Application of the heat treatment in the welding process of ferritic stainless steels – causes and effects

This paper aims to analyse the application, importance and impact of heat treatment operations used in ferritic stainless steel welding processes on the properties of the welds obtained. In addition, the article aimed to formulate the main problems that occur during the welding process of ferritic stainless steels, including, in particular, the phenomenon of ferrite grain growth due to thermal processes.The analysis of the available literature covered issues related to heat treatment processes used in the welding of ferritic stainless steels, taking into account the issue of the growth of the ferrite grain under the influence of heat supplied during welding and the possibility of heat treatment of the obtained welds. The analysis also included determining the possibility of inhibiting the growth of ferrite grains by using elements such as titanium, niobium, and molybdenum, thus improving the strength properties of welds.Organisation of knowledge in the field of the impact on the mechanical properties of ferritic stainless-steel welds and heat treatment processes used before, during, and after welding.Properly selected parameters of the welding process of ferritic stainless steels, especially the amount of heat input, together with appropriate heat treatment parameters, should improve the mechanical properties of ferritic stainless steels.The analysis of the possibility of a wider application of ferritic stainless steels allowed to draw one of the main conclusions stating that the limited possibilities of using ferritic stainless steels in heavy industry are related to their high susceptibility to ferrite grain growth under the influence of high temperature during welding and, consequently, decreases in strength properties of welding joints made of ferritic stainless steels. Additional heat treatment operations are introduced before, during, or after the sapping process to improve their mechanical properties.