TECHNOLOGY

Radiographic Interpretation

Weld Defects
Course reference WIS 20
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Faults in Fusion Welds

Defects which may be detected by visual inspection
can be grouped under the following headings
Lack of fusion
Cracks
Solid inclusions

Mechanical damage

Surface and profiles

Parent material damage

Misalignment (set-up

Miscellaneous

irregularities)
Gas pores and porosity

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Cracks

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Cracks
Cracks that may occur in welded materials are caused
generally 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

Chevron

Fusion zone
Parent metal

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Process Cracks
Hydrogen induced cold cracking
(HICC)
Solidification cracking (Hot Tearing)
Lamellar tearing
Re heat cracking

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Cracks

Longitudinal parent metal crack

Longitudinal weld metal crack

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Transverse weld metal crack

Lamellar tearing
M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Transverse crack
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Longitudinal crack
M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Inclusions

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Gas Cavities
Gas pore <1.5mm Blow hole.>1.6mm
Gas pore

Cluster porosity

Loss of gas shield

Damp electrodes
Contamination

Blow hole
Herringbone porosity

Arc length too large

Damaged electrode flux
Moisture on parent material

Root piping
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Welding current too low

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Gas Cavities

Porosity

Root piping
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Cluster porosity
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Herringbone porosity
M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Solid Inclusions
Slag inclusions are defined as a non-metallic inclusion
caused by some welding process
Slag originates from welding
flux

Slag inclusions

Lack of sidewall
fusion with
associated slag

Parallel slag lines Lack of interun

fusion + slag
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

MAG and TIG welding

process produce silica
inclusions
Slag is caused by
inadequate cleaning
Other inclusions include
tungsten and copper
inclusions from the TIG and
MAG welding process
M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Interpass slag inclusions

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Elongated slag lines

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Lack of Fusion

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Lack of Fusion
Poor welder skill
Incorrect electrode
manipulation
Incomplete filled groove
+ Lack of sidewall fusion

Arc blow
Incorrect welding

1
2

1. Lack of sidewall fusion

2. Lack of inter-run fusion
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

current/voltage
Incorrect travel speed
Incorrect inter-run cleaning

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Overlap
An imperfection at the toe or root of a weld caused by
metal flowing on to the surface of the parent metal
without fusing to it
Contamination
Slow travel speed
Incorrect welding technique
Current too low

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Overlap

Toe Overlap
Butt weld

Toe Overlap
Fillet weld

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defects

Low Amps/volts
Large Root face
Incomplete root fusion

Small Root Gap

Fast Travel Speed
Incorrect Electrode Angle

Incomplete root penetration

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Contamination
Arc blow

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defects

Lack of root fusion

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Lack of root Penetration

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Lack of root penetration

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Lack of root fusion

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Surface & Profile

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Profile Defects

Incomplete filled groove

Poor cap profiles and
excessive cap reinforcements
may lead to stress
concentration points at the
weld toes and will also
contribute to overall poor toe
blend
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Poor cap profile

Excessive cap height

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Excess cap reinforcement

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Incomplete filled groove

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Profile Defects

Poor stop/starts

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Miscellaneous Defects

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Miscellaneous Defects
Excessive current
Damp electrodes
Contamination
Spatter

Incorrect wire feed speed

when welding with the MAG
welding process
Arc blow

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Miscellaneous Defects
Accidental striking of the arc
onto the parent material
Faulty electrode holder
Poor cable insulation
Poor return lead clamping

Arc strike
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Cap & Root Undercut

An irregular groove at the toe of a weld run in the
parent metal
Excessive amps/volts
Excessive travel speed
Incorrect electrode angle
Excessive weaving
Incorrect welding technique
Electrode too large

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Cap Undercut

Intermittent Cap Undercut

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Root undercut
Copyright2003
2004TWI
WI Ltd
Copyright
Ltd

Cap undercut
M.S.Rogers
M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

A shallow groove caused by contraction in the weld
metal along each side of the penetration bead
Insufficient weld metal
deposited in the root pass
Too fast a cooling rate during
the application of the root
bead pass
Shrinkage groove

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Poor welding technique

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

A shallow groove, which may occur in the root of a butt weld
Root faces too large
Root gap too large
Excessive back purge pressure
during TIG welding
Concave root

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Excessive root bead grinding

before the application of the
second pass

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

Concave Root

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

Root penetration bead in excess in accordance with the
relevant specification being used
Root faces too small
Root gap too large
Excessive amps/volts
Excessive root penetration

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Slow travel speed

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

Excessive root
penetration
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Concave root
Copyright2003
2004TWI
WI Ltd
Copyright
Ltd

Excess root penetration

M.S.Rogers
M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

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
Burn through

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Slow Travel Speed

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Weld Root Defect

Burn
Through

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Burn through

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Oxidized Root (Root Coking)

Loss or insufficient back
purging gas
Most commonly occurs
when welding stainless
steels
Purging gases include
argon, helium and
occasionally nitrogen

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Crater Pipe

Weld crater

Crater pipe

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Crater Pipe
Crater pipe is a shrinkage defect and not a gas defect, it
has the appearance of a gas pore in the weld crater

Crater cracks
(Star cracks)

Too fast a cooling rate

Deoxidization
reactions and liquid to
solid volume change

Crater pipe

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

Contamination

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Mechanical Damage

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Mechanical Damage
Mechanical damage can be defined as any surface material
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
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Set-up Irregularities

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Unequal Leg Lengths

A variation of leg lengths on a fillet weld

Note: Unequal leg lengths on a fillet weld may be specified

as part of the design, in which case it will not be
considered as a defect.
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Set-up Irregularities
Linear misalignment is
measured from the lowest
plate to the highest point.
Plate/pipe Linear Misalignment
(Hi-Lo)

Angular misalignment is
measured in degrees
Angular Misalignment
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Set-up Irregularities

Linear Misalignment
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Set-up Irregularities

Linear Misalignment

Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers

TECHNOLOGY

Any Questions

?
Copyright 2004 WI Ltd

M.S.Rogers