Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behaviour of LMD Produced 2.4682 and Wrought 2.4630 Dissimilar Welds

A bearing made of Stellite 31 (2.4682) has to be welded onto a housing of Nimonic 75 (2.4630) by autogenous laser beam welding. The bearing part is produced by laser metal deposition (LMD), the housing consists of wrought sheet metal. An investigation is undertaken in order to study the effect of the anisotropy of the LMD part on the weld quality. Tensile specimens were produced and tested under varying load directions and test temperatures, and application of different weld heat treatments. The fractured specimens were analysed by metallography and fractography. Tensile tests at room temperature show a dependency of the fracture location and the mode of failure on the load direction with respect to the layer direction in conjunction with the heat treatment. At elevated temperature of 750° all specimens broke in the base material of 2.4630 in ductile fracture mode. Strength measured supersedes the values of either of the base materials.