Visual Testing of Welds

Some of the areas of knowledge that are required to be dealt with as a Visual Weld Inspector:

• A. Welding processes
• B. Weld joint configuration
• C. Weld defects (as applicable to various processes)
• D. Weld procedures
• E. Welder qualification records
• F. Material certifications
• G. Filler metal requirements
• H. Material processing
• I. Prints
• J. Weld symbols
• K. Mechanical test
• L. Metallurgy
• M. NDE
• N. English and metric measurement practices
• O. Codes and standards as applicable
• P. Safety

Basic Definitions required for weld inspections.

• A. Actual Throat: The shortest distance between the weld root and the face of a fillet weld.
• B. Autogenous: Welds or welding complete without the use of filler material.
• C. AWS: American Welding Society.
• D. AWS D1.1: Structural Steel Welding Code provided by AWS.
• E. CWI: AWS Certified Welding Inspector.
• F. NDE, NDI, or NDT: The process of evaluating the suitability of a component for performance by a method that does not harm the component under examination. (NOTE: NDE is in most cases considered an indirect method of examination.)
• G. Discontinuity: An interruption of the typical structure of a material, such as a lack of homogeneity in its mechanical, metallurgical, or physical characteristics. A discontinuity is not necessarily a defect..
• H. Defect: An interruption in the normal configuration or condition of a material or article under examination that exceeds the applicable code or standard under which the examination is being performed. This term designates rejectability.
• I. Interpretation: To give meaning to. The practice of determining the proper term to associate with an observed condition.
• J. Evaluate: To determine worth. The practice of determining if an observed condition exceeds the applicable criteria for the given inspection.
• K. Quantitative examination: Determined through measurement or reproducible, quantity. An example would be a measurement taken with micrometers or calipers.
• L. Qualitative examination: Of quality. This examination may lead to results based on judgment or opinion and may not be based on a measurable quantity.
• M. Indication: Any area where a suspect condition is observed on the surface of a
  component under examination. Indications may take various forms, and may be rounded, linear, jagged, smooth, continuous or broken. (Specific aspects of indications will be covered later).
• N. Non-relevant Indication: This may be argued, but in my opinion, an indication due to the normal aspects of a component under evaluation. This could be geometry, threads, splines, press-fit plugs, surface roughness, and press fit assemblies. For this study guide, an indication caused by an acceptable discontinuity will just be considered an acceptable discontinuity, and not non-relevant, to eliminate confusion.
• O. False Indication: An indication caused by incorrect processing, such as fingerprints, smudges, excessive contamination. False indications are those that are eliminated by correcting errors in processing.