ADVANCES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF HOT CRACKING OF Cu-CONTAINING STEELS

Abstract

While the hot cracking of Cu-containing steels is a serious and widely known problem for the industry, the literature reports that copper only slightly impairs the hot-ductility measured in laboratory. A distinction is drawn between hot ductility and hot shortness and the respective cracking operating mechanism involved at the respective range of temperature. The representability of the laboratory assessment of hot cracking of Cucontaining steels by hot tensile tests compared with actual results in industrial practice is discussed. The effectiveness of the variable affecting in each cracking mechanism and respective temperature range, focused in improving the hot cracking assessment of Cu-steels and the relative importance of oxidation will also be discussed. It is concluded that the hot tensile test in argon might be a good simulation if properly interpreted and that the role of oxidation is secondary in causing hot shortness. A schematic diagram for the hot tensile test is proposed.

The Importance of MnS Inclusions on Hot Shortness of Cu-Containing Steels

“…The inability of the traditional hot ductility test in predicting cracks on hot processing of Cu‐containing steels indicates that crack formation is not the conventional hot ductility problem. Hence, the hot cracking in Cu steels should be distinguished from the typically associated to the hot ductility observed in carbon steels; hot shortness results from a different mechanism acting in different temperature range, so that should be considered when investigation the problem of hot cracking . This will be better discussed in another work.…”