WELDING PROBLEMS
AND DEFECTS – CAUSES
AND SOLUTIONS
SPATTER
CAUSES
n  elding current too high
W n  educe welding current
n Arc too long
n Incorrect polarity – arc blow
n Insufficient gas shielding
LONGITUDINAL CRACKS IN THE
HEAT AFFECTED ZONE
CAUSES
n The base material is prone to
hardening (because of a high
C content or other alloying
elements)
n Weld cools down too rapidly
n Hydrogen in the weld, eg/
because of wet weld edges,
wrong or damp electrodes or
shielding gases
LACK OF FUSION
CAUSES
n  eat input too low
H n Increase welding current and
nW  eld pool too large and
running ahead of the arc
n Joint included angle too small
n Electrode or torch angle is
incorrect
n Unfavorable bead positioning
POROSITY
CAUSES
n  oisture, for example from
M n  ebake or use fresh welding
incorrectly stored electrodes
or fluxes, humid shielding gas
or leaks in water-cooled
welding torches
n Moisture, rust, grease or paint
on the plate edges
n Insufficient gas shielding
n Welding onto small gaps filled
with air
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SOLUTIONS
R n  nsuitable welding sequence
n Reduce arc length
n Check use of correct polarity
for the consumable in
question
n Check shielding gas type
and flow rate
n Clean gas nozzle
n Increase torch to plate angle
SOLUTIONS
n If possible, choose a material
with a better weldability or
apply and maintain preheat
and interpass temperature
and delayed cooling
n Apply a higher preheat
temperature
n Remove moisture from
welding zone
n Use low-hydrogen
consumables from moisture
protective packaging, or
rebake welding consumables
SOLUTIONS
lower travel speed
n Reduce deposition rate and/
or increase travel speed
n Increase joint included angle
n Position electrode or torch in
such a way that the plate
edges are melted
n Position beads in such a way
that sharp angles with other
beads or plate edges are
avoided
SOLUTIONS
R n  lag runs ahead of the weld
consumables, connect new
gas bottle, check welding
torch for leaks
n Dry or clean plate edges
n Check shielding gas type and
flow-rate
n Clean gas nozzle
n Ensure torch to plate angle is
not too small
n Increase welding gap
n When possible, apply butt
joints instead of fillet or
overlap welds
DEFORMATION
CAUSES
U n Weld from both sides of
n Too many and too thin beads,
usually because the electrode
is too small
n Poor plate fit-up before
welding
n Plates clamped insufficiently
ARC STRIKING DIFFICULTIES
CAUSES
n  elding current too low
W n Increase welding current
n Arc voltage too low
n Earth lead is not connected
properly
n Low mains voltage
CRATER CRACKS
CAUSES
n  he welding ended too
T n  hen finishing, move the
abruptly
n The crack begins at a void in
the welding crater, caused by
the solidification shrinkage
SLAG INCLUSIONS
CAUSES
S n Increase the travel speed or
n Insufficient de-slagging
between passes
n Convex passes which
produce slag pockets
n Unfavorable bead sequence
SOLUTIONS
the joint
n Weld from the center out,
in opposite directions
n Use a larger, higher recovery
type electrode if possible
n Compensate for shrinkage by
fixing the work piece with a
counter-angle clamp
SOLUTIONS
n Use power source with a
higher open circuit voltage
n Ensure proper earth lead
connection
n Uncover striking end and
touch-strike
SOLUTIONS
W n  rc voltage too high
electrode back to fill-up
the crater
n With root pass welding,
quickly move the arc from the
weld pool to the plate edge
n Increase crater fill time on
power source
n Use run off plate
SOLUTIONS
electrode angle
n Remove slag carefully, grind if
necessary
n Avoid sharp angles or grooves
between beads and layers
n Increase arc voltage
n Plan bead sequence such that
sharp corners are avoided
n Apply stringer bead technique
ARC BLOW
CAUSES
n  rc deflection as a result of
A n Use an AC electrode where
magnetic effects into the
opposite direction of the earth
lead clamp
n Arc deflection as a result of
magnetic effects in the
direction of heavy parts of the
work piece (with magnetic
materials) – especially at
corners and edges
SOLIDIFICATION CRACKS
CAUSES
n Formation of phases with a
low melting point in the weld,
due to P, S, Cu – mostly from
the parent metal
n Unfavorable joint geometry –
width/depth ratio <1
n Weld pool too large
n Travel speed too high (weld
solidifies in an arrow shape)
n Tack welds or root passes not
sufficiently strong for shrinkage
forces, in the case of restrained
joints
UNDERCUT
CAUSES
A n  ower arc voltage
n Arc too long
n Incorrect electrode use or
electrode angle
n The electrode is too large
for the plate thickness
n Travel speed too high
LACK OF ROOT PENETRATION
CAUSES
n Root gap too small
n Electrode size too big
n Travel speed too high
n Incorrect use of electrode
n Poor set up
SOLUTIONS
possible
n Try welding away from the
earth clamp connection
n Try splitting the earth clamp
and connect to both sides
of the joint
n Position earth lead clamp
such that it counteracts the
influence of heavy work
piece parts
n Keep arc as short as possible
SOLUTIONS
n S elect cleaner parent material
or buffer plate edges
n Increase joint angle, use lower
welding current
nU  se smaller electrode, use
lower welding current
nA  pply stringer bead technique
nL  ower the travel speed until
weld solidifies in an elliptical
form
nA  pply stronger tacks and
bottom passes
SOLUTIONS
L
n Reduce arc length
n Apply electrode angle of 30°
to 45° with the standing leg
n Weld lightly trailing
n Use a smaller diameter
electrode
n Reduce travel speed
SOLUTIONS
nU
 se wider root gap
nU
 se electrodes with a
diameter approximately the
size of the gap width
nA
 pply lower travel speed
nW
 eave between plate edges
nW
 eld on ceramic backing at
high currents