

Austenitic
Super Austenitic
Nitrogen Strengthened Austenitic
Martensitic
Ferritic
Super Ferritic
Precipitation Hardened
Duplex
Austenitic
• Contain between 16 and 25 percent
chromium, plus sufficient amount of nickel,
manganese and/or nitrogen
• Have a face-centered-cubic (fcc) structure
• Nonmagnetic
• Good toughness
• Spot weldable
• Strengthening can be accomplished by cold
work or by solid-solution strengthening
Applications:
Fire Extinguishers, pots & pans, etc.
AWS Welding Handbook
AWS Welding Handbook
Pseudobinary
Phase Diagram
@ 70% Iron

AWS Welding Handbook