FCP Report No. 143

Post-Weld Laser-Treatment of 18 Ni (250) Maraging Steel

by

Grzegorz Banas
Department of Civil Engineering
Visiting Scholar from Politechnika Rzeszowska, Poland

James Michael Rigsbee
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Frederick V. Lawrence, Jr.
Department of Civil Engineering
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Abstract

This investigation studied fatigue resistance of post-weld laser-treated 18 Ni (250) maraging steel. High powered laser-dressing of the weld toe was studied. An AVCO-Everett High-Power Co2 Laser with helium shielding gas was used to perform this process.

Macro- and microstructural examinations were conducted to characterize the microstructure, hardness and fatigue crack initiation sites resulting from the as-welded and the post-weld treated specimens.

Fatigue strength predictions were made using the I-P model assuming validity of the Kfmax concept and predicted residual stress effects. The analytical predictions were compared with experimental data.

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