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8/2/2009

Residual Stress

Alloying Elements

Manganese
Increases strength and hardness; forms a carbide; increases hardenability; lowers the
transformation temperature range. When in sufficient quantity produces an austenitic steel;
always present in a steel to some extent because it is used as a deoxidiser
Silicon
Strengthens ferrite and raises the transformation temperature temperatures; has a strong
graphitising tendency. Always present to some extent, because it is used with manganese as a
deoxidiser
Chromium
Increases strength and hardness; forms hard and stable carbides. It raises the transformation
temperature significantly when its content exceeds 12%. Increases hardenability; amounts in
excess of 12%, render steel stainless. Good creep strength at high temperature.
Nickel
Strengthens steel; lowers its transformation temperature range; increases hardenability, and
improves resistance to fatigue. Strong graphite forming tendency; stabilizes austenite when in
sufficient quantity. Creates fine grains and gives good toughness.
Nickel And Chromium
Used together for austenitic stainless steels; each element counteracts disadvantages of the
other.
Tungsten
Forms hard and stable carbides; raises the transformation temperature range, and tempering
temperatures. Hardened tungsten steels resist tempering up to 6000C
Molybdenum
Strong carbide forming element, and also improves high temperature creep resistance; reduces
temper-brittleness in Ni-Cr steels. Improves corrosion resistance and temper brittleness.
Vanadium
Strong carbide forming element; has a scavenging action and produces clean, inclusion free
steels. Can cause re-heat cracking when added to chrome molly steels.
Titanium
Strong carbide forming element. Not used on its own, but added as a carbide stabiliser to
some austenitic stainless steels.
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8/2/2009

Residual Stress

Phosphorus
Increases strength and hardnability, reduces ductility and toughness. Increases machineability
and corrosion resistance
Sulphur
Reduces toughness and strength and also weldabilty.
Sulphur inclusions, which are normally present, are taken into solution near the fusion
temperature of the weld. On cooling sulphides and remaining sulphur precipitate out and tend
to segregate to the grain boundaries as liquid films, thus weakening them considerably. Such
steel is referred to as burned. Manganese breaks up these films into globules of maganese
sulphide; maganese to sulphur ratio > 20:1, higher carbon and/or high heat input during
welding > 30:1, to reduce extent of burning.

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