Joining dissimilar materials

By Felipe Date 03-22-2007 20:51

Dear friends,

I have two dissimilar materials that I want to weld in SMAW process, this materials are: a high carbon content steel (1.33C, 0.56Mn, S0.043, Cu0.02, Ni0.01, Cr0.03, Si0.11) which is a rail and the other one is a plate SA36 (thickness 3/8"). Preheat at 370°C (by formula). The base of the rail will be join on the plate, in overlap joint. Could you tell me which electrodes I have to use?. I get some ideas but I really appreciate your help.

Regards

Felipe

By new tito (***)

Date 03-22-2007 22:40

I can't suggest much, but try looking on the websites of electrode manufacturers like ESAB. If the site isn't much help, contact them by phone and ask to talk to someone that may help.

By nosetackle (**)

Date 03-23-2007 05:59

Felipe

Welding of high carbon steels previously discussed in http://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=11219#fp

better to look at it.

regards

T,

By G.S.Crisi (****)

Date 03-23-2007 15:49

Nosetackle,
the site you've indicated is indeed useful and has plenty of information, but deals with a carbon content of 0.57 to 0.65 %, whereas Felipe is talking about 1.33%. The difference is too great to be ignored.
I myself agree with Fredspoppy with a little difference. Instead of considering a carbon content over 0.50% unweldable from an industrial viewpoint, I prefer, based on my own experience, 0.60%.
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil

By Fredspoppy (**)

Date 03-23-2007 11:14

Felipe,
First, what is the application and is there any fabrication code associated?
Second, 1.33% carbon is more than just "high". It is huge! Another 0.67% and you have cast iron! Many, including me, consider any carbon content over 0.5% unweldable, for any industrial application.

I believe much more info is required before a respectable answer can be given.

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 03-24-2007 04:28

The D2 tool steel I mentioned in the thread Nosetackle referenced is 1.5% carbon [1.5% C, 0.5%Mn, 0.3% Si, 12.0% Cr, 0.8% Mo, 0.9% Vanadium] It was welded many times, usually sucessfully with 9018 stick. There was pre and post weld heat treatment. As I mentioned in the other post, this does not provide a weld as strong as the parent metal, but it was always a catostropic screwup that broke these parts in the first place. I am not suggesting 9018 for Felipe's situation, but depending on what is expected of this weld, there may well be some way to do it. What made the repairs I described possible is that We could do the post weld heat treat properly, and not end up with untempered martinsite in the HAZ.