Methods of acicular ferrite forming in the weld bead metal (Brief analysis)

A brief analysis of the methods of acicular ferrite formation as the most preferable structural component in the weld metal has been presented. The term ?acicular ferrite? is meant as a structure that forms during pearlite and martensite transformation and austenite decomposition. Acicular ferrite is a packet structure consisting of battens of bainitic ferrite, there being no cementite particles inside these battens at all. The chemical elements most effectively influencing on the formation of acicular ferrite have been considered and their combined effect as well. It has been shown in particular, that the most effective chemical element in terms of impact toughness and cost relation is manganese. Besides, the results of multipass surfacing with impulse and constant feed of low-alloy steel wire electrode have been considered. According to these results acicular ferrite forms in both cases. However, at impulse feed of the electrode wire high mechanical properties of surfacing layer were got in the first passes, the form of the acicular ferrite crystallite has been improved and volume shares of polygonal and lamellar ferrite have been reduced. An assumption has been made, according to which acicular ferrite in the surfacing layer may be obtained through superposition of mechanical low-frequency oscillation on the welding torch or on the welding pool instead of periodic thermal effect due to electrode wire periodic feed