Post-weld heat treatment is a procedure for controlled heating and cooling after welding, primarily to relieve internal stresses, provide a reduction in hardness, and improve the mechanical properties of a welded metal. It leads to improved robustness and performance of the welded metal.

Key Features:

• Stress Relief: Post-weld heat treatment reduces residual stresses, which are formed during the welding process, to prevent cracking or distortion of the welded assembly.
• Enhanced Toughness: Post-weld heat treatment increases the degree of ductility and toughness of the weld joint, as well as provides an improved resistance to impact and fatigue.
• Improved Metallurgical Stability: Post-weld heat treatment contributes to better refinement of the microstructure while having a reduced brittleness and enhanced long-term reliability in applications such as pressure vessels and pipelines.

Post-weld heat treatment is critical for many industries, such as oil & gas, power generation, and civil construction, and in particular in applications with welded components that are required to withstand either high pressure or high temperature and cyclic loading. It is critical from a perspective of safety, component life, and engineering conformance that post-weld heat treatment is properly completed. With ongoing advances in materials and welding techniques, post-weld heat treatment will continue to play a crucial role in developing strong, stable, and defect-free welds and integrated application systems for critical applications.