Welding AISI 1144/ASTM A-108 Resulfurized Steel 2

[Neweld]

Ok guys,

Welding AISI 1144 resulfurized steel... a.k.a. "Stressproof"

I'm aware of (some of) the implications of the sulfur content. Anyone out there had any good/bad luck welding this stuff?

Spec calls for a 3/8" fillet weld on an A-36 ring to be welded to a resulfurized 1144, 3 1/2" shaft...

My inclination is to go with E 7018 SMAW process with about 400ºF preheat.

Russ Newell

 

[BillPSU]

I went through this very situation with A36 components welded onto Stressproof. We tried preheating and still had cracking. My recommendation would be to change to 1050 and weld using preheat. This even sounds like the same application. A large pivot pin with a retainer cap. We were having some field failures and did not want to cause unnecessary concerns and purchasing had the supplier change the material to 1050. The retainer caps were not heavily loaded unless there was side load on the pin which should not occur but deflection of the weldments under load could cause side loading.

 

[metengr]

I would agree with BillPSU on this because the sulfur content in 1144 will result in hot cracking of the weld deposit due to the formation of low melting iron-sulfur compounds. Preheat or switching to a lower strength filler metal will not decrease susceptibility to hot cracking.

 

[Neweld]

Thanks BillPSU and Meteng,

We have had occasion in the past to "cobble" this stuff but this isn't a "just-get-me-by" fix.

The spec just caught up with the drawing. There is an ultra-sound, post-weld... Must be the customer has had some negative experience in the past.

Why would he still be hanging in there with this alloy...? (Oh, well...) Our past experience says there is no way to beat the inevitable... Russ