Strength Performance of 304 Series Steels Welded by Plasma Arc Method

Austenitic stainless steel is employed in various industrial sectors with its excellent mechanical and corrosion performance. Welding is a commonly used method in the production of stainless-steel structures. Plasma transferred arc welding (PTAW) is a technique in which an electric arc is fabricated and maintained between tungsten electrodes. In this research, AISI 304 plates were welded using plasma welding. The joint interface was analyzed through energy dispersive spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The strength properties of the samples were assessed via tensile testing. The fracture surfaces of samples were studied by SEM. The PTA method achieved complete penetration in AISI 304 plate joint. All joints showed good strength.