Value of Different Hot Cracking Tests for the Manufacturer of Filler Metals

Abstract

For material evaluation and quality assurance an efficient, flexible and profitable test concept for estimation of welding qualification with regard to hot cracking susceptibility is needed. It has to provide the possibility for evaluating base materials, filler metals and welded joints. There is a need of both test methods for permanent evaluation during production of filler metals and for special tests in critical cases as for instance hot cracking problems the user is faced with. Here, comparative analyses are necessary to some extent. Adequate hot cracking tests have to be available which can be used to determine the effects of batch and welding conditions. Manufacturers of filler metals therefore need different test methods. For quality control, normally self-restraint test methods (tensile test, double fillet weld test, cylinder test and ring segment test) are used [1]. For material optimization and for the elimination of hot cracking problems, externally loaded tests such as the Modified Varestraint Test (MVT) or the Hot Deformation Rate Test (HDR test) [1] are necessary. In the following report, fields of application and the benefit of different test methods are described.