What is Austenitic in Welding?

Austenitic is a phase of steel that is non-magnetic and has a body-centered cubic crystal structure. In welding, this refers to the microstructure of the weld metal. The austenitic phase is important in welding because it gives the weld metal its strength and toughness. Austenitic steels are also used for their corrosion resistance.

When welding austenitic steels, it is important to use a filler metal that will create an austenitic weld metal. Otherwise, the weld may be brittle and have poor strength.

What are austenitic metals?

Austenitic metals are those that have an austenitic microstructure. This is a type of non-magnetic stainless steel that contains high levels of chromium and nickel. The austenitic microstructure gives these metals their desirable properties, such as high strength, good ductility, and excellent corrosion resistance.

What makes steel austenitic?

The austenitic phase of steel is achieved by adding chromium and nickel to the alloy. These elements promote the formation of austenite, which is the body-centered cubic crystal structure.

What is austenitic and martensitic?

Austenitic refers to the microstructure of the weld metal, which is a type of non-magnetic stainless steel that contains high levels of chromium and nickel. The austenitic microstructure gives these metals their desirable properties, such as high strength, good ductility, and excellent corrosion resistance.
Martensitic is a type of steel that has a body-centered cubic crystal structure and is magnetic. It is not as common as austenitic steel and is less ductile. When welding martensitic steels, it is important to use a filler metal that will create a martensitic weld metal.

Ferrite number for stainless steel

The ferrite number (FN) is a measure of the austenitic or ferritic content of stainless steel. It is calculated by taking the percentage of chromium in the alloy and subtracting the percentage of carbon. The FN will be negative for austenitic steels and positive for ferritic steels. For example, austenitic stainless steel with 18% chromium and 0.03% carbon would have an FN of -15.