Welding Inspection: Defects/Repairs Course Reference WIS 5

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Welding Inspection
Defects/Repairs
Course Reference WIS 5
Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof
Definition
A perfect butt weld joint, when subjected to an external
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force, provide a distribution of stress throughout its

volume which is not significantly greater than parent
metal.

TECHNOLOGY Definition
This is achieved as long as the following features

apply :-
• Welds should consists of solid metal throughout a cross

section at least equal to that of parent metal.
• All parts of a weld should be fully fused to the parent
metal.
•Welds should have smoothly blended surfaces.

Weld Defects
Defects which may be detected by visual inspection can
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be grouped under five headings

 Cracks
 Lack of solid metals
 Lack of fusion
 Lack of smoothly
blended surfaces
 Miscellaneous

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Cracks

Cracks
Cracks that may occur in welded materials are caused
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generally by by many factors and may be classified by

shape and position, cracks are classed as planar.
Classified by Shape Classified by Position

 Longitudinal  HAZ
 Transverse  Centreline
 Branched  Crater
 Fusion zone
 Chevron
 Parent metal

TECHNOLOGY Process Cracks
HAZ hydrogen cracking
 Weld metal hydrogen cracking
Solidification cracking (Hot Tearing)
Lamellar tearing

TECHNOLOGY Cracks
HAZ hydrogen cracking Weld metal hydrogen cracking
Solidification cracking Lamellar Tearing

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Transverse crack Longitudinal crack

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LACK OF SOLID METALS

POROSITY
Description : Gas pores trapped within the weld metal
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Causes : Preventation :
• Damp fluxes/ corroded electrode • Use dry electrodes in good
•Grease/hydrocarbon/water condition
contamination of prepared surface •Optimise gas flow
•Air entrapment in gas shield •Use electrode with sufficient
•Too high arc voltage/arc length deoxidation activity
•Reduce arc voltage or arc length
•Incorrect/insufficient deoxidant
in electrode, filler or parent metal
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Porosity
Root piping
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Cluster porosity Herring bone porosity

Crater Pipe
A shrinkage cavity at the end of a weld run where the arc is
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terminated
•Lack of welder skill due to using • Retrain welder
processes with too high current.
•Use correct crater filling
•Inoperative crater filler ( GTAW ) technique

TECHNOLOGY Crater Pipe/Cracks
Crater Cracks
Crater pipe

TECHNOLOGY Root concavity
A shallow groove, which may occur in the root of a butt weld
•Insufficient arc power to produce • Raise arc energy
positive bead
•Reduce gas pressure
•Excessive backing pressure ( GTAW )
•Retraint welder
•Lack of welder skill
•Tilt work to prevent slag
•Slag flooding in backing bar groove flooding
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root concavity
TECHNOLOGY Underfill
A weld with thickness less than that of the parent metal
•Insufficient weld metal • Increase number of weld run
•Irregular weld bead surface •Retrain welder

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Incomplete filled groove

Slag Inclusions
Slag or other matters trapped during welding. The imperfection is of
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an irregular shape and thus differs in appearance from a gas pore
•Heavy millscale/rust on work surface • Grind surface prior welding
•Incomplete slag removal from •Improve interun slag removal
underlying surface of multipass weld
•Position work to gain control of
•Slag flooding ahead of the arc slag
•Entrapment of slag in work surface •Dress work surface smooth
•Unfused flux due to damage coating •Use electrode in good condition
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Interpass slag inclusions Elongated slag lines

Inter- run Imperfections
Irregular along the fusion line between weld beads
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•Low arc current resulting in low • Increase current
fludity of weld pool
•Reduce travel speed
•Too high travel speed
•Retrain welder
•Inaccurate bead replacement

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Lack of Fusion

TECHNOLOGY Incomplete root penetration
Failure of the weld metal to extend into root of a joint
•Excessively thick root face, insufficient root gap • Improved back gouging and edge
or failure to cut back sound metal in a ‘back preparation
gouging’ operation
•Increase arc power or decrease travel
•Low heat input speed
•Excessive inductance in GMAW dip transfer •Improve electrical settings and possibly
•SMAW electrode too large( low current density ) switch to spray transfer
•Use of vertical down welding •Reduce electrode size

•Switch to vertical up procedure
TECHNOLOGY Root Defects
Lack of root fusion Lack of root Penetration

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Lack of root penetration Lack of root fusion

TECHNOLOGY Lack of sidewall fusion
Lack of fusion between weld metal and parent metal at one side of weld
•Low heat input to weld •Increase arc energy or decrease travel
•Molten metal flowing ahead of arc speed
•Oxide or scale on weld preparation •Improve electrode angle and work

position
•Excessive inductance in GMAW dip transfer
welding •Improve edge preparation procedure
•Reduce inductance, even if this increase
spatter
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Lack of Smoothly
Blended Surfaces

TECHNOLOGY Surface porosity
Gas pores which break the surface of the weld
•Damp or contaminated surface of electrode •Clean surface and dry electrodes
•Low fluxing activity •Use a high activity flux
•Excess sulphur ( particularly free – cutting steels) •Use high manganese to produce MnS,
producing sulphur oxide note free cutting should not normally be
•Loss of gas shield gas due to long arc or high welded
breezes ( GMAW ) •Reduce arc length

Excess Weld Metal ( Reinforcement )
Reinforcement is the extra metal which produces convexity in fillet
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welds and a welds thickness than the parent metal plate in butt welds.
Causes : Preventation
•Excess arc energy ( GMAW,SAW ) •Reduction of energy input
•Shallow edge preparation •Deepen edge preparation
•Faulty electrode manipulation •Improve welder skill
•Incorrect electrode size •Reduce electrode size

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Excess cap reinforcement

TECHNOLOGY Excessive Penetration
Projection of the root penetration bead beyond a specified limit
•Weld input energy too high •Reduce arc power/increase weld speed
•Improve work piece preparation
•Incorrect weld preparation i.e excessive
root gap, thin edge preparation, lack of •Use correct electrode position
backing •Retrain welder
•Use electrode unsuited to welding position
•Lack of welder skill
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Excessive root penetration

Undercut
An irregular groove at the toe of a run in the parent metal or in
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previously deposited welding, cause by welding
Causes :
•Melting of top edge due too high welding Preventation
current ( especially at free edge) or high •Reduce power input,especially
travel speed approaching a free edge where overheating
can occur
•Attempting an HV fillet weld leg length
•Weld in a flat position or use multirun
>9.0 MM technique
• Excessive/Incorrect weaving •Direct arc towards thicker member
•Incorrect electrode angle
TECHNOLOGY Cap Undercut
Measured in both Length & Depth

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Root undercut Cap undercut

Overlap
An Imperfection at the toe of a weld caused by metal flowing on to the
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surface of the parent metal without fusing to it
• Poor electrode manipulation •Retrain welder
• High energy input/low travel speed •Reduce the heat input or limit size of
causing surface flow of fillet weld fillet weld to 9.0 mm leg by using multi
run weld
• Incorrect positioning of weld •Change the flat position
• Electrode having too high a fluidity •Change to less fluid weld metal

TECHNOLOGY Profile Defects
Poor stop/starts

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Miscellaneous

TECHNOLOGY Misalignment
The non – alignment of two abutting edges in a butt joint
• Inaccuracies in assembly procedures or •Adequate checking of alignment prior to
distortion from other welds welding coupled with the use of clamps
and wedges
• Excessive ‘out of flatness' in hot rolled
•Check accuracy of rolled section prior to
plate or sections
welding

Arc strikes
Random areas of fused metal where the electrode, the holder, or
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current return clamp accidentally touched the work and produced a
short duration arc
• Poor Access to work •Improve access ( modify assembly
sequence )
• Missing insulation on electrode holder
•Institute a regular inspection scheme for
or torch
electrode holders and torches
• Failure to provide an insulated resting •Provide an insulated resting place
place for the electrode holder or torch
when not in use •Regularly maintain current return clamp
• Loose current return clamp

Spatter
Small droplets of electrode material can be projected clear of the weld
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and may fused to the parent metal
Causes: Preventation :
• High arc power •Reduce arc power
• •Reduce arc length or swith to AC power

Magnetic arc blow
•Modify electrical settings ( but be careful
• Incorrect setting for GMAW process to maintain full fusion
• Damp electrodes •Use dry electrodes
TECHNOLOGY Burn Through
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

TECHNOLOGY Root Defects
Burn
Through
Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd

Burn through Faisal Yusof
TECHNOLOGY Root Coking/Oxidized Root
 Loss or insufficient back

purging gas
 Most commonly occurs

when welding stainless
steels
 Purging gases include

argon, helium and
occasionally nitrogen

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Mechanical Damage

Mechanical Damage
Mechanical damage can be defined as any surface material
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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

TECHNOLOGY Parent Material Defects
A welding inspector should also inspect the parent
material for any visible defects
Mechanical damage Lap
Lamination
Segregation line

TECHNOLOGY Plate Lamination

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Any
Any Questions?
Questions?

Questions
QU 1. Give two main causes for the occurrence of a burn through
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QU 2. Give two main causes for the occurrence of excessive root

penetration on a single-V butt weld
QU 3. Give five defects, which may occur when welding carbon

steel using the MMA welding process with the current setting
to low
QU 4. Give three possible causes for the occurrence of lack of

side wall fusion
QU 5. Sketch the following defects

a. Lack of root wall fusion b. Lack of root penetration
c. Incomplete filled groove d. Concave root

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Weld Repairs

TECHNOLOGY Welding Repairs
In the event of repair
 Authorization for repair
 Removal and preparation for repair
 Testing of repair - visual and NDT

Weld Repairs
 A weld repair may be used to improve weld profiles or
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extensive metal removal

 Repairs to fabrication defects are generally easier than
repairs to service failures because the repair procedure
may be followed
 The main problem with repairing a weld is the
maintenance of mechanical properties
 During the inspection of the removed area prior to welding
the inspector must ensure that the defects have been
totally removed and the original joint profile has been
maintained as close as possible
Weld Repairs
The specification or procedure will govern how the defective
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areas are to be removed. The method of removal may be
 Grinding
 Chipping
 Machining
 Filing
 Oxy-Gas gouging
 Arc air gouging
Arc air gouging

Welding Inspection: Defects/Repairs Course Reference WIS 5

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TECHNOLOGY

force, provide a distribution of stress throughout its

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

This is achieved as long as the following features

• Welds should consists of solid metal throughout a cross

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

be grouped under five headings

 Lack of solid metals

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

generally by by many factors and may be classified by

Classified by Shape Classified by Position

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

HAZ hydrogen cracking

 Weld metal hydrogen cracking

Solidification cracking (Hot Tearing)

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

HAZ hydrogen cracking Weld metal hydrogen cracking

Solidification cracking Lamellar Tearing

Transverse crack Longitudinal crack

LACK OF SOLID METALS

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Cluster porosity Herring bone porosity

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Incomplete filled groove

an irregular shape and thus differs in appearance from a gas pore

Interpass slag inclusions Elongated slag lines

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

•Use of vertical down welding •Reduce electrode size

Lack of root fusion Lack of root Penetration

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Lack of root penetration Lack of root fusion

•Oxide or scale on weld preparation •Improve electrode angle and work

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Excess cap reinforcement

Excessive root penetration

previously deposited welding, cause by welding

Measured in both Length & Depth

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Root undercut Cap undercut

surface of the parent metal without fusing to it

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

• Loose current return clamp

and may fused to the parent metal

• •Reduce arc length or swith to AC power

 Small Root face

 Large Root Gap

 Slow Travel Speed

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd

 Loss or insufficient back

 Most commonly occurs

 Purging gases include

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof

Copyright © 2003 TWI Ltd Faisal Yusof