CSWIP 3.

1 Welding Inspection

Welding Imperfections
And
Materials Inspection

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Course Reference WIS 5
Course notes section reference 3.0
 Features to Consider

Butt welds - Size

Weld cap width

Excess weld
metal height

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Root ©

penetration

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Root bead width
 Features to Consider

Butt welds - Profile

x
x x

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 Features to Consider

Butt welds - Toe Blend

x
x x

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 Features to Consider

Butt welds - Weld Width

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 Welding Defects
Incomplete root penetration

Causes
• Too small a root gap
• Arc too long
• Wrong polarity

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• Electrode too large for joint
preparation ©

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• Incorrect electrode angle
• Too fast a speed of travel for
current
Welding Defects

a) Excessively thick root face

b) Too small a root gap

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c) Misplaced welds
Welding Defects

d) Power input too low

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e) Arc (heat) input too low ©

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Welding Defects

Too large diameter

electrode

Smaller (correct)
diameter electrode

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Lack of sidewall fusion
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due to arc deflection
 Welding Defects
Incomplete root Fusion

Causes
• Too small a root gap
• Arc too long
• Wrong polarity

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• Electrode too large for joint
preparation ©

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• Incorrect electrode angle
• Too fast a speed of travel for
current
 Welding Defects
Root concavity

Causes
• Root gap too large

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• Insufficient arc energy
• Excessive back purge TIG
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 Welding Defects
Excess Root Penetration

Causes
• Excessive amperage during
welding of root

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• Excessive root gap
• Poor fit up ©

• Excessive root grinding

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• Improper welding
technique
 Welding Defects

Root undercut

Causes

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• Root gap too large
• Excessive arc energy ©

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• Small or no root face
 Welding Defects
Cap Undercut

Causes

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• Excessive welding current
• Welding speed too high
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• Incorrect electrode angle
• Excessive weave
• Electrode too large
 Welding Defects

Overlap

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Excess weld
metal
 Welding Defects

Lack of fusion

Causes

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• Contaminated weld preparation ©

• Amperage too low

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• Amperage too high (welder increases speed of
travel)
 Welding Defects

Incompletely Filled Groove

& Lack of Side wall Fusion

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

Inter run Incompletely Filled Groove

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Causes ©

• Insufficient weld metal deposited

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• Improper welding technique
 Welding Defects

Incompletely Filled Groove

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 Welding Defects

Gas pores / Porosity

Causes
• Excessive moisture in flux or preparation

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• Contaminated preparation
• Low welding current
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• Arc length too long
• Damaged electrode flux
• Removal of gas shield
 Welding Defects

Gas pores / Porosity

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 Welding Defects

Inclusions - Slag

Causes

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

Inclusions - Slag

Causes

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

Poor (convex) weld bead

profile resulted in pockets
of slag being trapped
between the weld runs

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Smooth weld bead ©

profile allows the slag

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to be readily removed
between runs
 Welding Defects

Inclusions - Tungsten

Causes
• Contamination of weld Caused by tungsten touching

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weld metal or parent metal during welding using the
TIG welding process
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 Welding Defects

Burn Through

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Causes
• Excessive amperage during welding of root ©

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• Excessive root grinding
• Improper welding technique
 Welding Defects

Spatter

Causes

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• Excessive arc energy ©

• Excessive arc length

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• Damp electrodes
• Arc blow
 Welding Defects

Arc Strikes

Causes

• Electrode straying onto

parent metal

• Electrode holder with

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poor insulation
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• Poor contact of earth
clamp
 Welding Defects

Mechanical Damage

Chisel
Chisel Marks
Marks Pitting Corrosion Grinding Marks

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 Welding Defects

Non-alignment of two abutting edges

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2mm ©

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Also Known as: Hi Low. Mismatch. or Misalignment
 Welding Defects

50mm

3mm

Angular distortion.

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Measure the distance to the edge of the plate (50mm). ©

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Use a straight edge (rule) to find the amount of distortion then
measure the space (3mm).
This reported as Angular distortion 3mm in 50mm
 Welding Defects
Linear
Excess weld metal height
Lowest plate to highest point

3 mm
Excess penetration Lowest Linear misalignment
plate to highest point measured in mm

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Angular ©

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3mm
Angular misalignment measured in mm
 CSWIP 3.1 Welding Inspection

Materials & Inspection

TWI Training & Examination
Services

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Course Reference WIS 5
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Course notes section reference 3.0
 MATERIALS INSPECTION
Rolling Imperfections
Direction of rolling

Cold Laps*

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Laminations
Segregation
 Lapping

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 MATERIALS INSPECTION
Plate Inspection
Condition
(Corrosion, Mechanical damage, Laps, Bands & Laminations)

Specification
5L
Size

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Other checks may need to be made such as: distortion
tolerance, number of plates and storage*
 MATERIALS INSPECTION
Pipe Inspection
Condition (Corrosion, Damage, Wall thickness
Ovality, Laminations & Seam)

Specification LP5

Welded Size

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seam
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Other checks may need to be made such as: distortion tolerance,
number of pipes and storage*
 Materials
Iron Fe
Carbon C is for Strength
Manganese Mn is for Toughness
Silicon Si < 0.3% Deoxidiser
Aluminium Al Grain refiner, <0.008% Deoxidiser + Toughness
Chromium Cr Corrosion resistance
Molybdenum Mo 1% is for Creep resistance
Vanadium V Strength
Nickel Ni Low temperature applications

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Copper Cu Used for weathering steels (Corten)
Sulphur S Residual element (can cause hot shortness) ©

Phosphorous P Residual element

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Titanium Ti Grain refiner, Used a micro alloying element (S&T)
Niobium Nb Grain refiner, Used a micro alloying element (S&T)
(S&T) = Strength & Toughness