IS J AA

International Journal of Systems , Algorithms & Applications

Microstructure Analysis of Effect of Welding Heat on Mild Steel

The effect of welding heat due to fourth pass on the plates are disused in terms of microstructure S.P.Ambade, 2Dr.A.P.Patil, 3Dr.Y.M.Puri, 4D.M.Hajare Assist. Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Y.C.C.E., Nagpur 2 Professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering .VNIT, Nagpur 3 Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, VNIT, Nagpur, 4 M.Tech. (Production Engineering) Fourth Semester Department of Mechanical Engineering, Y.C.C.E., Nagpur e-mail : sachinamb2@rediffmail.com1, dipak.hajare@rediffmail.com4
1 1

Abstract - The purpose of this work was to study the effect of welding heat on microstructure of mild steel. Three mild steel plates of 6mm thickness having same chemical composition were used for preparing fourth pass with the help of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) at three different current 90A, 100A, and 110A. The microstructure observations was made after 2% Nital chemical etched. From this investigation it is found that grain sizes of parent material are finer at the fusion line and get coarser when heat affected zone is completed. The prediction on temperature distribution in HAZ part was compared with iron carbon equilibrium diagram. Keywords: Mild steel, SMAW, HAZ part, iron carbon equilibrium diagram.

I. INTRODUCTION Mild steel is a major structural material, and is used in variety of structural application including construction of Railway carriages and wagons. The low carbon (mild) steels include those with a carbon content of up to 0.20 percent. In most low carbon steels, carbon ranges from 0.10 to 0.25 percent, manganese from 0.25 to 0.50 percent, phosphorous 0.40 percent maximum, and sulphur 0.50 percent maximum. Steels in this range are most widely used for industrial fabrication and construction. These low carbon steels do not harden appreciably when welded, and therefore do not require preheating or post heating except in special cases, such as when heavy sections are to be welded. In general, no difficulties are encountered when welding low carbon steels. Properly made low carbon steel welds will equal or exceed the base metal in strength. Low carbon steels are soft, ductile, can be rolled, punched, sheared, and worked when either hot or cold. The low-carbon steels are considered to be those not exceeding 0.20% carbon. These are the most easily welded by a large variety of methods. Preheating is not needed; several welding methods can be employed, and cooling is rarely encountered. However, the mild steel is susceptible to porosity unless these are deoxidized. Steels, many of the wrought steels are rimmed and this can lead to porosity from CO gas evolution unless electrodes with considerable amounts of aluminum, manganese and silicon are employed. Most problems with low carbon steels are caused by impurity elements and non-homogeneous structures. Sulfur is the most common and damaging

impurity element. Sulfur levels at 0.05% can produce liquid sulfide films at the grain boundaries that cause solid embrittling films and possible hot cracking, although this is a much more serious problem in the higher carbon and alloy grades. Sense of strong sulfide formers, such as manganese, reduce this problem but may not completely eliminate it manganese sulfide inclusions also reduces problems with hydrogen embrittlement by providing sinks for this element more stable sulfide formers, such as rare earths, can be more effective in this respect. Phosphorus has a similar embrittling effect to sulfur and is more difficult to remove. So, microstructure at each point gets changes due to the welding heat and impurity elements. II. EXPERIMENTAL Three mild steel plates of 6mm thickness having same chemical composition were cut into required dimensions (460mm x 100mm) by power hack saw machine. The plates were divided into four equal parts (i.e.115 mm each). (A) Chemical Composition The chemical composition of the weld metals was obtained using a vacuum spectrometer. Sparks were ignited at various location of plate sample and their spectrum was analyzed for estimation of alloying element. The chemical composition of the metal plate in weight percentage is given in table I
Table I. Chemical Composition of parent material

Shielded Metal Arc Welding process was used for introducing fourth pass on the plate. Three different currents were used for welding MS plates. Currents of 90 A, 100A and 110A were used for plate1, plate2 and plate 3 respectively. For smooth passes, rectifier (INVA ARC 400 IGBT Inverter DC Arc Welding Machine). WELDFAST electrode of 3.15mm diameter was used. Through the centerline of each plate, first pass, second pass, third pass and fourth pass was introduced for each part. In order to avoid the distortion of

Volume 2, Issue ICTM 2011, February 2012, ISSN Online: 2277-2677 ICTM 2011|June 8-9,2011|Hyderabad|India

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MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF EFFECT OF WELDING HEAT ON MILD STEEL

IS J AA

International Journal of Systems , Algorithms & Applications

the plates, one minute rest for welder after completion of each pass.

(C)

Effect of welding on different zones of steel weldment on iron carbon equilibrium diagram

(A)

(B)

(C)

Fig. 1 : Front side of the plates: (A) Front side of the 90 A plate, (B) Front side of the 100 A plate,(C) Front side of the 110 A plate

(B) Microstructure observation The fourth specimens of each part were selected for microstructure examination. The visual width of HAZ was measured because width was increased as number of passes increased. The visual width as given below.

Fig.4: Different zones of weldment as represented in iron carbon equilibrium diagram.

(A)

(B)

(C)

Fig.2: Backside of the plates:(A) Visual width of 90 A plate, (B) Visual width of 100 A plate,(C) Visual width of 110A plate

If the temperature profile for a typical weld is plotted against the carbon equilibrium diagram, a wide variety of transformation and heat treatments will be observed.

Table 2: Visual width of HAZ has increased with third pass

III. MICROSTRUCTURE Parent specimen :( 200 X) The parent specimen consist of banded structure which is unaffected by the weld

Micro structural examination was carried out with light optical microscope incorporated with image analysing software (Metal vision). Microstructure was observed in cross section area of the specimen. The specimens were polished using different grades of emery paper (80, 120, 220, 320, 500, and 1000). Final polishing was done using diamond paste (1m particle size) in disc polishing machine. The specimens were etched with 2% Nital for 10-15 seconds in visual heat affected zone microstructure was seen at different distances which is shown in microstructure figure. Location at which microstructure was observed

Banded structure Fig 4.Microstructure of parent specimen

Microstructure (200 X): 90A Fourth Pass

Fig3: Location where microstructure was observed

Fig (a) microstructure of 90 A fourth pass

Volume 2, Issue ICTM 2011, February 2012, ISSN Online: 2277-2677 ICTM 2011|June 8-9,2011|Hyderabad|India

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MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF EFFECT OF WELDING HEAT ON MILD STEEL

IS J AA

International Journal of Systems , Algorithms & Applications

Microstructure (200 X): 100A Fourth Pass

Fig (b) microstructure of 100 A fourth pass Microstructure (200 X): 110A Fourth Pass

In graph, 0-1: solid liquid transition zone 1-2 : grain growth zone 2-3 : grain growth zone 3-4 : recrystallised zone (finer grains) 4-5: partially tempered zone(start banded structure of grain) 5-6: Tempered zone (banding structure modifies) 6-7: unaffected material (continuous banding) In this investigation, an attempt was made to find out the temperature distribution in HAZ part .At Fusion grain size was finer. It means that affect the grain size.

Fig (c) microstructure of 100 A fourth pass Fig (5): Microstructures of centre specimen of 90A, 100A and 110A plates of fourth pass

IV. METALLURGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING WELDING The structure of fusion welds differ from each other in wide range depending upon the rate of cooling, initial condition (microstructure of parent material). The change in microstructure of fusion welded mild steel is shown in figure 2.3. Several distinct structural regions are observed as we go away from the centre of fusion weld towards the parent metal such as deposited metal zone, coarse grain zone, fine grain zone, transition zone and unaffected zone. V.RESULTS Graph: 1 Grain growth verses temperature

VI. CONCLUSION 1) Welding heat modified microstructure of mild steel sheet. 2) Number of passes affects the microstructure substantially. REFERENCES
For journal papers: [1] V Balasubramanian, Journal of Iron and Steel Re search,Internationals, Volume 16, Issue 5, September 2009 pages 66-72 [2] AK Lakshminarayanan, Journal of Iron and steel Research, International, Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2009, Pages 62-68 [3] K. Shanmugam et al./International Journal of pressure Internationals, Volume 16, 17-524 vessels and piping 86 (2009) [4] H.Tanabe, Journal of Material Science Letters, 17 (1998) pp. 551-553 For hand books: [5] P.N. Rao, Manufacturing Technology, Tata McGraw Hill, Page 363,379-384 [6] The world of Salem steel, SAIL, User Guide, Page 50 [7] Mar. G. Fontana, Corrosion Engg, Third Edition, Page 51,226 [8] Manufacturing Science, Amitabh Ghosh & Ashok Mallik, Page 287,309 [9] Welding Engg. and Technology by Dr. D.S. Parmar Page 63-68, 133-136, 152-154. [10] Bohler Welding Handbook Edition 09/2006, pp. 8891,174,202 [11] The welding of stainless steel, second edition, 2007 volume 3 Page 1-3,23-25 [12] Kobelco welding handbook, pp 146-257

Volume 2, Issue ICTM 2011, February 2012, ISSN Online: 2277-2677 ICTM 2011|June 8-9,2011|Hyderabad|India

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MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF EFFECT OF WELDING HEAT ON MILD STEEL

IS J AA

International Journal of Systems , Algorithms & Applications

[13] ASTM Handbook: G58-85 (Reapproved 2005) Preparation of stress-corrosion test specimen for weldments [14] M.Drogowska,Corr. Sci. Vol. 39,No. 2, pp. 333-338

[15] I.Olefjord, Materials Science and Engineering, 42, (1980) pp. 161-171 [16] F.B. Pickering. The Metallurgical Evolution of Stainless Steels, ASM, pp. 1-42

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