Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 January 2019
The welding heat input has been pointed out as a main limiting factor for TWinnig Induced Plasticity (TWIP) steel weldability. Scarce research works have been focused on the study of application and effects of the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process in the TWIP steel, especially in higher thickness plate. In this research work was conducted a detailed analysis of a butt weld joint performed in plates of TWIP steel microalloyed with titanium (TWIP-Ti) of 6.3 mm thickness. The autogenous GTAW process with low heat input was applied. The analysis considered grain size measurements, second phases identification, post-weld mechanical properties (microhardness) and the welding thermal field. A Finite Element Model (FEM), validated through experimental results, allowed correlating metallurgical results with the thermal field. Likewise, the phases prediction carried out by means of JMatPro 9.0 software during solidification process as well as the estimation of particle precipitation were in good agreement with the experimental results. These predictive diagrams were calculated taking into account the TWIP-Ti steel chemical composition, the grain size measured in critical weld regions and experimental cooling rates. The low heat input improved the microstructural conditions in the heat affected zone (HAZ) whose average grain size and precipitate particles, like (C, N)Ti, promoted good mechanical properties as compared to the base material (as-solution condition). Some particles like Al2O3 y MnS produced microporosities in the HAZ. Despite this, the weld joint did not present hot cracking in the FZ-HAZ interface.