Exploring Quality of Austenitic Stainless Steel Clad Layer Obtained by Metal Active Gas Welding

Components or structures that are continuously subjected to corrosive, or erosive environment, need repair or replacement at frequent intervals involving loss of time and money. To overcome this problem, components or structures can either be made of alloys with good corrosion or erosion resistant properties or they can be clad with these alloys up to a desired thickness. The first solution is found out to be costlier than the latter. In this experimental investigation, cladding of austenitic stainless steel (316) on low alloy steel flats is done under different parametric combinations. Metallographic study and corrosion tests are performed on the clad specimens. Corrosion tests performed on both dad and unclad portions show that corrosion pits on the surface of the clad portions are remarkably smaller and lesser than those on the surface of the unclad flats. At a weld voltage of 28 V, weld current of 145 A, and weld speed of 420.6 mm/min, with a heat input of 0.46 kJ/mm, corrosion rate is observed to be the minimum in the domain of experiments conducted, and hence, may be recommended.