Comparisons of microstructure and mechanical properties of MAG joints welded under 2G and 3G conditions

Abstract

MAG welding of 07MnMoVR steel was performed at the 2G and 3G positions, and weld formation, microstructure, residual stress, and tensile properties were compared. In this study, welds without defects were obtained at the 2G and 3G positions. The results showed that a larger distortion of the weld at the 3G position was present because of the higher heat input and that the perlage morphology was related to the introduction of the arc weaving process. In addition, the grain size of the filling pass was coarser than that of the cap pass because of the repeated heating process, and the grain sizes of the filling and cap passes increased by approximately 33% for the weld at the 3G position compared with that at the 2G position. In this case, the weld at the 3G position showed a larger residual stress and lower yield and tensile strengths, and the elongation rates and microhardness of the weld at the 3G position were lower than were those of the weld at the 2G position, regardless of the root pass, filling pass, or cap pass.