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KVA Technology - Welding

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Martensitic Stainless Steel can now be used in a wide variety of structural applications with significant performance and cost benefits.

KVA patented weld processing technology has overcome the conventional limitations of high speed welding air-hardenable martensitic stainless steels.

Previous production difficulties, such as cold-cracking of the heat affected zone under mechanical straining and forming, have been eliminated. The result is that high strength martensitic stainless steels can now be used in a wide variety of structural applications, with significant performance and cost benefits.

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  • KVA Weld Processing Solutions

    Realizing the potential of utilizing martensitic stainless steels in structural components and assemblies, KVA has developed novel welding and in-line cooling control methods to use these existing materials in exciting new applications. These technologies are the result of decades of metallurgical and thermal processing R&D and know-how by KVA founder, Mr. Ed McCrink, and development staff. KVA's proprietary, simple to implement methods have overcome conventional difficulties, without resorting to lower-carbon, lower strength alloys and enables the production of ductile, tough and reliable weldments in low-cost MSS.

  • Key advantages of KVA weld processing technology:

    • Improved ductility
    • Enhanced toughness
    • Eliminates cracking
    • In-line process
    • Enables high-speed welding of high-carbon alloys
    • Compatible with all welding methods (GTAW, GMAW, plasma, laser, HF, resistance...)

  • Ideal applications for KVA weld processing technology include:

    • Tubing Solutions
    • Structures
    • Automotive components
    • Bicycles
    • Heat exchangers
    • Renewable Energy
    • Transport, Gas and Oil Production/Pipelines

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As Figure 1 shows, KVA processed MSS exhibits a more uniform weld metal microstructure with less chromium carbide dispersion and segregation. Additionally, after a quench and temper heat treatment, a uniform, homogenous microstructure is obtained in the weld, HAZ and base metal, functionally equivalent to a seamless joint.

It is important to note that KVA seam-weld technology effectively reduces the hardness of the weld, in both the fusion zone and the HAZ. This reduction in hardness, and associated improvements in ductility, toughness and formability, allows air-hardenable MSS to be used in welded applications historically considered impractical. In addition, KVA seam-weld technology does not limit the part from fully transforming into a homogenous, uniform microstructure after a solution heat-treatment. The base metal, HAZ and fusion zone all reach uniform properties after hardening, yielding new possibilities for market participants to now utilize this material.

KVA weld processing can replace lengthly pre-and-post weld heat treatments, expensive weld filler metals, and be used to make welded MSS perform as well or better than exotic titanium alloys.