Frequently Asked Questions
Preheat is advisable for all but the simplest of castings or thinnest of sections in the ferritic grades. A preheat temperature of 100 - 200°C is required for thicker and more complex ferritic grades, and the normalised, pearlitic or hardened and tempered grades may require at least 250°C. In cases where high welding stresses may develop a preheat of 320 - 330°C may be necessary.
After fabrication, the only post weld heat treatment generally applicable is a stress relief heat treatment at 600 - 620°C, followed by slow cooling.
All cast iron welding requires care. If in doubt, contact an experienced practitioner.
Further information is available in:
Welding of cast irons - a guide to best practice
C.L.M.Cottrell, 'Welding cast irons', published by TWI, Abington, Cambridge, UK, 1986 and available from Woodhead Publishing, Abington, Cambridge, UK. e-mail: sales@woodhead-publishing.com
ISBN 0 85300 176 6
Guide for Welding Iron Castings - ANSI/AWS D11.2-89, American Welding Society, Miami, Florida, USA. e-mail: info@aws.org
ISBN 0 87171 295 4
A Practical Guide for the Welding of S.G.Iron, British S.G.Iron Producers Association Ltd, London
See further information about Materials and Corrosion Management, or please contact us.