Hot cracking susceptibility of fillers 52 and 82 in alloy 690 welding

The hot cracking susceptibility of fillers 52 and 82 in a alloy 690 weldment is analyzed by the Varestraint test. Weld characteristics, microstructure, hardness distribution, and thermal analysis of the two filler metals are also examined. The weld metal of both fillers develops an extremely dense oxide layer. A stainless steel brush cannot remove the oxide layer, and a grinder may be needed between weld passes to assure a sound weld. Differential temperature analysis (DTA) shows that filler 82 has a lower melting point and a wider melting/solidification temperature differential (Delta T). These characteristics correlate with greater hot cracking susceptibility of filler 82 than 52 in Varestraint tests. The hot cracks are intergranular and are caused by elements segregating in grain boundies.