The cost impact of not being able to control the quality of welding and Method Statement

repair rates can be substantial. This will and can cost the contractor
considerable delay in the completion of the project. Thereafter invoking
contractual penalties. Resulting in the loss of profit margins and later Welding of Piping and Structural
arbitration.
Components
1) Welders shall only work within the limit of their qualification r
Approvals prior to the commencement of welding operations.
2) Welding supervisor/welders shall ensure that "Welding Proc
Specification" (WPS) selection is taken from the approved matr
each specific line class/application accompanying each WPS.
Welding Procedure Specifications.
Procedure Qualification Reports. 3) Withdraw consumables only from designated welding stores
Welder Certification Certificates. endorse initials on the "Welding Consumables Distribution Form
Welding Consumables. maintained by the issue clerk.
NDT Company.
NDT Operators. 4) Withdraw only sufficient quantities of welding consumable fo
NDT Procedures. four (4) hour period of work.
Radiation Safety.
Post Weld Heat Treatment Company. 5) All low-hydrogen welding electrodes shall be maintained in h
Post Weld Heat Treatment Procedure. "portable rod caddies". The lid of the caddie should be closed
Welding Inspection Personnel. following the withdrawal of each withdrawal electrodes.
Welding Repair Procedure.
6) Low-hydrogen electrodes shall only be conveyed to the job s
heated "portable rod caddies".

Welding Defects Defined 7) At shift change, all "rod caddies" must be returned to the
originating welding store for checking. All issued and unused lo
hydrogen electrodes shall be scrapped.

DEFECT CAUSE 8) The technical requirements of the "Welding Procedure

Specification" (WPS) must be followed at all times.
Pipe off set mismatch Pipe misalignment
Lack of root penetration Welding technique 9) Pre-heat and interpass temperatures shall be monitored usin
Insufficient root fill Welding technique "Tempil Stiks" or calibrated "digital" temperature by pyrometers
Excessive penetration Welding technique greater than the nominal wall thickness. ii) For flanges, use the
External undercut Excessive amps/volts thickness corresponding to two (2) higher wall thickness range
Internal undercut Excessive amps/volts greater than the nominal wall thickness.
Internal concavity Welding technique
10) Pre-heat values shall be taken calculated and WPS assum
Root burn through Welding technique
value of 0.42 CE (Carbon Equivalent). Wall thickness values sh
Lack of root penetration Weld joint set up selected as follows:
Interpass slag inclusions Weld technique, grinding, cleaning
Elongated slag inclusions Weld technique, grinding, cleaning
lack of side wall fusion Weld technique, amps/volts to low a) For pipe-pipe, use the actual wall thickness.
Interpass cold lap Weld technique
b) For pipe-to-fitting or fitting-to-fitting.
Scattered porosity Weld technique
Cluster porosity Weld technique, insufficient wind c) For fittings (other than flanges), use the next higher wall thic
cover
range a sufficient period of time to ensure an Oxygen content o
Root pass aligned porosity Weld technique, insufficient wind tan 0.5%. When available, "purge monitoring devices" shall be
cover
Transverse crack Insufficient wind cover, lack of pre- d) Backpurge shall be maintained for a minimum of four (4) pas
heating & post weld heat treatment Pipe bungs (purge dams) shall be left in place until completion
of weld joint. Material problem. joint.
Longitudinal crack Insufficient wind cover, lack of pre-
heating & post weld heat treatment e) The end of partly used filler wire shall be snipped off prior to
of weld joint. Material problem.
Longitudinal root crack Insufficient wind cover, lack of pre- f) Maintain the tip of the filler rod within the gas shroud during
heating & post weld heat treatment welding to avoid contamination.
of weld joint. Material problem. g) Interpass temperatures for these materials is critical. The w
Tungsten inclusions Weld technique shall check the temperature prior to the next pass. All austeniti
stainless welds on this project will be tested for "Ferrite" conten
therefore, cleanliness during fabrication and monitoring of inter
temperatures will have a direct effect on test results.

h) Only approved "iron-free" cutting and grinding disks shall be

Welding Process Metology
i) Only approved marking materials (sulphur, chlorine free etc.)
to be used.

Welding Procedures to avoid hydrogen induced cracking. j) All material handling devices and equipment shall be adequa
protected/lined, to prevent the possibility of carbon "pick-up" (i.
workbench, transport trucks, supports etc.).

To control cracking when completing the welding procedure the k) Wherever possible, tools shall be colour coded to prevent cr
following factors must be considered. use with other material types.

11) Pre-head shall be applied through the full thickness of the j

and checked from the opposite side wherever possible.
- Combined thickness of the material to be welded
- Carbon equivalent values 12) For repair welds, the pre-heating temperature shall be 500
- Hydrogen scales (1220 F) above that used for the original weld. Maximum pre-h
- Welding arc energy repair welding is 1500 C (3020 F).

13) approved WPS. Internal misalignment for butt joints shall n

exceed 1.5 mm (1/16'').
Codes and Standards That are most Commonly Used on Construction
Projects 14) Deposit the root pass and six (6) successive passes or 1/3
weld volume prior to interruption (allowing to cool to ambient
temperature).

Codes and Standards That are most Commonly Used on Construction 15) Buttering (build-up) is permitted as follows:
Projects
a) Buttering shall not exceed the lesser of 10 mm or 1/3 base m
thickness.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
Clause Section b) If buttering will exceed 10 mm or 1/3 base metal thickness th
this shall be witnessed by the customer and the area shall be t
Power boilers I by PT/MT following completion of buttering but before final wel
Pressure vessels VIII, DIVISION 1 of the joint.
Pressure vessels VIII, DIVISION 2
Heating Boilers IV 16) Backwelding is permissible for all applications, so long as t
Nondestructive Ex V same electrodes and process is used as for the fill pass.
Welding & brazing IX
qualifications 17) The following points shall be observed when fabricating/we
stainless and non-ferrous materials:

American Pipeline Institute a) Weld preps and filler materials shall be degreased using an
appropriate solvent.
API 1104 Welding Pipelines & related facilities
b) Weld prep surfaces shall be buffered using flapper wheels.
API 650 Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage
c) Argon hoses shall be checked for any loose connections or
AWS D1.1 American Welding Society leakage etc.

ANSI American National Standards Institute

d) Fit up geometry shall be in accordance with the applicable,
approved WPS.

B31.1 Power Piping e) Bridge tacks to be used. Avoid tacking directly on to the adja
B31.2 Industrial Gas & Air Piping pipe wall. Bridge tack within the fusion faces of the joint wherev
B31.3 Petrolium Refinery Piping possible.
B31.4 Oil Transportation Piping
B31.5 Refrigeration Piping
B31.6 Chemical Industrial Piping f) Prior to welding, the backpurge shall be set up in accordance
B31.7 Nuclear Power Piping the approved WPS for a sufficient period of time to ensure an
B31.8 Gas Transmission & Distribution Piping Systems Oxygen content of less tan 0.5%. When available, "purge moni
devices" shall be used.

g) Backpurge shall be maintained for a minimum of four (4) pas

Pipe bungs (purge dams) shall be left in place until completion
joint.

h) The end of partly used filler wire shall be snipped off prior to

i) Maintain the tip of the filler rod within the gas shroud during
welding to avoid contamination.

j) Interpass temperatures for these materials is critical. The we

shall check the temperature prior to the next pass. All austeniti
stainless welds on this project will be tested for "Ferrite" conten
therefore, cleanliness during fabrication and monitoring of inter
temperatures will have a direct effect on test results.

k) Only approved "iron-free" cutting and grinding disks shall be

l) Only approved marking materials (sulphur, chlorine free etc.)

to be used.

m) All material handling devices and equipment shall be adequ

protected/lined, to prevent the possibility of carbon "pick-up" (i.
workbench, transport trucks, supports etc.).

n) Wherever possible, tools shall be colour-coded to prevent cr

use with other material types.

NDT Materials Detection Depth Orientation Access Remote Automated

Technique applicable capability Sizing Evaluation problem Detection detection
Liquid
All Surface No No Yes No No
penetrant
Ultrasonic All Volumetric Yes Yes Limited Yes Yes
Radiography All Volumetric Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Magnetic Surface, near-
Magnetic No No Yes No No
Particle surface
Magnetic Surface, near-
Magnetic Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Fluxleakage surface
Surface, near-
Eddy current Conducting Yes yes Yes Yes yes
surface
Acoustic
All Volumetric Yes No No Yes Yes
Emission
Surface, near-
Thermo-graphy All No Yes No Yes Yes
surface
Visual All Surface No No Limited Yes Yes
Suface
XRD Conducting Yes No Yes No No
Stresses
Potential drop Conducting Surface Yes No Yes No Yes

Engineering and Construction Codes and Standards

ASME IX - American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASME IX - B 31.3 PROCESS PIPING
ASME IX - B 31.1 POWER PIPING
Material (P numbers) will assist the Welding Engineer to complete the Welding Procedure Specification prior to the
mechanical testing of the Procedure Qualification Report.
P-numbers Material Composition
1 Carbon Steel
3 Up to 1/2% Cr and up to 1/2% Mo
4 1 to 2% Cr, 1% Mo Alloy Steel
5A 2 to 3% Cr, 1% Mo Alloy Steel
5B 5 to 10% Cr, 1% Mo Alloy Steel
5C All 5A and 5B Materials heat treated to 85ksi+
6 Martensitic Stainless Steel
7 Ferritic Stainless Steel
8 Austenitic Stainless Steel
9 2 to 5% Ni Alloy Steel
10 Mn-V, Cr-V, 9%Ni, High Cr Alloy Steels
11 Low Alloy Steel, Quenched and Tempered to 95ksi+
21 1.2% Mg or Mn alloy Aluminium
22 1.2% Mn, 2.5% Mg, 0.25% Cu Aluminium
23 1.3% Mg, 0.7% Si, 0.25% Cr Aluminium
25 1.5% Mg, 0.8% Mn, 0.15 Cr Aluminium
31 Copper
32 Admirally, Naval, Aluminium brass, Muntz Metals
33 Cu-Si Alloys
34 Cu-Ni Alloys
41 Nickel
51 Titanium
61 Zirconnium

Welding Defects

Cold Lap
Cold Lap is a condition where the weld filler metal does
not properly with the base metal or the previous weld
pass material (interpass cold lap). The arc does not melt
the base metal sufficiently and causes the slightly molten
puddle to flow into the base material without bonding

Porosity
Porosity is the result of "gas entrapment" in the
solidifying metal. Porosity can take many shapes on a
radiograph but often appears as dark round or irregular
spots or specks appearing singularly, in clusters, or in
rows. Sometimes, porosity is elongated and may appear
to have a tail. This is the result of gas attempting to
escape while the metal is still in a liquid state and is
called "wormhole porosity" All porosity is a void in the
material and it will have a higher radiographic density
than the surrounding area.

Cluster Porosity
Cluster Porosity is caused when flux coated electrodes
are contaminated with moisture. The moisture turns into
gas when heated and becomes trapped in the weld
during the welding process. Cluster porosity appears just
like regular porosity in the radiograph but he indications
will be grouped close together.

Slag inclusion
Slag inclusions are non metallic solid material entrapped
in weld metal or between weld and base metal. In a
radiograph, dark, jagged asymmetrical shapes within the
weld or along the weld joints areas are indicative of slag
inclusions.

Incomplete Penetration (IP) or lack of penetration (LOP)

 Incomplete Penetration (IP) or lack of penetration
(LOP) occurs when the weld metal fails to penetrate the
joint. It is one of the most objectionable weld
discontinuities. Lack of penetration allows a natural stress
riser from which a crack may propagate. The appearance
on a radiograph is a dark area with well defined, straight
edges that follows the land or root face down the center
of the weldment.

Incomplete fusion
Incomplete fusion is a condition where the weld filler
metal does not properly fuse with the base metal.
Appearance on radiograph is usually appears as a dark
line or lines oriented in the direction of the weld seam
along the weld preparation or joining area.

Internal Concavity or Suck Back

Internal concavity or suck back is a condition where
the weld metal has contracted as it cools and has been
drawn up into the root of the weld. On a radiograph it
looks similar to a lack of penetration but the line has
irregular edges and it is often quite wide in the center of
the weld image.

Internal or Root Undercut

Internal or Root Undercut is an erosion of the base
metal next to the root of the weld. In the radiographic
image it appears as a dark irregular line offset from the
centerline of ht weldment. Undercutting is not as straight
edged as LOP because it does not follow a ground edge.

External or Crown Undercut

External or Crown Undercut is an erosion of the base
metal next to the crown on the weld. In the radiograph, it
appears as a dark irregular line along the outside edge of
the weld area.

Offset or Mismatch
 Offset or Mismatch are terms associated with a
condition where two pieces being welded together are not
properly aligned. The radiographic image shows a
noticeable difference in density between the two pieces.
The difference in density is caused by the difference in
material thickness. The dark, straight line is caused by
the failure of the weld metal to fuse with the land area.

Inadequate Weld Reinforcement

Inadequate Weld Reinforcement is an area of a weld
where the thickness of weld metal deposited is less than
the thickness of the base metal. It is very easy to
determine by radiograph if the weld has inadequate
reinforcement, because the image density in the area of
suspected inadequacy will be higher (darker) than the
image density of the surrounding base material.

Excess Weld Reinforcement

Excess Weld Reinforcement is an area of a weld that
has a weld metal added in excess of that specified by
engineering drawings and codes. The appearance on a
radiograph is a localized, lighter area in the weld. A visual
inspection will easily determine if the weld reinforcement
is in excess of that specified by the engineering
requirements.

Cracks
Cracks can be detected in a radiograph only when they
are propagating in a direction that produces a change in
thickness that is parallel to the x-ray beam. Cracks can
appear as jagged and often very faint irregular lines.
Cracks can sometimes appear as "tails" on inclusions or
porosity.

Discontinuities in TIG Welds

Tungsten Inclusion
 Tungsten inclusion: Tungsten is a brittle and inherently
dense material used in the electrode in tungsten inert gas
welding. If improper welding procedures are used,
tungsten may be entrapped in the weld. Radio
graphically, tungsten is more dense than aluminum or
steel, therefore it shows up as a lighter area with a
distinct outline on the radiograph

Oxide inclusions
Oxide Inclusions are usually visible on the surface of
material being welded (especially aluminum). Oxide
inclusions are less dense than the surrounding material,
and, therefore appear as dark irregularly shaped
discontinuities in the radiograph

Discontinuities in Gas Metal Arc Welds (GMAW)

Whiskers are short lengths of weld electrode wire, visible on the top or bottom su6rface of the weld or contained
within the weld. On a radiograph they appear as light, "wire like" indications.
Burn Through
Burn Through results when too much heat causes
excessive weld metal to penetrate the weld zone. Often
lumps of metal sag through the weld, creating a thick
globular condition on the back of the weld. These globs of
metal are referred to as icicles. On the radiograph, burn
through appears as dark sports, which are often
surrounded by light globular areas (icicles).

Hands on Quality Control Weld Defects

PIPING MATERIAL COLOUR CODE
WELDING METHOD STATEMENT

FLOW CHART OF PIPING PROCESS IN THE FABRICATION SHOP

DESIGN CODE ANSI B 31.3 & ASME SECTION IX