AWS D10.18M/D10.

18:2008
An American National Standard

Guide for Welding

Ferritic/Austenitic
Duplex Stainless
Steel Piping and
Tubing
 AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008
An American National Standard

Approved by the
American National Standards Institute
January 23, 2008

Guide for Welding

Ferritic/Austenitic Duplex
Stainless Steel Piping and Tubing

1st Edition

Prepared by the
American Welding Society (AWS) D10 Committee on Piping and Tubing

Under the Direction of the

AWS Technical Activities Committee

Approved by the
AWS Board of Directors

Abstract
This standard presents a detailed discussion of the metallurgical and welding characteristics and weldability of duplex
stainless steel used in piping and tubing. A number of tables and graphs are presented in order to illustrate the text.

550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126

 AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008

Foreword
This foreword is not part of AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008, Guide for Welding Ferritic/Austenitic
Duplex Stainless Steel Piping and Tubing, but is included for informational purposes only.

This guide is intended to provide information which may be used to avoid, or at least minimize, difficulties in welding
duplex stainless steel piping and tubing. The term pipe used in the text also includes tube.
This first edition of D10.18M/D10.18 is the first document of its kind offering a guide for welding ferritic/austenitic
duplex stainless steel piping and tubing. The duplex stainless steels are finding increased use in industry and the information
contained in this guide will be most useful.
Tables listing specific chemical composition ranges for base metal and weld metal that fall under the jurisdiction of
other codes or documents have been omitted. Where helpful, however, comparison data is presented.
Comments and suggestions for the improvement of this standard are welcome. They should be sent to the Secretary,
AWS D10 Committee on Piping and Tubing, American Welding Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126.

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 AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008

Table of Contents
Page No.
Personnel......................................................................................................................................................................v
Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................................vii
List of Tables ...............................................................................................................................................................xi
List of Figures..............................................................................................................................................................xi
1. Scope.....................................................................................................................................................................1
2. Normative References .........................................................................................................................................1
3. Terms and Definitions.........................................................................................................................................1
4. Material Compositions and Specifications........................................................................................................1
4.1 Material Compositions ...............................................................................................................................1
4.2 Specifications .............................................................................................................................................2
5. Basic Metallurgy..................................................................................................................................................3
5.1 Solidification and Ferrite/Austenite Phases................................................................................................3
5.2 Precipitating Phases....................................................................................................................................4
6. Corrosion..............................................................................................................................................................6
7. Joint Design and Fit-Up ......................................................................................................................................6
7.1 General .......................................................................................................................................................6
7.2 Open Root Joints ........................................................................................................................................6
7.3 Consumable Inserts ....................................................................................................................................6
7.4 Autogenous Orbital GTAW .......................................................................................................................7
7.5 Orbital GTAW with Filler Metal Addition ................................................................................................8
8. Filler Metals .........................................................................................................................................................8
9. Welding Processes ...............................................................................................................................................8
9.1 General .......................................................................................................................................................8
9.2 Single Pass Welding Small Diameter Tubing ............................................................................................9
9.3 Root Pass Welding Heavier Walls ...........................................................................................................10
9.4 Fill Welding..............................................................................................................................................10
10. Welding Procedures ..........................................................................................................................................10
10.1 General .....................................................................................................................................................10
10.2 Cleaning Before Welding .........................................................................................................................10
10.3 Preheat ......................................................................................................................................................10
10.4 Interpass Temperature ..............................................................................................................................10
10.5 Heat Input .................................................................................................................................................11
10.6 Purging (Backing) Gas .............................................................................................................................11
10.7 Postweld Heat Treatment .........................................................................................................................11
11. Weldment Quality Verification........................................................................................................................11
11.1 Inspection Method ....................................................................................................................................11
11.2 Visual Inspection ......................................................................................................................................12
11.3 Hydrostatic Testing ..................................................................................................................................12
11.4 Liquid Penetrant Methods ........................................................................................................................12
11.5 Radiography .............................................................................................................................................12

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AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008

Page No.
11.6 Ultrasonic Methods ..................................................................................................................................12
11.7 Acoustic Emission Testing (AET) Methods.............................................................................................12
11.8 Mass Spectrometer Testing Method.........................................................................................................12
11.9 Ferrite Measurement.................................................................................................................................12
11.10 Charpy Impact Test ..................................................................................................................................13
Annex A (Informative)—Guidelines for the Preparation of Technical Inquiries ......................................................15
Annex B (Informative)—Guidelines for Weld Corrosion Testing and Welding Procedure Controls for
Annex B (Informative)—Corrosion Considerations ..................................................................................................17
Annex C (Informative)—Reference Documents........................................................................................................19
List of AWS Documents on Piping and Tubing.........................................................................................................21

x
 AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008

List of Tables
Table Page No.
1 Chemical Composition by Weight Percent of Wrought Lean Duplex Stainless Steels................................2
2 Chemical Composition by Weight Percent of Standard Duplex Stainless Steels.........................................2
3 Chemical Composition by Weight Percent of Super Duplex Stainless Steels .............................................3
4 Chemical Composition by Weight Percent of Cast Duplex Stainless Steels................................................3
5 Welding Filler Metals for Duplex Stainless Steels .......................................................................................9

List of Figures
Figure Page No.
1 Alloy 2205 Plate Showing Elongated Microstructure ..................................................................................4
2 Isothermal Precipitation Diagram for 2205 Duplex Stainless Steel, Annealed at 1050°C [1920°F] ...........5
3 Typical Joint Designs Used with Open Root Designs ..................................................................................7
4 Modified “J” Joint Design ............................................................................................................................8
B.1 Heat Input and Corrosion Resistance..........................................................................................................18

xi
 AWS D10.18M/D10.18:2008

Guide for Welding Ferritic/Austenitic

Duplex Stainless Steel Piping and Tubing

1. Scope visions of this AWS guide. For undated references, the

latest edition of the referenced standard shall apply. For
The ferritic/austenitic duplex stainless steels (DSSs) dis- dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revi-
cussed in this document have proven to be weldable sions of, any of these publications do not apply.
using proper welding procedures. The processes GTAW,
GMAW (includes all transfer modes), SMAW, FCAW, AWS A3.0, Standard Welding Terms and Definitions,
and SAW have all been used with success on these Including Terms for Adhesive Bonding, Brazing, Solder-
alloys. Automatic and mechanized welding such as ing, Thermal Cutting, and Thermal Spraying.1
orbital welding with the GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW
processes have also been used with success on duplex
alloys. Manual welders that have experience with austen- 3. Terms and Definitions
itic stainless steels should be able to apply many of the
Terms used in this document should be interpreted in
techniques they have learned from these alloys to the
accordance with AWS A3.0, Standard Welding Terms
welding of duplex stainless steels, while of course
and Definitions, except for those not defined by that
keeping in mind the exceptions to be noted within this
standard or where these terms require further definition
document.
to clarify their usage in this standard.
This standard makes use of both the International System
orbital welding. Automatic or mechanized welding of
of Units (SI) and U.S. Customary Units. The latter are
tube or pipe in which a welding arc rotates (orbits)
shown within brackets [ ] or in appropriate columns in
around a stationary weld joint.
tables and figures. The measurements may not be
exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used
independently.
4. Material Compositions and
To identify nominal pipe sizes in both SI and U.S.
Customary Units, the following designations are used:
Specifications
4.1 Material Compositions. The duplex stainless steels
(1) DN (Diameter Nominal) is the SI designation, and
(DSSs) have a microstructure of approximately equal
(2) NPS (Nominal Pipe Size) is the U.S. Customary parts of ferrite and austenite, consequently in the welding
designation. and fabrication, the duplex alloys exhibit some charac-
teristics of both ferritic and austenitic stainless steels. As
Safety and health issues and concerns are beyond the
a result, the welding procedures for the duplex alloys
scope of this standard, and therefore are not fully
require different parameters than ferritic or austenitic
addressed herein. Safety and health information is avail-
stainless steels.
able from other sources, including, but not limited to,
ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Attractive features of DSSs include a yield strength
Processes, and applicable federal and state regulations. about double that of the austenitic grades, while main-
taining ductility and toughness approaching that of the
austenitics. DSSs are especially resistant to chloride
2. Normative References
1 AWS standards are published by the American Welding
The following standards contain provisions which,
through reference in this text, constitute mandatory pro- Society, 550 N.W. LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126.