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Flux-Cored vs. MIG Wire: What Most Shops Get Wrong
What To Do When Welding Codes Are Not Clear
5 Mistakes Made by New Welding Supervisors
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Understanding Element Design: The Foundation for Successful Weld Design

Weld design, encompassing joint selection, sizing, and filler metals, is inherently linked to the preceding element design stage, where a structure's overall components are conceptualized. Decisions made during element design—like considering loads, materials, geometry, and manufacturing constraints—profoundly influence the subsequent weld design by dictating load transfer, material compatibility, and weld accessibility. A disconnect often exists between design engineers, skilled in element design, and fabrication staff, leading to practical challenges in implementing welded connections. Bridging this gap through collaboration is crucial for creating safe, functional, and cost-effective structures.

Weld Failures: Why They Happen and How to Prevent Them

Weld failures in the field often expose deeper systemic issues within a company's welding operations, leading to severe consequences like litigation and financial distress. Many companies mistakenly rely on past success as justification for lacking proper quality control, including welding procedure and welder performance qualifications, and robust inspection processes. When failures occur, the absence of crucial documentation complicates failure analysis and almost guarantees liability. This post emphasizes the critical need for proactive measures like developing welding quality standards, qualifying procedures and welders, and implementing stringent inspection processes to prevent catastrophic failures and ensure long-term structural integrity.

3 Effective Ways to Reduce Welding Rework

Rework in welding is a massive productivity killer—tripling labor, wasting material, and slowing down production. While there are many causes, three simple fixes can drastically reduce rework: stop overwelding, use properly qualified welding procedures, and maintain your equipment. In this post, we dive into how these small changes yield big results—lowering costs, improving quality, and increasing efficiency across the shop. If you're tired of grinding out the same welds twice, this is the post for you.

welding procedure development
Welding Procedure Development: Qualification

This blog post concludes a series on developing welding procedures by discussing the crucial topic of qualification. Qualification involves performing both destructive and non-destructive tests to ensure a procedure can produce sound welds, typically following the requirements of specific codes like AWS D1.1. An alternative to this rigorous testing is prequalification, which allows the user to forgo testing if all the requirements of the applicable code's prequalification clause are met. Regardless of the method, the document emphasizes the importance of verifying and documenting the suitability of all developed welding procedures for future reference and quality assurance.

Welding Procedure Development: Selecting the right filler metal

Selecting the right filler metal is a critical step in welding procedure development and should never be treated as a default or trivial decision. This article explains why matching strength filler metals are not always the best choice and how undermatching filler metals can improve ductility and reduce cracking, especially in highly restrained or high-strength steel applications. It also explores how service conditions—such as low-temperature performance, corrosion resistance, stress relieving, and wear requirements—directly influence filler metal selection. Real-world examples illustrate why tensile strength alone is insufficient when evaluating filler metals for production welding. Understanding these factors allows welding engineers and practitioners to make informed, economical decisions that improve long-term weld performance.

welding procedure assumptions short circuit globular pulse
Welding Procedure Development: Selecting the right welding process

Selecting the right welding process is a foundational step in developing a welding procedure that balances quality, productivity, and cost. This article explains why the highest deposition rate process is not always the best choice and how real-world constraints—such as available equipment, joint type, welding position, environment, and welder skill—shape process selection. It also examines productivity in terms of deposition rate, cleanup requirements, and electrode efficiency, rather than speed alone. By introducing return on investment as a decision factor, the article highlights when investing in new welding equipment may be justified. Understanding these considerations helps ensure the selected welding process supports both production goals and long-term weld quality.

Special considerations for welding Stainless Steel
Burn Through WEld Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Welding Burn-through

Burn-through is a common welding defect, especially on light gauge materials, that results in holes instead of sound welds. It is often confused with melt-through, which can be acceptable, but true burn-through weakens joints and leads to scrapped parts. The main causes include excessive amperage, poor fit-up, and operator error, all of which make penetration harder to control. Solutions range from adjusting amperage and travel speed to improving upstream processes like cutting and forming, and investing in welder training. By understanding and addressing the root causes, fabricators can dramatically reduce rework, improve weld appearance, and lower overall costs.

4 Types of Loading in Welded Structures
Basics of Pressure Vessel Design

Designing pressure vessels can seem complex due to various loading conditions and head types, but fundamental formulas simplify the process. This post breaks down the core principles, highlighting the importance of understanding applicable codes, design techniques, and material selection. You'll walk through a practical example calculating the required thickness for a cylindrical shell and hemispherical heads under internal pressure, gaining insight into how engineers balance safety, performance, and cost in real-world applications. Discover that while formulas are key, a successful design also factors in material choices and manufacturing economics.