TIG and MIG welding of high strength Cr-Mn and Cr-Ni alloyed austenitic stainless steel combinations

Abstract

To substitute the relative expensive Ni alloying in stainless steels manganese alloying can be used. The welding of Cr-Mn alloyed steels however is not very well documented. In our current research two Cr-Mn alloyed austenitic stainless steel grades (1.4371 and 1.4376) were welded together via tungsten inert gas welding (TIG) and metal inert gas welding (MIG). Also for comparison different joint combinations with other Cr-Ni alloyed steel grades (1.4318 and 1.4301) were welded. The different steel grade showed quite the different behaviour in the joint combinations. The Mn-content in the base materials increased the weld metal hardness and tensile strength of the joint and decreased the fracture elongation values. Also the Mn-alloyed grades had significant higher grain coarsening in the heat affected zones than the Cr-Ni alloyed.