In this study, we systematically evaluated the microstructure, precipitation behavior, and mechanical properties of dissimilar welds between wrought and additively manufactured(AM) 17-4PH stainless steels, focusing on the AM base-metal conditions (sol...
In this study, we systematically evaluated the microstructure, precipitation behavior, and mechanical properties of dissimilar welds between wrought and additively manufactured(AM) 17-4PH stainless steels, focusing on the AM base-metal conditions (solution-treated vs. solution-treated and aged). In the as-welded condition, the weld metal showed no macroscopic defects, but differences in thermal-history caused microstructural and hardness variations within the Heat-Affected Zone(HAZ). The precipitation response in HAZ depended on the AM base-metal heat treatment condition. Pre-aged AM material exhibited suppressed welding-induced precipitation due to pre-existing Cu-rich precipitates(CRP). TEM analysis showed that pre-aged wrought-AM dissimilar welds contained fine BCC-CRPs in the wrought-ICHAZ, whereas the AM-ICHAZ showed fine B2-CRPs and coarse detwinned 9R-CRPs. This indicates that pre-existing CRP in the AM base metal is a key factor responsible for the reduced precipitation during welding. Post-weld heat treatment(PWHT) at 550 ℃ promoted sufficient Cu diffusion in welds made with the solution treated AM base metal, effectively suppressing development of softening region. Consequently, the hardness mismatch between the wrought and AM-HAZ was minimized, leading to the highest tensile properties. In contrast, at 480 ℃, a softened region appeared near the ICHAZ and became the fracture site during deformation. The softening resulted from low dislocation density and localized precipitation in as-welded state, while PWHT further delayed new CRP precipitation and promoted pre-existing CRP coarsening due to slow Cu diffusion. TEM analysis and strengthening-mechanism estimations demonstrated that these microstructural changes led to softening and early failure. In summary, achieving reliable mechanical performance in wrought–AM 17-4PH dissimilar welds require optimizing both the AM base-metal heat treatment and post-weld heat-treatment temperature to control precipitation and prevent softening. This work clarifies the microstructural stability and precipitation mechanism of 17-4PH wrought–AM dissimilar welds, providing design insights for improving structural reliability under high loads.