Welding Terms & Defects

Joint Terminology

Edge Open & Closed Corner Lap

Tee Butt
Cruciform
 Welded Joint Terminology

Compound Fillet Butt

Edge Spot Plug

 Types of Joint Preparation

Included angle Included angle

Angle of
bevel

Root
Radius

Root Face Root Face

Root Gap Root Gap

Single -V Butt Single - U Butt

 Types of Joint Preparation

Angle of Angle of
bevel bevel

Root
Radius

Root Face Root Face

Root Gap
Root Gap Land
Single Bevel Butt Single J Butt
 Single Sided Joint Preparation
Single sided preparations are normally made on thinner
materials, or when access form both sides is restricted

Single Bevel Single Vee

Single J Single U
 Double Sided Joint Preparation
Double sided preparations are normally made on thicker
materials, or when access form both sides is unrestricted

Double Bevel Double Vee

Double J Double U
 Weld Zone Terms
Weld zone
Face
A B

Weld
metal Fusion
zone
Heat
Affected
Zone Weld
Junction
C D
Root
A, B, C & D = Weld Toes
 Butt Weld Features
Weld cap width

Excess
Cap height
or Weld
Reinforcement

Excess Root
Penetration Root bead width
 Toe Blend Angle

6 mm
Most codes quote the weld
80° toes shall blend smoothly
This statement is not
quantitative and therefore open
Poor Weld Toe Blend Angle to individual interpretation
The higher the toe blend angle
3 mm the greater the amount of
stress concentration
20°
The toe blend angle should be
between 20o-30o
Improved Weld Toe Blend
Angle
 Butt Weld Exercise
Butt Weld Features
Identify the butt weld features shown

10

7 8
9
2
1

5 3 4

6
 Butt Weld Exercise Answers
Butt Weld Features
1.Cap height

2. Weld toes

3. Fusion junction
10
4. HAZ

5. Plate thickness 8
7 9
2
1

5 3 4

6
 Butt Weld Exercise Answers
Butt Weld Features
6. Plate width

7. Plate & weld length

8. Weld width

9. Cap contour 10

10. Convex cap profile

7 8
9
2
1

5 3 4

6
 Fillet Weld Profiles

Mitre fillet Convex fillet

A concave profile is
preferred for joints
subjected to fatigue loading
Concave fillet
Fillet Weld Leg Lengths

a. = Vertical leg length

b. = Horizontal leg length
Fillet Weld Throat Thickness

b
a. = Design Throat Thickness
b. = Actual Throat Thickness
Deep Penetration Fillet Weld Features

a
b

a. = Design Throat Thickness

b. = Depth of Penetration
 Fillet Weld Dimensions

a = Design / Theoretical
throat thickness
s = Effective design throat

b = Horizontal leg length

c
c = Vertical leg length
e.g
Leg length = 6mm
Design Throat = 6mm x 0.7
a Design Throat = 4.2mm
b s
The leg length should be approximately equal to the
material thickness
The design throat thickness is 0.7 of the leg length
 Fillet Weld Exercise
Fillet Weld Features
Identify the fillet weld features shown

10

4
9
7
2 5

3 8
1
6
 Fillet Weld Exercise Answers
Fillet Weld Features
1.Horizontal leg length

2. Vertical leg length

3. Plate thickness 10
4. Weld width
4
5. Plate/weld length 9
7
2 5

3 8
1
6
 Fillet Weld Exercise Answers
Fillet Weld Features
6. Plate width

7. Plate height

8. Root 10
9. HAZ
4
10. Weld toe 9
7
2 5

3 8
1
6
Weld Defects
 Fusion Weld Defects

Defects which may be detected by visual inspection can

be grouped under five headings
 Root Defects

 Contour Defects

 Surface irregularities

 Surface cracks

 Miscellaneous
Weld Root Defects
 Weld Root Defects

 Low Amps/volts

 Large Root face

 Small Root Gap

Lack of root fusion
 Fast Travel Speed

 Incorrect Electrode Angle

 Contamination

Lack of root penetration

 Weld Root Defects

Lack of root fusion Lack of root Penetration

 Weld Root Defects

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

 Excessive root bead grinding before

Root Concavity the application of the second pass
 Weld Root Defects

Root Concavity
 Weld Root Defects

Root penetration bead in excess in accordance with the

relevant specification being used

 Root faces too small

 Root gap too large

 Excessive amps/volts

 Slow travel speed

Excessive root penetration
Weld Root Defects

Excessive root
penetration
 Weld Root Defects

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

 Poor welding technique

Shrinkage groove
 Weld Root Defects

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

 Slow Travel Speed

Burn through
 Weld Root Defects

Burn Through
 Weld Root Defects
Root Coking/Oxidized Root
 Loss or insufficient back
purging gas

 Most commonly occurs when

welding stainless steels

 Purging gases include argon,

helium and occasionally
nitrogen
Contour Defects
 Weld Contour Defects

Poor Toe Blend Excessive Weld Metal

Poor Cap Profile & Poor Toe Blend

 Weld Contour Defects

Incomplete filled groove Incomplete filled groove +

(Underfill) Lack of sidewall fusion

Incomplete filled groove + Lack of sidewall fusion

(Underfill)
 Weld Contour Defects

Poor stop/starts
 Fillet Weld 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.
Surface Irregularities
 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

 Cap Undercut

Intermittent Cap Undercut

 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

 Weld Overlap

Toe Overlap
Butt weld

Toe Overlap
Fillet weld
Crater Pipe

Weld crater

Crater pipe
 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  Too fast a cooling rate

(Star cracks)
 Deoxidization reactions
and liquid to solid
volume change

 Contamination

Crater pipe
 Cracks

Classified by Shape Classified by Position

 HAZ
 Longitudinal
 Centerline
 Transverse
 Crater
 Branched  Fusion zone

 Chevron  Parent metal

 Cracks

Longitudinal parent metal crack Transverse weld metal crack

Longitudinal weld metal crack Lamellar tearing

Miscellaneous Defects
 Miscellaneous Defects

 Accidental striking of the arc

onto the parent material

 Faulty electrode holder

 Poor cable insulation

 Poor return lead clamping

Arc strike
Miscellaneous Defects

Spatter

 Excessive current

 Damp electrodes

 Contamination

 Incorrect wire feed speed when

welding with the MAG welding
process
 Other Associated Weld Defects

 Cavities

 Solid inclusions

 Set up irregularities

 Parent material defects

Inclusions
 Gas Cavities

Gas pore
Cluster porosity  Loss of gas shield
(Porosity)

 Damp electrodes

 Contamination

 Arc length too large

Blow hole

 Damaged electrode flux

Herringbone porosity

 Moisture on parent material

 Welding current too low

Root piping
Gas Cavities

Porosity

Root piping
 Solid Inclusions
Slag inclusions are defined as a non-metallic inclusion
caused by some welding process
 Slag originates from welding
flux
 MAG and TIG welding process
produce silica inclusions
 Slag is caused by inadequate
Slag inclusions Lack of sidewall
fusion with cleaning
associated slag
 Other inclusions include
tungsten and copper inclusions
from the TIG and MAG welding
process

Parallel slag lines

 Set-up Irregularities

Plate/pipe Linear Misalignment

(Hi-Lo)

Poor fit-up

Angular Misalignment
Linear Misalignment

Linear Misalignment
 Mechanical Damage

Chipping Marks

Mechanical Damage/Grinding Mark

 Parent Material Defects

A welding inspector should also inspect the parent

material for any visible defects

Mechanical damage Lap

Lamination

Segregation line
Plate Lamination