What Is Weld Testing?
Weld testing is a procedure used to check the quality and standard of welding. It is a necessary process to ensure that the welding is suitable for a specific purpose.
Types Of Welding Tests
Visual Inspection Of The Weld
The basic method of checking the quality of a weld is to inspect it for any flaws visually. Look for any cracks, beads, bends, craters, excessive reinforcements, or other flaws and inform any concerned authorities about it. Visual inspection is a basic step, and if the weld fails it, it means that it is not up to mark and needs to be re-welded. Thus, it will not be sent off for further tests if it fails in this initial test.
Bend Test
Bend testing is performed to check the strength and durability of the weld when a certain amount of pressure or force is applied to it. It determines the quality of the weld, the degree of penetration, and the fusion to the base metal.
This procedure aims to check the discontinuities in the welds. It helps to find the amount of pressure that the weld can bear before it breaks or fractures. Three different types of bend tests are used, namely jig, free bend, and backbend.
Nick Break Test
Nick break tests are used to determine the internal defects of the weld, such as gas pockets, poor fusion, slag inclusions, oxidation, or burnt metal. A piece of the welded butt joint is placed between the two supports and pressure is applied.
A big blow is applied to it using a hammer that causes it to fracture. You can then perform your analysis and check for the defects such as inclusions or gas pockets.
Non-Destructive Testing
Non-destructive testing is a part of weld testing that doesn't damage the material being tested. It involves investigating the material under the subject by studying its properties.
It uses various scientific techniques to evaluate the material's strength, durability, and other properties to make it suitable for a certain job. A great benefit of this method is that it saves time and money for companies as material damage caused by other testing methods can be costly.
