Welding Defects

Ganesan V
Assistant Manager-TSD
D&H Secheron Electrodes Pvt.Ltd
What Is A Welding Defect ?
1. The defects in the weld can be defined as irregularities in the weld
metal produced due to incorrect welding parameters or wrong welding
procedures or wrong combination of filler metal and parent metal. It
can simply be defined as:

2. “Defects introduced during welding beyond the acceptance limit that

can cause a weld to fail”.

3. A defect does not allow the finished joint to withstand the required
strength (load).
Failure Due To Welding Defect On %Age Basis
According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
welding defect causes are broken down into the following % age:-
•41% poor process conditions
•32% operator error
•12% wrong technique
•10% incorrect consumables and
•5% bad weld grooves.
Presence Of Welding Defects: Action
What should be done when Welding-defects are detected?
1. One should reject the items and put them temporarily on
hold.
2. One should determine the cause and try to implement a
corrective action to avoid future reoccurrence.
3. Then an authorized professional should determine, if the
defects are repairable or not.
If yes, by which procedure. Standard procedures may be
approved for routine application.
Evaluation Welding Defects
All discontinuities are not defects. Discontinuities are rejectable
only if they exceed specification requirements
Radiographic standards used for evaluation of weld defects:-
•IIW standards
•ASTM standards
*Acceptance standards vary with service requirements
 IIW STANDARDS

Five IIW standards:

–Black
–Blue
–Green
–Brown
–Red
Black
Green
•A homogeneous weld or a weld with a •Slight variation from
few small scattered gas cavities homogeneity in the form of
Blue one or more of the following
defects:-
•Very slight variation from homogeneity in –Gas cavity
the form of one or more of the following
–Shrinkage cavity
defects:-:
–Slag inclusion
–Cavity –Undercut
–Shrinkage cavity –Incomplete penetration
–Slag inclusion
–Undercut
Brown Red
•Marked deviation from •Gross deviation from
homogeneity in the form of one or homogeneity in the form of one
more of the following defects:- or more of the following defects:-
–Gas cavity –Gas cavity
–Shrinkage cavity –Shrinkage cavity
–Slag inclusion –Slag inclusion
–Undercut –Undercut
–Incomplete penetration –Incomplete penetration
–Lack of fusion –Cracks
 ASTM STANDARDS

Specified welding defects level as •Defects allowed:-

per ASTM E- 390 Vol-II
–Incomplete Penetration up to level-II
•Defects not allowed:- –Slag Inclusion up to Level-III
–Shrinkage /Crack
–Undercut up to level-IV
–Lack of Fusion –Porosity:
–Burn through •Coarse scattered Porosity up to level-II
–Elongated Porosity
•Cluster Porosity up to Level-III
•Fine scattered Porosity up to Level-IV
CLASSIFICATION OF WELDING DEFECTS
Solid inclusion- includes slag, metal
oxides, tungsten, wagon track, etc
Imperfect shape -under cut, under fill,
over lap, excessive penetration, improper
bead shape, etc
Miscellaneous defects – includes arc
strike, excessive spatter, rough surface,
uneven ripples, etc
CLASSIFICATION OF WELDING DEFECTS
All these defects fall under two Hidden defect/sub surface weld
categories- defect/Internal defect
Visual defect /Surface weld –lack of fusion
defect/External defect
–lack of penetration
–surface cracks
–sub surface blow holes/
–over laps porosity
–under cuts –shrinkage cavity
–under fills –slag inclusion
–excessive penetration
–surface porosity
–excessive spatter
–Arc strike, etc
–tungsten inclusion, etc.
CRACKS
•A hair line separation in the BM/BM-WM-bdy / WM/HAZ
•May appear:
–at the root or
–middle or
–In the crater
–surface or
–subsurface
•Most dangerous of all defects
•Occurs in the WM when localized stresses exceed the UTS of material.
•May be of microscopic or macroscopic sizes.
CRACKS
Long crack in HAZ parallel to weld Long crack in weld metal
bead running through centre of the
weld
CRACKS
Cause:-
•Poor ductility of base metal
•High C & S- content of BM/WM
•High contraction stresses Transverse weld crack
•Electrode with high hydrogen content running across weld bead
Remedy:-
•Pre- heating
•Mn/S ratio: 18 min.
•Use low H₂ electrode
•Avoid rapid cooling
Classification:- transverse base metal crack
Cracks may be grouped mainly into two generally in high strength steel
categories-
–Hot crack
–Cold crack
 Intercrystalline crack
HOT CRACKS
•Crack in the weld that occurs just after
the welds are completed and some- times
while the welds are being made.
–Develops at high temperatures
–Propagates between the grains of the
material (intercrystalline)
–Occurs in the weld metal & sometimes in
HAZ.
•“solidification crack ” (weld metal)
•“liquation crack” (HAZ)
HOT CRACKS
Cause:-
•High residual stresses in weld metal
•Low weld ductility
•Too high welding current
•High thickness of work piece (thicker the work piece, faster the
cooling rate)
•high ratio of S &P with low Mn content, high C & Ni content (high
harden ability
HOT CRACKS
Prevention:
•Controlling composition of the metal (S<0.007%) to be welded
•Using filler metal with proper composition & low tensile strength
•Pre- heat
•reduces rate of cooling
•not essential for Austenitic SS (martensite does not occur).
Repair:
•Remove and re-weld
COLD CRACK
•Occurs after the metal has completely solidified (at temp -1000C to
2000C)
•Can occur several days after weld
•Occurs in C-steel, low & high alloy steel
–propagates both between grains and through grains.
–often associated with non-metallic inclusion (elongated MnS).
–occurs in both weld metal and HAZ but generally in HAZ
 COLD CRACK

Movement of H2 during arc welding

COLD CRACK
Cause-
•Hydrogen pick up during welding
–Source of hydrogen:-
•Moisture in base metal & welding electrodes
•Surface contaminated with organic substances
•Surrounding atmospheres
•Phase changes (e.g. formation of martensite) during cooling
Prevention:
•Controlling welding parameters:-
•proper pre-heating:
–reduces diffusion of H2
–ensures no moisture
•Post-welding treatment:
–stress relief.
COLD CRACK
•Clean joint from rust
•Use proper welding processes and consumables:
–Low strength filler metals.
–Use low hydrogen type baked electrode
Repair:
–Remove and re weld.
Crater Crack/Star Crack
“A depression left in weld metal where the arc was broken or the flame was
removed or electrode was changed”.
•They are hot cracks
•Occurs at the crater of the weld
–usually star shaped, but may have other shapes.
–most frequently found in austenitic SS(high thermal coefficient).
Crater Crack/Star Crack
Cause:
•The centre of weld pool becomes solid before the outside, pulling the
centre apart during cooling.
•High current (deep crater)
Prevention:
•can be minimised by filling craters to a slightly convex shape prior to
breaking the welding arc.
•may be avoided through improved welding skill
Repair:
–remove and re weld using appropriate procedure.
Porosities/Blow Holes
“Porosity is a group of small voids, where as blow holes are
comparatively bigger hole or cavity caused by entrapment of gases
[gases:H2,CO,CO2,N2 &O2 from coating ingredients in the electrode or
moisture, oil, grease, rust, etc on BM] within the solidified weld”.
•Porosity can occur on or just below the surface of a weld.
•Porosity in the weld and HAZ may lead to cracking.
Porosities / Blow Holes

Gas porosity or blow holes

cluster porosity
Porosities / Blow Holes
Porosities / Blow Holes
Cause: Prevention:
•Work piece or electrode •Preheat
contains/contaminated with:-
•Maintain proper arc length
–High sulphur & carbon
•Use low hydrogen electrode
–Excessive moisture, rust or scale, oil,
•Use recommended procedure
grease, etc
for baking & storing electrodes
•Atmospheric gases [N2, excessive O2
•Clean joint surfaces & adjacent
(Al-welding)]
surfaces
•Anodising coating on Al (contains
moisture)
•Long arc
•Fast solidification rate
 Under Cut
“A defect that appears as a groove formed in the BM adjacent to the toe
of a weld along the edge of the weld & left unfilled by the weld metal”.
•Generally located parallel to the junction of weld metal & base metal at
the toe or root of the weld
•Reduces the cross-sectional thickness of the base metal
•Acts as stress raiser in fatigue loading
Under Cut
Under Cut

Cause:
• High welding current & arc voltage
• Too large electrode dia
• Incorrect electrode angle
• Longer arc length Prevention:
•Use prescribed welding current for electrode size.
•Adjust electrode angle to fill undercut area.
•Correct travel speed, arc length, etc. Repair:
•Gouge & weld with low hydrogen electrode
Over Laps
“An imperfection at the toe of weld
caused by over flow of weld metal on the
surface of parent metal without fusion”
(protruded weld metal beyond the toe)
•Tends to produce mechanical notch
•Starts a crack at the sharp point where
the weld metal and base metal come
together at the over-lapped surface
Over Laps

Cause:-
–current too low
–Too large deposition in a single run
–Longer arc
–slow arc travel speed.
Prevention:
–Proper welding technique
–Use proper size of electrode
Repair:
–Overlap must be removed to blend smoothly into the base metal.
 Lack Of Penetration

“Improper penetration of weld

metal through the thickness of joint
or weld metal not extending to the
required depth into the joint root”
•Acts as stress riser from which a
crack may propagate
Lack Of Penetration

Cause –
•Root gap too small
•high welding speed
•Low heat input
•Too large electrode dia
Prevention:
•Proper joint preparation
•Proper heat input & welding speed
•Use suitable size of electrode
Repair:
•Back gouge and back weld or
remove and reweld.
 Lack Of Fusion

“Lack of complete melting/ fusion of

some portion of the weld metal in a
joint”
•May be at the root, sides or
between two runs.
•Reduces the strength of welds &
makes welded structures unreliable
 Lack Of Fusion

lack of fusion between passes

Lack Of Fusion

Cause:
•Low welding current
•Excess welding speed
•Unfavourable heat input
Prevention:
•Maintain proper current & welding
speed
•Proper cleaning of each bead
Repair:
•Chipping back & re-welding
Excessive Penetration/Icicles

“Weld metal lying outside the plane

joining the toes”
•Makes notches that create stress
concentration.
•An economic waste
Cause :-
•Too wide a root gap
•Too high welding current
•Slow travel speeds
•Large size electrodes
Excessive Penetration

Prevention:
–Correct the root opening and root face
–Reduce the wire-feed speed
Repair:-
–Remove and re-weld
 Spatter
“Small globular metal drops / particles thrown out during welding &
stick to the BM surfaces along its length”.
•Metal lost
•Do not form a part of the weld.
•Excessive spatters unacceptable.
Spatter

Cause –
–Excessive arc current
–Excessive long arc
–Improper shielding gas
–Electrodes coated with improper flux ingredients
–Damp electrodes
Prevention:
–Correct welding current for type & size electrode used.
–Correct proper arc length & use correct arc voltage
–Spatter cure SC-07(Non-toxic, non- pollutant, water based
inorganic anti–spatter flux)
–can easily be removed either by hair brush or by washing.
Repair:
–Remove by grinding or sanding.
 Inclusion

“Metallic or non metallic solid material entrapped within the WM,

between weld passes or between WM & BM”.
•May be in the form of slag or any other foreign material, which does
not get a chance to float on the surface of the solidifying WM
•H₂: the most undesirable inclusion (causing: cold crack)
•Lowers the strength of joint & make it weaker
•Non- metallic inclusion:-
–Most dangerous
–May be sulphide, oxide, silicate or aluminate type
–Acts as stress raiser
•Slag inclusions are elongated or globular pockets of metallic oxides and
other solid compounds.
Inclusion

Slag inclusion Sand inclusions

Slag inclusion Oxide inclusions

Inclusion

Possible causes for slag inclusion:

–Inadequate cleaning of weld metal between passes
–Rapid rate of welding
–Too large electrode
–improper current
–Long arcs
Prevention:
–Maintain proper current & heat input
–Proper cleaning of weld
Repair:
•chip back & re-weld
 Metallic Inclusion

Entrapped droplets of tungsten in welds in TIG welding.

–extremely brittle & can fracture easily under stress.
Cause –
•Dipping of tungsten electrode into molten weld pool
•Use of heavy current
•Over heating & melting of W- electrode
•Use of oxygen contaminated shielding gas
Prevention:
•Avoid contact between the electrode & the work
•Use larger electrode
•Repair: Grind out and re-weld
Metallic Inclusion

W-inclusion TIG Welding

 Wagon Track
“Linear slag inclusions along the axis of
weld”
Cause:
–Improper technique
Prevention:
–remove slag from previous passes.
 Burn-through

“The holes burned through the parent metal in

a single pass weld or the root run in multi run
welds”
Cause:-
•Excessive welding current with low welding
speed
•Insufficient root face
•Excessive root gap
Repair:
•Remove and re-weld
•PWHT