Göran Sjöberg

Repair welding of wrought superalloys: Alloy 718, Allvac 718Plus and Waspaloy

Abstract The ability to weld repair three precipitation hardening superalloys, i.e. Alloy 718, Allvac 718Plus and Waspaloy, with gas tungsten arc welding, is compared in this study. Four different solution heat treatment conditions for each material were examined: Alloy 718 and Allvac 718Plus heat treated at 954°C–1 h, 982°C–1 h, 954°C–15 h and 1020°C–1 h and Waspaloy for 4 h at 996°C, 1010°C, 1040°C and at 1080°C. By metallography, the total number of cracks was evaluated in both the heat affected zone and the fusion zone, which made it possible to consistently rate the repair weldability of these three materials. Alloy 718 was significantly the best one, with Allvac 718Plus slightly better than Waspaloy. As expected, the solution heat treatment conditions only affected the heat affected zone cracking behaviour.

Effect of different solution heat treatments on hot ductility of superalloys Part 2 - Allvac 718Plus

Abstract The hot ductility of Allvac 718Plus for different solution heat treatments (954°C–15 h, 954°C–1 h, 982°C–1 h and 1050°C–3 h+954°C–1 h) has been investigated using Gleeble testing. Substantial variations in the microstructure among the heat treatments affected the Gleeble test hot ductility only to a very limited extent. Constitutional liquation of the NbC phase was found to be the main cause for the poor ductility at high testing temperatures in the on-heating cycle as well as at the lower temperatures on-cooling. Grain boundary δ phase was seen to assist the constitutional liquation of the NbC phase. Based on established evaluation criteria for Gleeble ductility testing, a ranked indicator for weldability is suggested.

Metallurgical Response of Electron Beam Welded Allvac® 718Plus™

Electron beam welding of forged Allvac 718Plus superalloy has been carried out without any visible cracks in weld cross-sections. Healed cracks in the heat affected zone were, however, seen in most cross-sections with the healing as well as the cracking believed to be due to the constitutional liquation of the δ-phase. The δ-phase undergoes constitutional liquation in the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) and consequently decreases the ductility of the material and renders cracks in the HAZ but due to the large amount of eutectic liquid produced at the same time the healing of the opened cracks takes place.

Effect of solution heat treatments on superalloys Part 1 – alloy 718

Abstract The hot ductility as measured by Gleeble testing of Alloy 718 at four different solution heat treatments (954°C/15 h, 954°C/1 h, 982°C/1 h and 1050°C/3 h+954°C/1 h) has been investigated. It is concluded that constitutional liquation of NbC assisted by δ phase takes place and deteriorates the ductility. Parameters established by analysing the ductility dependence on temperature indicate a reduced weldability of the material in the coarse grain size state (ASTM 3) while indicating an increased weldability when containing a large amount of δ phase due to a grain boundary pinning effect. The accumulation of trace elements during grain growth at the highest temperature is believed to be the cause for the observed reduced on-cooling ductility.

Effects of different solution heat treatments on the hot ductility of superalloys Part 3 - Waspaloy

Abstract The susceptibility to heat affected zone cracking of Waspaloy has been investigated in terms of its hot ductility, measured as the reduction of area (RA). Gleeble testing with on-heating as well as on-cooling test cycles was carried out to illuminate the influence of different 4 h solution heat treatments between 996 and 1080°C. A ductility maximum of between 80 and 90%RA was found at 1050–1100°C for all conditions in the on-heating tests. Although the different heat treatment conditions showed similar macrohardness, the particle size and distribution of the γ′ and M23C6 phases differed, which significantly affected the on-heating ductility in the lower temperature test region. The ductile to brittle transition was initiated at 1100°C in the on-heating testing with indications of grain boundary liquation at the higher test temperatures. Ductility recovery, as measured in the on-cooling tests from 1240°C, was very limited with <30%RA for all conditions and test temperatures except for the 1080°C/4 h treatment, which exhibited 60%RA at 980°C.