← Glossary
Carbide network
A continuous network of brittle carbides along grain boundaries formed during overly slow cooling. It drastically embrittles the component and promotes premature intergranular failure.
If the material cools too slowly, a network of brittle carbides can form at the grain boundaries. That makes the weld hard and prone to cracking, and toughness goes out the window. So you have to ensure rapid cooling to prevent this structure from forming in the first place. Once the network is there, you basically have a brittle fracture hotspot in the weld.
MetallurgieSchweißtechnik