Characterisation of welds of Ni-Cr-Cu electrodes on cast-iron substrate

In this study, two nickel-based non-coated electrodes were manufactured to test their suitability and compatibility for welding austempered ductile iron (ADI). Welding conditions were established to obtain a crack-free weld deposit on ADI plate by preheating (300°C for 1hour) as well as post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) at constant heat input using two selected electrodes (Ni-Cr) alloys with varying composition of copper. Current work was aimed at preventing hot cracking, which is the most common and serious issue that occurs when welding with nickel alloys. The work aims to assess the performance of the two Ni-Cr-Cu electrodes compared to Ni-Cr electrodes that cause hot cracking.