304 to 316 question
Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 3:32 pm
I don't often ask a question here, as I'm not often called to do something I'm not already familiar with (a shame, really, because I like trying new things), so I just absorb new knowledge from others' questions and answers.
However, I'm replacing a structural component, originally 304, with 316. The backstory is, there were many cracks in the original part, every one originating under a gusset that was MIG welded both sides and not closed at one end. The client's engineers' working theory is that the road de-icing chemicals other than salt, commonly use in northern states and Canada when it's too cold for salt to be effective, or during salt shortages, gets trapped in the space beneath the gussets, between the MIG fillets. I've seen evidence that seems to support this.
As an experiment, I'm repacing the damage with 316, and will be welding it to a stub-out of undamaged 304 that was not under the gussets (there were corner cut-outs).
The weld must be vacuum-tight, and will be structural in a load-bearing member. Vacuum-tight is not an issue, but:
Should I make the weld with 308, or 316 rod? Or will it matter from the standpoint of strength and ductility?
Steve S
However, I'm replacing a structural component, originally 304, with 316. The backstory is, there were many cracks in the original part, every one originating under a gusset that was MIG welded both sides and not closed at one end. The client's engineers' working theory is that the road de-icing chemicals other than salt, commonly use in northern states and Canada when it's too cold for salt to be effective, or during salt shortages, gets trapped in the space beneath the gussets, between the MIG fillets. I've seen evidence that seems to support this.
As an experiment, I'm repacing the damage with 316, and will be welding it to a stub-out of undamaged 304 that was not under the gussets (there were corner cut-outs).
The weld must be vacuum-tight, and will be structural in a load-bearing member. Vacuum-tight is not an issue, but:
Should I make the weld with 308, or 316 rod? Or will it matter from the standpoint of strength and ductility?
Steve S