1 WELDING INSPECTION OVERVIEW

Specifc duties of welding inspecto!

The main duties of welding inspector is to ensure all the welding and associated actions are carried out in
accordance with the welding specifcations relevant to the contract or work being carried out.
Duties pio to welding!
1. Obtain all docu"ent#tion eg spec, procedure, drawing and welder test cert.
2. ensure welde $u#lifc#tion
3. ensure coect "#tei#ls (sie, t!pe " condition#
$. correct consu"#%les
%. correct e$uip"ent
&. assess'measure ft&up eg. (oot face, bevel angle, root gap, alignment, seam o)set " *oint
cleanliness
+. ensure no undue stess apllied to the *oint.
Duties duing welding!
1. ,heck amperage, voltage " polarit!
2. ensure correct welding techni-ue
3. check welding time . time lapse or run out length
$. ade-uate cleaning between passes
%. correct interpass temp.
&. check root internall! (pipe / if accessible#
+. check back gouge
Duties #fte welding!
1. 0nsure weld is post cleaned
2. visual inspection for defects
3. visual inspection for arc strike
$. check weld contour
%. monitor pwht.
&. report on weld
+. check ndt report
' ()N*)L (ET)L )RC +((),S()W-
1ost versatile welding techni-ue
2uitable for all thicknesses " t!pe of ferrous " non.ferrous metals.
,an be carried out in all position and relativel! economicall!
3elding -ualit! ver! dependant to welder skill
4eat being provided b! electric arc which formed between a 5u6 " metal being weld
7verage temp around &888
8
, which is su9cient to melt the parent metal.
Powe e$uie"ent
,an be carried out either ac (.ve polarit!# or dc(:ve polarit!#
The actual current form selected is dependant upon the composition of the electrode 5u6 coating
" specifc re-uirement of weld.
7, transformers are the most e)ective form of power suppl!.
;ower can be obtained from transformer, transformer.rectifer, generator or inverter.
(egardless of t!pe, all welding plant must provide the following <
1. drooping characteristic power source.
2. a reasonable current must be available
3. arc stabilit!
$. a current which remain almost constant.
)"pe#ge < the welding current , controls electrode burn o) and depth of penetration.
Too low < slag incl, electrode freees to weld, arc strike
Too high < e6cess pen, burn through, porosit!, spatter, high deposition, undercuts.
Volt#ge < controls the weld pool 5uidit!.
too low < poor pen, unstable arc, irregular root bead, fusion def, slag incl.
too high < spatter, slag incl, ver! 5uid weld pool.
Speed of t#.el < e)ect heat input therefore a)ects metallurgical and mechanical condition.
Cuent t/pe
DC electode positi.e
1. 2'3 heat on elec " 1'3 on pm
2. wide " shallow weld pool
3. reduce possibilit! of 42 entrapment " brittle structure
DC electode neg#ti.e
1. 2'3 heat on pm
2. narrow " deep weld pool
3. ma! have 42 entrapment " susceptible of cracking.
)C < = heat on pm = on electrode. 0)ects of e-ualiing due
to polarit! are reversing 188 times per second (%8 cps#. The weld one and mechanical characteristic
are therefore midwa! between those produce b! >, :ve " .ve.
Consu"#%le Electodes
Rutile < used mainl! for general purpose. 7 medium weight coating of TiO2 : 5uorspar, made
5uid fast freeing slag. 2uitable for all position but not often in vertica down " ver! popular. ?lu6es
should kept dr! but never baked.
The 5u6 contains of following <
1. TiO2 (rutile# / slag former " secondar! ionier.
2. cla! / binding agent
3. @a2iO2 / main ionier
Cellulosic < designated indicates high cellulose content to produce large volume of gas
in arc region. ;rinciples gas protection via gas shield consists of 42, ,O, ,O2 " 42O. 1ost important are
which 42 e)ect of increasing the arc voltage " develops ver! forceful deepl! penetrating arc.
(apid burn rate, fast freeing " thin slag. 2uitable for vertical down " good -ualit! penetration beads
produces.
,omplete weld have a rough appearance with course uneven ripples, spatter content is higher
compare to other electrode t!pe. ?lu6es are h!droscopic " designated $.+A moisture, kept dr! "
never baked.
?lu6 contain of following <
1. cellulose (mainl! wool pulp# / gar former. 4igh 42 which increase arc voltage " overall power arc /
ma! detrimental some metal.
2. TiO2 / slag former. 7 minor additional onl! / not enough to e)ect ioniation.
3. @a2iO2 / main ionier (>, :ve#. B2iO2 as an alternative to all current but e6pensive.
0#sic < have high limestone" 5uorspar content were to develop weld metal with a low 42
content. Cimestone has ver! good arc stabilier " produce ,O2 gas shielding. Daked prior to used
(%88
8
,# to drive o) moisture without damage occurring to the coating. Esed e6tensivel! because their
abilit! to weld low allo!, high, medium tensile steel, " steels with high 2 content without an! real
danger of solidifcation cracking. (educe possibilit! of 4F, in weld " 47G, but this is dependant upon
them being properl! dried before used. T!pical precaution includes heated storages area, sealed
container, pre.issue ovens and -uiver for on site welding. D2 0@ $HH starts with ma6imum 42 content
of 1%ml'188 g of weld metal deposite.
1
(ET)L INERT&G)S 2 (ET)L )CTIVE G)S
WELDING +(IG 2 ()G-
1a! consider together because all e-uipment are same, onl! its consumables and consumables
are di)er.
Esed bare wire to provide arc " weld metal continuousl! fed from a coil through a speciall!
designated welding gun.
Decause process 5u6less, it is necessar! to eliminate the possibilit! of atmosphere contamination
b! introducing a shielding gas.
?or some materials, 7r is an e9cient shielding gas, being inert, not chemicall! reacts with metal.
3hen inert gas using as a shield metal, the welding process known as 17I.
2hielding gas also changing the electrical properties of arc eg. ,2 not full! transfers if used 7r.
,2 can be transfer using ,O2 as shielding gas. Ft chemicall! reacts with the weld pool to produce
an o6ide.
1ain functions of shielding gases <
1. to provide atm for electric arc
2. to protect weld pool from atm contamination.
;ure 7r / 7l, ,u, HA @i
,O2 / ,2 with $A ,, low allow steel.
3ire used for welding should confprm to D2 0@ $$8 " D2 2H81 ;arts 2,3,$ " %
Decause porosit! problem in 17I, full! deo6idied (killed# wire such as 2ilicon
1anganese should be used.
1ode of transfer
1. spra! or free 5ight
2. dip transfer (semi short circuit arc#
3. globular
$. pulsed
Sp#/ < used high current. 4igh welding deposition rates " deeps penetration, suitable for thick
materials, accept for low allo! mats ma! onl! be used for horiontal welding position.
Dip t#nsfe < low amp " low volt re-uired so that the consumables wire electrode touches the weld
pool " short circuit. Decause produced a relativel! cool arc, it ca be used on thinner section " for all
position.
Glo%ul# < intermediate range between spra! " dip. There is no manual application in 1FI'17I
welding and onl! limited on mechanied " auto set.up.
Pulsed t#nsfe < modifed from spra! transfer which e)ectivel! uses both the dip and spra! modes
in operation. ;ulses of high powered spra! transfer current are superimposed over a constant low semi
short circuiting background mode.
Powe Re$uie"ent < usuall! used constant voltage characteristic. This can be obtained from
generator of transformer.rectifer.
,J power sources must be used in combination with constant speed wire feeder.
)d.#nt#ged
1inimal wastages of consumables electrode
@o fre-uentl! changing electrode
Cittle or no interpass cleaning re-uired, no slag produced.
4eavier weld bead produced
?aster welding process
Cow h!drogen content / preheat ma! not re-uired
Dis#d.#nt#ges
Fncrease risk of porosit!
1ore maintenance of plant involve
4igh risk of CO?
3 T*NGSTEN INERT G)S
Eses of non /consumables tungsten electrode to provide arc.
3ire feed separatel!, 7r used as shielding gas where fed through welding gun. @o 5u6es are used
in this process.
1ore e6pensive " generall! used on ,2 when high metallurgical " mechanical properties are
re-uired eg. in -ualit! root run in pipeline work.
3hen high -ualit! root runs are to be deposited, back purge is used to prevent o6idiing to weld
metal.
3hen access to weld area is di9cult, the tungsten stick.out length can be increase providing a
gas lens is ftted to prevent gas turbulence / to prevent weld metal o6idie.
Ft is possible to automated TFI process.
Tungsten electodes
;lain (inactivated# tungsten
,an cause tungsten inclusion, suitable for lower -ualit! general purpose weld.
7ctivated tungsten
7dd thoria or irconia to the tungsten to increase electron emission for better arc striking, re.ignition
and stabilit!. >ecease possibilit! of tungsten inclusion
14 T5oi#ted tungsten electode < used with electrode /ve dc for welding all metal e6cept light
allo!s.
'4 T5oi#ted tungsten electode< as above but appl! for lower amp to improve arc stabilit!
6iconi#ted tungsten electode < speciall! used for ac welding for light allo!.
Selection of cuent
>, /ve < narrow " deep pen, 2'3 heat on parent metal. Cow voltage (1$J# " suitable for all metals
e6cept 7l, 1g and their allo!s.
>, :ve < wide " narrow pen. 1'3 heat on parent metal. 4igh voltage (2%J# " can cause overheating "
melt the tips, globular in shape resulting of uncontrolled arc " possible tungsten inclusion.
7, < = heat on metal. 1edium of .ve " :ve (28J#.
Potection of weld "olten pool
2 functions of gas shield, 1. provide suitable ioniable atm for electric arc " 2. to protect from
contamination.
Iases used are 7r, 4e " @2.
7r < ver! cheap. ;roduce smooth " -uiet arc with low arc voltage " improve cleaning when used ac on
light allo!s. 7ddition of 1.%A active gas will improve penetration " welding speed due to increasing of
voltage.
4e < lighter than 7r. (e-uired higher 5owrate (2.2.% more than 7r#. ,reate higher voltage which useful
for thick mats " metal with high thermal conductivit!. 3hen used with 7, on light allo!s, less cleaning
compare to 7r.
@2 < inert in room temp. combine with O2 at arc temp become active. Ensuitable on most metal but
gives good result on ,u as increase arc voltage which create more heat " far more cheaper than 7r "
4e.
7ille "#tei#ls
?iller metal used must conform to D2 0@ $$8 " D2 2H81.fller rods & wires for inert gas welding.
Decause of porosit! problem in ,2, killed wire as 2i'1g'7l recommended.
Powe e$uie"ent
4igh O,J re-uired around H8volts to ensure stabilit!. To assist arc, prevent inclusion " damage to
electrode tips. 4igh fre-uenc! current is superimposed at the start at >, operation.