Southern Inspection Services

SOUTHERN INSPECTION SERVICES

Visual Inspection Procedure

As per MIL – STD – 271F

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Table of contents
Page #

1.0 Scope________________________________________________________4

2.0 Reference Documents___________________________________________4

3.0 Aids to Visual Inspection________________________________________4

4.0 Measuring Devices_____________________________________________4

5.0 Personnel_____________________________________________________5

6.0 Lighting_______________________________________________________5

7.0 Preparation____________________________________________________5

8.0 Intermediate Inspection__________________________________________6

9.0 After Welding__________________________________________________6

10.0 Repair________________________________________________________7

11.0 Inspection Records._____________________________________________8

12.0 Acceptance Criteria_____________________________________________8

13.0 Documentation_________________________________________________8

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Visual Inspection Procedure

As per MIL – STD – 271F

1.0 Scope

This procedure relates to the visual inspection of fusion welded joints, adjacent base
metal including the methods of measuring the various parameters and features of a
weld and how these are recorded.

2.0 Reference Documents

MIL – STD – 271F

MIL – STD – 2035A

3.0 Aids to Visual Inspection

3.1 Aids to visual inspection should be used whenever practicable to facilitate the
assessment of imperfections or the examination of welds not directly visible. These
aids may be in various forms depending on the type and location of the weld being
examined.

3.2 For local examination of a weld that is directly visible to the eye, a small hand lens
used in conjunction with a pen torch, while varying the direction of the light is usually
very revealing. In such cases, the hand held lens shall have a magnification of 3x to
5x.

4.0 Measuring Devices

When it is required to measure the dimensions of a weld edge preparation, a weld or

an imperfection, the following devices alone or in combination, shall be used.

Ruler
Protractor
Calipers (Internal or external) or Vernier
Height or depth gauge
Contour gauge
Bridge-cam gage
Fillet gauge

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For repetitive work, it is usually preferable to have special templates and gauges
made for ease of checking weld profiles and dimensions on a Go, No-Go basis.

5.0 Personnel

Visual Inspectors shall have one of the following qualifications:

5.1 AWS – CWI / CAWI American Welding Society – Certified Welding Inspector
5.2 ASNT Level III Visual Inspection
5.3 ASNT Level II Visual Inspection
5.4 CSWIP – 3.1 / 3.2 Welding Inspector or Senior Welding Inspector

All visual examination personnel shall have an annual visual examination. They shall
be capable of reading standard Jaegar Chart J1 letters with or without corrected
vision. The far vision acuity shall be 20/40 or better. Yearly eye examination shall be
conducted. Proper color vision test is needed to exclude Red & Green color
blindness. This should be done once in three years. Near vision acuity is for J1 letter
at more than 12” but less the 24”, corrected or uncorrected atleast in one eye.
Viewing angle should not exist 30° from the normal.

6.0 Lighting

The inspection area shall be adequately illuminated for proper evaluation. The colour
of the light shall be such that there is good contrast between any imperfections and
their background. The direction of the light shall be capable of being varied so that
any imperfections can be revealed; glare and dazzling of the observer shall be
avoided. For direct visual testing atleast 1000 lux is needed per critical job one can
go up to 3000 lux but not exiceeding 5000 lux. For fluorescent testing a light of 20 lux
is needed. Black light intensity of 1000 µw/cm2 on the surface is needed.

7.0 Preparation

Before welding commences, the Inspector shall:-

 Have adequate knowledge of the applicable standard

 Have adequate knowledge of the welding procedure to be used
 Have a knowledge with working drawing
 Examine the welders’ qualification

When the information stated above is complete the inspector shall then carry out the
following checks.

7.1 Weld Preparation: Check that the form and dimensions of the weld preparation are in
accordance with the data supplied using appropriate measuring devices.

7.2 Cleanliness: Check that the fusion faces and adjacent material have the required
cleanliness.

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7.3 Fit – Up: Check that the fit-up (gap and alignment) of the parts to be welded, including
any backing material, is in accordance with the data supplied.

7.4 Welding consumables: check the identification of the welding consumable against the
appropriate specification or procedure.

7.5 Pre-heating: when pre-heating is required, check that the conditions specified in the
welding procedure are met. A satisfactory temperature distribution around and
through the joint to be welded shall be maintained. The pre-heating temperature may
be checked by the use of temperature indicating crayons or paints, thermometers,
thermocouples, pyrometers or a combination of these methods.

8.0 Intermediate Inspection

The following items shall be checked, as appropriate.

8.1 Back Gouging

When back gouging is specified, check that the back of the first run is gouged out by
suitable means. The shape and surface of the resultant groove shall meet the
specification.

8.2 Inner run cleaning

Check that each run of weld metals cleaned before it is covered by a further run.
Particular attention shall be paid to the junctions between the weld metal and the
fusion faces.

8.3 Inter pass temperature

In the case of multi-run welds, check the conditions specified in the welding
procedure for inter pass temperature.

9.0 After Welding

9.1 When dressing of the weld face is required, for further NDT are processing to
ensure that overheating of the joint due to grinding action, grinding marks and an
uneven finish are avoided. In the case of butt welds that are to be dressed flush,
ensure that the joint merges smoothly with the parent metal without under flushing. In
the case of fillet weld joints see the minimum needed theoretical throat condition is
maintained

9.2 Check that all slag has been removed, by manual or mechanical means. The
surfaces of the finished welds shall be sufficiently free from coarse ripples, grooves,
overlays and abrupt ridges and valleys to permit proper interpretation of radiographs
and other required non-destructive examination.

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9.3 Welds shall be free of cracks, incomplete fusion, incomplete penetration (in
case of single sided weld) and burn through.

9.4 Weld undercut shall be as per 12.0

9.5 Melt through and repaired burn through areas are acceptable provided the
areas do not contain cracks, crevices, excessive oxidation and the root convexity and
concavity limits are not exceeded.

9.6 Examination of root penetration: In case of butt welds made from one side
only, check that over the whole of the joint the penetration and any root concavity,
burn through or shrinkage grooves are within the limits specified in the acceptance
criteria. From the access point of view, appropriate measuring devices and optical or
other aids shall be used.

9.7 Check the contour of the weld face and the height of the excess weld metal.

9.8 Check the weld width is consistent over the whole of the joint, shall meet the
dimensional requirements of the working drawing.

9.9 Undercut shall be measured by using appropriate measuring device.

9.10 Careful examination shall be made on the toes of the weld to look for any
overlap.

9.11 The weld and adjacent parent metal shall be examined for any local hot spots
or cracking caused by stray arcing.

9.12 Weld flaws: Welds and heat affected zone (HAZ) shall be examined for flaws
against the acceptance standard. In some cases, visual inspection may not be
sufficient to determine the full extent of a surface flaw (crack/porosity) and the use of
other testing methods may be required before the flaw can be assessed.

9.13 Post Weld Heat Treatment: Check shall be made to ensure that the conditions
specified in the welding procedure are applied so that the correct heat input, heating
rate, temperature control time at temperature and cooling rate shall be achieved.

9.14 Further inspection shall be made after post weld heat treatment.

10.0 Repair

The weld fails to comply wholly or in part with the acceptance criteria, the
unacceptable defects shall be removed. The following items shall be checked during
the repair operation.

10.1 Ensure that the specified means of removing the defect (e.g. chipping,
grinding, machining, thermal cutting or thermal gouging) shall be used correctly, when
a thermal process is employed. Check that if pre heating is specified and is correctly
applied.

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10.2 Partially removed weld: Check that the cut out portion is sufficiently deep and
long enough to completely remove the defects. The ends and sides of the cut should
gradually from the base of the cut to the surface of the weld metal. The width and
profile of the cut should allow adequate access for re-welding.

10.3 Completely removed weld: when a section of material containing a faulty weld
has been removed, check that each weld preparation is repaired in accordance with
the welding procedure.

10.4 Re-welding shall be carried out in accordance with the agreed repair welding
procedure.

10.5 Re-inspection shall be made for the repaired weld with the same inspection
requirements as the original weld.

11.0 Inspection Records.

Records shall be made for every relevant item of visual inspection at each stage.
Welds inspected and approved shall be suitably marked or identified.

12.0 Acceptance Criteria

The acceptance criteria shall be as per the client / client inspectors’ specification. In
case, no such specification is provided, the acceptance criteria shall be as per
MIL-STD-2035A.

13.0 Documentation
Visual Inspection conducted as per this procedure shall be reported on a standard
Visual Inspection report and shall contain the following information at a minimum:

Client
Job number
Location
Tools used
Drawing/line number
Weld number
Date
Welder ID
Welding Inspectors’ name
Accept/Reject Criteria

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VT QB PENDING

1) This procedure involves

a) VT of the fusion weld joints
b) Inspection of the fusion welded joints and the adjutant base metal
c) Only weld joint area and half of HAZ on both sides of the weld
d) none

2) A mirror is used to inspect a weld joint .What is the maximum dia of the tube
that can be inspected taking into account of minimum distance of eye from
the object and the needed angle of inspection
a) 6 “
b) 8”
c) 10”
d) 12”

3) If a lense is having a focal length 1.5’. Then what is the

magnification(M=10/f)
a) 2
b) 3
c) 6.6
d) 10

4) Misalignment can better be measured by

a) Thin ruler
b) Cambridge gage
c) Contour gauge
d) Fillet gauge

5) If a PT test is to be done , them the required intensity of light is

a) 500 lux
b) 1000lux
c) 20 lux
d) 1000 µ w/cm²

6) At visual testing, a light intensity is measured as 2000 at 10 Inch lux from

source. If VT is done at 20 inch , how much is the light intensity
(I1/I2 = D22/D12 )
a) 20000 lux
b) 1000 lux
c) 500 lux
d) none

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7) What is black light is needed at the surface

a) 1000 lux
b) 1000 µ w/cm²
c) 20 lux
d) All
e) none

8) What is the light intensity need during black light testing

a) 1000 lux
b) 1000 µ w/cm²
c) 20 lux
d) All
e) None

9) It is required to have 1000 µ w/cm²on the surface when VT was done at 12

inch. If VT has to be done at 24 inch it should be( I 1/I2 = D22/D12)
a) 1000 µ w/cm²
b) 2000 µ w/cm²
c) 4000 µ w/cm²
d) All
e) None

10)While doing a weld of length 1 meter and Bevel angle is 30 degree and bevel
face is 10 mm. If one weld rod can be used for 10 cc, how many weld rods
are needed (( V= ( ½ a x b ) x L V/10 gives number of rods .
Here b = Bevel Face x sin30, and a = Bevel face x cos 30
a) 5
b) 2
c) 3
d) 15

11)Pre heating temperature is usually

a) Less than PWHT temperature
b) Same as PWHT temperature
c) Equal to the annealing temperature
d) Equal to the hold time temperature
e) None

12)After the welding which has to be performed first

a) RT
b) PWHT
c) PWHT first and RT next
d) RT first and PWHT next

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13)Lamellar tear
a) is acceptable
b) not acceptable
c) If its length is less than two times the weld thickness it is acceptable
d) None

14) First SS weld is done., Then PWHT and RT was done. Defect was found out.
It was repaired. Then RT, MT, and UT is done. Acceptability criteria depends
on -----
a) RT
b) UT
c) MT
d) A & b
e) B & c

15)Weld is acceptable as per

a) AWS –VT std
b) ASME SCE V , ART 5
c) ASNT-TC-1A – 2001
d) All
e) None

16)A person is having secondary color blindness. He cannot do

a) Visible PT
b) Fluorescent PT
c) Fluorescent MT
d) b & c
e) a & b & c

17)Weld is equal leg fillet weld of size 14mm. weld throat was 11mm. Which
contour is preferable?
a) Convex
b) Concave
c) Plain or mitre
d) b & c
e) All

18)Pre heating is mentioned in the welding procedure. Then it is needed only

for
a) Repair welding
b) Tack welding
c) Thermal Gouging
d) Only for initial fresh welding
e) all

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19)In a weld VT has found the porosity to be acceptable. But when RT was
done it was found unacceptable .So
a) Accept & OK the Weld
b) Use the RT result and reject the weld
c) Leave it to the Level II discretion
d) In general First of all RT cannot detect porosity. So this situation will not
arise

20)Spatter on the weld

a) In general it is not unacceptable
b) It may be a problem in corrosive atmosphere
c) It may hinder the process of some NDT methods
d) All
e) none

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Visual Inspection Procedure

ANSWERS

Q.NO. ANS
1 A
2 D
3 C
4 B
5 B
6 C
7 B
8 C
9 C
10 C
11 A
12 C
13 B
14 A
15 E
16 D
17 D
18 E
19 B
20 D

10) Hint : a = 10 x cos30 = 8.66mm, b = 10 x sin30= 5mm,

So volume =.area x 100cm
So Volume = .5 x .5 x .866 x 100. So No of Rods = V/10 – 2.165

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