Effects of the Hot Isostatic Pressing Process on Crack Healing of the Laser Repair-Welded CM247LC Superalloy

This study investigated the effects of the hot isostatic pressing process on the crack healing, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the laser repair-welded CM247LC precipitation-hardened superalloy. To ensure the strength of the repair-welded area, this study used the direct re-melting approach, and simulated the repair welding with the filler addition, which has a chemical composition matching that of the base superalloy. As expected, different types of cracks, including the solidification crack in the weld fusion zone and various types of liquidation cracks in the heat-affected zone, were observed. Through a proper hot isostatic pressing healing process, all cracks in the weld fusion zone and the heat-affected zone of the repair-welded pieces were healed. At the same time, some nano- and micro-sized carbides tended to form discontinuously along the healed crack trace. A micro-hardness test was conducted in the repair-welded area, and the results were similar to that of the as-cast material.