The influence of the parameters of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of welded joints

Purpose: The main goal of the work is to determine the influence of the parameters of stress relief annealing on the mechanical and structural properties of welded joints made of chromium-molybdenum type 10CrMo9-10 steel. Design/methodology/approach: In the study, commercial 10CRMO9-10 steel was used, the Polish equivalent of 10H2M. This is a chromium-molybdenum toughened steel, i.e. after normalization (910-960°C) and high tempering (650-780°C). The materials were subjected to heat treatment, tests of mechanical properties, Charpy impact test, hardness of individual material zones, as well as macro and microscopic observations. Findings: The hardness tests indicated, that materials subjected to a single heat treatment possess the greatest hardness. Materials undergoing several heat treatments, possess hardness on a similar level to materials that have been annealed once, however they are characterized by low reproducibility of results. The most important parameter of heat treatment of the tested steel is heating up to a temperature of 690°C. Due to such heating, optimal mechanical properties are achieved, which results in long and safe exploitation of the produced elements. Research limitations/implications: The processes of heat treatment are very important to achieve optimal strength properties of welded joints. Practical implications: The development of energy worldwide has caused the creation of machines working in higher pressure and temperature ranges. The influence of temperatures decreases the service life of a given element. The adaptation and completion of the appropriate process of heat treatment extends the exploitation time of elements. Originality/value: Determining the mechanical properties of 10H2M steel, dependent on the temperature of heat treatment and heating time. It was concluded that the optimal parameter of heat treatment for the tested materials – is heating at a temperature of 690°C.