Disclosed herein are embodiments of hardfacing/hardbanding materials, alloys, or powder compositions that can have low chromium content or be chromium free. In some embodiments, the alloys can contain transition metal borides and borocarbides with a particular metallic component weight percentage. The disclosed alloys can have high hardness and ASTM G65 performance, making them advantageous for hardfacing/hardbanding applications.

A subject of the invention is a process for surfacing or resurfacing a metal part by laser-assisted deposition of a filler material in order to produce an abradable coating of the part, the process being characterized in that the filler material is an iron-based powder comprising vanadium, chromium, nickel, boron, silicon and carbon, in that the laser has an operational wavelength ranging from 900 nm to 1100 nm and in that it comprises the irradiation of the part by a laser beam such that the specific energy (SE) varies from 5 J/mg to 10 J/mg and such that the linear density (LD) varies from 25 mg/mm to 55 mg/mm. Another subject of the invention is the surfaced or resurfaced metal part. Another subject of the invention is a pre-alloy in iron-based powder form, comprising vanadium, chromium, nickel, boron, silicon and carbon.

A method for producing a component structure from a first component and a second component may involve connecting the first component to the second component by way of a thermal joining process. The component structure has good crash properties, has good vibration resistance, has a lightweight construction, and is produced cost-effectively at least in part because the first component being a steel composite structure comprising a softer layer and a more-rigid layer. The softer layer may have a lower material strength and a higher deformability than the more-rigid layer. A part of a joint zone that is located in the first component may be formed at least partially in the relatively soft layer.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a system and method to weld or join coated materials using an arc welding system alone, or in combination with a hot wire system, where the arc welding system uses a welding current having an AC current portion to build a droplet for transfer to the workpiece. In further embodiments, the workpiece is coated with a material, such as zinc, and the arc welding system uses an AC welding waveform which is capable of welding coated workpieces with little or no porosity or spatter and can achieve enhanced performance. Additional embodiments use an enhanced electrode to provide optimum porosity performance. Such embodiments allow for the welding of coated material with little or no porosity and spatter, and at a high welding rate.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a system and method to weld or join coated materials using an arc welding system alone, or in combination with a hot wire system, where the arc welding system uses a welding current having an AC current portion to build a droplet for transfer to the workpiece. In further embodiments, the workpiece is coated with a material, such as zinc, and the arc welding system uses an AC welding waveform which is capable of welding coated workpieces with little or no porosity or spatter and can achieve enhanced performance. Additional embodiments use an enhanced electrode to provide optimum porosity performance. Such embodiments allow for the welding of coated material with little or no porosity and spatter, and at a high welding rate.

Compositions for Chromium-free hardfacing welding consumables are provided that include between approximately 0.3% and approximately 1.5% Carbon, between approximately 0.2% and approximately 2.5% Manganese, between approximately 0.3% and approximately 1.3% Silicon, between approximately 1.3% and approximately 5.5% Boron, between approximately 1.0% and approximately 4.0% Nickel, between approximately 1.0% and approximately 6.0% of at least one of Titanium and Niobium, and between approximately 0.1% and approximately 2.0% Tungsten and/or Molybdenum. Additional welding consumable compositions and weld deposit compositions are also provided to provide hardfacing materials with little or no Chromium content.

A gas-shielded arc welding method includes feeding a consumable electrode via a welding torch and performing welding while flowing a shielding gas. The welding torch includes a nozzle. An inner diameter of the nozzle is 15 mm or more. A nozzle-base material distance between a tip of the nozzle and a material to be welded is 22 mm or less. A ratio expressed by (the inner diameter of the nozzle/the nozzle-base material distance) is 0.7 or more and 1.9 or less.

Systems and methods for low-manganese welding alloys are disclosed. An example arc welding consumable that forms a weld deposit on a steel workpiece during an arc welding operation, wherein the welding consumable comprises: less than 0.4 wt % manganese; strengthening agents selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper, carbon, molybdenum, chromium, vanadium, silicon, and boron; and grain control agents selected from the group consisting of niobium, tantalum, titanium, zirconium, and boron, wherein the grain control agents comprise greater than 0.06 wt % and less than 0.6 wt % of the welding consumable, wherein the weld deposit comprises a tensile strength greater than or equal to 70 ksi, a yield strength greater than or equal to 58 ksi, a ductility, as measured by percent elongation, that is at least 22%, and a Charpy V-notch toughness greater than or equal to 20 ft-lbs at ?20? F., and wherein the welding consumable provides a manganese fume generation rate less than 0.01 grams per minute during the arc welding operation.

The present invention is a weld metal formed by gas shielded arc welding using a flux cored wire, the welded metal having a predetermined chemical composition, residual austenite particles being present in an amount of at least 2500 particles/mm.sup.2, and the volume fraction of residual austenite particles being at least 4.0%.

Systems and methods for low-manganese welding alloys are disclosed. An example arc welding consumable may comprise: between 0.4 and 1.0 wt % manganese; strengthening agents selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper, carbon, molybdenum, chromium, vanadium, silicon, and boron; and grain control agents selected from the group consisting of niobium, tantalum, titanium, zirconium, and boron. The grain control agents may comprise greater than 0.06 wt % and less than 0.6 wt % of the welding consumable. The resulting weld deposit may comprise a tensile strength greater than or equal to 70 ksi, a yield strength greater than or equal to 58 ksi, a ductility (as measured by percent elongation) of at least 22%, and a Charpy V-notch toughness greater than or equal to 20 ft-lbs at 20 F. The welding consumable may provide a manganese fume generation rate less than 0.01 grams per minute during the arc welding operation.