Radiographic Interpretation Radiographic Interpretation Radiographic Interpretation Radiographic Interpretation

Radiographic Interpretation
Weld Defects
C
Course reference
f WIS 20
Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Faults in Fusion Welds
Defects which may be detected by visual inspection
can be g
grouped
p under the following g headings
g
 Cracks  Lack of fusion
 Solid inclusions  Mechanical damage
 Surface and profiles  Parent material damage
 Misalignment
Mi li t ((set-up
t  Miscellaneous
Mi ll
g )
irregularities)
 Gas pores and porosity

Cracks

Cracks
Cracks that may occur in welded materials are caused
generally by many factors and may be classified by
shape and position, cracks are classed as planar.
Classified b
by Shape Classified by Position
 Longitudinal
g  HAZ
 Transverse  Centreline
 Branched  Crater
 Chevron  Fusion zone

 Parent metal

Process Cracks
Hydrogen induced cold cracking

(HICC)
Solidification cracking
g ((Hot Tearing)
g)
Lamellar
Lamellar tearing
Re heat cracking

Cracks
Longitudinal parent metal crack Transverse weld metal crack
Longitudinal weld metal crack Lamellar tearing

Transverse crack Longitudinal crack
Inclusions

Gas Cavities
Gas pore <1.5mm Blow hole.>1.6mm
Gas pore Cluster porosity
 Loss of gas shield
 Damp electrodes
 Contamination
Blow hole
Herringbone porosity  Arc length too large
 Damaged electrode flux
 Moisture on parent material
 Welding
W ldi currentt ttoo low
l
Root piping
Gas Cavities
Porosity
R t piping
Root i i
Cluster porosity Herringbone porosity
Solid Inclusions
Slag inclusions are defined as a non-metallic inclusion
caused by some welding process
 Slag originates from welding
flux
 MAG and TIG welding
process p
p produce silica
Slag inclusions Lack of sidewall inclusions
fusion with
associated slag
 Slag is caused by
inadequate cleaning
 Oth
Other inclusions
i l i iinclude
l d
tungsten and copper
inclusions from the TIG and
Parallel slag lines Lack of interun
fusion + slag MAG welding process
Interpass slag inclusions Elongated slag lines
Lack of Fusion

Lack of Fusion
 Poor welder skill

 Incorrect electrode
manipulation
Incomplete filled groove
+ Lack of sidewall fusion  Arc blow
 Incorrect welding
1 current/voltage
2
 Incorrect travel speed
1. Lack of sidewall fusion  Incorrect inter-run cleaning
2 Lack of inter-run
2. inter run fusion

Overlap
An imperfection at the toe or root of a weld caused by
metal flowing on to the surface of the parent metal
without fusing to it
 Contamination
 Slow
Sl ttravell speed
d
 Incorrect welding technique
 Current too low

Overlap
Toe Overlap
Butt weld
Toe Overlap p
Fillet weld

Weld Root Defects
 Low Amps/volts
 Large Root face
 Small Root Gap

Incomplete root fusion
 Fast Travel Speed
 Incorrect
I t Electrode
El t d Angle
A l
 Contamination
Incomplete root penetration
 Arc blow

Weld Root Defects
Lack of root fusion Lack of root Penetration

Lack of root penetration Lack of root fusion
Surface & Profile

Weld Profile Defects
Incomplete
p filled groove
g Poor cap
p profile
p
Poor cap profiles and excessive

cap reinforcements
i f may lead
l d to
stress concentration points at
the weld toes and will also
contribute to overall poor toe
blend Excessive cap height

Excess cap reinforcement Incomplete filled groove
Weld Profile Defects
Poor stop/starts
p

Miscellaneous Defects

 Excessive current
 Damp electrodes
 Contamination
Spatter
 Incorrect wire feed speed
when welding with the MAG
welding process
 Arc blow

 Accidental striking of the arc

onto the p
parent material
 Faulty electrode holder
 Poor cable insulation
 Poor return lead clamping
A strike
Arc ik

Cap & Root Undercut
An irregular groove at the toe of a weld run in the
parent metal
p
 Excessive amps/volts
 Excessive travel speed
 Incorrect electrode angle
 Excessive weaving
 Incorrect welding technique
 Electrode too large

Cap Undercut
Intermittent Cap
C Undercut
Root undercut Cap undercut
Copyright©©2003
Copyright 2004TWI
WI Ltd
Ltd M.S.Rogers
M.S.Rogers
Weld Root Defect
A shallow groove caused by contraction in the weld

metal
t l along
l each
h side
id off th
the penetration
t ti b bead
d
 Insufficient weld metal

deposited in the root pass
 T
Too fast
f t a cooling
li rate
t during
d i
the application of the root
bead pass
Shrinkage groove  Poor welding technique

Weld Root Defect
A shallow groove, which may occur in the root of a butt weld
 Root faces too large
 Root gap too large
 E
Excessive
i bbackk purge pressure
during TIG welding
Concave root  Excessive root bead grinding
before the application of the
second pass

Weld Root Defect
Concave Root

Weld Root Defect
Root p
penetration bead in excess in accordance with the
relevant specification being used
 Root faces too small
 Root gap too large
 Excessive amps/volts
Excessive root penetration  Slow travel speed

Weld Root Defect
Excessive
E i roott
penetration

Concave root Excess root penetration
Copyright©©2003
Copyright 2004TWI
WI Ltd
Ltd M.S.Rogers
M.S.Rogers
Weld Root Defect
A localized collapse of the weld pool due to excessive
penetration resulting in a hole in the root run
 High Amps/volts
/
 Small Root face
 Large Root Gap
 Slow Travel Speed

Burn through

Weld Root Defect
Burn
Through
Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd

Burn through M.S.Rogers
Oxidized Root (Root Coking)
 Loss or insufficient back

purging gas
 Most commonly occurs

when welding stainless
steels
 Purging gases include

argon, helium and
occasionally nitrogen

Crater Pipe
Weld
e d crater
c ate
Crater pipe

Crater Pipe
Crater pipe is a shrinkage defect and not a gas defect, it
has the appearance of a gas pore in the weld crater
Crater cracks  Too fast a cooling rate

(Star cracks)
 Deoxidization
Deo idi ation
reactions and liquid to
solid volume change
 Contamination
Crater pipe

Mechanical Damage

Mechanical Damage
Mechanical damage can be defined as any surface material
damage cause during the manufacturing process.
This can included damage caused by:
 Grinding
 Hammering
 Chiselling
 Chipping
 Breaking off welded attachments (torn surfaces)
 Using needle guns to compress weld capping runs

Set--up Irregularities
Set

Unequal Leg Lengths
A variation of leg lengths on a fillet weld
Note: Unequal leg lengths on a fillet weld may be specified

as part of the design, in which case it will not be
considered as a defect.

Set
Linear misalignment is
measured from the lowest
plate to the highest point.
Plate/pipe Linear Misalignment

(
(Hi-Lo)
)
Angular misalignment is
measured in degrees
Angular
g Misalignment
g

Set
Linear Misalignment
Set
Linear Misalignment

A yQ
Any Questions
i

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Radiographic Interpretation

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Cracks  Lack of fusion

 Solid inclusions  Mechanical damage

 Surface and profiles  Parent material damage

 Gas pores and porosity

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Chevron  Fusion zone

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Hydrogen induced cold cracking

Re heat cracking

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Longitudinal parent metal crack Transverse weld metal crack

Longitudinal weld metal crack Lamellar tearing

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Damaged electrode flux

 Moisture on parent material

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Poor welder skill

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Incorrect welding technique

 Current too low

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Large Root face

 Small Root Gap

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Lack of root fusion Lack of root Penetration

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Poor cap profiles and excessive

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Accidental striking of the arc

 Faulty electrode holder

 Poor cable insulation

 Poor return lead clamping

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Excessive travel speed

 Incorrect electrode angle

 Incorrect welding technique

 Electrode too large

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

A shallow groove caused by contraction in the weld

 Insufficient weld metal

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Root faces too large

 Root gap too large

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Root faces too small

 Root gap too large

Excessive root penetration  Slow travel speed

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers

 Small Root face

 Large Root Gap

 Slow Travel Speed

Copyright © 2004 WI Ltd M.S.Rogers