Faisal Yusof

Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd

Welding Inspection
Heat Treatments
Course Reference WIS 5
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat treatments
Heat treatments of steels are usually
intended for one of the following
purposes:-
Remove stresses induced by cold working
Refine the grain structure
Decrease the hardness and increase ductility
Increase hardness
Improve machineability
Improve mechanical properties as a whole

Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Properties of steel
Mechanical properties :
Hardness a measure of the resistance to penetration
Tensile strength a metals ability to withstand stress
in tension
Compresive strength-a metals ability to withstand a
pressing or squeezing together
Shear strength - a metals ability to resist a sliding
past type of action
Fatigue strength ability to take repeated loading
Toughness ability to resist shock
Ductility ability of a metals to stretches before it
breaks
Brittleness metal does not stretches before it
fractures


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Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Structural forms of steel
Ferrite :- almost a pure iron and has a little carbon
and is a very weak steel
Cementite:- actually a compound of iron and carbon
known as iron carbide.Contain lots of
carbon; as much as 1.6% - 1.8% or 2%.
It strong and hard.
Pearlite :- solid solution,a mixture between ferrite and
cementite.It exist at room temperature
and is magnetic
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Structural forms of steel
Austenite :- It occurs at elevated temperatures.It is not
magnetic. As the steel heated to an elevated
temperature where it becomes austenite.
It structure changes from BCC to FCC.
Martensite :- Iron at room temperature that has previously
been heated and suddenly quenched.
Martensite is the strongest and hardest and
most brittle structures.
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
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.
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatments
The heating rate
Temperature attained
The time at the attained temperature (soak time)
Cooling rate
The relevant variables for heat treatment process,
which must be carefully controlled are as follows.
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment of Steels
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
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment of Steels
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment
Normalizing involved heating the material
above the upper critical
temperature and cooling it
slowly in room temperature.
Annealing Similar with Normalizing except
that cooling takes place still more
slowly in temperature controlled
oven.


Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment
Quenching :-
A controlled cooling process which causes metals to
harden.
Materials must be heated at any elevated
temperature,but if hardness is important,the materials
should be heated above the upper critical
temperature.
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment
Annealing and Normalizing
Softens
Weakens the materials
Causes ductility
Removes internal stresses
Removes distortion trends
Removes cracking trends
Is a slow cooling process
Quenching
Hardens
Strengthens
Causes brittleness
Causes internal stresses
Causes distortion
Causes cracking
Is a fast cooling process
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment
Tempering :-
the process of reheating the steel after
hardening or quenching to a
temperature which is below the lower
critical temperature followed by any rate
of cooling.
Tempering is generally done between
149
0
C - 649
0
C and must be done
immediately after quenching.

Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatment
Effects of Tempering
Hardness
Strength
Toughness
Brittleness
Ductility
Internal stresses
Distortion
Cracking
Decreased
Decreased
Increased
Decreased
Increased
Decreased
Reduced
Reduced
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Heat Treatments
Stress Relief
Temperature: 550 to 680
o
C 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 250
o
C hold up to 10 hours
Cooling: Slow cool in air
Result: Relieves residual hydrogen
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Pre Heat
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. To control the structure of the weld metal and HAZ on
cooling
2. To improve the diffusion of gas molecules through an
atomic structure.
3. 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 from the austenite region.
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Pre Heat
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)

Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Pre Heat
Application of Preheat by Flame
Note: Care must be taken not to keep the flame in the same place
for a long period of time. This may cause damage to the parent
material
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Pre Heat Comparison Chart
Heat input
C
o
m
b
i
n
e
d

m
a
t
e
r
i
a
l

t
h
i
c
k
n
e
s
s

A B C D E
0.43 0.45 0.47 0.53 0.55
175 150 125 100 75 50 20 0
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Pre Heat
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
Advantages of preheat
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
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
Methods of Measuring Pre Heat
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
Any Questions? Any Questions?
Faisal Yusof
Copyright 2003 TWI Ltd
QU 1. How can the levels of hardness be controlled in the
HAZ?
Questions
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.