SA-537 CL2 heat treatment and post-weld heat treatment

[ChiangJaron]

Deae Expert,

Background

Material SA-537 CL2
The product plate shall be delivery in heat treatment condition in Quenched and tempered.
And the tempering temperature is request 595℃ minimum as code.

Welding progress is SMAW with ASME SFA-5.5 E8016-G

PWHT and Impact test are required.

Questions:
1. Are there any specification/rule to limit tempering temperature in maximum temperature? and holding time?
2. Are there any recommendation for PWHT temperature shall lower than material tempering temperature?
3. Are there any recommendation for simulation testing of plate/electrodes shall consider PWHT failed risk to increase simulation holding time to 2 times?

 

[DVWE]

1. Are there any specification/rule to limit tempering temperature in maximum temperature? and holding time?

No, tempering temperature and hold time is completely up to the mill/manufacturer, based on the actual chemistry of the product.

2. Are there any recommendation for PWHT temperature shall lower than material tempering temperature?

Industry standard for PWHT is 50F (10C) below the actual tempering temperature of the material.

3. Are there any recommendation for simulation testing of plate/electrodes shall consider PWHT failed risk to increase simulation holding time to 2 times?

I am unclear what you are asking. Are you asking if you should order with Supplementary Requirement S3 of the specification, because you are going to possibly have multiple PWHT cycles? For example, one saved PWHT cycle for weld repairs in production?


The devil is in the details; she also wears prada.

 

[ChiangJaron]

Dear DVWE,

Thanks for your information about questions 1 & 2.

Regarding question 3, Your understood was correct.
And more clear description as below my mentions,

For plate and electrodes, we shall consider material failed risk after long term PWHT as you said for
welding repair, PWHT failed such as sensor broken and something like that.
During the material purchasing period, we shall specify the PWHT holding time 2 cycle,
one cycle for code minimum requirement and other for PWHT risk as above.

In case, the plate material supplier can apply and follow us requirement without any problem.
but, for electrodes supplier, they have many worries and they do not guarantee as our required.

So, should we need to consider this risk in general?

 

[DVWE]

In case, the plate material supplier can apply and follow us requirement without any problem.
but, for electrodes supplier, they have many worries and they do not guarantee as our required.

I recommend welding some sample plates with your chosen electrode, PWHT for 2 cycles, and test at an independent lab (tensile and charpy). Since you've chosen a "G" Electrode, just be aware that some of your customers may want every different lot of this electrode tested the same.

So, should we need to consider this risk in general?

This depends on your shop's experience level with this material, and also how much these types of weld repairs are needed in your shop. If you don't have a lot of experience with this material, and your shop experiences a lot of repairs on other similar types of material, then yes, the risk needs consideration, and you should probably plan for at least one repair.

The devil is in the details; she also wears prada.