FWB 22403: WELD DEFECT

LAB SHEET
Surface Defects Inspection

1. Learning Objectives
1. To identify material/surface weld defect
2. To produce thump print report
3. To evaluate defect size, length with provided acceptance criterias.

2. Introduction
A defect is nothing more than an excessive discontinuity. It is determined by design
acceptance/rejection requirements based on past experience, or on more modern criteria
of fitness for service and calculated using the rules of fracture mechanics. Fitness for
service is a concept that allows individual flaws to be assessed and permits the designer
or the operator to decide whether or not to repair.

3. Theory
Visual inspection is probably the most underrated, and often misused, method of
welding inspection suitable to inspect surface defect. Because of its simplicity, and
the absence of sophisticated equipment, the potential of this method of inspection is
quite often underestimated. Visual inspection of welding can often be the easiest to

perform and is usually the least expensive to conduct. If carried out correctly, this
type of inspection can often be an extremely effective method of maintaining
acceptable welding quality and preventing welding problems. Other method may
help to facilitate the visual inspection for surface defect such as Dye penetrant
inspection (DPI). The combination of visual and DPI will give a good result to
evaluate small size defect.
Visual inspection can often be utilized to prevent welding problems from happening
in the first place. The welding inspection function is often divided into three areas
pre weld inspection, during weld and post weld inspection.
Inspection on completed weld conducted to verify the integrity of the completed
weld. Many non-destructive testing (NDT) methods are used for post-weld
inspection. However, even if the weld is to be subjected to NDT, it is normally wise
to conduct visual inspection first. One reason for this is that surface discontinuities,
which may be detected by visual inspection, can sometimes cause misinterpretation
of NDT results or disguise other discontinuities within the body of the weld. The
most common welding discontinuities found during visual inspection are conditions
such as undersized welds, undercut, overlap, surface cracking, surface porosity,
under fill, incomplete root penetration, excessive root penetration, burn through, and
excessive reinforcement.

4. Sample preparation and Welding instruction

1. Two student for each group need to prepare 2 pieces x 8-10mm flat barx
150mm length steel plate.
2. Joint preparation shall be Vee joint design with 30-35 degree angle and 1-2
mm root gap and root face.
3. Welding with SMAW process and welding parameter that you had decided.

5. Inspection
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Welding gauge
Steel ruler
Torch light
Wire brush/ scrapper
Chalk
Acceptance criteria (API 1104)

Conduct visual inspection for both faces i.e root face and cover face for steel plate that
has been welded. You shall record all findings at base metal, heat affected zone (HAZ)
and weld surface in you report. All defects shall be referred with code and standard and
state your decision in evaluating the defect. Write a report and explain your finding and
it shall consist of introduction, objective, method, result and discussion and conclusion.

References
1. American Petroleum Institute 1104- Welding Pipeline and related facilities
2. Welding Technology handbook
3. Handbook of Structure Welding: Processes, Materials and Methods Used in the
Welding of Major Structure, Pipelines and Process Plant, John Lancaster,
Woodhead Publishing, 1997.
4. Marc Andre Meyer and Kumar Chawla, Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, 2 nd
Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
5. Fabrication and Welding, Roger Timings, Elsevier Ltd. 2008.