Stainless steel alloys usually have a chromium content of a least 10%.

Stainless steel base metals are grouped primarily into three classes depending on their crystal structure; austenitic (such as 302, 304, 308, 316, etc.), martensitic (such as 410, and 416), and ferritic (such as 409, and 430.). Austenitic grades are also available with a lowered carbon content (designated with an "L", such as 304L or 316L.) Below is a basic step by step guide to follow when welding Stainless Steel: #1. Safety First Warning: Protect yourself & others. Read & understand this information. Fumes & Gases can be hazardous to your health. Electric Shock can kill.

Before use, read & understand the manufacturer's instructions, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) & your employer's safety practices. Keep your head out of the fumes. Use enough ventilation; exhaust at the arc, or both, to keep fumes & gases from your breathing zone & the general area. Wear correct eye, ear, & body protection. Do not touch live electrical parts. See American National Standard Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, & Allied Processes, published by the American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126; OSHA Safety & Health Standards, available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

#2. Select Joint Design & Fit up Start by determining the best manner in which to join your base metals. Correct joint design & fit up are critical steps to insuring a strong bond upon weld completion. Be sure to consider strength required, welding position, metal thickness & joint accessibility. The five basic types of joints are butt, corner, edge, lap & t. These five joints can be arranged in many combinations to create a large variety of welds. Fixtures & jigs are helpful in securing the work pieces in place during the joining procedure. Sheet metal & most fillet & lap joints should be clamped tightly over the entire length of the work. #3. Choose The Welding Process The three most common stainless welding processes are:

SMAW - Shielded Metal Arc Welding or Stick Electrode SMAW is an electric arc welding process in which heat for welding is generated by an electric arc between a covered metal electrode & the base metal. The electrode coating provides shielding. The welding equipment for this process is currently the most inexpensive of the methods described here. However, electrodes do create some inefficiency, such as stub loss & a slag coating, which must be removed.

GTAW - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding-Tig Welding Tig Welding is easily performed on a variety of metals. It generally requires little or no post weld finishing. It is an electric welding process in which heat for welding is generated by an electric arc between the end of a non-consumable tungsten electrode & the base metal. Filler metal may be added, if necessary. An inert shielding gas supplies shielding for the arc. (Inert gas creates a protective atmosphere around the welding in process).

FCAW - Flux Cored Arc Welding-Mig Welding

Flux is contained within the electrode. It provides shielding, deoxidization & arc stabilization. Additional shielding may be added. A smoke suction nozzle around the gun or fume hood aids in reduction of smoke & fumes. Aufhauser flux cored stainless steel wire is formulated to provide all position welding & smooth, stable arc action.

GMAW - Gas Metal Arc Welding-Mig Welding Gas metal arc welding is quick & easy on thin-gauge metal as well as heavy plate. It generally calls for little post weld cleanup. GMAW is an electric arc welding process where heat is produced by an arc between a continuously fed filler metal electrode & the base metal. Shielding is obtained from an externally supplied gas or gas mixture. The two most common types of GMAW are:

Short Circuit Transfer - The arc is broken or short circuited with each drop of metal & restarted. It is used on smaller, thinner gauges & produces a shallow weld. Spray Transfer - Metal is transferred across the arc creating a continuous spray of fine droplets of metal. These droplets are projected down to the base metal. #4. Determine appropriate inert Shielding Gas SMAW - none required GTAW - Argon is suggested for thicknesses up to approximately 1/2". For thicker sections, argonhelium mixtures or pure helium may be used. Pure helium may also be employed for deeper penetration. The most common tungsten utilized is 2% thoriated. FCAW - 100% CO2 or Argon/CO2 The voltage may be somewhat lower if argon with 20 to 25 percent CO2 mixtures is selected. Generally, a gas flow rate of 40 cfh is suggested. Adjustments can be made, depending upon the specifics of the application. GMAW - Spray Transfer Use Argon & 1% to 2% - Oxygen 99% argon, 1% oxygen is predominantly used - 98% argon, 2% oxygen when welding thinner material. Short Circuiting Transfer - 90% helium, 7.5% argon, 2.5% CO2 #5. Select The Applicable Filler Metal For applications where both pieces are the same alloy, select filler metal with a composition similar to that of the base metals. This will ensure the weld has similar properties. Dissimilar base metal applications require selection based on mechanical properties, freedom from cracking, and compatibility. #6. Set The Parameters SMAW - uses a direct current (DC) or an alternating current (AC). DC uses either straight polarity, which is electrode negative or reverse polarity, which is electrode positive. Direct current flows in one direction continuously through the welding circuit. There are several advantages of DC. It works well at low current settings & with small diameters. In addition, igniting the arc & maintaining a short arc is easier. Stainless electrodes designated 15, (ex: 308-15) use direct current, reverse polarity. Their key characteristic is fast freezing slag, which make them suitable for out of position welding. Bead appearance is convex. AC uses a combination of both straight & reverse polarities, which alternate in regular cycles. The advantages of this current include: less chance of arc blow, which is an unbalance of the magnetic field around the arc causing a bend in the arc. It also works well on thick metal with a large diameter electrode.

Stainless electrodes designated 16 (ex. 308-16) use AC or DC. They produce a smooth weld bead, with a flat to slightly convex bead appearance. AMPS - The most common settings are:
Diameter 1/16 x 12" 5/64 x 12" 3/32 x 12" 1/8 x 14" 5/32 x 14" 3/16 x 14" 1/4 x 14" Amps: 15 40 30 60 50 80 70 110 100 140 130 180 175 220

GTAW - For gas tungsten arc welding use DC current with straight polarity (electrode negative). The parameters for Tig welding are dependent upon plate thickness & welding position. FCAW - Flux cored stainless steel welding wire generally uses direct current, reverse polarity (electrode positive). This current type provides better base metal penetration. Flux cored welding requires a longer wire extension or "stick out." Stick out is the distance between the end of the wire and the end of the contact tip. Stick out for stainless steel flux cored wire is typically 5/8" to 3/4". GMAW - Below are suggested settings for GMAW welding; Short Circuiting Transfer:
Electrode Welding Current, Diameter, inches Amperage 0.030 0.035 0.045 60 - 125 75 - 160 100 - 200 Arc Voltage 17 - 22 17 - 22 17 - 22 Wire Feed Speed, ipm 150 - 430 120 - 400 100 - 240

Settings based on 90He 71/2 Ar, 21/2 CO2 shielding gas. Flow rate 20cfh.
Electrode Welding Current, Diameter, inches Amperage 0.030 0.035 0.045 60 - 125 75 - 160 100 - 200 Arc Voltage 17 - 22 17 - 22 17 - 22 Wire Feed Speed, ipm 150 - 430 120 - 400 100 - 240

Settings based on 90He 71/2 Ar, 21/2 CO2 shielding gas. Flow rate 20cfh. Spray Transfer:
Electrode Welding Current, Diameter, inches Amperage 0.030 0.035 0.045 1/16 3/32 160 - 225 180 - 300 200 - 450 220 - 500 250 - 600 Arc Voltage 24 - 28 24 - 29 24 - 30 24 - 32 24 - 32 Wire Feed Speed, ipm 440 - 650 430 - 500 220 - 400 110 - 210 50 - 80

Settings based on Ar, 1 to 5 O2 shielding gas. #7. Clean The Base Metal Cleaning should be done just prior to welding to prevent the formation of oxides. The base metal surface must be free of grease, oil, paint, dirt, etc. A clean surface will provide a smoother, stronger joint. Brush the plate surface & edges with a stainless steel wire brush to remove burrs & oxides. Gloves should be worn to prevent hand oil or dirt from getting on the joining surface. #8. Preheat If Applicable Preheat is not required for most 300 austenitic grade stainless steels. The base metal should be brought to room temperature, 60 to 75 degrees. Preheat is necessary when welding ferritic or martensitic grades. It is also needed when joining metals that are thick or contain a high percentage of carbon.

#9. Welding Technique A good welding technique is developed as a welder gains experience. The following are basic welding tips:

Use fixtures &/or jigs to help keep work in place. Butting edges should be squared. A square butt joint is prevalently used for stainless sheets 18 gauge or thinner. Heavier gauge sheets & plates may require an edge bevel to assure full penetration. Insure adequate shielding by centering the filler metal in the gas & weld puddle area. Filler metal should be dipped into the weld puddle, but should not drip into it. Move the torch/gun along the joint at a steady, constant speed to maintain uniformity. Hold the torch/gun over the weld until gas stops, to keep work protected.

#10. Cooling/Post Weld Cleaning Postheat may be required to relieve internal stresses caused by the concentration of heat in the weld area. Postheating aids in slow down of the cooling process to minimize cracking. This is a good procedure to use when joining thick metals. Shielded metal arc and flux cored welding leaves a slag residue on the weld. Remove slag with a chipping hammer or by grinding. #11. Troubleshooting Look in our Technical Support Index for troubleshooting. #12. Aufhauser Stainless Steel Filler Metals Aufhauser manufactures a complete line of filler metals for stainless steel welding.

Welding of Stainless Steels

Printable Version Abstract: Stainless steels or, more precisely, corrosion-resisting steels are a family of iron-base alloys having excellent resistance to corrosion. These steels do not rust and strongly resist attack by a great many liquids, gases, and chemicals. Many of the stainless steels have good low-temperature toughness and ductility. Most of them exhibit good strength properties and resistance to scaling at high temperatures. Stainless steels can be welded using several different procedures such as shielded metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and gas metal arc welding. Stainless steels or, more precisely, corrosion-resisting steels are a family of iron-base alloys having excellent resistance to corrosion. These steels do not rust and strongly resist attack by a great many liquids, gases, and chemicals. Many of the stainless steels have good low-temperature toughness and ductility. Most of them exhibit good strength properties and resistance to scaling at high temperatures. All stainless steels contain iron as the main element and chromium in amounts ranging from about 11% to 30%. Chromium provides the basic corrosion resistance to stainless steels. There are about 15 types

of straight chromium stainless steels. Nickel is added to certain of the stainless steels, which are known as chromium-nickel stainless steel. The addition of nickel reduces the thermal conductivity and decreases the electrical conductivity. The chromium-nickel steels belong to AISI/SAE 300 series of stainless steels. They are nonmagnetic and have austenitic microstructure. These stainless steels contain small amounts of carbon because this element has tendency to make chromium carbides, which are not corrosion resistant. Carbon is undesirable particularly in the 18% chromium, 8% nickel group. Manganese is added to some of the chromium-nickel alloys. Usually these steels contain slightly less nickel since the chromium-nickel-manganese alloys were developed originally to conserve nickel. In these alloys, a small portion of nickel is replaced by manganese, generally in a two-to-one relationship. The AISI/SAE 200 series of stainless steels are the chromium-nickel-manganese series. These steels have an austenitic microstructure and they are nonmagnetic. Molybdenum is also included in some stainless steel alloys. Molybdenum is added to improve the creep resistance of the steel at elevated temperatures. It will also increase resistance to pitting and corrosion in many applications. Stainless steels can be welded using several different procedures such as shielded metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and gas metal arc welding. These steels are slightly more difficult to weld than mild carbon steels. The physical properties of stainless steel are different from mild steel and this makes it weld differently. These differences are:

Lower melting temperature, Lower coefficient of thermal conductivity, Higher coefficient of thermal expansion, Higher electrical resistance.

The properties are not the same for all stainless steels, but they are the same for those having the same microstructure. Regarding this, stainless steels from the same metallurgical class have the similar welding characteristics and are grouped according to the metallurgical structure with respect to welding. Austenitic Type. Manganese steels are not hardenable by heat treatment and are nonmagnetic in the annealed condition. They may become slightly magnetic when cold worked or welded. This helps to identify this class of stainless steels. All of the austenitic stainless steels are weldable with most of the welding processes, with the exception of Type 303, which contains high sulphur and Type 303Se, which contains selenium to improve machinability. The austenitic stainless steels have about 45% higher thermal coefficient of expansion, higher electrical resistance, and lower thermal conductivity than mild-carbon steels. High travel speed welding is recommended, which will reduce heat input and carbide precipitation, and minimize distortion. The melting point of austenitic stainless steels is slightly lower than melting point of mild-carbon steel. Because of lower melting temperature and lower thermal conductivity, welding current is usually lower. The higher thermal expansion dictates that special precautions should be taken with regard to warping and distortion. Tack welds should be twice as often as normal. Any of the distortion reducing techniques such as back-step welding, skip welding, and wandering sequence should be used. On thin materials it is very difficult to completely avoid buckling and distortion. Ferritic Stainless Steels. The ferritic stainless steels are not hardenable by heat treatment and are magnetic. All of the ferritic types are considered weldable with the majority of the welding processes except for the free machining grade 430F, which contains high sulphur content. The coefficient of

thermal expansion is lower than the austenitic types and is about the same as mild steel. Welding processes that tend to increase carbon pickup are not recommended. This would include the oxy-fuel gas process, carbon arc process, and gas metal arc welding with CO2 shielding gas. The lower chromium types show tendencies toward hardening with a resulting martensitic type structure at grain boundaries of the weld area. This lowers the ductility, toughness, and corrosion resistance at the weld. For heavier sections preheat of 200C is beneficial. To restore full corrosion resistance and improve ductility after welding, annealing at 760-820C, followed by a water or air quench, is recommended. Large grain size will still prevail, however, and toughness may be impaired. Toughness can be improved only by cold working the weld. If heat treating after welding is not possible and service demands impact resistance, an austenitic stainless steel filler metal should be used. Otherwise, the filler metal is selected to match the base metal. Martensitic Stainless Steels. The martensitic stainless steels are hardenable by heat treatment and are magnetic. The low-carbon type can be welded without special precautions. The types with over 0.15% carbon tend to be air hardenable and, therefore, preheat and postheat of weldments are required. A preheat temperature range of 230-290C is recommended. Postheating should immediately follow welding and be in the range of 650-760C, followed by slow cooling. If preheat and postheat are not possible, an austenitic stainless steel filler metal should be used. Type 416Se is the free-machining composition and should not be welded. Welding processes that tend to increase carbon pickup are not recommended. Increased carbon content increases crack sensitivity in the weld area.

Welding filler metals

The selection of the filler metal alloy for welding the stainless steels is based on the composition of the stainless steel. The various stainless steel filler metal alloys are normally available as covered electrodes and as bare solid wires. Recently flux-cored electrode wires have been developed for welding stainless steels. Filler metal alloy for welding the various stainless steel base metals are: Cr-Ni-Mn (AISI No. 308); Cr-Ni-Austenitic (AISI No. 309, 310, 316, 317, 347); Cr-Martensitic (AISI No. 410, 430); CrFerritic (AISI No. 410, 430, 309, 502). It is possible to weld several different stainless base metals with the same filler metal alloy.

Welding procedures
For shielded metal arc welding, there are two basic types of electrode coatings. These are the lime type indicated by the suffix 15 and the titanium type designated by the suffix 16. The lime type electrodes are used only with direct current electrode positive (reverse polarity). The titanium-coated electrode with the suffix 16 can be used with alternating current and with direct current electrode positive. Both coatings are of the low-hydrogen type and both are used in all positions. However, the type 16 is smoother, has more welder appeal, and operates better in the flat position. The lime type electrodes are more crack resistant and are slightly better for out-of-position welding. The width of weaving should be limited to two-and-one-half (2,5) times the diameter of the electrode core wire. Covered electrodes for shielded metal arc welding must be stored at normal room temperatures in dry area. These electrode coatings, of low hydrogen type, are susceptible to moisture pickup. Once the electrode box has been opened, the electrodes should be kept in a dry box until used.

The gas tungsten arc welding process is widely used for thinner sections of stainless steel. The 2% tungsten is recommended and the electrode should be ground to a taper. Argon is normally used for gas shielding; however, argon-helium mixtures are sometimes used for automatic applications. The gas metal arc welding process is widely used for thicker materials since it is a faster welding process. The spray transfer mode is used for flat position welding and this requires the use of argon for shielding with 2% or 5% oxygen or special mixtures. The oxygen helps producing better wetting action on the edges of the weld. The short-circuiting transfer can also be used on thinner materials. In this case, CO2 shielding or the 25% CO2 plus 75% argon mixture is used. The argon-oxygen mixture can also be used with small-diameter electrode wires. With extra low-carbon electrode wires and CO2 shielding the amount of carbon pickup will increase slightly. This should be related to the service life of the weldment. If corrosion resistance is a major factor, the CO2 gas or the CO2-argon mixture should not be used. For all welding operations, the weld area should be cleaned and free from all foreign material, oil, paint, dirt, etc. The welding arc should be as short as possible when using any of the arc processes.

Grade 304 304L 309 310

Pre-heat (a) (a) (a) (a)

Post Weld Heat Treatment Cool rapidly from 1010-1090C only if corrosion conditions severe. Not required Usually unnecessary as this grade is generally used at high temperatures (b). As for 309

Filler 308L 308L 309 310

316

(a)

Cool rapidly from 1060-1150C if corrosion conditions severe 316L

316L 321 347 410 430 434 3CR12 2205

(a) (a) (a) (c) (c) (c) nil (f)

Not required Not required Not required Air cool from 650-760C Air cool from 650-760C Air cool from 760-790C Not required Not generally required

316L 347 347 410 (d) 430 (d) 430 (d) 309 (e) 2209

Notes (a) Unnecessary when the steel is above 15C.

(b) Where corrosion is a factor, 309S and 310S (0.08% Carbon maximum) are used, with a post weld heat treatment of cooling rapidly from 1120-1180C. (c) Pre-heat at 200-320C; light gauge sheet is frequently welded without pre-heat. (d) May be welded with 308L, 309 or 310 electrodes without pre-heat if the steel is above 15C. (e) May be welded with 309, 309L, 309Mo, 309MoL, 316L or 308L. (f) If temperature below 10C a 50C pre-heat is recommended.

C-spec Welding Procedure Specification Software PO Box 27604, Concord, California 94527 ASME IX Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) C-spec WeldOffice Software WPS record number Date P1-AT-LhCVN 9/14/00 Revision 0 Qualified to Company name ASME IX C-spec Welding Procedure Specification Software

Supporting PQR(s) PQR-100 - Rev 0 Reference docs. General Welding Standard GWS1 groove - With impacts - Without PWHT - Fillet-weld test Joint details for this welding procedure specification are specified in: JOINTS section of this WPS - Production drawings - Engineering specifications Reference documents BASE METALS (QW-403) P Grp Type Carbon steel (P1) 1 1 No. No. P Grp Welded to Carbon steel (P1) 1 2 No. No. P Grp Backing When required 1 Any No. No. Retainers None Any group number for non impact tested Notes applications. Document Generated by C-spec WeldOfficeWelding Procedure Specification Software DIAMETER RANGE QUALIFIED (in.) As Welded With PWHT Min. Max. Min. Max. Scope Joint

FILLER METALS (QW-404) SFA Classification F-no. GTAW SMAW 5.18 5.1 ER70S-2 (see 6 notes) E7018 (see 4 notes) Ano. 1 1

Nominal no no no no pipe size min. max. min. max. THICKNESS RANGE QUALIFIED (in.) With As Welded Chemical analysis or PHWT Trade name Min. Max. Min. Max. no no 1 1 min. min. no no 8 8 min. min. None SMAW Manual 50 610 5.1 E7018 (see notes) 1/8 All All Uphill DCRP 110 - 125 20 - 24 5-6 36 ShieldingGas type Flow Rate TrailingGas type Flow Rate BackingGas type Flow Rate

Cons. insert WELDING PROCEDURE Welding process GTAW Type Manual Preheat temperature (F) 50 Maximum interpass (F) 420 temperature Tungsten size (in.) 5.18 Tungsten type ER70S-2 (see notes) Filler metal size (in.) 1/8 Layer number All Position of groove All Weld progression Uphill Current/polarity DCSP Amperes 90 - 100 Volts 12 (in./ Travel speed min 2 - 3.5 ) Maximum heat (kJ/i 32.4 input n.) DC Pulsing current None Argon (cfh ) 20 None (cfh ) None

(cfh ) String or weave Orifice/gas cup size Multi/single pass Maximum pass thickness Weld deposit chemistry

Stringer or Weave #5 - #8 Multiple passes 0.125 -

Stringer or Weave Multiple passes 0.25 -

MIG Welding Stainless Steel Source: Adapted from The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding. The Lincoln Electric Company, 1994. Although welding stainless steel may not be as difficult as welding aluminum, the metal does have its specific properties that vary from your more common steels. When MIG welding on stainless, you usually have three choices of transfer depending on your equipment: spray-arc, short-circuiting, or pulsed-arc transfer. Spray-Arc Transfer Filler metals for gas metal arc welding stainless steel are specified in AWS - A5.9-93. Click here to view full-size Acrobat .pdf file. Electrode diameters as great as 1/16-in., but usually 0.045", 0.035", and 0.030", are used with relatively high currents to create the sprayarc transfer. A current of approximately 300-350 amperes is required for a 1/16-in. electrode, depending on the shielding gas and type of stainless wire being used. The degree of spatter is dependent upon the composition and flow rate of the shielding gas, wire-feed speed, and the characteristics of the welding power supply. DCEP (Direct Current Electrode Positive) is used for most stainless-steel welding. A 1or 2% argon-oxygen mixture is recommended for most stainless steel spray arc welding. On square butt welds, a backup strip should be used to prevent weld-metal drop through. When fitup is poor or copper backing cannot be used, drop-through may be minimized by short-circuit welding the first pass. Forehand techniques are beneficial when welding with a semiautomatic gun. Although the operator's hand is exposed to more heat, better visibility is obtained. For welding plate -in. and thicker, the gun should be moved back and forth in the direction of the joint and at the same time moved slightly from side to side. On thinner metal, however, only back and forth motion along the joint is used. The more economical short-circuiting transfer process for thinner material should be used in the overhead and horizontal position for, at least, the root and first passes. Although some operators use a short digging spray arc to control the puddle, the weld is apt to be unduly porous. Short-Circuiting Transfer Power supply units with slope, voltage, and inductance controls are recommended for the welding of

stainless steel with short-circuiting transfer. Inductance, in particular, plays an important part in obtaining proper puddle fluidity. The shielding gas recommended for short-circuiting welding of stainless-steel contains 90% helium, 7.5% argon, and 2.5% carbon dioxide. The gas gives the most desirable bead contour while keeping the CO2 level low enough so that it does not influence the corrosion resistance of the metal. High inductance in the output is beneficial when using this gas mixture. Single-pass welds may also be made by using argon-CO2 gas. The CO2 in the shielding gas will affect the corrosion resistance of multipass welds made with short-circuiting transfer. Wire extension or stickout should be kept as short as possible. Backhand welding is usually easier on fillet welds and will result in a neater weld. Forehand welding should be used for butt welds. Outside corner welds may be made with a straight motion. A slight backward and forward motion along the axis of the joint should be used. Short-circuiting transfer welds on stainless steel made with a shielding gas of 90% He, 7-1/2% A, 21/2% CO2 show good corrosion resistance and coalescence. Butt, lap, and single fillet welds in material ranging from 0.60-in. to .125-in. in 321, 310, 316, 347, 304, 410, and similar stainless steels can be successfully made. Pulsed-Arc Transfer The pulsed arc process is normally a process wherein one small drop of molten metal is transferred across the arc for each high current pulse of weld current. The high current pulse must be of sufficient magnitude and duration to cause at least one small drop of molten metal to form and be propelled by the pinch effect from the end of the wire to the weld puddle. During the low current portion of the weld cycle the arc is maintained and the wire is heated, but the heat developed is not adequate to transfer metal. For this reason, the time duration at the low current value must be limited otherwise metal would be transferred in the globular mode. Wire diameters of 0.030", 0.035", and 0.045" are most commonly used with this process. Gases for pulsed arc welding are argon plus 1% oxygen, the same as used for spray arc welding. These and other wire sizes can be welded in the spray transfer mode at lower average current with pulsed current than with continuous weld current. The advantage of this is that thin material can be welded in the spray transfer mode which produces a smooth weld with less spatter than the short circuiting mode. Another advantage is that for a given average current, spray transfer can be obtained with a larger wire. Larger diameter wires are less costly than smaller sizes, and the lower ratio of surface to volume reduces the possibility of weld contamination from surface oxides. Pulsed MIG welding characteristics are excellent with lower currents. There are many advantages with the process including low spatter, penetration without melt-through and excellent operator appeal.