Basics of Industrial Heat Treatment

What is Heat Treatment?

• Heat Treatment is the
controlled heating and cooling
of metals to alter their physical
and mechanical properties,
without changing the product
shape
• Heat Treatment is often
associated with increasing the
strength of material
• In order to change the hardness
of a metal, the internal atomic
structure is actually changed
during the heating and cooling
Applications
Common Procedures
• Preheat and Interpass Control
– Prevent H cracking (Drive off moisture, reduce cooling
rate, increase H diffusion)
– Redistribute solidification stresses
– Minimize brittleness (cooling)

• Hydrogen Bake-Out
– Remove Hydrogen, H2O
– Prevent cracking and facilitate diffusion

• Post Weld Heat Treatment

(PWHT)
– Relax residual stress
– Hydrogen removal
– Avoid Cracking
– Dimensional Stability
– Improved Ductility & Corrosion Resistance
– Toughness
 21st Century Challenges
Welding related activities

 Diminishing EXPERIENCED Labor Resources

 New Materials of Construction

 Safety, Security, Quality, Performance and Cost

 Implementation, Flexibility and Consistency

Traditional Heat Treatment
Outdated & Obsolete
• Labor intensive
• Site Invasive
• Limited Quality Control &
Oversight
• Shortcuts commonplace
• T&M Cost Overruns
• Limited Controlability
• Limited Expertise
• Safety Risks
• Accountability
• Limited Flexibility
New Materials

Mechanical Properties Not JUST Stress Relieving!

Transformation Table Material Hardness
Weld Quality & Heat Treatment…
• 90% of Weld and Material
anomalies with new alloys,
attributable to improper
Heat Treatment

Preheat & PWHT are not Optional!

• Plan on it
• Evaluate the Job
• No Shortcuts Bill Newell, PE, IWE
Newell & Associates
Data Can Be Misleading…
Source of Material Defects
 Who specifies procedures?
 Before, During and After The Weld
 Conformance to Codes and Specifications
 Quality Workmanship
 Quality Control and Oversight
AWS Section D10.10 1999
Recommended Practices:
•Methods of applying controlled heat
(when furnace or oven are not practical)
•Written with more forgiving materials in mind
•In conjunction with
• Piping Fabrication Codes
• B31.1 Power Piping
• B31.3 Process Piping
• ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessels
• Repair Codes
• NBIC and API
• Standards regarding Service
Environment
• NACE and ANSI
Principal Concepts

• Heat Affected Zone

– Area immediately adjacent to the weld
• Soak Band
– Localized region surrounding the weld
• Heated Band
– Surface area covered by heat source
• Gradient Control Band Width
– SB + HB + insulated area
• Control Zone
– Grouping of one or more heat sources
controlled by a single temp measuring
device
 8.4 Thermocouples
– Control
No. T/C’s required by pipe size
– Placement
Positioning on the pipe
– Monitoring
“recommended” points of observation

Common Shortcomings
– Temperature Control
– Nice Charts vs. Accuracy
– T/C Placement
• Recommendation
• Actual Practice
– Heater selection omitted completely

(AWS Recommends 5 T/C’s but nobody conforms)

New innovations improve results…
Introducing, Tomorrow’s heat treating technology … Today!

Internet Based Quality Management Model

Customer Driven Business Model…
 “Utilizing latest advancements in Communication, Wireless and Software
Technology, to revolutionize Equipment and Process Solutions…”

• Increased Safety and Security

– Fewer People, Minimize Risk while Maximizing Productivity
– Non-Invasive Process Execution
• Labor Optimization
– Unlimited FLEXIBILITY with limited labor resources
– Multi-tasking facilitated through Process Simplification
• Superior Quality Control
– Enhanced Process Control & Oversight
– Weld Quality Assurance
– Process Quality Management (PQM)
• Reduced Cost
– Pricing Simplification, All-Inclusive Flat Rate Rental Rate
– Daily Cost Analytics