Troubleshooting Weld Cracking – The importance of crack location

One of the first steps in analyzing cracks to find their root cause and take corrective action is to categorize the cracks.  We categorize cracks based on three elements. Location Direction Timing In today’s article we discuss the importance of crack location when trying to determine what caused it.  What follows is an excerpt from […]

The Importance of Weld Repair Procedures

A repair procedure is necessary any time there is a defect in welding that must be corrected.  The repair procedure is not just a welding procedure specification, but rather a set of instructions and rules on how to repair different types of defects.  There is no standard format for a repair procedure, or a standard […]

Weld Troubleshooting for Non Welding Engineers

NOW AVAILABLE! Troubleshoot common welding and welding equipment problems the way welding engineers do. For more information CLICK HERE or the image  below. Learn and follow the process used by welding engineers to find the root cause of welding problems and their solutions. This troubleshooting guide goes beyond your typical troubleshooting charts on the back […]

Why you should take Undercut very seriously

Can it lead to catastrophic failure?

Undercut is a surface discontinuity resulting from melting of the base metal at one or both toes of a weld which remains unfilled by the weld metal.  It can also occur at the root of groove welds.  Undercut presents two problems. First, it forms a mechanical notch which acts as a stress riser and is […]

3 Keys to Troubleshooting Welding Problems

Troubleshooting of welds and other welding problems increases costs in welding, causes delays and affects weld quality.  Even a moderate understanding of welding problems, their symptoms, causes and potential solutions can help tremendously.  The more informed you are the better. To successfully troubleshoot and fix welding discontinuities, welding defects and other welding problems we need […]

9 Maintenance Problems that Cause Bad Welds

Maintenance-related problems are responsible for a large portion of bad welds in every day welding. However, these causes go unnoticed and unresolved because they happen slowly over time. A proper preventive maintenance program for welding machines, CNC cutting tables and other industrial equipment is absolutely necessary. Many of the problems related to maintenance that cause […]

3 Reasons Why You Need to Make Smaller Welds

Bigger is not always better, at least not in welding.  Making welds bigger than they need to be is not only wasteful and costly, but can cause other problems such as distortion and premature failure. Below are 3 reasons why you may need to pay close attention to your weld sizes.  1. Bigger welds cost […]

Factors Affecting Cooling Rates of Welds and Heat Affected Zones

Different ways to manage the rate of cooling

Our next article will discuss a question we are asked quite often: Can we eliminate preheating before welding?   Preheating is necessary to slow the cooling rate down after welding which in turn avoids excessive hardening of the weld and heat affected zone.  Eliminating preheat can lead to hydrogen induced cracking and catastrophic failure.  A […]

Causes of Porosity in Submerged Arc Welds

Submerged arc welding is typically done automatically, meaning it is not done by hand, but rather set up as hard automation.  The operator simply controls the welding machine and torch position to obtain the desired results.  Typically,the system is run by an operator, not a welder.  So when problems come up, the operator may not […]

Why Welds Fail: It’s never one thing

Weld failures happen all the time.  Some are more serious than others in terms of cost and potential for property damage and bodily harm.  If a weld failure is considered serious it typically gets a lot of attention. Forensics labs and industry experts get called to determine the root cause of the failure.  It may […]