Metallurgical Characterization of Dissimilar Joints Inconel 718 - Inox 316L Welded by the Autogenous TIG Process

Abstract

The application of dissimilar welded joints, from Inconel 718 precipitation curable and AISI316L austenitic stainless steel, occurs mainly in the aerospace and nuclear power plant industries. This is due to the high mechanical resistance coupled with good corrosion resistance in both environments and temperature conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of welding current and interbody temperature on dissimilar joints using the tungsten electrode and gaseous protection (GTAW) autogenous arc welding process. This welding process was chosen due to its excellent results coupled with ease of operation and low cost. The experimental planning tool was used to maximize the potential of the experimental results. For metallurgical characterization, the weld joint macro-analysis, microhardness profile, and optical microscopy (OM) analysis were used. The variation of the welding current and the interpolation temperature caused a change in the geometry of the molten zone (MZ) of up to 232% increase in the ZF area. The microhardness varied up to a 25% increase in the MZ region. As for the volumetric fraction of ferrite, an increase of up to 139% in the MZ region was observed. This work also aims to establish references of welding parameters that can provide guarantees of stability for the metallurgical union between dissimilar metals.

Key-words:
Austenitic stainless steels; Super nickel alloy; Weldability; Welded joint; GTAW process