ASME B31.3 (American Society of Mechanical Engineers - B31.

3)
Crack

Zero ( No evident imperfection)

Lock of Fusion Zero ( No evident imperfection)

*Lack of Fusion is the failure of a weld pass to melt in to the base metal
or an adjacent weld pass, and can occur anywhere in the weld
*

Incomplete Penetration
Individual IP Unacceptable ( not mention in the procedure )
Cumulative length 38mm in any 150mm weld length or 25% of total
weld length, whichever is less
*Incomplete Penetration occurs in the root of the weld is condition
where one or both root faces have not been melted
*Causes: Low heat input and low current
Internal Porosity For Tw ≤ 6.4mm limit is same as D (See BPV code, Sec VIII, Div. 1
Appendix 4
For Tw ≥ 6.4mm limit is 1.5 X D

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 (Reason: Prior to the welding the weld, grooves has grease and paints
and weld made without cleaning and trapped gas and air would probably
causes Porosity)

Slag inclusion or Elongated Individual Length: ≤ 2Tw

indication Individual Width: ≤ 3.2mm and ≤ Tw/2 WHICHOVER IS less
Cumulative Length: ≤ 4Tw in any 150mm weld length

Undercutting
≤ 1mm and ≤ Tw/4
(Reason: The local parent metal burns due to high current causing a
continues line in Heat Affected Zone area is called Undercut

Concave Root (Suck-up Total joint thickness including weld reinforcement ≥ Tw

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Tightly butted unfused root
faces
Tungsten Inclusions
Height of Reinforcement or
Protrusion (Excess Penetration)
Unacceptable
To be evaluated as rounded indications. Elongated or aligned tungsten
inclusions are unacceptable
(The lighter images on weld, while welding with un consumable
electrode pieces entrapped in the weld pools it is called Tungsten
Inclusion)
Height of Reinforcement Protrusion or Excess Penetration
≤ 6.35 - ≤ 1.6
˃6.35 to ≤12.7 ≤ 3.2
˃12.7 to ≤25.4 ≤ 4
˃25.4 ≤ 4.8
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 API 1104 ( American Petroleum Institute -1104)
Crack
Incomplete Fusion & (Side Wall)
Incomplete Fusion due to Cold Lap
(IFD)
Inadequate Penetration
Any size or location of cracks are unacceptable expect for shallow crater or star
cracks. Shallow crater or star crack length > 5/32” is unacceptable
1) Length of an individual of IF exceeds 1”
2) The aggregate length of indications of IF in any continuous 12” length of weld
exceeds 1”
3) The aggregate length of indications of IF exceeds 8% of the weld length in any weld
less than 12”
1) Length of an individual indication of IFD exceeds 2”
2) The aggregate length of indications of IFD in any continuous 12” length of weld
exceeds 2”
3) The aggregate length of indications of IFD exceeds 8% of the weld length
IP is defined as the incomplete filling of the weld root. IP shall be considered a defect should any of
the following conditions exist:
1) The Length of an individual of IP exceeds 25.4mm
2) The aggregate length of indications of IP in any continuous 12” (300mm) length of weld exceeds
1” (25mm)
3) The aggregate length of indications of IP exceeds 8% of the weld length in any weld less than 12”
(300mm) in length.
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Inadequate Penetration due 1) Length of an individual indication of IFD exceeds 50.8mm
to high-low 2) The aggregate length of indications of IP in any continuous 12” length of
weld exceeds 3”

Internal Porosity 1) Size of individual pore > 1/8”

2) Size of individual pore > 25% of thinner WT joined
3) Distribution of porosity exceeds API STD 1104 porosity charts

Porosity Cluster 1) CP Dia > ½”

2) Aggregate length of CP > ½” in any continuous 12” of weld
3) An individual pore with in a cluster > 1/16” in size

Porosity-Hollow- bead 1) Length of individual HB > 1/2”

2) Sum of HB lengths > 2” in any continuous 12” of weld
3) Individual HB > ¼” separated < 2”
4) Sum of HB lengths > 8% weld length

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 Pipe OD ≥ 2-3/8” (2.375”)
Unacceptable if:
1) ESI lengths > 2”
2) ESI width > 1/16” (1.6mm)
3) sum of the length of ISI > ½” in 12” of weld
Slag Inclusions 4) Width of ISI > 1/8” (3.2 mm)
Elongated (ESI) 5) > 4 ISI with maximum width of 1/8” in any 12” of weld
Isolated (ISI) 6) Sum of the lengths of ESI & ISI 8% of weld length (eg. 10 X 8 / 100=0.8”(20.32 mm)
Pipe OD < 2-3/8” (2.375”)
Note: ESI indications separated by Unacceptable if:
approx. width of root bead to be 1) ESI > 3 X nominal WT of the thinner thick joined.
considered as a single indication 2) ESIU width > 1/16”
unless the width of either > 5/32” 3) Sum of ISI lengths > 2 X nominal WT of the thinner thick joined and ISI width > ½”
in that event, they shall be nominal WT of thinner thick joined
considered as separate indications. 4) Aggregate length of ESI & ISI 8% of weld length.
Undercutting Unacceptable if:
Adjacent to cover pass (EU) 1) Any combination EU & IU length > 2” in any continuous 12” of weld
Adjacent to cover root (IU) 2) Sum of EU & IU lengths in any combination > 1/6 of weld length.

Internal Concavity (IC) Any length of IC is acceptable provided the density of the radiographic image of the IC
does not exceed that of the thinnest adjacent base metal. For areas that exceed the
density of the thinnest base metal, the criteria for burn though are acceptable.
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Burn-Through (BT) Pipe OD ≥ 2 3/8” (60.3mm)
1) Maximum dimension exceeds 6.35mm and the density of the BT’s image exceeds
that of the thinnest adjacent base metal
2) Maximum dimension exceeds the thinner of nominal wall thick joined, and the
density of the BT’s image exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal

3) Sum of maximum dimensions of separate BT’s whose image density exceeds the
thinnest adjacent base metal
exceeds 12.7 mm in 12” of weld or the total of the weld length, whichever is less
Pipe OD < 2 3/8” (60.3mm)
1) Maximum dimension exceeds 6.35mm and the density of the BT’s image exceeds
that of the thinnest adjacent base metal
2) Maximum dimension exceeds the thinner of nominal wall thick joined, and the
density of the BT’s image exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal
3) More than one BT of any size is present and the density of more than one of the
images exceeds that of the thinnest adjacent base metal
Individual tungsten inclusions are be evaluated as rounded indications (Porosity)
Tungsten Inclusions Elongated or aligned tungsten inclusions are unacceptable

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 Longitudinal crack Transverse cracking Heat Affected Zone crack (HAZ)

Fillet Weld and Socket Weld 01-SAIP-01

1 Crack Unacceptable
2 Lack of Fusion, Slag Length: 0.4 X OD in inches Width: ≤ 1mm
3 Incomplete Penetration, Not applicable
Porosity, Concave Root
4 Undercutting ≤ 1mm and ≤ Tw/4
5 Gap in socket welding bass Rejectable if Gap is over 50% of the socket depth or 3/16” (4.7mm) whichever is less

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