Electron beam multi process technology - welding with integrated heat treatment For microstructure optimization of cast iron/cast iron- and cast iron/steel-joints

The combination of casting and welding as hybrid design is a promising development for many applications in the automotive industry and in mechanical engineering. Up to now almost every cast iron material was considered to be virtually unweldable or it was only weldable if complex technological measures such as preheating and/or postheating of the whole component are applied or if an additive is used. This paper presents possibilities to minimise the production expenditure by electron beam (EB) multipool welding of cast iron/cast iron- and cast iron/steel-compounds without additive. Especially the combination of EB multipool welding with thermal fields has the potential to create a welding result free from cracks and pores and with a uniform structure. The increase of hardness in the melting zone and in the heat affected zone can be significantly reduced.