Short-Arc Root Weld, 3mm Thick Butt Joint, Base Material S420MC
Submitter's Comments on the Structure:
The present micrograph shows a short-arc root weld on a 3mm thick butt joint made from the base material S420MC. The fine-grained structure of the base material, as well as the heat-affected zone (HAZ) formed during welding, can be clearly identified. The weld metal exhibits a cast structure typical for this process.
The specimen preparation was carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the Struers data sheet 1925.
Between each processing step, the specimen was cleaned using the Struers Lavamin. Multifast was used as the mounting compound. All polishing operations were performed with the Tegramin system. Finally, the specimen was etched with 1% Nital for 45 seconds.
Short form: A short arc root weld on 3mm S420MC captured in detail: base material, HAZ, and weld metal structure clearly visible. Prepared step by step according to Struers standards and finished with a 1% Nital etch.
1% Nital for 30 seconds
Mag. 1000 X
Preparation Equipment We Recommend to Achieve This Surface:
Discotom-100/-10
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CitoPress-5
A single cylinder mounting press.
Tegramin
- Semi-automatic all-purpose grinding and polishing machine
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Tegramin’s compact design, integrated specimen mover, automated process control, and user-friendly operation make it a reliable, all-purpose grinding and polishing solution that delivers highly reproducible results and better process standardization. Extremely efficient, accurate, and versatile, it is ideal for labs that prepare different materials and need to adjust parameters often. Everything is designed to utilize the preparation surface area, making your consumables last longer.
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Submitted by: Martin Willinger, Austria
Martin Willinger is an Arc Welding Specialist in Research & Development at Fronius International GmbH. 
He is also a lecturer in Joining and Welding Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Campus Wels, and an IIW-approved lecturer for IWS, IWT and IWE qualification programmes. In addition, Martin works as a speaker and trainer, sharing his expertise in welding technology.
Consumables We Recommend to Achieve This Preparation Result:
We Recommend This Preparation Method:
Ferrous Metals hard (D)
Explore the metallography method our application specialists recommend for this type of material.