Welding and Fabrication

ULTIMET® alloy is very amenable to the Gas Metal Arc (GMA/MIG), Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA/TIG), and Shielded Metal Arc (SMA/Stick) welding processes. Matching filler metals (i.e. spools, reels, coils, and cut straight lengths of solid wire, and coated electrodes) are available for these processes. Guidelines for weld surfacing with ULTIMET® alloy are detailed in a separate Haynes International document "ULTIMET® Weld Overlay Guidelines". Other arc processes have been used to weld ULTIMET® alloy; for more information on consumable availability for these other processes, please consult Haynes International.

Wrought products of ULTIMET® alloy are supplied in the Mill Annealed (MA) condition, unless otherwise specified. This solution annealing procedure has been designed to optimize the alloy’s corrosion resistance and ductility. Following all hot forming operations, the material should be re-annealed, to restore optimum properties. The alloy should also be re-annealed after any cold forming operations that result in an outer fiber elongation of 7% or more. The annealing temperature for ULTIMET® alloy is 1177°C (2150°F), and water quenching is advised (rapid air cooling is feasible with structures thinner than 10 mm (0.375 in). A hold time at the annealing temperature of 10 to 30 minutes is recommended, depending on the thickness of the structure (thicker structures need the full 30 minutes).

ULTIMET® alloy can be hot worked and cold-worked. However, it is very strong, and work-hardens rapidly during cold-working. The alloy may therefore require frequent, intermediate anneals, if cold-working is employed. Please consult Haynes International for more details.

While cold-work does not usually affect the resistance of ULTIMET® alloy to general corrosion, and to chloride-induced pitting and crevice attack, it can affect resistance to stress corrosion cracking. For optimum corrosion performance, therefore, the re-annealing of cold-worked parts (following an outer fiber elongation of 7% or more) is important.

Welding Data

Typical Transverse Tensile Data, Weldments

Form Weld Type Test Temperature 0.2% Offset Yield Strength Ultimate Tensile Strength Elongation
- - °F °C ksi* ksi* %
Plate 1/2 in. (12.7mm) thick GTAW RT RT 89 127 11
GMAW (Short) RT RT 98 121 6
500 260 65 121 19
1000 538 53 114 28
GMAW (Spray) RT RT 93 133 11
500 260 67 121 19
1000 5.38 65 113 30
SMAW RT RT 97 135 9
Plate 3/4 (19.1mm) thick GMAW (Short) RT RT 86 123 10
500 260 62 116 20
1000 538 45 98 26
GMAW (Spray) RT RT 90 136 15
500 260 64 121 23
1000 538 50 113 32
SMAW RT RT 87 130 13
1000 538 48 109 32

*ksi can be converted to MPa (megapascals) by multiplying by 6.895.

Typical Tensile Data, All-Weld Metal

Weld Type Test Temperature 0.2% Offset Yield Strength Ultimate Tensile Strength Elongation
- °F °C ksi* ksi* %
GTAW RT - 95 133 10
GMAW (Short) RT - 89 132 17
GMAW (Spray) RT - 85 123 18
SMAW RT - 93 13 16
1000 - 61 100 31

Typical Impact Strength, Weldments

Weld Type V-Notch Impact Strength Room Temperature
- ft.-lb. J
GTAW 94 127
SMAW 42 57

Typical Bend Test Data, Welded Plate

Weld Type Face Bend Side Bend
- 2T 3T 2T 3T
GMAW (Short) Failed Passed Failed Passed
GMAW (Spray) Failed Passed Failed Passed
SMAW - Passed - -

Duplicate specimens, 3/4 in. (19.10 mm) thick. Tested using AWS Specification 5.11 as a guide.

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