Welding cracks, a critical issue in the metal fabrication and manufacturing industries , can lead to major damage and costly replacements. Welding cracks are fractures in the welded joint or adjacent base metal during or after welding. Cracks compromise the integrity of the weld and can lead to dangerous failures if not adequately addressed. Understanding welding cracks is vital for any operator. There are two broad categories of welding cracks based on when they form: hot cracks that form while the weld is still hot and cold cracks that form after the weld has cooled down.
Hot cracks are further divided into solidification cracking, which happens during weld solidification, and liquation cracking, which occurs in the partially melted zone.
Identifying the type of welding crack is essential for determining the root cause and best corrective actions. Some characteristics to look for include:. It takes experience to discern the cracking mode reliably.
Having good visual records to share with welding experts can help identify issues. Several metallurgical phenomena occur during welding, producing internal stresses that lead to crack formation when additive limits are exceeded.
Understanding these failure mechanisms guides prevention. The base and weld metal have specific freezing temperature ranges where they transition from liquid to solid.
