Site Cast Tilt Up Concrete Version 18 1

M. ZUK, J. GORKA, A. CZUPRYNSKI, M.
ADAMIAK ISSN 0543-5846

METABK 55(4) 613-616 (2016)
UDC – UDK 621.15:621.791.052:621.78:620.18=111
PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF THE WELD

JOINTS OF QUENCH AND TEMPERED 4330V STEEL
Received – Primljeno: 2015-11-20
Accepted – Prihvaćeno: 2016-03-15
Original Scientific Paper – Izvorni znanstveni rad
This work outlines the research on welding of heat treated 4330V steel using the flux core arc welding process. The
research describes the effect of preheat temperature, interpass temperature, heat input, and post weld heat treat-
ment on strength, hardness, toughness, and changes of microstructure in the weld joint. Welding with the lower
heat input and without post weld heat treatment results in optimal mechanical properties in the weld metal. Aus-
tempering at 400 °C results in optimal mechanical properties in the heat affected zone (HAZ). Increasing preheats
and interpass temperature from 340 to 420 °C did not improve Charpy V-notch values or ultimate tensile strength in
the weld metal or heat affected zones.
Key words: 4330V steel, flux cored arc welding (FCAW), post weld treatment, mechanical properties, structures
INTRODUCTION high enough temperatures for the required duration [1].

In this case, the weld and HAZ may contain some mar-
Heat Treatable Low Alloy (HTLA) steels are charac- tensite and retained austenite. Appropriate postweld op-
terized by relatively high strength, high toughness and erations can be used to transform the retained austenite
high hardenability. The high hardenability of HTLA to martensite or bainite.
steels ensures high strength across relatively large cross
sections, but it also complicates the welding process.
The 4330V grade steel is a high strength, high tough- EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
ness, heat treatable low alloy steel for application in the Five experiments were performed on quench and
oil, gas and aerospace industries. It is typically used for tempered 4330V steel. Five Welding Procedure Specifi-
large diameter drilling parts where high toughness and cations were used, each using the same filler metal. The
strength are required [1]. The welding process for this 4330V chosen for the experimental research was cold-
steel type is difficult by its high hardenability (large straightened hardened and tempered bar. It was pro-
amount of alloying elements). In order to ensure high duced using the electric vacuum degas process. The
toughness and to prevent cracking, this steel must be material has a high hardenability and a martensitic mi-
welded using a low hydrogen process [2]. Studies of cro-structure. Heat treatment can either temper the mar-
weld metal composition based on AISI 4340 steel indi- tensite or form a martensite-bainite mixed structure.
cate that its resistance to solidification cracking can be One 25lb spool of 1,6 mm thickness flux core arc weld-
improved by maintaining the sum of sulphur and phos- ing wire was used for all experiments. The wire was
phorus contents below 0,025 %. Improving cracking selected based on its similarity in chemical composition
resistance also can be obtained by using filler metal to 4330V and its design for high strength high tough-
with a lower carbon and alloy content [1, 3-8]. Low hy- ness applications. The key differences in chemical com-
drogen welding procedures must be used with con- position are lower carbon content and higher nickel
trolled preheat and interpass temperatures to prevent content in the filler metal, the intent being to reduce
excessive hardness and cracking in the weld metal and hardenability, improve toughness and maintain compa-
HAZ [8-14]. Post weld heat treatment is also used to rable strength, Table 1. The transformation tempera-
improve toughness. A common approach to welding tures and the expected microstructure are similar in the
HTLA steels is to slow the cooling rate of the weld filler metal and the weld metal.
enough to permit formation of softer bainite instead of The weld samples for the experiments were obtained
hard martensite [1]. Lower bainite is preferred over up- by saw cutting a 255 mm diameter 360 mm long 4330V
per bainite due to its higher toughness [15]. Complete bar into plates of approximately 25 mm thickness. The
transformation to bainite may not be possible, either plates were then machined to uniform thickness and the
due to chemical composition or an inability to maintain appropriate bevel geometry. Five weld procedures were
created, one for each experiment. There was a variation
M. Zuk, J. Gorka, A. Czuprynski, M. Adamiak, Faculty of Mechanical in joint type, shielding gas, post weld heat treatment,
Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland current, voltage and wire feed speed, Table 2.
METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616 613

M. ZUK et al.: PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF THE WELD JOINTS OF QUENCH AND TEMPERED 4330V STEEL
Table 1 Base Metal to Filler Metal comparison for chemical composition, mas. %, C- equivalent
Plate material C Mn Si P S Cr Ni Mo V Cu Ce*

Base metal 0,31 0,87 0,28 0,007 0,002 0,94 1,93 0,47 0,057 0,16 0,89
Filler metal 0,09 1,12 0,20 0,013 0,009 0,60 3,11 0,50 - 0,72 0,75
Remarks: * - carbon equivalent
Table 2 Welding procedure specification

Process specification
Sample Joint Type Shielding Gas Preheat Temperature / °C Interpass Temperature / °C Post Weld Heat Treatment
Sample 1 single-bevel butt 75 %Ar 250 250 none
25 %CO2
Sample 2 double –V butt 100 %CO2 340 340 none
Sample 3 double –V butt 100 %CO2 420 420 none
Sample 4 single-bevel butt 75 %Ar 420 420 Austemper
25 %CO2 400 °C , 10 hours
Sample 5 double –V butt 75 %Ar 420 420 Austemper
25 %CO2 400 °C , 10 hours
Remarks: Base material 4330V thickness – 25 mm. Filler metal YS140AC – 1,6 mm, Joint preparation – machine bevel, Polarity – DCEP, Welding
position – PA (1G).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION likely containing a significant amount of bainite, Figure

1. This was consistent with the results predicted by the
All samples show a tempered martensite structure in isothermal transformation chart.
the base metal. The heat affected zones and weld metal The material inspection certificate from the steel mill
display mixed structures. The weld metal of sample 4 for the 4330V used in the experiments indicates 34,4
(austempered) appears to be the least martensitic and HRC (~330 HV) 1” (25 mm) below the surface of the bar.
a) Macrograph sample 4, b) Microstructure sample 4, Base metal,

etching Adler 500 x, etching Nital
c) Microstructure sample 4, Weld metal, d) Microstructure sample 4 – Fusion

500 x, etching Nital line, 500 x, etching Nital
Figure 1 4330V steel macro and microstructure, sample 4
614 METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616

Figure 2 Vickers hardness 2 mm below surface Figure 3 Vickers hardness near root pas
Although the material has a high hardenability, the hard- to the formation of a partially bainitic structure. Tem-
ness is expected to be lower further away from the sur- pering did not reduce the tensile strength of the weld
face and higher closer to the surface, so there will be metal as would have been expected, it is suspected that
hardness variation in the plates used for the experiments. the embrittlement in this sample had some strengthen-
Thus the 340 HV average hardness of the base metal in ing effect, Table 3.
the welded pieces is consistent with the measurements on Increasing the preheat/interpass tempe-rature from
the material inspection certificate. There was no signifi- 340 to 420 °C had no effect on the HAZ toughness. This
cant difference in peak hardness in the HAZ between is likely due to the high hardenability of 4330V. Tem-
samples 1, 2, 3 (250, 340 and 420 °C preheat/interpass pering at 400 °C for 10 hours also did not improve the
tempe-rature). Sample 3 was welded with a higher heat HAZ toughness. The base material was originally tem-
input and this appears to have enlarged the HAZ. Aus- pered at 620 °C, it is probable that a temperature of 400
tempering at 400 °C for 10 hours significantly reduced °C was insufficient to temper the HAZ. Austempering
HAZ hardness down to levels comparable to the base at 400 °C did significantly improve HAZ toughness,
metal. This is likely attributable to the formation of a likely due to the toughness of the bainitic structure.
mixed bainite-martensite structure. Tempering at 400 °C Tempering and austempering both reduced the weld
also reduce the HAZ hardness but not to the extent of metal toughness, Table 3. The presence on Cr, Ni, Mn,
austempering. There was very little variation in weld the relatively long time spent between 375 °C and 575
metal hardness in samples 1-4, and in these samples the °C, and slow cooling in this temperature range makes it
hardness was relatively close to the hardness of the base likely that the toughness loss was due to temper embrit-
metal. Sample 5 was tempered at 400 °C and had a sig- tlement.
nificantly higher hardness in the weld metal.
This could have been caused by temper embrittle-
CONCLUSIONS
ment, although the most pronounced effects of this phe-
nomenon are generally a decrease in toughness not nec- Of the five experiments, welding with the lower heat
essarily an increase in hardness, Figures 2 and 3. input and no post weld heat treatment resulted in optimal
The tensile strength in all samples was very close to mechanical properties in the weld metal. Joints (sample
the 1 055 MPa ultimate tensile strength of the base met- 2) had a 1 055 MPa ultimate tensile strength and 26,7 J
al. Austempering appears to have reduced the tensile Charpy V-notch at -40 °C in the weld metal. Austemper-
strength of the weld metal slightly, which is attributable ing at 400 °C resulted in optimal mechanical properties in
Table 3 Strength properties of welded joints

Tensile strength Impact strength
Sample
Rm / MPa Location V-Notch weld / J V-Notch HAZ / J
Sample 1 Welded joint did not meet the requirements of ISO 5817
Sample 2 1 055 Weld 26,7 18,7
Sample 3 1 030 HAZ 23,3 18,9
Sample 4 990 Weld 14,0 24,0
Sample 5 1 025 Weld 14,6 18,6
METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616 615

the HAZ. Increasing preheat and interpass temperature [7] A. Lisiecki, Welding of thermomechanically rolled fine-
from 340 to 420 °C did not improve Charpy grain steel by different types of lasers, Arch Metall Mater
59 (2014) 4, 1625-1631.
V-notch values or ultimate tensile strength in the
[8] M. Opiela, Effect of thermomechanical processing on the
weld metal or heat affected zones. The higher tempera- microstructure and mechanical properties of Nb-Ti-V mi-
ture increased the width of the heat affected zone. Aus- croalloyed steel, J Mater Eng Perform 23 (2014) 9, 3379-
tempering at 400 °C reduced HAZ hardness to a level 3388.
comparable to the base metal. Both tempering and aus- [9] J. Górka, Weldability of thermomechanically treated steels
tempering at 400 °C for 10 hours reduced toughness in having a high yield point, Arch Metall Mater 60 (2015) 1,
469-475.
the weld metal.
[10] M. Opiela, Elaboration of thermomechanical treatment
conditions of Ti-V and Ti-Nb-V microalloyed forging ste-
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616 METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616

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M. ZUK, J. GORKA, A. CZUPRYNSKI, M.

ADAMIAK ISSN 0543-5846

PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF THE WELD

INTRODUCTION high enough temperatures for the required duration [1].

METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616 613

Plate material C Mn Si P S Cr Ni Mo V Cu Ce*

Table 2 Welding procedure specification

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION likely containing a significant amount of bainite, Figure

a) Macrograph sample 4, b) Microstructure sample 4, Base metal,

c) Microstructure sample 4, Weld metal, d) Microstructure sample 4 – Fusion

614 METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616

Table 3 Strength properties of welded joints

METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616 615

616 METALURGIJA 55 (2016) 4, 613-616

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