Metallurgical and mechanical characterization of electron beam welded DP600 steel joints

Several new commercial advanced high-strength steels exhibit high strength and enhanced formability. These materials have the potential to affect cost and weight saving while improving performance. However, welding, by modifying the microstructure of the steel, has in general a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of structural components. If high power density technologies are used, the result is that the mechanical properties of such kind of joints can be improved. This article presents a metallurgical and mechanical characterization of electron beam welded joints in advanced high-strength steel DP600. The experimental analysis was supported by a thermal numerical model obtained through the Sysweld(A (R)) code. Results show that mechanical properties of the electron beam welded joints are comparable with those of parent metal both in terms of static strength and ductility.