Welding

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What are the causes and remedies of welding defects. Welding defects causes and remedies pdf.

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is a non-profit website to share the knowledge. To maintain this website, we need your help. A small donation will help us alot. In welding, a number of defects occur due to wrong equipment setup, manual errors, and environmental issues.

Based on the location and appearance, the most common welding defects are classified into:Surface defects (face side), for example- face undercut, overlap.Surface defects (root side), for example- excess root penetration, and lack of root fusion.Internal defects- Internal cracks, internal LOF, internal porosity.Let us learn about different types of
welding defects and their causes in this post.What are the External Welding Defects?External welding defects refer to types of welding imperfection or defects that appear on the weld surface or root side. Most of the welding defects are surface defects only with some exceptions given later in the next topic. External welding defects are visible to the
naked eyes with or without magnification based on their magnitude.Sometimes, surface NDT methods such as penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing, and eddy current testing are also used for external welding defects inspection. These surface NDT methods have very high sensitivity for these defects compared to visual inspection.Examples of
Surface (External) Welding defects are- Undercut,spatters,crater crack,Underfill,open to surface pore/ porosity,surface cracks (longitudinal, transverse, chevron and other types of cracks),overlap,lack of fusion on the surface or root side,excessive convexity/ concavity,PockmarksHigh-low/ off-set/ Linear misalignmentBurn throughDistortion/
WarpageExcess penetration/ excessive reinforcementWhat are the Internal Welding Defects?Internal welding defects are those welding discontinuities that are not visible on the surface of the weld. Special NDT techniques such as radiographic testing, Ultrasonic testing are the most commonly used internal defect inspection NDT method.These NDT
tests are also called volumetric NDT due to this reason. Internal welding defects can not be found by visual testing. Either an NDT method or a destructive test as such as a bend test or macro test is required to identify and locate the internal welding defect.Examples of Internal Welding Defects are-Internal porosity (any type),internal crack,lack of
root fusion in fillet weld,lack of sidewall fusion,slag inclusion,fissuresShrinkage cavityTungsten inclusions.SMAW, TIG, MIG, FCAW & SAW Welding DefectsIn SMAW, TIG, MIG-MAG, FCAW and SAW, the main types of welding defects that occur are- Undercut, spatters, crater crack, Underfill, open to surface pore/ porosity, surface cracks
(longitudinal, transverse, chevron and other types of cracks), overlap, lack of fusion on the surface or root side, excessive convexity/ concavity, and linear misalignment, Internal porosity (any types), internal crack, lack of root fusion in fillet weld, lack of sidewall fusion, slag inclusion, fissures, etc.These defects with pictures, their causes, and their
remedies are given in this post for learning and reference.What is Welding Porosity?Welding porosity is caused due to entrapped gases during the weld solidification. In carbon steel, Nitrogen gas is the main gas causing porosity along with hydrogen & oxygen, In aluminum welding, hydrogen is the main gas that causes porosity & in stainless steel
welding, oxygen causes the porosity.The main types of welding porosity are:Single poreScattered porosityLinear porosityUniform porosityCluster or localized porosityWhat could be the problem/ causes of the porosity in Welding?The welding point was not sufficiently covered with shielding gas during weld solidification.The welding area is damp.The
welding area is contaminated.The weld is coated with paint or inorganic material that is not cleaned before welding.The welding electrodes/ flux are not baked or electrodes have excessive moisture.How to Stop porosity in Welding?Welding porosity can be controlled by identifying the root cause such as either its process error or human error or
environmental issues. High moisture in welding rod can cause porosity or same time a longer arc length due to welder mistake can also be the reason for the porosity.

Following are the preventive measures for stopping the welding porosity:Improve the shielding gas coverage.Dry the workpieces before welding.Clean the workpiece before welding.Remove unwanted coatings.Bake the welding electrodes/ flux before use.What is a Lack of Fusion & How do I recognize them?Lack of fusion occurs when the weld is not
fused with the base metal. Lack of fusion can also occur between the weld passes or between the weld and fusion faces.It is also known as LOF and its linear defects. Ultrasonic testing is the best NDT method to detect internal lack of fusion. LOF on the surface can be effectively detected using penetrant testing or magnetic particle testing.Causes for
Lack of Fusion?Low heat input in welding, short circuit transfer mode in MIG-MAG Welding.Oxides or scale on the welding fusion face.The welding speed is too high.You may have welded downhill direction that allows the molten weld pool to flow ahead of the arc.The arc was not centered on the weld joint i.e. wrong torch angle.The arc is excessively
long or lets us say high arc length.Remedies (How to avoid Lack of Fusion)?Increase the heat input or change the mode of metal transfer.Clean the area before welding from any rust or scale.Reduce the welding speed.Weld uphill direction so the arc is ahead of the weld pool.Change the torch angle to ensure full fusion.What is Undercut & How do I
recognize them?An Undercut is the formation of irregular grooves due to wrong welding parameters such as high heat input or high voltage during welding. The undercut is a small crack-like appearance although metal is fused that follows at some distance from the melting line is the undercut. An undercut is the excessive burning of weld edges due
to high heat input, high voltage, or wrong torch angle.There are three types of undercut that can be found in welding as:1. Continuous Undercut,2. Intermittent Undercut and3. Inter-run Undercut.Causes of Undercut?The arc is too long or the voltage is too high.The welding weaving is too high.The electrode oscillates excessively.Wrong shielding gas
selectionRemedies & How to avoid Undercut in Welding?Reduce the arc length or reduce the voltage.Correct the torch angle.Reduce the weld weaving or use stringer beads.Change your welding technique.Use correct shielding gas.What is a Lack of root fusion & How do I recognize them?Lack of root fusion means that the base metal and root of the
weld are not fused together. This will occur on the weld root side.Causes for Lack of root fusionThe welding heat input is too low.The arc is too long.Incorrect root face or excessive root alignment.Advancing slag ahead of the welding arc.Remedies for lack of root fusion in Welding?Increase welding heat input.Shorten the arc length.Prepare the weld
root & root setup properly.Hold the arc towards the weld pool thus allowing sufficient fusion at the root.What is Excessive convexity & How do I recognize them?The weld seam (surface) is super-elevation or excess of material in the weld seam that gives a convex weld surface appearance. In a concave weld, the weld seam seems to be overflowing
with the material. Excessive convexity is a defect for fillet welds as per ISO 5817.Causes for Excessive convexity in Welding?You are using too much filler material or welding too slowly.The electrode diameter is too big.The welding voltage is low.Remedies for excessive convexity in WeldingIncrease the welding speed.Use less filler material.Choose a
suitable electrode diameter.Use higher welding voltage.What is Asymmetrical throat size & How do I recognize them?The weld seam is not symmetrical, but always unevenly distributed where one leg length is not equal or approximate to the other leg length of the fillet weld. Asymmetrical Throat Size is a defect for fillet welds as per ISO 5817.Causes
for Asymmetrical throat size?The electrode angle is incorrect.The weld pool is too big.Magnetic arc blowing effect.The arc length is too long.How to avoid Asymmetrical throat size?Weld at the correct angle.Reduce the welding performance.Move the ground clamp to minimize the magnetic arc blow effect.Shorten the arc length.What is Excessive root
penetration & How do I recognize them?The material comes out in excess on the other side of the material which is the root side. The code or standards such as ISO 5817 allows the excess root penetration but are limited to a maximum of 3 mm for quality level B and 5 mm for quality level D. In summary, any excess root penetration is actually a waste
of filler wire as it is not aiding any strength to the weld joint.Causes for Excessive root penetration?The heat input is too high.The gap between the parts to be welded is too large.Travel speed is slow.How to avoid Excessive root penetration?Reduce the welding heat input.Reduce the gap between the parts to be welded.Make the travel speed faster
when welding root run.What is Weld Cracking & How do I recognize them?The weld bead cracked due to welding residual stresses or metallurgical reasons resulting in tear-off of the weld. The cracks can occur at various locations such as in the weld metal (outside/ inside), HAZ and the fusion line.Watch the below video to understand and learn
various types of weld cracking and their causes.Welding Cracks & Their Types with real pictures.Causes of Weld Cracking?The ratio between the width and depth of the seam is unfavorable.The components to be welded have a high internal residual stress.You are using the wrong filler material.Too high restrain on the weld joint.Metallurgical causes
such as low melting phases present in the weld metal.High level of dissolved hydrogen in the weld metal in case of carbon steel & low alloy steels.How to avoid Weld Cracking?Use a common ratio between the depth and width of the weld (e.g. 1: 1 for mild steel).Tack the components without tension.Choose a suitable filler material.Low hydrogen
electrodes must be baked prior to the use.Use preheat to reduce the residual weld stresses.What is a Lack of penetration?What is a Lack of penetration & How do I recognize them?The weld seam is insufficient to fill the root of the weld groove. Lack of penetration results in a difference between the actual depth of penetration to the required depth of
penetration as per the drawing. In visual appearance, the lack of penetration seems too small to fill the gap between the workpieces.Causes of Lack of penetration?The weld seam is not prepared appropriately which can result in a high root face.The welding heat input is too low.The arc is too long.The welding speed is too high.Use of vertical downhill
welding technique.How to avoid a Lack of penetration?Enlarge the root opening.Increase welding heat input.Shorten the arc length.Reduce the welding speed.Use vertical uphill welding technique.What is Linear misalignment/ High-Low?What is Linear misalignment/ High-Low & How do I recognize them?The workpieces are not welded on a straight
level but are offset from one another resulting in misalignment or also called high-low as defined in API 1104. Linear misalignment is a welding defect caused due to poor workmanship.Causes of Linear misalignment/ high-low defect in welding?Wrong joint fit-up.Fixing or tacking the workpieces is not sufficient.You caused a delay in the workpieces
when tacking.The tack seams are broken before welding.How to avoid Linear misalignment/ High-Low?Pre-inspect the weld joint before welding to have the right joint fit-up.Secure the workpieces securely before welding.Apply the correct weld sequence.Dimension the tack welds sufficiently.What is Crater Crack & How do I recognize them?In the
weld seam, cracks in the crater of the weld seam can be seen where the welding is stopped.
An underfill endpoint results in higher shrinkage stresses and can cause pores or crater cracks.Causes of Crater Crack?Significant shrinkage occurred as the weld pool solidified.You have reduced the welding power too quickly.The end crater is not filled properly.How to avoid Crater Crack?Activate the end crater filling function on your welding
machine.Use the back step technique when finishing the crater end.What are Weld Spatters?How do I recognize them?Small splashes of the weld metal can be seen next to the weld seam stick on the weld on the base metal. During welding, using a high arc pressure makes the molten weld metal splash out and stick on the job, resulting in the
spatters.What could be the problem?You have chosen the wrong welding parameters.The welding polarity is wrong.The quality of the filler material is poor.The shielding gas is insufficient.What can I do?Set the correct welding parameters.Choose the correct polarity.Check the filler metal.Check the shielding gas supply & use the correct mixing
ratio.What is an Arc Strike?How do I recognize them?Arc strike is weld strikes that are put outside the welding area on the base metal. Arc strikes are undesired in a welding joint as they create localized changes in base metal metallurgy. Once an arc strike on base metal, it induces local heat which dissipates very fast due to rapid heat transfer by
adjacent base metal.This rapid cooling will create a high hardness zone in carbon steel and low alloy steel and they can be the cause of cracking. Other exotic materials such as austenitic or another type of stainless steel- they can reduce the corrosion resistance of the base metal.What could be the problem?Welder carelessness.Loose earthing
clamp.Damaged welding electrode holder insulation.Damaged earthing & welding holder cables that touch on the job.What can I do?Improve welder behavior by training & awareness.Make sure earthing clamp is in good condition.Replace damaged electrode holder and cables.Common Welding Defects Types with picturesThe video above shows
various types of welding defects that can occur during arc welding processes on the face side & root side of welding joints. Weld defects or weld imperfections are created due to various reasons associated with the welding process such as deviation in the part geometry, change in welding parameters, inadequate gas shielding, etc. The welding
conditions such as filler wire, base material, surrounding conditions, and equipment have a profound influence on the final welding result and hence they require stringent control in form of welding procedure specification (WPS), qualified welders, welding maps, and welding inspection, etc.

In this article, you’ll learn what are Welding Defects? How do they occur?

what are the causes and remedies for the welding defects?
at the end download the PDF file of this article.Welding defects are formed in welding work due to the weak or poor technique used by inexperienced or untrained welders or due to structural problems in the welding operation.Or you can say, in a welding process, the size and shape of the metal structure are varied. It is maybe due to the incorrect
welding process or the application of the incorrect welding procedure.An ideal weld or good weld must be one that exists with good penetration with sufficient fusion between the filler metal and the edge preparation.You can read also about different welding processes like plasma arc welding, laser beam welding, resistance welding, gas welding, and
arc welding you can check them out by clicking on them.For this article, let’s discuss the types of welding defects that appear while welding.Following are the types of welding defects:Porosity and BlowholesUndercutWeld crackIncomplete fusionSlag inclusionIncomplete penetrationSpatterDistortionHot TearMechanical damageMisalignmentExcess
reinforcementOverlapLamellar tearingWhiskersPorosity is a group of small bubbles and blowholes are relatively large hidden holes or pores. They are mainly caused by trapped gases. Porosity is a result of weld metal contamination.Causes of PorosityRemedies of PorosityUsing insufficient electrode deoxidant.Choosing suitable electrode and filler
materials.Applying too large a gas flow.Checking the gas flow meter and ensuring that it is adapted as needed with appropriate pressure and flow settings.Using a larger arc.Make sure that the arc distance is correct.Existence of moisture in the process.Cleaning the metal before starting the welding process.Unsuitable gas shield.Decreasing welding
speed, it will allow the gas to escape.Dirty job surface i.e. the occupation of scales, rust, oil, grease, etc.
on the surface of the job.Individual cleaning and prevention of pollution from entering the weld zone.Undercut in welding makes imperfection, it is the formation of grooves in the weld toe, which decreases the cross-sectional thickness of the base metal. As a result of this weld and workpiece get weakened.Causes of UndercutRemedies of
UndercutIncorrect use of angle, which will deliver more heat to the free edges.Using of suitable electrode angle, with more heat delivered towards thicker components.Because of too fast weld speed.Decreasing the travel speed of the electrode, but should not be too slow.Using poor welding methods.Applying the multipass technique.Use of incorrect
gas shielding and filler metal.Select the shielding gas with the right structure for the material you are welding.Doing too high weld current.When approaching thin areas and free edges, use an appropriate stream to reduce them.Using larger diameter electrodes.Decreasing the arc length.These are the most dangerous types of welding defects. It is
almost not allowed by all standards in production. It can appear on the surface, in the weld metal, or in an area affected by strong heat.There are different types of cracks that occur during welding, it depends on the temperature.Hot cracks happen while the welding process or during the crystallization process of the weld joint. Temperatures at this
point can exceed 10,000C.These cracks occur after the weld is created and the metal temperature has passed down. They can also be made hours or days after welding steel. This mostly occurs when the deformation is made in the steel structure.These cracks occur at the end of the welding process before the operator completes the weld joint. They
are usually made near the end of the process.When the weld pool cools and freezes, the weld must be sufficient in volume to overcome the metal shrinkage. Otherwise, it will make a crater crack.Causes of Weld CrackRemedies of Weld CrackUsing hydrogen while welding ferrous metals.Using suitable metals.Applying low current with high welding
speed.Utilizing the appropriate welding speed and current.The design concept is poor.Using proper design concepts.Not doing preheating before starting welding.Preheating the metal before starting welding.Contamination of base metal.Cleaning the metal surface before welding.Residual stress solidification due to shrinkage.Giving decent cooling of
the weld area.The high mixture of sulfur and carbon in the metal.Using a correct mixture of sulfur and carbon in the metal.Improper filling of the crater in welding.Ensure that the crater is properly filled to prevent crater cracks.These types of welding defects occur when there is a shortage of suitable fusion between the metal and weld. It may also be
visible between adjacent weld beads. This produces a gap inside the joint that is not filled with molten metal.Causes of Incorrect FusionRemedies of Incorrect FusionContamination of metal surface.Cleaning the welding area of the metal surface before welding.Using low heat input.Utilizing the proper heat input for welding.The diameter of the
electrode is wrong for the thickness of the material you are welding.Use the correct diameter of the electrode to fit the thickness of the material that you are welding.Incorrect electrode angle.Ensure the angle of the electrode is suitable for welding.Employing too fast travel speed.Decreasing the speed of arc travel.The weld pool is very large and it
moves ahead of the arc.Make sure the weld pool that you are using is proper according to the movement of the arc.Slag inclusion is welding defects that are usually visible in welds. The slag is a dangerous substance that appears as a product of stick welding, flux-core arc welding, and submerged arc welding.It is can occur when the flux, which is a
solid shielding material applied when welding, melts in the weld or on the surface of the weld region. Slag inclusion decreases the strength of the joint and hence makes it weaker.Causes of Slag InclusionRemedies of Slag InclusionPoor chipping and cleaning of previous passes in multipass welding.Through the wire brush, clean the weld bed surface
before the next layer is deposited.Due to the incorrect angle of the electrode.Adjusting the angle of the electrode.Using too low welding current.Increasing the current density.Insufficient space for the puddle of molten weld metals.Redesigning the joint to allow sufficient space for proper use of the puddle of molten weld metals.Maybe cooling is very
fast.Decreasing the rapid cooling.Cleaning of the metal may be improper.Proper cleaning of the metal before welding.The speed of welding is fast.Reducing the speed of the welding.In these types of welding defects, penetration is defined as the distance from the uppermost surface of the base plate to the maximum extent of the weld
nugget.Incomplete penetration happens when the metal groove is not entirely filled, which means that the weld metal does not fully spread through the joint thickness.Causes of Incomplete PenetrationRemedies of Incomplete PenetrationThere was too much space between the metal that you are welding with.Assuring that the surface is jointly
fine.You are moving the bead too fast, which does not allow sufficient metal to accumulate in the joint.Decreasing the arc travel speed.You are using a very low amper setting, which results in the current not being strong enough to melt the metal properly.Selecting a decent welding current.Using improper joints.Improving the design of the
joint.Wrong position of the electrode.Make sure the position of the electrode is very accurate.Using of larger diameter electrode.You must need to use proper diameter electrodes as suitable for your welding.Spatters are tiny metal particles that are ejected from the arc during welding and accumulate on the base metal throughout the weld bead along
its length.
This is particularly common happens in gas-metal arc welding.Causes of SpatterRemedies of SpatterContamination of metal surface.Cleaning metal surfaces before welding.The working angle of the electrode is much more rigid.Decreasing the arc length and increasing the electrode angle.Utilizing too high amper current and too low voltage
settings.Using proper polarity with adjusting the weld current.Using the larger arc and wet electrode.Make sure to use the proper arc and electrode according to the welding.Distortion is the difference in size and location between the positions of the two metal plates before and after welding due to the temperature grade present at several points
along the weld joints.Or in other words, you can say that the distortion is due to uneven extension and reduction of the weld metal and that all kinds of distortion rise with the number of metal depositions.Causes of DistortionRemedies of DistortionEmploying incorrect welding orders.Ensure to use the correct welding order.Using a large number of
passes with small diameter electrodes.Using the appropriate number of weld passes.Because of high residual stresses in the plate to be welded.Make sure you use the appropriate amount of weld metal as required by the joint. This will decrease contraction forces.Due to the slow speed of arc travel.Maintaining the speed of arc travel.Not using any
measuring instrument for dimension purposes.If required you can use a measuring instrument, so that dimensional accuracy is accurate.Using too much time for the welding process.Decreasing the time of the welding process so that the volume around the metal is not even expanded.In these types of welding defects, the deposited metal starts to
develop cracks from the nearby edge so that it will solidify the crack increase.Due to the tearing of grain boundaries of the weld metal before it freezes and the metal is still in plastic condition. Therefore, it is also known as solidification cracking.Causes of Hot TearRemedies of Hot TearThe thickness of the electrode may be wrong.Using the right
thickness of the electrode according to the base metal to be welded.Not using a suitable welding current.Ensure the use of suitable welding current as needed.It is due to the incorrect choice of proper materials.Using a suitable type of material for the electrode.Mechanical damage is an indentation in the surface of the parent metal or weld caused by
damage during welding. It occurred by the incorrect use of welding tools such as hammers, grinders, and other tools used in welding.Causes of Mechanical DamageRemedies of Mechanical DamageThis is due to the additional force applied during chipping.This can be easily prevented by operating the welding tools properly.Due to incorrect handling
of the electrode holder.After welding, make sure that the other part should not fall on the welded metal.Inefficient use of a grinder.The process of hammering should be moderate when used.It is also caused by not engaging the arc to the metal parts.The arc should be engaged before welding.Sometimes, the decomposition of filler metals is occur in
the welded joint, it is probably of misalignment. It can be recognized as wavy or curvy on the surface.Causes of MisalignmentRemedies of MisalignmentThis type of welding defect is caused by the rapid welding process.To avoid this, apply a slow or steady welding process.Due to unskilled welder or improper checking while welding.Employing skilled
welders and conducting proper checks before welding.The welding wire is not inline or not placed properly.Maintaining welding wire inline or checking wire location.It is also a common type of welding defect that occurs occasionally. Unlike underfill defects, this occurs when there is too much filler material in the welding joint.
In addition, the excess reinforcement is uneven and ragged.Causes of Excess ReinforcementRemedies of Excess ReinforcementThis is caused by over flux or fast/uneven travel speed on the feed wire.Maintain the torch running at the proper speed.Because of more current and heat.Set the current correctly and avoid overheating.Because of the
varying voltage that is mostly low.Adjust the voltage to make sure it is not too low.Leaving a big gap between the welding pieces.Align the pieces so the gap isn’t too big.Overlap is a welding defect in which the filler material at the toe of the weld covers the base metal without bonding. In other words, it is an excessive flow of weld metal.Causes of
OverlapRemedies of OverlapThe main reason for this defect is applying improper welding technology.Achieving improvements in welding techniques.Due to varying the torch angle.Maintaining correct torch angle.Using large-size electrodes in welding.Be sure not to use large-size electrodes.It is a cracking defect that occurs at the bottom of the weld
and is mainly found in rolled steel plate fabrication. The tearing always occurs within the parent plate, often outside the heat-affected zone, and usually occurs parallel to the weld fusion boundary.Causes of Lamellar TearingRemedies of Lamellar TearingDue to the weld metal deposits on the metal surface where optimum cohesion occurs.This is
prevented by conducting welding rest at the end.Because of Improper welding orientation and material selection.Using the proper welding orientation and selecting the best quality materials.In the case of MIG welding, short lengths of electrode wire are glued through the weld on the root side of the joint, it is known as Whiskers. This is due to the
electrode wire protruding from the leading edge of the weld pool.Causes of WhiskersRemedies of WhiskersApplying an increase in the electrode wire feed speed.This can be prevented by reducing the electrode wire feed speed.Due to excessive travel speed.Keep the travel speed optimal, and avoid going too fast.When a lot of heat is applied during the
weld, the metal can blow a hole through the center. This defect is called burn-through.
This is a common welding defect when welding thin parts less than 1/4 inch thick.Causes of Burn ThroughRemedies of Burn ThroughThis can happen with thick stock if welder settings are too high.Do not let the current increase too much.If the gap between the pieces is significantly large.Avoiding excessive gaps between plates.Not using enough
metal hold-down and clamping.Use adequate metal hold-down and clamping.Because of the very slow moment of the torch.Make sure your travel speed is not too slow or too fast.Download PDF of this articleI hope that I have cleared all your doubts about “Types of Welding Defects“.
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