Effect of lead on stainless steels forgings ?

[stanislasdz]

Hi everybody

I have an ingot (316L) with a high amount of lead "19 ppm"

What is the impact of the amount of lead on:

The hot working?
Mechanical properties?
Corrosion resistance?

I don't read any thing any in internationals Standard !

What is the maximum amount permitted in stainless steels ?

Is related to the market: Nuclear, Corrosion, Structure... ?

Is it related to the stainless steel class : Austenitic, Martensitic, Ferritic, Duplex or SuperDuplex

Thanks in advance

 

[metengr]

http://www.stkpula.hr/metalurg/Metalurgija/2010_vol_49/No_1/MET_49_1_49_52_Tehovnik.pdf

 

[EdStainless]

If Pb is detectable in grain boundaries then you will have very poor hot workability.
I would guess that anything above the limits of detection is going to be a problem.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[deics]

I don't think 19ppm of lead is necessarily a high lead content.
Lead is not normally specified for any SS products that I deal with on a day to day basis as an Inspector here in Japan. It is routinely low by virtue of the melting methods used to produce the mother billets....Is there some reason you think this is high. Long ago I worked for a company making castings in all grades of stainless heat resisting and corrosion resisting grades. My recollection is that, as a special requirement, some customers specified lead and tin restrictions on cast 25Cr20Ni of 0.010% max for centrispun furnace tube - weld fabricated into furnace coils - no problems in fabrication or service...that was the only grade I recall as having a specified limit for lead and I am sure all the other grades of stainless we made had much more than 0.010%......19ppm is what....0.0019% - I don't think there is a problem here for hot working, welding, corrosion resistance or mechanical properties whatsoever....anyone disagree with this out there?

 

[EdStainless]

I would through a fit over 0.002% Pb. The only times that I have ever checked it was undetectable.
If the steel was made in a good AOD/VOD or similar method then I would expect the Pb to be lower.
Where an how was this melted?
I would still have some SEM work done. If there are any Pb islands in the grain boundaries then hot work and welding would both be problems.
There should be no impact on corrosion resistance.

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Plymouth Tube