Analysis of the weldability of ductile iron

In this report the weldability of ductile iron is established as a function of the chemical composition of different consumables. Manual shield metal arc welding (SMAW) and Oxyacetylene Welding (OAW) were used, with and without preheat, on casting samples of 300 × 90 × 5 mm without groove using two types of electrodes: Fe–Cr–Ni, Ni-98% and two types of grey iron rods. The suitability of each welding technique and consumable was evaluated through the study of the mechanical characteristics of the joints. These characteristics were obtained from tensile tests and were correlated with the microstructure of the joints. Finally, a comparison of the results is presented, including the influence of preheat for each technique and consumable.