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Visual Inspection

Welds
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Terminology
Butt Joints
• Square Edged, Open and Closed

• Single Vee, Butt and Bevel

• Double Vee, Butt and Bevel

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Terminology
Fillet Joints
• Tee • Lap

• Corner
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Terminology
Butt Weld Features
10

7 8
9
2
1

5 3 4

6
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Terminology
Fillet Weld Features

10
4

9
7
2 5

3 8
1

6
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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
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Welding Checklist
Before Welding Commences

• Documentation
• Materials
• Weld preparations
• Fit up for welding
• Welding equipment
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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
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Welding Checklist
Welding Completion
• Visual inspection and records
• NDE
• PWHT
• Final testing
• Cleaning, painting, preservation, packing
• Final documentation
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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
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Features to Consider
Butt welds - Size
Weld cap width

Excess weld
metal height

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

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

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

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

Causes
• Excessive amperage during welding of root
• Excessive root grinding
• Improper welding technique
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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
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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
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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
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Electric Arc Welding

Electrod
e
Power
supply

Work piece

Clamp(Earth)
 Electric Arc Welding [Link]

• 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
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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
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Zones in Fusion Welds

• Fusion Zone
• Heat Affected Zone
• Parent Material or Base Metal
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Joint Design
Butt Weld

Corner Lap
Joint Joint

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

Flux coating
Arc
Evolved gas
shield
Core wire
Slag
Weld metal
Parent metal
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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
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Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)
Gas nozzle

Filler wire

Non-consumable
tungsten
electrode
Arc Gas shield

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

Consumable
electrode(filler wire)

Gas shield
Arc
Weld metal
Parent metal
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Submerged Arc
Reel feed

Flux
retrieval Consumable
electrode

Flux feed

Slag

Weld metal
Parent metal
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Electroslag
Filler wire

Water cooled
copper shoes

Molten flux

Weld metal
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Welding Defects
Cracks
4 Crack Types
• Solidification cracks
• Hydrogen induced cracks
• Lamellar tearing
• Reheat cracks
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Welding Defects
Cracks
Classified by Shape Classified by Position
• Longitudinal • HAZ
• Transverse • Centreline
• Branched • Crater
• Chevron • Fusion zone
• Parent metal
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Welding Defects
• Root concavity

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

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

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

Causes
• Insufficient weld metal deposited
• Improper welding technique
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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
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Welding Defects
• Inclusions - Slag

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

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

Causes
• Excessive amperage during welding of root
• Excessive root grinding
• Improper welding technique
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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