Repair attempts of cold crack on forklift made of C45 steel: Case study

Abstract

This paper describes the attempts of forklift repair, wherein cold cracks initiated due to residual stresses, in order to allow further exploitation. These forks were made of non-alloyed steel with high carbon content, steel C45, which typically requires heat treatment in order to be properly welded. For this reason, the welding technology used for the manufacturing and repairing the equipment in question was carefully analysed in order to determine the cause of cold cracks, after each attempt at repairing. It was determined that the cracks were not the consequence of the welding procedure themselves, but were caused by defects in the base material itself, which were impossible to remove by welding.