ISO 6520

Defect no. Defect Name Description Causes

4011 Lack of side wall Failure of weld metal to fuse to Current too low, travel speed too high, incorrect
(Fig. 11.1) fusion weld preparation torch angle, oxide film on prep. surfaces,
inadequate joint cleaning, weld preparation too
narrow
4012 Lack of inter-run Failure of weld metal to fuse to Current too low, travel speed too high, incorrect
(Fig. 11.1) fusion preceding run torch angle, inadequate inter-run cleaning
4013 Lack of root fusion Root bead fully penetrated but not Current too low, voltage too low, travel speed too
(Fig. 11.1) fused to root face high, root face too thick, root gap too wide,
incorrect torch angle, inadequate cleaning
517 Poor restart (cold Lack of fusion beneath weld start Incorrect welder technique (see Section 7.4.1),
start) position poor earthing
402 Lack of penetration Failure to achieve the minimum Current too low, travel speed too high, incorrect
penetration specified by design torch angle, incorrect weld prep.
4021 Insufficient (lack Failure of weld metal to penetrate Current too low, travel speed too fast, root face
(Fig. 11.2) of) root penetration fully root faces too thick, root gap too small, incorrect torch
angle, misalignment
504 Excess penetration Unacceptable protrusion of the Current too high, travel speed too slow, root gap
(Fig. 11.3) root bead too wide, root face too thin
501 (Fig. Root or face Notch parallel to weld at weld toe. Current too high, travel speed too fast, incorrect
11.4) undercut Prevalent at top edge of PB fillet torch angle, inadequate cleaning
502 (butt) Excess convexity Excess weld metal on the face of Current too high, travel speed too low,
a
503 (fillet) Excess weld metal butt or fillet weld incorrect torch manipulation
(Fig. 11.5) (excess cap
height)
511 Incomplete fill Insufficient weld metal fill giving Poor welder technique, travel speed too fast,
(Fig. 11.6) (face concavity or groove on weld face resulting in current too low, incorrect torch positioning
missed edge). insufficient throat
Insufficient throat
in fillet welds
515 (Fig. Root concavity Root pass ‘sucked back’ to give a Current too high, root gap too wide, root face too
11.7) shallow groove thin
510 Burn-through Localised loss of weld pool in root Current too high, travel speed too slow, root face
too thin, root gap too large
506 Overlap (roll-over) Weld metal that has rolled over at Weld bead too large, current too high, travel
(Fig. 11.8) the edges and not fused to the speed too slow, prevalent in horiz.– vert. welds,
parent metal. May be face or root inadequate cleaning
201 Porosity Gas entrapped in weld metal Dirty consumables, poorly cleaned or dirty weld
giving a cavity. May be localised, preparations, contaminated shield gas,
uniformly distributed or aligned contaminated (hydrogen containing) parent metal
– especially castings, oxide film on parent metal,
porous gas hoses, leaks in gas delivery system,
condensation, poor joint design trapping gas
(see Chapter 2)
2016 Worm-hole (piping) Elongated gas cavity formed by Excessive current, travel speed too slow
solidification of large weld pool
2024 Crater pipe Elongated cavity in the weld finish Incorrect welder technique - lack of crater fill
crater
100 Solidification Cracks in weld produced during Incorrect choice of filler metal, failure to control
cracking welding dilution, incorrect edge preparation, crack
susceptible parent
ISO 6520 Defect Name Description Causes
Defect no.
ISO 6520
Defect no. Defect Name Description Causes
metal, high restraint, high heat input
(see Chapter 2)
104 Crater cracking Short longitudinal or star-shaped Incorrect welder technique, lack of crater fill
crack in finish crater
100 Liquation cracking Cracking in the HAZ or in Incorrect filler metal, crack sensitive parent
previously deposited weld metal metal, high restraint, high heat input
(see Chapter 2)
303 Oxide entrapment Oxide films trapped within the Oxide films in or on parent metal, oxide films in or
weld metal on filler metal, oxygen in shield gas, poor gas
shielding, inadequate cathodic cleaning
3034 Puckering Excessive oxide entrapment from Poor gas cover, very high weld current
weld pool turbulence
3041 Tungsten or Accidental contact of the Poor welder technique, incorrect mechanised
(tungsten) copper inclusions electrode (TIG) or contact tip set-up
3042 (MIG)
(copper)
602 Stray arc strike Accidental arcing outside weld Welder carelessness
prep.
602 Spatter Droplets of weld metal expelled Poor welder technique, incorrect weld
from weld pool parameters
606 Underflushing Thinning below design thickness Excessive grinding