| The LASER weldability response (solidification cracking and cold cracking susceptibility) of austenitic, ferritic and martensitic grades revealed a significant alloy to alloy and heat to heat variation. the ferritic and martensitic alloys appeared to be less sensitive to solidification cracking but sensitive to cold cracking such that when the hydrogen content in shielding gas increased the fracture strength and time decreased, indicating that LASER welding of these grades should be kept from absorption of hydrogen. On the other hand, austenitic alloys showed a high propensity to solidification (hot) cracking in stead of cold cracking. Sensitivity was predominantly dependent upon the primary solidification mode (Cr_(eq)/Ni_(eq)) and impurity (S, P, Si) contents. |
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