Steel Cladding Research Articles

A new methodology for investigating the weld joint microstructure and micro-hardness of the austenitic stainless steel clad plate made by SMAW/GTAW multi-pass welding process: part III – clad layer case study

In this study, the influence of repeated thermal cycling during multi-pass welding on the microstructural transformations and mechanical properties of austenitic stainless clad-steel plates (ASCSPs) was investigated, with a particular focus on the clad layer. A novel methodology was employed, involving the complete filling of the groove length and gradually shortening subsequent passes. Microstructural characterization of various zones within the welded joint was conducted using optical microscopy. The results demonstrated that repeated thermal cycles during multi-pass welding caused significant microstructural changes in the weld metal clad layer (WM-CL), including the transformation from columnar to equiaxed grains and the evolution of δ-ferrite morphology from dendritic to skeletal. Additionally, the ferrite number decreased from 8.5 ± 2 in the sixth pass to 2 ± 0.5 in the ninth pass, correlating with increased heat input (HI) from 15.5 kJ/cm to 25.8 kJ/cm and repeated thermal cycling. Furthermore, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) exhibited coarse-grained polygonal austenite near the fusion line, with recrystallization attributed to the high thermal input. Micro-hardness measurements showed a reduction from 320 HV in the sixth pass to 195 HV in the ninth pass, linked to alloying element diffusion and ferrite content reduction. The findings highlight the importance of controlling thermal cycles and HI during multi-pass welding to optimize the microstructural stability and mechanical properties of ASCSP welded joints. These results provide valuable insights for improving the performance of ASCSP in industrial applications.

Enhancing wear resistance of railway wheel by laser surface cladding of martensitic stainless steel on high carbon rail steel

Enhancing wear resistance of railway wheel by laser surface cladding of martensitic stainless steel on high carbon rail steel

Analysis of microstructure and properties evolution of asynchronous hot rolled stainless steel clad plate with interlayer

Analysis of microstructure and properties evolution of asynchronous hot rolled stainless steel clad plate with interlayer

Finite element analysis driven study on SS316 cladding of mild steel for enhanced durability in agricultural tools

Finite element analysis driven study on SS316 cladding of mild steel for enhanced durability in agricultural tools

Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Crest-Fixed Corrugated Steel Claddings Under Wind Uplift Loading at Elevated Temperatures

Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Crest-Fixed Corrugated Steel Claddings Under Wind Uplift Loading at Elevated Temperatures

Laser surface cladding of stainless steel to substitute environmentally hazardous hard chrome plating

Laser surface cladding of stainless steel to substitute environmentally hazardous hard chrome plating

Advances in Preparation and Welding Techniques of Stainless Steel Clad Plates

Advances in Preparation and Welding Techniques of Stainless Steel Clad Plates

Residual stresses of stainless clad steel (304 and Q235) welded box-sections

Residual stresses of stainless clad steel (304 and Q235) welded box-sections

Surface Cladding of Mild Steel Coated with Ni Containing TiO2 Nanoparticles Using a High-Temperature Arc from TIG Welding

This study explores the use of a high-temperature arc generated during tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding to enhance the mechanical properties of the surface of AISI 1020 steel. An innovative two-step process involves using the high-temperature arc as an energy source to fuse a previously electrodeposited Ni/TiO2 coating to the surface of the substrate. The cladded surface is characterised by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), an optical microscope (O.M.) equipped with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Vicker’s microhardness testing, and pin-on-plate wear testing. The treated surface exhibits a unique amalgamation of hardening mechanisms, including nanoparticle dispersion strengthening, grain size reduction, and solid solution strengthening. The thickness of the electrodeposited layer appears to strongly influence the hardness variation across the width of the treated layer. The hardness of the treated layer when the Ni coating contains 30 nm TiO2 particles was found to be 451 VHN, validating an impressive 2.7-fold increase in material hardness compared to the untreated substrate (165 VHN). Similarly, the treated surface exhibits a twofold improvement in wear resistance (9.0 × 102 µm3/s), making it substantially more durable in abrasive environments than the untreated surface. Microstructural and EDS analysis reveal a significant reduction in grain size and the presence of high concentrations of Ni and TiO2 within the treated region, providing clear evidence for the activation of several strengthening mechanisms.

Study on repairing defects in S32101 duplex stainless steel clad plates for spent fuel storage pools in nuclear power plants using underwater local dry laser fillet welding with filler wire

Study on repairing defects in S32101 duplex stainless steel clad plates for spent fuel storage pools in nuclear power plants using underwater local dry laser fillet welding with filler wire

Antimicrobial Performance of Different Metals

Health care associated infections or nosocomial infections (NI) is the fourth leading cause of disease and the most common complication affecting hospitalised patients in addition to a minimum of 175,000 deaths every year in industrialised countries. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that influenza is transmitted from person to person primarily via large virus-laden droplets or through direct or indirect contact with respiratory secretions when touching surfaces contaminated with influenza virus and approximately 80% of the infections are transmitted via touch surfaces. In the year 2020 the Coronavirus (Covid 19) spread has affected the global community and also caused a great concern for the people and health care workers with a global infected population of more than five million. With the ongoing population rise in the cities growing drug resistant bacteria, increasing infection rate in hospitals and communities, ageing world population strongly indicates the need to minimise the spread of infections via touch surfaces. Metals (and products manufactured from them) such as copper and silver are known to exhibit antimicrobial properties. These metals, or composites containing them, can be used as additives and incorporated into other materials such as paints, plastics and powder coatings to imbue these materials with antimicrobial properties. In this paper we present the inherent antimicrobial properties of a copper containing alloy, two alloys of hospital grade steel (304 and 316), extruded aluminium (606013), anodized aluminium (606013) and zinc clad aluminium (3003-7072). Additionally, these materials were coated in epoxy resin powder coating with and without silver based antimicrobial additive. The ability of these metal alloys to reduce the population of inoculated microorganism numbers was assessed via the international standard (ISO) 22196:2011 Measurement of antimicrobial activity on plastics and other non-porous surfaces.

Effect of slag recycling on bead geometry, dilution and microstructure in submerged arc cladding of stainless steels

The submerged arc welding (SAW) process generates a large quantity of slag, which, when disposed-of, harms the environment and wastes valuable ingredients. A technology was developed to recycle the SAW slag generated in stainless steel cladding, enabling its reuse as flux. Bead geometry and dilution play crucial roles in weld cladding. Dilution determines the minimum number of layers needed to achieve the desired chemistry, while bead width dictates the fewest passes required to cover the entire surface area. Additionally, bead geometry influences the mechanical strength of the clad layers. The microstructure and solidification mode also significantly affect clad quality. Therefore, understanding the impact of recycled slag on bead geometry, dilution, and microstructure is essential. This paper presents a systematic investigation into the effects of process variables and recycled slag on bead geometry and dilution in clad welding. It includes a comparison of microstructures obtained using fresh flux versus recycled slag. The results indicate that increasing the welding current (I) by 37.5% enhances weld penetration (p), bead width (w), reinforcement (r), and dilution (d) by 50.9%, 14.4%, 69.5%, and 5.5%, respectively. Conversely, increasing the travel speed (V) by 90%, decreases p, w, and r by 19.29%, 11.9%, and 25.3%, respectively; however, dilution (d) increases by 17.6%. On the other hand, increasing the open-circuit voltage (V) by 26.7% increases bead width (w) and dilution (d) by 10.4% and 5.4%, respectively, while reinforcement (r) decreases by 7.5%. Both single and multilayer claddings prepared with fresh flux and recycled slag exhibit similar microstructures.

Seismic Behavior of Concrete Beam-Column Joints Reinforced with Steel-Jacketed Grouting

Joints in frame structures often fail before beams and columns in an earthquake and are a key part of reinforcement. In this study, to enhance the seismic performance of concrete frame structures, a steel-jacketed grouting composite reinforcement method is proposed by combining reinforcement technology, steel cladding technology, and eco-efficient materials from grouting technology. This method effectively utilizes the advantages of various materials, avoids major demolition and construction, and reduces waste and resource consumption. In order to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the reinforcement method, one of the original joint specimens with a scale of 1:3 and one of the reinforced joint specimens were designed and tested. The experiments involved reversed cyclic testing of beam–column to measure its seismic behavior. The seismic performance indexes such as failure characteristics, hysteretic properties, and the energy dissipation capacity of the specimens were analyzed, and the corresponding finite element model was established. The influence of key parameters such as reinforcement range, steel plate thickness, and grout strength on its seismic performance was explored. The research shows that the method can effectively improve the seismic performance of the joints, and seismic performance indexes such as bearing capacity, ductility, and energy consumption of the specimens are significantly improved. The test results of the established finite element model are in good agreement. The variable parameter analysis of the finite element shows that the thickness of the steel plate has little influence on its bearing capacity. With the increase in the reinforcement range of the clad steel and the strength of the grouting material, the bearing capacity of the specimen increases. The research results can provide a reference for the reinforcement of frame structure joints.

Microstructural Analysis of Optimized Carbon Steel Cladding Using Response Surface Methodology and Genetic Algorithms

Microstructural Analysis of Optimized Carbon Steel Cladding Using Response Surface Methodology and Genetic Algorithms

A Review on Metallurgical Issues in the Production and Welding Processes of Clad Steels.

Carbon and low-alloy steel plates clad with stainless steel or other metals are a good choice to meet the demand for cost-effective materials to be used in many corrosive environments. Numerous technical solutions are developed for the production of clad steel plates, as well as for their joining by fusion welding. For thick plates, a careful strategy is required in carrying out the multiple passes and in choosing the most suitable filler metals, having to take into account the composition of the base metal and the cladding layer. The specificity of the different processes and materials involved requires an adequate approach in the study of the metallurgical characteristics of clad steel, thus arousing the interest of researchers. Focusing mainly on ferritic steel plates clad with austenitic steel, this article aims to review the scientific literature of recent years which deals with both the production and the fusion welding processes. The metallurgical issues concerning the interfaces and the effects of microstructural characteristics on mechanical behaviour and corrosion resistance will be addressed; in particular, the effects on the fusion and thermally affected zones that form during the fusion welding and weld overlay processes will be analysed and discussed.

Structure and Properties of Plasma Cladding of High-Speed Steel S2-9-2 (W2Mo9Al)

Structure and Properties of Plasma Cladding of High-Speed Steel S2-9-2 (W2Mo9Al)

Mechanical and anti-icing performance of superhydrophobic aluminum conductor by anodized oxide technique

Abstract Anodized oxide technology is a traditional surface treatment method used in the material engineering field to enhance the friction, anti-icing, anti-corrosion, and insulation properties of Al-based samples. Considering the anti-icing and insulation performance, anodized oxide technology has great application prospects in overhead transmission lines. In this study, the preparation process of Aluminum (Al) flat plates and Aluminum Cable Steel-Reinforce (ACSR) was explored by using anodizing technology to obtain superhydrophobic properties. Moreover, as the significant performance in the application of transmission lines, the mechanical performance (tensile strength) of Al conductors was evaluated to study the impact of anodized oxidation technology. The results show that anodized oxide technology can improve the tensile strength of aluminum clad steel bars and aluminum-stranded wires in ACSRs. In addition, the hydrophobicity and anti-icing performance of anodized wires can demonstrate potential application prospects in the field of anti-icing.

Effect of oscillating laser cladding on microstructure and properties of stainless steel cladding layers

The laser cladding process is general accompanied by defects such as pores, cracks and uneven microstructure. In order to overcome the above defects, this study introduces the oscillating laser cladding technology, and uses oscillating laser cladding and without-oscillating laser cladding process to manufacturing the stainless steel cladding layers. The microstructure was characterized by XRD, SEM and EDS, and the microhardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the cladding layer were analyzed by using vickers hardness tester, wear tester and electrochemical workstation. The results show that the oscillating laser cladding can have a great effect on the morphology and microstructure of the stainless cladding layer. Among the two cladding process, oscillating laser cladding can prepare a cladding layer with better properties. The grains in the oscillating laser cladding layer are obviously equiaxed, and the grain size is significantly smaller than that of without-oscillating laser cladding layers. In addition, the wear resistance and hardness of the oscillating laser cladding layer are higher than that of the without-oscillating laser cladding layer, but its corrosion resistance is slightly lower than that of the without-oscillating laser cladding layer.

Numerical modelling and design of cold-formed steel battens subject to pull-out failures under bushfire conditions

Thin and high strength cold-formed steel (CFS) battens and claddings serve as non-combustible elements in roof and wall cladding systems, aligning with the recommendations of Australian bushfire standards. However, they are susceptible to significant damage from heat and strong winds experienced during bushfire events, particularly in the form of batten pull-out failures. Such failures may occur at the screw connections between cladding and battens, or battens and trusses/rafters. However, pull-out failures often occur in the thinner CFS battens, when the screw fastener pulls out of the batten’s top flange, leading to the loss of entire cladding and compromising the integrity of the building envelope. This study used finite element modelling of a range of CFS batten configurations to investigate their pull-out failures under combined wind action and bushfire conditions. Finite element models were developed to simulate the pull-out failures at elevated temperatures, validated using experimental results and used in a parametric study to investigate the effects of relevant parameters. Using the results, this study has proposed suitable design equations for predicting the pull-out capacities of CFS battens at elevated temperatures. Engineers can use them to design bushfire safe CFS cladding systems.

A study on the performance of super duplex stainless steel cladding over mild steel using a CMT welding

Low carbon steels can be cladded with super-duplex stainless steels to enhance the surface’s mechanical and wear properties. The current study examines the impact of process parameters on weld bead geometry and dilution % during cold metal transfer (CMT) cladding of super duplex stainless steel 2507 over low carbon steel. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design matrix was used to optimize the process parameters (welding current, welding speed, and nozzle to workpiece distance (NTD)). The adequacy of the model was checked using an ANOVA analysis. The optimal bead width, height, penetration, and dilution values were 8.05 mm, 4.52 mm, 1.56 mm and 14.64%, respectively. The ideal input parameters were 200 A of welding current, 4.64 mm/s of welding speed, and 14 mm of NTD. The welding speed is the most dominant parameter, followed by the welding current and NTD. The cladding samples were prepared from the optimal parameters. The CMT-clad layer’s microstructure, microhardness, and wear properties were also evaluated. The results indicate a dense crack-free and non-porous clad surface was obtained under optimal conditions.