Under some conditions of manufacture, austenitic stainless steels exhibit a tendency to hot-crack during fabrication. Hot-cracking has been observed in casting, heating for working, ingot breakdown, hot-rolling, tube-piercing, and other hot-forming operations. It has been particularly troublesome in both the weld and heat-affected zones of welded heavy sections. In view of the reduced yields and economic losses which result from this behavior, there is an important need for a better understanding of factors which control hot-cracking tendencies.