Abstract: The art has experienced difficulty obtaining “sound” welds with high-nickel welds above the second pass. Particular problems are tension anomalies and sub-optimal interweld pass fusion at higher order passes of the weld wire, along with undesirably high heat levels transferred to the workpiece. The inventors have discovered that ductile iron-to-ductile iron welds can be reliably formed at mission-critical junctures by compensating for the brittle nature of the heat affected zone through enhancing ductility of the weld itself. The present invention provides in continuing part for a highly durable weld without soundness problems such as tension anomalies, multilayer fusion imperfections, or pinholes; and a method of forming such a weld. The weld is created using high nickel weld wire (filler metal or consumable electrode, or both) welded in a pure inert gas (or mixture of pure inert gasses and even reducing gasses).

Abstract: The art has experienced difficulty obtaining “sound” welds with high-nickel welds above the second pass. Particular problems are tension anomalies and sub-optimal interweld pass fusion at higher order passes of the weld wire, along with undesirably high heat levels transferred to the workpiece. The inventors have discovered that ductile iron-to-ductile iron welds can be reliably formed at mission-critical junctures by compensating for the brittle nature of the heat affected zone through enhancing ductility of the weld itself. The present invention provides in continuing part for a highly durable weld without soundness problems such as tension anomalies, multilayer fusion imperfections, or pinholes; and a method of forming such a weld. The weld is created using high nickel weld wire (filler metal or consumable electrode, or both) welded in a pure inert gas (or mixture of pure inert gasses and even reducing gasses).