EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF MICROSTRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF STAINLESS STEEL 202 JOINT USING TIG WELDING

Abstract

Stainless Steel 202 is a popular material in various industrial applications due to its excellent corrosion resistance, high strength, and cost-effectiveness compared to other stainless-steel grades like 304 or 316. So, the current experimental study is to investigate the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW;) process for welding stainless steel 202 (SS202) using an SS310 filler rod, with the goal of achieving the best mechanical properties and minimal heat-affected zone (HAZ). The welding parameters considered are the main current, start current, end current, and pulse (Hz), and the Taguchi orthogonal array L₉ was employed to systematically investigate their impact on weld quality. The analysis of mechanical properties and microstructure provides a clear understanding of the relationship between the chosen welding parameters and the weld performance. The final result should yield a combination of settings that offers the best compromise between weld strength, minimized HAZ, and improved overall weld quality.