Visual Inspection

Welds
 Terminology
Butt Joints
• Square Edged, Open and Closed

• Single Vee, Butt and Bevel

• Double Vee, Butt and Bevel

 Terminology
Fillet Joints
• Tee • Lap

• Corner
 Terminology
Butt Weld Features
10

7 8
9
2
1

5 3 4

6
 Terminology
Fillet Weld Features

10
4

9
7
2 5

3 8
1

6
 Visual Inspection Procedures
• What is the nature of the product?
• What operating conditions will be
present?
• What is the quality of welding required?
• Is there a code or standard available to
inspect the welds against
 Welding Checklist
Before Welding Commences

• Documentation
• Materials
• Weld preparations
• Fit up for welding
• Welding equipment
 Welding Checklist
During Welding
• Correct parameters
• WPS at the work place
• Inter run cleanliness and quality
• Interpass temperature
• Consumable control
• Maintenance of preheat
• Process control NDE regime
• Weld records and maintenance of weld maps
 Welding Checklist
Welding Completion
• Visual inspection and records
• NDE
• PWHT
• Final testing
• Cleaning, painting, preservation, packing
• Final documentation
 How Do I Carry Out a Visual
Inspection?
• What is the nature of the product?
• What operating conditions will be
present?
• What is the quality of welding required?
• Is there a code or standard available to
inspect the welds against
 Features to Consider
Butt welds - Size
Weld cap width

Excess weld
metal height

Root penetration
Root bead width
 Features to Consider
Fillet welds - Size

Minimum design
Minimum and throat thickness
maximum leg
length size
 Features to Consider
Butt welds - Profile
 Features to Consider
Fillet welds - Size
 Features to Consider
Butt welds - Toe Blend
 Features to Consider
Fillet welds - Toe Blend
 Features to Consider
Butt welds - Weld Width
 Welding Defects
• Incomplete root penetration
 Welding Defects
• Root concavity
 Welding Defects
• Lack of fusion
 Welding Defects
• Undercut

Causes
• Excessive welding current
• Welding speed too high
• Incorrect electrode angle
• Excessive weave
• Electrode too large
 Welding Defects
• Incompletely Filled Groove

Causes
• Insufficient weld metal deposited
• Improper welding technique
 Welding Defects
• Burn Through

Causes
• Excessive amperage during welding of root
• Excessive root grinding
• Improper welding technique
 A Weld : Definitions
• A union between • A continuous defect
pieces of metal at surrounded by
faces rendered parent material
plastic or liquid by
NASA
heat,pressure or
both.
BS 499
 Welds
• An ideal weld must give a strong bond
between materials with the interfaces
disappearing
To achieve this
• Smooth,flat or matching surfaces
• Surfaces shall be free from contaminants
• Metals shall be free from impurities
• Metals shall have identical crystalline
structures
 Welding
• A union between pieces of metal at faces
rendered plastic or liquid by heat,pressure or
both.
BS 499
Possible energy sources
• Ultrasonics
• Electron beam
• Friction
• Electric resistance
• Electric arc
 Electric Arc Welding

Electrod
e
Power
supply

Work piece

Clamp(Earth)
 Electric Arc Welding
• Electric discharge produced between cathode and
anode by a potential difference (40 to 60 volts)

• Discharge ionises air and produces -ve electrons and

+ve ions

• Electrons impact upon anode, ions upon cathode

• Impact of particles converts kinetic energy to heat

(7000o C) and light

• Amperage controls number of ions and electrons,

Voltage controls their velocity
 Electric Arc Welding
Arc Welding Processes
• Manual metal arc
• Tungsten Inert Gas
• Metal Inert Gas
• Submerged Arc

Differences between them

• Methods of shielding the arc
• Consumable or Non-consumable electrode
• Degree of automation
 Zones in Fusion Welds
• Fusion Zone
• Heat Affected Zone
• Parent Material or Base Metal
 Joint Design
Butt Weld

Corner Lap
Joint Joint

Edge T Joint
Weld
 Manual Metal Arc (MMA)
Consumable
electrode

Flux coating
Arc
Evolved gas
shield
Core wire
Slag
Weld metal
Parent metal
 Manual Metal Arc Welding
• Shielding provided by Welder controls
decomposition of flux • Arc length
covering • Angle of electrode
• Electrode consumable • Speed of travel
• Manual process • Amperage settings
 Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)
Gas nozzle

Filler wire

Non-consumable
tungsten
electrode
Arc Gas shield

Weld metal
Parent metal
 Metal Inert Gas (MIG)
Gas nozzle Reel feed

Consumable
electrode(filler wire)

Gas shield
Arc
Weld metal
Parent metal
 Submerged Arc
Reel feed

Flux
retrieval Consumable
electrode

Flux feed

Slag

Weld metal
Parent metal
 Electroslag
Filler wire

Water cooled
copper shoes

Molten flux

Weld metal
 Welding Defects
Cracks
4 Crack Types
• Solidification cracks
• Hydrogen induced cracks
• Lamellar tearing
• Reheat cracks
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Classified by Shape Classified by Position
• Longitudinal • HAZ
• Transverse • Centreline
• Branched • Crater
• Chevron • Fusion zone
• Parent metal
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Solidification
• Occurs during weld solidification process
• Steels with high sulphur content (low
ductility at elevated temperature)
• Requires high tensile stress
• Occur longitudinally down centre of weld
• eg Crater cracking
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Hydrogen Induced
• Requires susceptible grain structure, stress
and hydrogen
• Hydrogen enters via welding arc
• Hydrogen source - atmosphere or
contamination of preparation or electrode
• Moisture diffuses out into parent metal on
cooling
• Most likely in HAZ
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Lamellar Tearing
• Step like appearance
• Occurs in parent material or HAZ
• Only in rolled direction of the parent material
• Associated with restrained joints subjected to
through thickness stresses on corners, tees
and fillets
• Requires high sulphur or non-metallic
inclusions
 Welding Defects
Cracks
Re-Heat Cracking
• Occurs mainly in HAZ of low alloy steels
during post weld heat treatment or service at
elevated temperatures
• Occurs in areas of high stress and existing
defects
• Prevented by toe grinding, elimination of poor
profile material selection and controlled post
weld heat treatment
 Welding Defects
• Incomplete root penetration

Causes
• Too large or small a root gap
• Arc too long
• Wrong polarity
• Electrode too large for joint preparation
• Incorrect electrode angle
• Too fast a speed of travel for current
 Welding Defects
• Root concavity

Causes
• Root gap too large
• Insufficient arc energy
• Excessive back purge (TIG)
 Welding Defects
• Lack of fusion

Causes
• Contaminated weld preparation
• Amperage too low
• Amperage too high (welder increases speed of
travel)
 Welding Defects
• Undercut

Causes
• Excessive welding current
• Welding speed too high
• Incorrect electrode angle
• Excessive weave
• Electrode too large
 Welding Defects
• Incompletely Filled Groove

Causes
• Insufficient weld metal deposited
• Improper welding technique
 Welding Defects
• Gas pores / Porosity

Causes
• Excessive moisture in flux or preparation
• Contaminated preparation
• Low welding current
• Arc length too long
• Damaged electrode flux
• Removal of gas shield
 Welding Defects
• Inclusions - Slag

Causes
• Insufficient cleaning between passes
• Contaminated weld preparation
• Welding over irregular profile
• Incorrect welding speed
• Arc length too long
 Welding Defects
• Inclusions - Tungsten

Causes
• Contamination of weld during TIG welding
process
 Welding Defects
• Burn Through

Causes
• Excessive amperage during welding of root
• Excessive root grinding
• Improper welding technique
 Welding Defects
• Arc Strikes • Spatter

Causes Causes
• Electrode straying onto • Excessive arc energy
parent metal • Excessive arc length
• Electrode holder with • Damp electrodes
poor insulation • Arc blow
• Poor contact of earth
clamp