Experimental investigation of C45 (AISI 1045) weldments using SMAW and GMAW

Welding is widely used commercially for joining of metals and alloys at economical rates in various industries. In present investigation, development of a standard welding procedure for C45 (AISI 1045) alloy was carried out. The main objective is to improve the weldability of C45 alloy with preheating and post weld heat treatment (PWHT). In the present work, SMAW and GMAW welding processes are used. The selection of the electrodes is according to American Society for Welding (ASW) clauses A5.1and A5.5. All the welding samples have been prepared according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) pressure vessel codes. Comparison between the E7018, E9018 and ER70S-6 electrodes for defect free welding was also carried out. The comparison was made based on testing like tensile test, bending test and dye penetration test (DPT). The work culminated in the development of a standard operating procedure which is best suited for different types of welding using different 16mm thickness of C45(AISI 1045) metal plates and is applicable to all the companies undertaking various welding processes.