Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.

(25): 2017

Study the Change of Current Weld on Mechanical

Properties and Microstructure of Low Carbon Steel
Welded by Electric Arc Welding
Wafa Mahdi Jodia
University of Babylon, College of Materials Engineering
[email protected]

Abstract
The welding is one of necessary and important process which is used in manufacturing
operations to join two or more materials of the similar or dissimilar pieces to achieve complete
cohesion. This work focuses on the effect of current change and welding method during welded low
carbon steel (steel 37) by electric arc welding on microstructure and mechanical properties such as
(tensile strength, hardness and impact strength ). The welding currents were chosen are (60, 80, 100,
120, 140 and 160A ), and the weld was done by two directions ( top and bottom sides). The tensile,
impact, hardness and microstructure tests were done to locate the mechanical properties of the welded
joint. The results showed that when the welding current increase, the tensile strength was increase
from (349.07 to 369.44)MPa while the impact strength and hardness decrease. Microstructure of
welding region has been dealt with it for each sample and for every increase of welding current.
Key words: Electric arc welding, Low carbon steel, Microstructure, Mechanical properties.
: ‫الخالصة‬

73
006 046 026 066 06 06

70.944 74.963

Introduction
The arc welding is developed in the mid-1800, it is one of fusion welding
process in which the welding heat is obtained from an electric arc between the base
metal and an electrode by use of an AC or DC power supply. The coarse initial grain
size with vary current had a large effectiveness on the microstructure, hardness and
toughness of HAZ of low carbon steel (Aksoy et.al., 1999). In low carbon steel, it was
seen that the fine initial grain size was effectiveness on the formation of ductile
phases and on the higher toughness, while the coarse initial grain was effective on the
formation of brittle phases and on the lower toughness at the same heat input. As a
result, considering the microstructure, hardness and toughness of the inter critical
HAZ, a higher heat input for both the coarse initial grain size and fine initial grain size
gave good results. However, it was also seen that a lower heat input can be used in the
welding of low carbon steel with fine initial grain size with respect to the toughness of
the inter critical HAZ (Aksoy and Eroglu, 2000). All materials (metals, plastics,
ceramics and composites) can be welded but not by the same process, therefore, the
welding process can be classified into two states, fusion state (chemical, electrical)
and solid state (electrical, chemical and mechanical), the arc welding process contains
either consumable or non-consumable electrode (rod or wire), such as electric arc
welding, Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), Metal Inert Gas (MIG), oxyacetylene welding,
laser welding and friction welding (Parmar , 2010). In low carbon steel have (0.19

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017

wt.% C), the microstructure of the center of weld zone contains large grains of ferrite
and colonies of pearlite and they found that maximum hardness values are situated in
the area of weld metal and HAZ which indicates its specificity( Zakaria et.al., 2010).
To supply additional material to the weld zone during welding, filler metals are used,
they are find as rod or wire made of metals compatible with those to be welded
(Serope and steven, 2012). The tensile strength of low carbon steel decrease about
40% when welded by electric arc welding and it disposal as a brittle material
according to (Ali , 2012). Hardness of weldment increase, impact amount and yield
strength decrease when electrode stick increase while ultimate tensile strength of the
joint initially decrease and then increases with increase welding current and voltage
are kept at constant levels in electric arc welding (Prakash and Mahima, 2014).
(Suhail et.al., 2014 )studied that the good weld quality can be found when the sample
has better mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness and impact
strength. According to (Asibeluo and Enifoniye, 2015) the growing of the arc
welding current from 70-120A in A36 carbon steel will increase the welding heat
input, it will affect the microstructure of the weld itself and award impact on the
strength and hardness of the material.(Sameer , 2015) studied the effect of weld
parameters (current and voltage) on the weld ability of mild steel specimen having
dimensions (80mm x 50mm x 6mm), which is welded by arc welding, butt joint, and
he found that maintain constant voltage and current, depth of penetration varies with
speed, and it have maximum value when the speed increase but if speed increase
beyond optimum value results to decrease in depth of penetration.
In electric arc welding, the electrode or wire of welding consumable during
welding, therefore, the welding wire must be change and these causes reduced arc
welding time.
This research aims to reinforces the weld zone by weld the steel 37 pieces from
both sides by electric arc welding with change the weld current and studied effect this
change of current on mechanical properties and microstructure.
Experimental part
1. Material and method
Steel 37 is using in plate shape with required dimension and the samples for
testing were prepared from it. According to (Rahbar and Zakeri 2010) the chemical
composition of steel 37 by wt. % is showing in table 1.
Table 1. The chemical composition of steel 37 (wt. %)
Element C Si Mn P S Fe
Wt. % 0.17 (0.12-0.3) 0.5 0.04 0.035 Rem.
The electric arc welding was used to weld the steel 37 pieces from both sides.
The currents (60, 80, 100, 120, 140 and 160A) were chosen with DC electrical power
and the specifications of weld electrode were (E6013, D=3.2mm, L=350mm) and
have a chemical composition that detail in table 2 according to [Asibeluo and
Emifoniye].
Table 2. The chemical composition of welding electrode ( wt. %)
C Mn Si S P
0.12 0.3-0.6 0.35 0.35 0.040
2. Mechanical tests
a. Tensile test :
The tensile test is the widespread for determining the mechanical properties of
materials as strength, ductility, toughness, elastic modulus and strain hardening. The
samples were prepared according to ASTM E8/E8M, with factor of 0.45 to get proper
dimensions of tensile device showing in fig. 1 and the sample before and after test
shows in fig. 2.

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017

181
6 18 34
22
101

Fig. 1. Dimensions of tensile sample (mm).

)a) (b)
Fig. 2. Welding samples: (a) Before tensile test, (b) After tensile test
b. Impact test :
In many industrialization operations, as well as during service life of
components, materials are subjected to impact (or dynamic) loading. This test
performed on Charpy testing machine, the sample was supported at both ends and the
pendulum was raised to certain position and then fall down to the notch on half of
welding area that cause fracture the sample from the welding area. The dimensions of
samples are (55mm in length, square section 10mm x 10mm) with 45˚ V-notch, 2mm
depth according to ASTM E23. The sample before and after test shows in fig. 3.

55mm

10mm

(a) (b)

Fig. 3. Welding samples: (a)Before impact test, (b)After impact test

c. Hardness test :
Hardness is usually defined as resistance to permanent indentation, therefore, it
test was used to give indication of the strength of the metal and of its resistance to
scratching and to wear. Brinnel method was used to find the hardness number by
using Brinnel testing device type (ReicherterUH250) with (13.25Kg) load for 10
seconds and 2.5mm diameter, the BHN was taken for three locations in welding zone.
d. Microstructure test:
To analysis the microstructure by optical microscope with camera 60 and eye
piece 10 (magnification 10 x 60 = 400), many processes such as grinding, polishing
and etching by Nital solution for 20 second and then washed by water with dry by
electric hand dryer were done before test.

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017

Results and Discussions

1. Tensile test
Table 3. Shows the yield and tensile strength of steel 37 were (347.22, 369.44)
MPa respectively and elongation was (9.39%) when the welding current was 60A,
they have been (291.66, 294.44) MPa and elongation was (8.84%) when current
become 80A, after then they were increased with increased the welding current but
the elongation was decrease when the current increase. From figs. (4and5),can be
considered that the decrease and increase in yield and tensile strength and the decrease
in elongation resultant from the increase in weld current and then increase in heat
input to weld zone .
Table 3. Results of tensile test of steel 37 after weld

Current Yield strength Tensile strength Elongation

(Ampere) (MPa) (MPa) (%)
Base metal 326.38 453.58 10.49
60 347.22 369.44 9.39
80 291.66 294.44 8.84
100 324.07 322.22 8,28
120 328.70 329.62 7.73
140 337.96 338.88 7.18
160 342.59 349.07 6.63

400
350
300
250
Stress

200
150
100
50
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Strain

Fig. 4. Stress and Strain curve of steel. 37 after weld

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017

400 * 453.58 MPa of Base metal

350

tensile strength (MPa)

300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 50 100 150 200
current (A)
Fig. 5. Current and Tensile strength curve of steel 37 after weld
2. Impact test
From the table 4 and fig.6, note that the maximum and minimum values of
impact strength were (24, 16) joule by weld current were (60, 160)A. The decrease in
impact strength with increase in weld current can be explication that the ability of
metal to withstand to applied load reduced and then the toughness of metal reduced by
increase in heat input that resulting from increase in weld current. And the coarse
grains that formed after high heat input during arc welding may be caused reduction
in impact resistance compared with the base metal.
Table 4. Results of impact strength (Joule) of steel 37 after weld
Current(A) Base metal 60 80 100 120 140 160
Energy( J) 29.5 24 21 20 19 18 16

30
* 29.5 Joul of Base metal
25
60
60
20
80
80
energy(juole(

15 100
100
10 120
120
140
5
160
0
current (A)
Fig. 6. Effect of current on energy absorbed of steel.37 after weld
3. Hardness test
The Brinnel hardness number BHN was taken in different locations on welding
zone. From the results in Table 5, the greatest hardness is with less value of current
60A in arc welding of steel 37. Fig. 7 shows the hardness is decrease with increase
welding current because of the increase in heat input and the time of cooling was
increase which gives rise to rapid growth of the grain and then the microstructure of
weld zone was coarse and then the hardness of metal reduced.

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017

Table 5. Brinnel hardness number of steel 37 after weld

Current BHN BHN BHN Average BHN
(Ampere) Trace1 Trace2 Trace3
Base metal 198 180 170 182.66
60 195 174 166 178.33
80 160 166 178 168
100 156 169 178 167.66
120 177 163 147 162.33
140 140 166 176 160.66
160 158 143 152 151
185
180
* 182.66 BHN of Base metal
Hardness(BHN)

175
170
165
160
155 BHN average
150
145
140
135
60
60 80 100
100 120 140 160
160
current (A)
Fig. 7. Current and Hardness curve of steel 37 after weld
4. Microstructure test
The test was done by optical microscope with magnification (600). From the
microstructure in (fig.8,a) the grains were less coarseness at weld current (60A) but
when the weld current becomes 80A (fig.8,b) the heat input increase then the
microstructure becomes more coarse and the pearlite phase was less than ferrite phase
at current 60A and 80A then grow up whenever the weld current increase to become
greater at current 100A (fig.8,c) reverse ferrite phase which taking opposite path.
(fig.8,d,e,f) showing that when weld current becomes 120A, 140A and 160A, the heat
input increases and the time for cooling was increase therefore the grains become
coarse (pearlite phase greater than ferrite phase).
Pearlite

(a) 60A (b) 80A

Ferrite

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017
Ferrite

(c) 100A (d) 120A

Pearlite

Ferrite

(e) 140A (f) 160A

Pearlite

Fig.8 .Microstructure of steel 37 at different welding current

Conclusions
From the results of mechanical and microstructure tests to steel 37 which
welded by electric arc welding, it can be concluded:
1. The increase of heat input to the weld zone result from the increase of welding
current from 60 to 160A.
2. Whenever increase current, the grains was coarse and effect on mechanical
properties of welding zone.
3. From the microstructure of weld zone, the ferrite phase become more great when
the weld current increase but the pearlite phase become more less when the weld
current increase (the grains became coarse with increase of weld current).
4. The hardness and impact strength decrease to (151BHN, 16Joul) respectively with
increase welding current.
5. The yield and tensile strength were decrease (291.66, 294.44)MPa at first and then
increase to (342.59, 349.07)MPa respectively with increase welding current of
electric arc welding.

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 Journal of Babylon University/Engineering Sciences/ No.(4)/ Vol.(25): 2017

6. The decrease in percentage of elongation resultant from the increase of tensile and
yield strength and increase in metal ductility and also decrease in metal hardness
because of increase in heat input when the weld current increase.
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