Effect of macro- and micro-segregation on hot cracking of Inconel 718 superalloy argon-arc multilayer cladding

The hot cracking sensitivity dramatically increases because of the longitudinal macro-segregation of craters and the transverse macro-segregation of welding center in pre-layers. Statistical analysis of the total area, average size and Nb concentration of interdendritic low-melting point Laves phase, the Nb concentration of the γ phase in the dendritic core, and the arm spacing of different sub-regions was used to explore the effects of macro- and micro-segregation of Nb. Solidus and liquidus curves were used to determine the temperature at which solid and liquid phases coexist in different sub-regions, which were combined with Scheil equation curves to identify Nb sources and interlayer transfer, so as to develop a model for the molten pool of subsequent layers. This model explains the effect of transversal and longitudinal macro-segregation in the pre-layer on the Nb concentration of the melt pool of subsequent layers, the dynamic balance of the solidification interface and the relative area of Laves phase in the macro-segregated sub-region of the solidified metal.