Opinions on Weld Quality

[Stink]

Hi, I'm new here, and have a question about a weld. I am not an experienced welder myself, though I would like to be someday.I am in the construction industry and the attached photos are of a few fire sprinkler pipe welds. The material is Stainless 304, schedule 10 pipe, welded with a MIG welder, I don't know what kind or at what settings. We have a full fabrication shop and fabricate this type of work very often and on large scale.The customer this pipe went out to has rejected it for the "look" of the weld. I tend to agree that it is not the prettiest weld, though some of it looks better than others. Will any of you give me your opinion on the weld? I'm it could have been done better, but is this weld compromised in any way purely by a visual inspection?Thank you for your help and expertise.https://www.dropbox.com/s/f47uvl6an5...51462.jpg?dl=0

[snowbird]

Reject! sorry.

[cwlewis123]

Ugly AND bad!!!

Pretty is not always good and ugly is not always bad but that weld looks cold AND bad IMHO.

[walker]

I would reject it as well.

[eecervantes83]

Looks like it will work as a sprinkler.

[Sberry]

I agree it will probably function but it was certainly poor enough to get some ones attn.,,, this cant be good.

[Bodybagger]

It's not necessary to use enhanced inspection procedures such as radiographic or destructive testing on this specimen because that will only show what you already know by looking at it, which is:

The bead overlaps the base metal and the toes of the weld didn't wet in. This indicates near zero penetration of a brittle, cold weld.

The profile of the bead is discontinuous indicating erratic travel speed, which, in conjunction with insufficient heat input, is a major cause of the defective weld. I would also suspect from the bead profile that 100% argon or possibly 75/25 was used as a shielding gas instead of an appropriate oxygenated mix or tri-mix, but insufficient heat alone can mimic this.

You need to know what weld defects look like to be sure you aren't producing them. This weld isn't even close to borderline. It's not a C minus. It's an F. The problems which are readily visible in that photo indicate that the MIG operator did not have the requisite skill to perform the procedure. The only question is whether it's a lack of knowledge in identifying weld defects or a lack in honesty in admitting that a part needs reworked which allowed this to go to the next step.

But here's the kicker...

...the attached photos are of a few fire sprinkler pipe welds.

The fact that this kind of work was allowed out the door for a life-safety system is appalling. Fire sprinklers are, I repeat, a life-safety system that protects the lives of building occupants by operating under extreme conditions to slow a fire long enough to allow egress, and they protect firefighters by maintaining greater structural integrity for entry, lowering interior temperatures, improving visibility due to less smoke and thus reducing time spent searching for victims. A little bit of twist on that pipe from movement combined with the thermal strain of a fire and the broken pipe will dump all the water in that branch out of a little stream right onto one spot on the floor... and the sprinklerheads on that branch will run dry - unable to protect the lives they could have.

What the he|| happened to the country I was born in? We used to take pride in what we do. Now, they'll let a JB-Weld joint out the door for life-safety systems and ask the "experts" on the internet if the customer was justified in rejecting said appalling workmanship. Just curious... was this going in a school?

Mercy.

[M J Mauer]

welcome to the forum.

[cruizer]

Was it welded.....in. cHINA

[snowbird]

China tough

[Stink]

Thank you for your thoughts which confirm many others.
This stainless pipe is intended for install in an industrial cooling tower. Property protection, not life safety, but non the less important to perform when needed.

Thanks again.

[ja baudin]

welcome to the forum.

Can the forum throw a party for MJ Mauer when he reaches senior status. Or, make him the official welcoming committee. Over 95% of his posts are Welcome to the Forum. Lol