Letter 24010

Weld contamination with grinding media [New Jersey] 

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Hi, our company is recently manufacturing Inconel 625 tubes that later will be TIG welded with the end fittings. Due to pretty tight tolerances on tube end squareness and perpendicularity, we grind the ends using surface finishing wheels. The concern is aluminum oxide contamination of tube edge resulted from grinding. Will it significantly effect the future weld? If yes, is it safer to use silicon carbide or another type of abrasive?

Thank you,

Ed Voychuk
tubing assemblies mfgr. - Elmwood Park, New Jersey, USA

If you have any concerns regarding alum oxide cross contamination, then don't do it. A lot depends on the amount of material to be removed, the pressure used to remove that material and the actual tool/ grinding wheel. Silicon carbide is normally recommended for materials to be welded.

AF Kenton Nova Finishing Systems Inc. Huntingdon Valley, PA

It absolutely will effect the weld as the puddle temp is high enough to vaporize the Al O. Electron beam welds looked terrible under magnification in the met lab. Use silicon carbide with no problem that I am aware of.

James Watts
- FL

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