Hardness test for Duplex, Super duplex

It is sometimes necessary to meet hardness limits for duplex and super duplex stainless steels, and it is convenient to be able to convert between the Rockwell C (HRC) and Vickers (HV) hardness scales. A conversion exists for carbon steel in ASTM E140 but there is no standard conversion for duplex and super duplex grades and the carbon steel conversion has been shown to be inappropriate for these high alloy steels. A correlation between the two hardness scales for duplex and super duplex grades has been developed at TWI from a compilation of data supplied by various organizations. There was … Continue reading Hardness test for Duplex, Super duplex

Heat treatment on TMCP steels

In marine, O&G, MOU construction: A large amount of high strength, heavy wall pipe is manufactured using a thermo-mechanically controlled processed (TMCP) steel plate. It is generally accepted that these steels are not designed for subsequent PWHT and may suffer some degradation in their mechanical properties when re-heated above critical temperatures. A number of standards, specifications and technical publications acknowledge the influence of PWHT on mechanical properties of the TMCP plate, but provide limited guidance (depend on supplier quality) on how it will affect the properties. Others refer directly to a detrimental effect, such as BS 4514-1, which states “when PWHT … Continue reading Heat treatment on TMCP steels

Rimmed Steel, Semi-killed Steel, Fully killed steel

Some low-carbon steels are available in three grades: “rimmed”, “semi-killed”, and “fully-killed”. The terms themselves are derived from the action of the steel when it is poured into an ingot mold after leaving the furnace. In terms of welding, they indicate whether or not there is oxygen in the steel which may cause weld porosity when certain welding processes are used. All carbon steels contain some oxygen. The very nature of the furnaces in which they are made makes this inevitable. It’s what happens to the oxygen when a weld is made that is significant. When a rimmed steel is welded, some … Continue reading Rimmed Steel, Semi-killed Steel, Fully killed steel

What is OCV Open Circuit Voltage Maximum value

Open Circuit Voltage Open circuit voltage is the voltage at the electrode before striking an arc (with no current being drawn). The open-circuit voltage is much like the higher surge of pressure you might observe when a water hose nozzle is first opened. It is easy to see that the initial pressure from the garden hose was higher than the pressure of the continuous flow of water. The open-circuit voltage is usually between 50 and 80 V. The higher the open-circuit voltage, the easier it is to strike an arc because of the initial higher voltage pressure. Additional question? What is … Continue reading What is OCV Open Circuit Voltage Maximum value

Weld Carbon steel to Stainless steel

It is not uncommon to find fabricating shops that are welding a variety of metals including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and nickel alloys.  In many cases, some of these materials need to be welded to other types.  Once a very common situation, especially in shipbuilding, oil & gas projects in welding carbon steel to stainless. One of the most frequent questions we receive about this is what filler metal to use.  Welding dissimilar metals can be tricky, especially when you get into the exotic alloys.  Always consult with the manufacturer of the base material or seek the expert advice … Continue reading Weld Carbon steel to Stainless steel

ALLOY ELEMENT AFFECTION IN STEEL PROPERTIES

If you are in steel industry, have you ever notice what all those chemical composition listed on a steel materials test report really mean? You may only know different steel grade has many different chemical composition and elements in different amount. Here in this post, we sort out and list 21 chemical elements and effects on steel properties. 21 Chemical Elements and Effects on Steel Mechanical Properties Steel in general is an alloy of carbon and iron, it does contain many other elements, some of which are retained from the steel making process, other elements are added to produce specific properties. … Continue reading ALLOY ELEMENT AFFECTION IN STEEL PROPERTIES

Why Stainless Steel Rust / Corrosion? – Part 1 – Pitting Corrosion!

Although stainless steel is much more resistant to corrosion than ordinary carbon or alloy steels, sometime we see rust on Stainless steel. It is ‘stain-less’ not ‘stain impossible’. Sometime we see rust on Stainless steel.  It means it can corrode. Why??? It has some common forms of corrosion in Stainless steel: Pitting corrosion: (pitting corrosion of stainless steel in a chloride-containing environment) Pitting corrosion is an electrochemical oxidation-reduction (redox) process, which occurs within localized holes (cells) on the surface of metals coated with a passive film. The passive layer on stainless steel can be attacked by certain chemical species. The chloride ion Cl- is the most … Continue reading Why Stainless Steel Rust / Corrosion? – Part 1 – Pitting Corrosion!