Mitigation of hot cracking in Inconel 718 superalloy by ultrasonic vibration during gas tungsten arc welding

Abstract

In the present study, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) of Inconel 718 alloy has been carried out at different welding currents with and without ultrasonic vibration. In the absence of ultrasonic treatment, samples welded with a current of 80 A have shown a crack length of 15 mm which is found to increase to 35 mm for a welding current of 120 A. The slow solidification rate associated with high welding current causes increase in hot cracking length. Non-equilibrium Scheil solidification simulation of Inconel 718 based on CALPHAD approach suggests that the long freezing range of more than 175 °C, small fraction of eutectic, i.e., less than 10% in susceptible freezing range (SFR) and segregation of low melting point Laves and γ′′ (Ni3Nb) phases play critical roles in hot cracking behavior of Inconel 718 alloy. Ultrasonic treatment during solidification of weld metal has decreased the crack sensitivity and dendritic arm length of Inconel 718 alloy from 47.5% to 13.3% for the welding current of 120 A. There was a corresponding reduction in dendritic arm length from 1256 to 89 μm. Further, it was observed that the welding current has very limited role in the hot cracking behavior of Inconel 718 alloy in the presence of ultrasonic vibration. Dendritic fragmentation, grain refinement and reduction in solute segregation are recognized as the main factors that mitigate hot cracking tendency of Inconel 718 alloy by ultrasonic vibration.