Recent developments in the understanding of stainless steel welding metallurgy

Over the last twenty years, there has been a substantial expansion in our understanding of the welding metallurgy principles of stainless steels. This understanding includes new insight into solidification and phase transformation behavior and the mechanisms that influence cracking susceptibility. Over this period many new alloys have been developed and the need to characterize their behavior for welded applications has required a better understanding of their metallurgical response to welding. This paper will summarize the most significant of these recent developments. It will also serve as a tribute to Dr. Trevor Gooch, who was a central figure and motivational force in the development of this understanding prior to his untimely death in 1999.