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How to Troubleshoot Weld Distortion
How to Troubleshoot Weld Cracking
How to Troubleshoot Weld Porosity Using a Systematic Approach
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Pitting weld corrosion
Different Types of Corrosion in Welded Structures

Corrosion in welded structures isn’t just rust — it takes many forms, each with unique causes and risks. Welds often corrode faster than base metal because of differences in microstructure, composition, and residual stress. The main types include general corrosion, galvanic, crevice, pitting, intergranular attack, stress corrosion cracking, and microbiologically induced corrosion. Understanding these forms is critical because each requires a different prevention strategy, from material selection to welding technique and protective coatings. By learning how corrosion works, companies can extend equipment life, avoid failures, and save significant costs.

How Carbon Content Affects the Weldability of Steels

Steel’s carbon content determines much of its behavior in fabrication, from mechanical properties to weldability. As carbon increases, strength and hardness rise, but ductility and machinability drop, making steels more difficult to weld. Low carbon steels are the most weldable, while medium and high carbon steels require preheating and strict control to avoid cracking. This post breaks down the effects of carbon on strength, hardness, ductility, weldability, and machinability, giving welders and engineers practical insights for better decision-making. Understanding these relationships helps prevent failures, improve weld quality, and reduce fabrication costs.

Welding Engineers develop welding procedures to meet both production and quality requirements. Many times these procedures are modified or not followed by the shop floor due to issues in communication.
7 Things Engineers Wished Welders Knew About Welding

Ever wonder why engineers specify every detail of a weld? It’s a common source of friction in the shop, but there's a reason for every rule. This blog post explores the "why" behind an engineer's decisions, from the importance of following a welding procedure to the hidden dangers of ignoring heat input and interpass temperatures. Discover the critical insights engineers wish welders knew, and learn how understanding these principles can dramatically improve your work, reduce costly rework, and ultimately make your job easier.

Weld Design: Size and Strength Considerations

Are you tired of skyrocketing costs and quality issues caused by overwelding? This article will show you how to accurately determine the right fillet weld size for your applications. We'll demystify the classic "rule of thumb" for weld design, explore the relationship between weld size and weld strength, and provide actionable advice to help you and your team stop wasting time and money. Learn how to train your team and implement simple changes that can reduce your welding costs by thousands of dollars a year.

Real world conditions differ significantly from lab conditions. This needs to be taken into account when developing a welding procedure.
6 Things Welders Wish Engineers Knew About Welding

There's an age-old disconnect between the engineering department and the shop floor, especially in companies where welding is a core process. Welders constantly face challenges and frustrations stemming from design requirements that seem out of touch with practical realities. From impossible-to-reach weld locations to specifying costly, unnecessary procedures, these issues directly impact productivity, quality, and your bottom line. In this post we dive deep into the welder's perspective, revealing 6 critical things welders wish engineers understood about welding.

Assuming that weld sizes called out in welding symbols are suggestions rather than requirements can result in a tremendous amount of overwelding and fabriction cost increases.
The Reason Behind AWS D1.1 Minimum Fillet Weld Sizes

This blog post dives deep into a seemingly simple topic: minimum fillet weld sizes. You'll discover why the common belief that these sizes are just about strength is actually incorrect. Learn the real metallurgical reason behind these design rules (found in codes like AWS D1.1 and AISC 360-16): preventing embrittlement and costly hydrogen-induced cracking from rapid cooling, even in low carbon steels. We'll also cover crucial details like welding dissimilar thicknesses and the requirement for single-pass welds for these minimums. Finally, understand how this overlooked aspect connects to the widespread and expensive problem of overwelding in our industry.

Assuming that weld sizes called out in welding symbols are suggestions rather than requirements can result in a tremendous amount of overwelding and fabriction cost increases.
Rule of Thumb for Fillet Weld Sizes

Don't let overwelding inflate your fabrication costs! This blog post explores the "Rule of Thumb for Fillet Weld Sizes," a common guideline that can save you significant time and material. Learn when this rule applies, its underlying assumptions, and how understanding minimum weld sizes can lead to substantial savings, even without a design engineer on staff. Discover practical examples and considerations to optimize your welding operations and avoid unnecessary expenses.