The word "repair" implies that welding is a sign of poor quality, when in fact welding is a tool that is used as part of standard procedure. In their white paper, Welding Steel Castings, SFSA points out that welding is one step in the process of manufacturing steel castings to customer requirements. In fact, this challenge is so prevalent in the casting industry that the Steel Founders' Society of America (SFSA) provides readymade content for casting facilities to share with their customers to improve their understanding of weld repair. The image above shows the typical microstructure of base metal away from the weldment (left) and the heat-affected welded area. In other words, welding in no way diminishes the performance of the part.ĭownload case study: Weld Repair at Eagle Alloy The study shows that the properly welded and heat-treated section of the part varies negligibly from the non-welded sections. To facilitate the process, we produced a case study comparing welded and non-welded parts in terms of hardness, chemical composition and microstructure. Part of Eagle Alloy's role as a casting supplier is to educate customers on the facts of weld repair. Good Weld Repair Does Not Reduce Part Quality By limiting or disallowing weld repair, customers can drive up part prices and go against the principles of some of the world's top foundries.
No wonder these folks are nervous about it they think all foundries do it that way."īut what many customers don't realize is that welding is a standard part of the casting process, and according to ASTM International Guidelines, foundries are responsible for determining when and where welding should take place. "You've got castings coming in from overseas that have been weld repaired and heat treated improperly.
"Most of the time I find out it's on the drawing because they've had a bad experience with another foundry at some point in time," Cook continues. "Sometimes when we receive a drawing for a new part," says Eagle Alloy Chief Sales Officer Jeff Cook, "there's a note on it that prohibits weld repair." In these cases, Eagle Alloy enters weld repair as a point of negotiation. The problem with weld repair often stems from a bad experience the customer had somewhere along the line. By better understanding the effects of weld repair on part appearance and functionality, casting customers can benefit from weld repair strategies that optimize cost, production time and part quality.Ĭlick here to learn more about common defects in casting Some companies simply do not allow weld repair, and others place strict requirements on where weld repair can take place on a part. However, weld repair in steel castings is often misunderstood by casting customers. When done right, weld repaired castings are just as structurally and functionally sound as their non-welded counterparts.
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