Mechanical properties of electron beam welded spheroidal graphite cast iron and mild steel welded joints

Abstract

Direct welding between spheroidal graphite cast iron (FCD700) and mild steel (SS400) was conducted using electron beam welding to study the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the welds. Results showed that one-pass welding yielded an over-hardened fusion zone exhibiting acicular martensite structure (815 HV) with cracks and porosities. Two-pass welding contained fewer porosities. Both one-pass and two-pass welding displayed acicular martensite and ledeburite within the microstructure of spheroidal graphite cast iron in heat-affected zone. The tensile strength of both one-pass and two-pass welded joints was lower than that of mild steel base metals. These joints ruptured at the fusion zone or the mild steel bond. However, two-pass welded joints demonstrated tensile yield stress values greater than or equal to those of mild steel base metals. Hardening of the fusion zone and the heat-affected zone of spheroidal graphite cast iron made the impact strength values of two-pass welded joints conspicuously lower than those of the spheroidal graphite cast iron base metal. The fatigue strength of two-pass welded joints almost equaled that of mild steel base metal, with a fatigue limit of 209MPa. © 2011 The Japan Institute of Metals.