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Q. Why, when two pieces of metal are welded together, is it stronger than the original metal? (Submitted by: T. Royal from White Springs, FL )
A. Sometimes the welded area isn't stronger than the base metal. It depends on the type of filler material used. There are a number of filler metals that are compatible with a specific base metal. The type of filler to choose depends on the application. For the most part however, you are correct in saying the welded area is stronger if all things are done right. This is because the welded area has been subjected to intense heat that hardens the metal in that area. Too hard is bad also. This can happen from selecting the wrong filler and getting a joint too strong in strength and not elastic enough for flexibility. Their has to be a happy medium. With our race cars, we need strength and flex at the joint in case of a crash. The weld must hold without tearing the base metal or cracking in itself.
A. Sometimes the welded area isn't stronger than the base metal. It depends on the type of filler material used. There are a number of filler metals that are compatible with a specific base metal. The type of filler to choose depends on the application. For the most part however, you are correct in saying the welded area is stronger if all things are done right. This is because the welded area has been subjected to intense heat that hardens the metal in that area. Too hard is bad also. This can happen from selecting the wrong filler and getting a joint too strong in strength and not elastic enough for flexibility. Their has to be a happy medium. With our race cars, we need strength and flex at the joint in case of a crash. The weld must hold without tearing the base metal or cracking in itself.