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22 possible causes of weld metal porosity

Home \ Arc Welding \ Articles \ 22 possible causes of weld metal porosity Take a look at gas f low, material conditions, and consumables to prevent this def ect By Phil Evans November 1, 2010 Porosity is a weld def ect that is f airly common, but also f airly easy to f ix. What issues contribute to weld porosity? T his checklist gives a welder a good idea of what might be causing the problem. Figure 1 Round holes in the weld bead are a sign of a def ect called weld metal porosity. Photo courtesy of Bernard. Weld metal porosity is not a welcome sight in a weld bead, but it shows up all too of ten. Porosity is weld metal contamination in the f orm of a trapped gas. Shielding gases or gases released as a result of the torch being applied to treated metal are absorbed into the molten metal and released as solidif ication takes place. In other instances, the shielding gas doesnt completely reach the weld pool and the atmospheric air adversely af f ects the weld bead. Evidence of porosity comes in the shape of rounded holes, called spherical porosity (see Figure 1). If the holes are elongated, the def ect might be called wormholes or piping. Because porosity has acceptable levels, it is inf requently considered a serious def ect. However, depending on the welding code or standard, porosity might be cause f or a weld reject. Luckily, porosity is a def ect that has an approximate 90 percent prevention rate. With a f ew tips f or identif ying possible causes of the porosity, a welder quickly can turn reject parts into weldments that are acceptable under most welding codes.

Possible Porosity-related Problems

From most common to least, lets look at some of the causes of porosity in welds: 1. T he cylinder is out of gas. T his happens quite of ten. 2. Air or a draft of some kind disturbs the delivery of the shielding gas during the welding process. Overhead or f loor f ans even as f ar as 25 f eet away can wreak havoc on the gas delivery. Welders also need to be aware of open doors and air being discharged f rom machinery. T hese draf ts, if more than 4 to 5 miles per hour, can af f ect shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and f lux-cored arc welding (FCAW) operations. 3. T he presence of moisture can lead to problems. It might be simple water or morning dew, but also could be condensation f rom welding on heavy plate and lap joints, which might occur particularly when temperatures reach below 50 degrees F. T he easy f ix is to preheat the metal to 200 to 220 degrees F to evaporate the moisture. 4. Plugged or restricted gas metal arc welding (GMAW) gun nozzlestypically f rom weld spatter

impede the delivery of shielding gas. To rectif y this obstacle, the welder needs to look at the nozzle opening bef ore starting a weld. T his double-check might prevent weld spatter f rom f alling into the weld. 5. T he weld nozzle is held too far away f rom the weld puddle. T he volume of shielding gas reaching the weld is diminished, and dilution of the shielding gas with the atmosphere severely af f ects the weld. 6. T he GMAW gun is laid at an angle that will spread the gas f low out and actually suck in the atmosphere f rom the back side, opposite the nozzle direction. A 5- to 15-degree angle, perpendicular to the joint, is an acceptable angle f or f orehand or backhand methods with GMAW or FCAW guns and SMAW electrodes. 7. Paint, grease, oil, glue, and sweat release large volumes of gas when exposed to arc welding temperatures. T his is especially true with solid-wire GMAW and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), but FCAW and SMAW processes are vulnerable as well. T he f lux makeup was not designed to handle such contamination. 8. When mill scale and rust are welded over, decomposition gases are f ormed, and oxidation begins, which can involve the presence of moisture. T he strong possibility of cold lapping and lack of f usion at the weld toe also exists. When a metal oxidizes, it is no longer truly a metal and cant be expected to respond to welding the same as a metal, especially when welding f lux is not used. 9. Plating compounds with zinc, such as in the galvanization process, can create a problem. Z inc melts at approximately 420 degrees F. At welding temperatures f ar in excess of 2,000 degrees F, zinc changes f rom a solid to a gas in a f raction of a second. Also, zinc dust is a byproduct of the welding process. T he release of both gases and dust make welding galvanized metal an unpleasant experience. (In an ef f ort to prevent letters and calls of protest, let me say electrodes and welding procedures have been developed to weld galvanized material successf ully. However, training and lots of practice are absolutely necessary to overcome the presence of all that trapped gas.) 10. SMAW electrodes, FCAW electrodes, and submerged arc welding (SAW) flux absorb moisture in an unprotected environment. To address moisture in the welding process, codes are pretty clear about the use of dryers and ovens to store these materials. SAW f lux in particular is like a sponge. Once the container is opened, the welder should store the package according to the manuf acturers directions. 11. T he gas flow is too high. Gas f low of 50 to 60 cubic f eet per hour (CFH) at the GMAW nozzle and 20 to 30 CFH at the GTAW torch should be plenty. If not, ask why. Wide-open gas f low at the nozzle actually creates turbulence and can pull outside air into the weld zone. Additionally, its a terrible waste of gas and adds unnecessary cost to the project. T he only exception might be if the shielding gas contains more than 50 percent helium. 12. A pinched or smashed gas hose doesnt deliver the shielding gas properly. If the gas hose is more than 20 f t. long, the possibility of it kinking is pretty good. 13. Improper use of antispatter compounds, sprays, or gels can be a major contributor to porosity. When used in excess, the antispatter material becomes a contaminant, boiling into a gas when exposed to the high temperatures of the welding arc. Also, jamming the GMAW gun into a container of antispatter gel can result in the gel dripping back into the weld puddle. An operator should use the anti- spatter material properly or not at all. 14. Weld filler metals contaminated with paint, grease, oil, tape, and glue can release gases when exposed to the very hot welding arc. Even dirty gloves used during GTAW can contaminate the consumables. Cleaning solid wire and f lux-cored wire with wire wipes and GTAW f illers with steel wool is a good idea. 15. Contaminated GMAW gun liners can introduce unwanted elements to the weld pool. All the grease, oil, dust, and dirt f ound in the shop environment collects on the wire and ends up in the guns whip liner. Stainless steel and high-nickel-alloy wires are especially susceptible to attracting these contaminants.

16. GMAW right on the edge of an outside corner joint might create problems given the awkward position of the nozzle. T he nozzle of ten does not cover the joint properly, causes turbulence, and draws in outside air into the weld joint. 17. If the weld joint is open at the root, it will suck in air f rom the back side. Unprotected liquid metal can absorb air easily. 18. T he welding gas itself could be contaminated. If the welding gas is a suspect, the shop needs the gas supplier to certif y that the gas has the correct dew point. 19. A contaminated gas hose could be a culprit, in particular, hoses that have been used f or other activities prior to being used in a welding application. In one real-world example, a hose was grabbed f rom a storeroom to repair a cut hose that was attached to the wire f eeder. Unf ortunately, a bug had built a nest in the hose while it was sitting undisturbed in the storeroom. In another example, an air hose that was previously used as an air line f or a tool on a line with an oil lube system on it was quickly connected to welding equipment only to f ind out later that the hose was f ull of air tool oil. 20. Damaged O-ring seals on the GMAW gun whip where it plugs into the wire f eeder or the GTAW torch cap where it screws into the torch could introduce unwanted air into the welding process. 21. Cut or burnt hose anywhere f rom the regulator f lowmeter to the connection at the f eeder could create issues. 22. A defective gas solenoid at the wire f eeder or the GTAW machine is a possible contributor to conditions that create porosity.

Looking at the Welding Procedure

From a procedural point of view, a welder should keep these two scenarios in mind: When beginning a weld in a tight corner, an operator will need more than the little burst of shielding gas than is released at the start of the weld. T hat little burst is seldom enough to purge out the corner pocket bef ore the weld puddle starts. T he purge of the gas line af ter a break or lunch period of ten results in a shield gas-f ree start. T he welder should pull the trigger f or a second or two, cut of f the wire, and go. Welders working with high-strength, low-alloy steels, such as A514, A588, and A709, should be aware of porosity caused by the release of hydrogen. T hat gas gets trapped in the steel during solidif ication and can lead to hydrogen-induced cracking. T hese cracks develop as time goes on, and catastrophic f ailure occurs when metal f atigue reaches a certain level. Obviously, all of the 22 possible causes of weld metal porosity wont apply when it comes to def ect investigation. However, it might make sense to take steps to address the most common possible causes. Checking f or system leaks is easy. At the start of the day, the welder should open the cylinder handwheel, pressurize the system f or 15 to 20 seconds, turn the cylinder of f , and watch the regulator dial. If the dial stays put, the welder is ready to ignite the arc. If it starts to coast down in approximately one or two minutes, a leak is present somewhere, and the welder needs to f ind it. Another thing worth mentioning is that the type or position of the porosity is of ten a key to what is causing it. A copy of AWS B1.11, Guide f or the Visual Examination of Welds, explains in detail what the probable cause is f or the porosity.