Abstract:
An easy to apply flux for increasing the penetration of gas tungsten arc welding of stainless steel substantially independent of flux thickness and variations in composition from heat to heat of stainless steel includes a flux consisting of reagent or laboratory grade TiO or TiO 2  (about 50%), Cr 2  O 3  (about 40%), and SiO 2  (about 10%) in a liquid carrier, preferably of methyl ethyl ketone. The flux is easy to apply, increases penetration of the weld, decreases bead width, and increases weld cross sectional area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gas tungsten arc welding of stainless steels has been hindered by the limitation in the depth of penetration that can be achieved in a single weld pass. In the past, in order to weld thicknesses in excess of typically less than 1/16 in., the edges of the base metal must be prepared and successive layers of weld metal must be made to fill up preparation. 
     An added problem for welding stainless steel is the variations in the depth of penetration that results from slight differences in the base metal chemistries from heat to heat (that is, different batches of the same type of material). This is more fully described in two articles: &#34;Mechanism for Minor Element Effect of GTA Fusion Zone Geometry,&#34; C. R. Heiple and J. R. Roper, Welding Research Supplement, pp. 97s-102s, April, 1982; and &#34;The Effects of Minor Elements on the Welding Characteristics of Stainless Steel,&#34; by B. Pollard, Welding Research Supplement, pp. 202s-213s, September, 1988. These slight changes in base metal chemistry cannot be practically controlled. Although the relationship between penetration and base metal chemistry is not completely understood, it is typically believed that sulfur is a major contributor to the variability in penetration. As the sulfur content increases, the depth of penetration increases until a maximum is achieved. However, further increase in sulfur can promote solidification cracking and reduce the formability of the stainless steel material thus welded. 
     A method of increasing both the amount and consistency of penetration would provide a significant economic benefit to industry. One such method described here, uses a thin layer of inorganic powders (i.e., flux) which are applied in the form of thin paste to the surface of the base metal prior to welding. The liquid carrier evaporates leaving only the powders on the surface. As the welding arc passes over the powder, the depth of penetration can be increased up to three times for a given heat input. In addition, the same amount of penetration is achieved regardless of the base metal chemistries. 
     The use of flux for increasing the penetration in stainless steel was previously reported by O. E. Ostroviski in an article entitled &#34;The Effect of Activating Fluxes on the Penetration Capability of the Welding Arc and the Energy Concentration in the Anode Spot,&#34; Svar. Proiz, No. 3, pp. 3-4, 1977. The formulation for this prior art flux is listed in Table 1. 
     
                       TABLE 1______________________________________Stainless Steel Flux No. FS-71 reported by Ostrovskii%                   Compound______________________________________57.3                SiO.sub.2 6.4                NaF13.6                TiO.sub.213.6                Ti 9.1                Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3______________________________________ 
    
     The Ostrovskii FS-71 flux did not apply very well, requiring careful attention in its application to produce a consistent layer of flux. More importantly, the flux did not have good adhesion and would blow away during welding causing inconsistent penetration. The inclusion of NaF in the formulation may decrease the corrosion potential of the weldment if the slag is not thoroughly removed. See &#34;Review of Stress Corrosion Cracking and Hydrogen Embrittlement in the Austenitic Fe--Cr--Ni Alloys,&#34; by G. J. Theus and R. W. Staehle, Proceedings on Stress Corrosion Cracking and Hydrogen Embrittlement of Iron Base Alloys, Uniesus-Firminy, France, Jun. 12-16, 1973. There is no indication in the Ostrovskii article that flux described eliminated heat-to-heat variations in penetration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the present invention, a flux has been developed which is easy to apply and which remains on the base stainless steel material, and further, which provides for increased penetration substantially independent of heat-to-heat variations in the stainless steel. 
     In the present invention, the flux includes TiO or TiO 2 , Cr 2  O 3  and SiO 2 , but no NaF. It was found that fluxes made from this combination provided the desired welding and application characteristics. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved flux for use in welding stainless steel to increase penetration, said flux consisting essentially of, in combination essentially pure oxide of titanium, Cr 2  O 3 , and SiO 2  in a liquid carrier. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the oxide of titanium is either TiO or TiO 2  and the liquid carrier is methyl ethyl ketone. Further, the oxide of titanium is in the range of from 30% to 70%, Cr 2  O 3  is in the range of 20% to 60%, and SiO 2  , is in the range of 5% to 15%. In a practical flux, the flux consists of about 50% TiO or TiO 2 , about 40% Cr 2  O 3 , and about 10% SiO 2 . 
     It is further object of this invention to provide a method of joining stainless steel components comprising the steps of applying a thin layer of liquid flux over the joint, said liquid flux containing an oxide of titanium, Cr 2  O 3 , and SiO 2  in a liquid carrier, and welding the components together using a gas tungsten arc welding torch whereby said liquid flux eliminates the variation in cross-sectional shape that results from heat-to-heat changes in the base metal chemistries of the stainless steel components being welded. In a preferred embodiment, the method further includes the steps of using the following approximate welding parameters for welding a 1/4 inch thick 304 stainless steel component: about 150 A welding current, about 9 V welding voltage, about 3 inches per minute welding torch travel speed, and a shielding gas of argon flowing at approximately 25 to 30 cubic feet per hour and a backing gas of argon flowing at approximately 20 cubic feet per hour. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1A to 1E are photographs of cross sections of partial penetration welds made in a 1/4 inch thick plate of Type 304 stainless steel at a current of 125 amps. FIG. 1A shows a weld made without flux; Fig. 1B show a weld made with a flux of TiO only; Fig. 1C shows a weld made with a flux of Cr 2  O 3  only; Fig. 1D shows a weld made with a flux containing SiO 2  only; and Fig. 1E shows a weld made with a flux containing a combination of TiO, Cr 2  O 3  and SiO 2  ; 
     FIGS. 2A to 2H are photographs of cross sections of welds made with and without flux No. SS7 on different heats of stainless steel; the welds on the right side of each photograph were made without flux; 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B are photographs of cross sections of welds made on a 1/4 inch thick plate of Type 304 stainless steel, both at a weld current of 125 amps, a voltage of 9 volts and a travel speed of 3 ipm; FIG. 3A shows a weld made with a prior art flux and FIG. 3B show a weld made with Flux No. SS7; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are photographs of cross sections of welds made on a 1/4 inch thick plate of Type 304 stainless steel, both at a weld current of 150 amps, a voltage of 9 volts and a travel speed of 3 ipm; FIG. 4A shows a weld made with a prior art flux and FIG. 4B show a weld made with Flux No. SS7; 
     FIG. 5 is a photograph of a cross section of two welds made on a 1/4 inch thick plate of Type 304 stainless steel, both at a weld current of 150 amps, a voltage of 9 volts and a travel speed of 3 ipm; the weld on the right was made without flux, the weld on the left was made with flux No. SS7; 
     FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but on a different heat of Type 304 stainless steel; the two welds were both made at a weld current of 150 amps, a voltage of 9 volts and a travel speed of 3 ipm; the weld on the right was made without flux, the weld on the left was made with flux No. SS7; 
     FIG. 7 is a photograph of a cross section of a single heat of 1/4 inch Type 304 stainless steel showing different penetrations that result when using flux Nos. S26A to S31A; 
     FIG. 8 is a photograph similar to FIG. 7 showing a different heat of 1/4 inch Type 304 stainless steel and using flux Nos. S26A to S31A; and 
     FIG. 9 is a photograph of a cross section of welds made on two different heats of 1/4 inch thick Type 304 stainless steel using both thick and thin layers of fluxes No. S26 and SS7; the designation of TN indicates a thin layer while TK designates a thick layer. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-4 which show welds in a 1/4 in thick Type 304 stainless steel plate with and without flux using the welding procedures listed in Table 2. The dimensions for cross sections of welds made with and without different fluxes are listed in Table 3. Fig. 1A shows the weld without flux has shallow penetration and is fairly wide. FIGS. 1B-D, show that the addition of each individual compound produced an increase in penetration and area, and a reduction in bead width. In Fig. 1B, TiO alone has been used; in FIG. 1C, Cr 2  O 3  alone has been used; and in Fig. 1D, SiO 2  alone has been used. As shown, none of the individual components caused complete penetration of the stainless steel sheet. On the other hand, as illustrated in Table 3, the penetration using the individual components was increased at least 100%, while the bead width was reduced by 40%. 
     By combining the individual components of 50 parts TiO, 40 parts Cr 2  O 3 ,10 parts SiO 2 , the change in cross sectional shape was even more dramatic, as shown in FIG. 1E and in Table 2. The penetration produced using this mixture was increased by 220% and the bead width was reduced by 40% as compared to the weld without flux. This resulted in an increase of the penetration-to-width ratio of greater than 440%. In addition, the addition of the fluxes increased the cross section area of the weld. For example, the flux mixture allowed an increase in the area of 28% over that of the weld made without flux. This indicates that the process efficiency is improved with the use of the flux of the p resent invention . 
     
                       TABLE 2______________________________________Welding Procedures Used to Produce Partial Penetration Weldsin 1/4 in. Thick Type 304 Stainless Steel______________________________________  Current        125 A  Voltage        9 V  Travel speed   3 ipm  Shielding gas  argon______________________________________ 
    
     
                       TABLE 3______________________________________Penetration, Bead Width, and Penetration-to-Width Ratiofor Welds Made With and Without Different FluxesUsing the Welding Procedures Listed in Table 2.     Penetration               Bead Width                         Penetration/                                 AreaFlux      (in.)     (in.)     Width   (in..sup.2)______________________________________None      0.074     0.330     0.22    0.0198TiO       0.166     0.196     0.85    0.0237Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3     0.179     0.215     0.83    0.0291SiO.sub.2 0.149     0.226     0.66    0.028850TiO/40Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 /     0.240     0.200     1.2     0.025410SiO.sub.2______________________________________ 
    
     To evaluate the difference between TiO and TiO 2 , a series of welds were made using the procedures listed in Table 4. Welds were made using the flux mixture listed in Table 3 and with a mixture that used TiO 2  instead of TiO. Although, both flux mixtures produced complete penetration, the mixture with TiO yielded a more consistent penetration. In addition, the TiO mixture was not as sensitive to thickness of the flux layer. 
     
                       TABLE 4______________________________________Welding Procedures Used to Produce CompletePenetration Welds in 1/4 in Thick Type 304 Stainless Steel  Current        150 A  Voltage        9 V  Travel speed   3 ipm  Shielding gas  argon______________________________________ 
    
     Comparison of TiO to TiOx/Ti. In order to compare the performance of TiO to a combination of TiO 2  and Ti in a flux, a group of seven fluxes was created, as shown in Table 5, and then a series of welds were made to evaluate these fluxes. Welds were made using two different heats of 1/4 in. thick Type 304 stainless steel using the procedures listed in Table 4. The results indicated that Flux No. SS24 produced similar results of Flux No. SS7. However, SS7 appeared to produce more consistent penetration. 
     
                       TABLE 5______________________________________Fluxes that Were Used to Evaluate Different Ratios of TiO.sub.2 /Ti toTiO.Flux No. TiO       TiO.sub.2                     Ti     Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3                                  SiO.sub.2______________________________________SS7      50                      40    10SS19               50            40    10SS20                      50     40    10SS21               35     15     40    10SS22               15     35     40    10SS23               40     10     40    10SS24               10     40     40    10______________________________________ 
    
     Another series of welds were produced in eight different heats of Type 304 stainless steel using the welding procedures listed in Table 4 to compare Flux Nos. SS7 and SS24. In certain heats of stainless steel materials, both fluxes performed equally as well, producing complete penetration. However, overall, Flux No. SS7 (using TiO) yielded the most consistent result over the entire eight heats of material. FIGS. 2A-2F shows welds in the eight heats that were made without and with Flux No. SS7. Each photograph shows two welds, the one on the left is made with Flux No. SS7, the one on the right was made without any flux. 
     
         ______________________________________   FIG.  Heat______________________________________   2A    848184   2B    143139   2C    110067   2D    853055   2E    915088   2F    856893   2G    220832   2H    407797______________________________________ 
    
     Component Percentage Ranges. A statistical design of experiments was employed to determine the range of each component in Flux No. SS7 that would produce a substantial increase in penetration. Welds were made in two different heats of 1/4 in. thick Type 304 stainless steel that had different degrees of penetration without flux. Welds were made using the welding procedure listed in Tables 2 and 4. Welds made with the welding procedures listed in Table 2 were used in the statistical analysis, while the welds produced with the procedure in Table 4 was used for empirical analysis. Acceptance criteria for the statistical analysis was that the flux had to apply easily and adhere well to the surface of the plate, and the penetration had to be greater than 0.19 in. 
     Table 6 lists the penetration that was produced in both heats of material without and with Flux No. SS7 using the procedures listed in Table 2. 
     
                       TABLE 6______________________________________Partial Penetration of Welds in Two Different Heats of1/4 in. Thick Type 304 Stainless Steel Plate During theStatistical Design of Experiments Using theWelding Procedures Listed in Table 2.                  PenetrationHeat No.        Flux   (in.)______________________________________143139          None   0.074220832          None   0.154143139          SS7    0.24220832          SS7    0.182______________________________________ 
    
     Table 7 lists the penetration of the welds produced using the welding procedures listed in Table 4. 
     
                       TABLE 7______________________________________Penetration of Welds in Two Different Heats of1/4 in. Thick Type 304 Stainless Steel PlateDuring the Statistical Design of ExperimentsUsing the Welding Procedures Listed in Table 2.                PenetrationHeat No. Flux        (in.)______________________________________143139   None        0.095220832   None        0.179143139   SS7         0.240 (a) complete penetration220832   SS7         0.250 (a) complete penetration______________________________________ (a) Welds made with flux produced complete penetration. The difference in penetration values is due to slight differences in plate thicknesses. 
    
     As shown in Tables 6 and 7, the two heats of stainless steels had inherent differences in penetration without flux. As the flux was applied, the penetration was increased for the partial penetration welds listed in Table 6. However, the flux did not produce the exact same amount of penetration with Flux No. SS7. As shown in Table 7, when producing complete penetration welds, Flux No. SS7 allowed complete penetration to be obtained regardless of the heat of material. 
     The statistical analysis of the penetration, the application and adherence of the flux indicated that the percentage ranges for the components will be as listed in Table 8. 
     
                       TABLE 8______________________________________The Range of Percentages for the Components in Stainless Steel Fluxas Determined by a Statistical Design of ExperimentComponent        Low    High______________________________________TiO              41     63Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 28     76SiO.sub.2         6     27______________________________________ 
    
     Comparison to Ostrovskii Flux FS-71. FIG.3 shows partial penetration welds made with Ostrovskii Flux FS-71 using the procedures listed in Tables 1 and 2 and EWI Flux No. SS7 and FIG. 4 shows complete penetration welds. Table 9 lists the dimensions of the cross section of the welds. As shown in Table 9, SS7 produced approximately the same Ostrovskii Flux FS-71. In addition, the SS7 penetration/width ration was applied easily and adhered well. The Ostrovskii Flux FS-71 was difficult to apply evenly and tended to &#34;flake off&#34; ahead of the arc. 
     
                       TABLE 9______________________________________Penetration, Bead Width, and Penetration-to-Width Ratiofor Welds Made With Ostrovskii Flux FS-71 and EWI Flux No. SS7  Current Penetration                    Bead Width                            Penetration/                                    AreaFlux   (A)     (in.)     (in.)   Width   (in..sup.2)______________________________________FS-71  125     0.19      0.188   1.01    0.0245SS7    125     0.240     0.200   1.2     0.0254FS-71  150     0.240(a)  0.230   1.0     ?SS7    150     0.240(a)  0.240   1.0     0.0424______________________________________ (a)Full penetration. 
    
     Flux SS7 was further evaluated to determine the compositional range for each of its components. Welds were made in two different heats of 1/4 in. thick Type 304 Stainless steel using fluxes based on the mean composition of Flux No. SS7. The compositions of the fluxes are listed in Table 10. The ranges for each component was selected based on flux development trials and judgement to select realistic ranges. 
     
                       TABLE 10______________________________________Fluxes That Were Evaluated to Determine theCompositional Ranges for Each Component.Fluxes were Based on the Nominal Composition of Flux No. SS7.Flux     TiO           SiO.sub.2                         Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3______________________________________SS7      50            10     40S26      30            10     60S27      70            10     20S28      50             5     45S29      50            15     35S30      45            15     40S31      55             5     40______________________________________ 
    
     As shown by the welds in the Figs. 1B, 1C, and 1D, each individual component of the flux yields an increase in penetration, as compared to a weld made without flux as shown in Fig. 1A; however, restriction of the compositional ranges for certain components offers other benefits. For example, if the SiO 2  is increased to much greater than 10% of the total flux, the adhesion of the flux is reduced. Also, as the TiO is increased beyond about 60%, slightly more slag on the face of the weld. 
     The two heats of 1/4 in. thick Type 304 stainless steel used in this procedure were chosen because of their sulfur contents and penetration characteristics. FIG. 5 (Heat No. 848184) and FIG. 6 (Heat No. 220832) show the penetration differences in these heats. The welds on the right in each Figure are made without flux and the welds on the left were made with Flux No. SS7. 
     
                       TABLE 11______________________________________        Heat No.        220832  848184______________________________________Sulfur (wt %)  0.024     &lt;0.002Thickness      0.249     0.247______________________________________ 
    
     Both the top and bottom surfaces of the stainless steel plates were lightly ground and cleaned with acetone. 
     Table 2 lists the welding procedure that was used. A welding current of 150A was selected because it has been found to produce &#34;borderline&#34; complete penetration in 1/4 in. thick Type 304 stainless steel using Flux No. SS7. Thus, this welding current was used to discern flux compositions that were marginally acceptable. For each flux, a bead-on-plate weld was made in each heat of material. Before producing each weld, the plate was allowed to cool to room temperature. 
     
                       TABLE 12______________________________________Welding Procedures Used to Determine theCompositional Ranges for the Components in Flux No. SS7.______________________________________Current       150 AVoltage       9.0 VTravel Speed  3 ipmShielding Gas Argon @ 25 to 30 cfhBacking Gas   Argon @ 20 cfhElectrode Size and Type         3/32-in. diameter, 2% thoriatedElectrode Tip Configuration         45° included angle with ˜0.02-in.______________________________________         truncation 
    
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show cross-sections of the welds produced in Heat No. 220832 and 848184, respectively, using the fluxes listed in Table 10. Each flux produced complete penetration to various degrees. As shown by Weld No. S27A, S28A, and S28B in FIGS. 7 and 8, complete penetration was just barely achieved. 
     As a result of these trials, the compositional ranges for stainless steel flux has been established and are listed in Table 13. Flux No. SS7 represents the most desirable flux composition for use on stainless steels. 
     
                       TABLE 13______________________________________Compositional Ranges for the Components of the Stainless Steel Flux.Flux No. SS7 Represents the Target Composition.Flux No. SS7       50% TiO - 10% SiO.sub.2 - 40% Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3______________________________________TiO:        30%-70%SiO.sub.2   -0.1Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3       20%-60%______________________________________ 
    
     Comparison of the ranges of the components in Table 13 for Flux No. SS7 to the Ostrovskii Flux FS-71 listed in Table 1 shows that the ranges for Flux No. SS7 are considerably different than for Ostrovskii Flux FS-71. 
     A comparison was next made to compare the performance of stainless steel fluxes containing titanium-monoxide or titanium-dioxide. Welds were made in two different heads of 1/4 in. thick Type 304 stainless steel using fluxes containing SiO 2  and Cr 2  0 3  and TiO or TiO 2 . The compositions of the fluxes are listed in Table 14. The fluxes were applied in two different layer thicknesses; &#34;thin&#34; and &#34;thick&#34;. The base metal was visible through the thin layer of flux, while the base was not visible through the thick layer. 
     
                       TABLE 14______________________________________Fluxes That Were Used to Compare thePerformance of Stainless Steel Fluxes Containing TiO or TiO.sub.2.Flux No.   TiO    TiO.sub.2   SiO.sub.2                              Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3______________________________________SS7        50     --          10   40S36        --     50          10   40______________________________________ 
    
     The two heats of 1/4 in thick Type 304 stainless steel was chosen because of the sulfur contents and penetration characteristics. Both the top and bottom surfaces of the plates were lightly ground and cleaned with acetone. 
     Table 12 lists the welding procedure that was used. A welding current of 150A was selected because it has been found to produce &#34;borderline&#34; complete penetration in 1/4 in. thick Type 304 stainless using Flux No. SS7. Thus, this welding current was used to discern flux compositions that were marginally acceptable. For each flux, a bead-on-plate weld was made in each heat of material. Before producing each weld, the plate was allowed to cool to room temperature. 
     FIG. 9 shows the cross-sections of welds produced with Flux No. SS7 and S36 in the two heats of base metal using two different flux layer thicknesses. As shown in Fig.1, both fluxes performed approximately the same. Although, Weld No. SS7TKB (thick layer) did not show complete penetration in the cross-section, other areas of the weld had complete penetration. The largest difference in penetration was found between welds made in Ht. No. 848184 with thin flux layers (Weld No. S36TNA and SS7TNA). Weld No. SS7TNA made with Flux No. SS7 had complete penetration while Weld No. S36TNA made with Flux No. S36 exhibited incomplete penetration. To verify these results, two more welds with each flux was produced in this heat of material. Again, the welds made with SS7 had more consistent penetration. 
     Flux made with TiO is slightly more tolerant to variations in flux thickness than fluxes made with TiO 2 . However, both fluxes can be applied in a consistent thickness that will yield complete penetration. 
     In the examples given above, the flux material is a powder having a grain size of -325 mesh which are essentially pure, that is, having the following purity: 
     
         ______________________________________TiO = 99.9%         SiO.sub.2 = 99.8%TiO.sub.2 = 99+%    Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 = 99%______________________________________ 
    
     The flux powders reagent or laboratory grade powders which are mixed in a carrier liquid, preferably methyl ethyl ketone, in the ratio of one part power mixture to two parts liquid. The powder compositions are given in weight percentages. It has been found that other carrier liquids can also be used, such as acetone and methanol, but these other two liquid tend to dry too quickly or too slowly after application, whereas methyl ethyl ketone provides good spreadability and a desirable drying time. The exact ratio of powder to liquid is not critical but it is mixed to the consistency of paint. The prepared solution is applied to the parts to be welded with a paint brush, typically 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide. The flux could also be applied with an air-brush or from an aerosol can. The stainless steel parts to be joined together were prepared in the normal manner, that is, by cleaning the surface with a wire brush or by grinding and then by wiping with a degreaser, such as acetone. 
     While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.