Use these common weld defect examples to compare practice welds, spot likely problems, and decide what to adjust before your next bead.
Upload a practice weldPorosity usually looks like tiny pits, bubbles, or craters. It often points to contamination, moisture, poor gas coverage, or wind around the weld.
Undercut appears as a narrow channel melted into the base metal at the edge of the weld. It can create a weak stress point.
Lack of fusion can look like a cold bead with edges that do not blend into the base metal or previous pass.
Cracks are one of the most serious visible defects. They may show up at the crater, through the bead, or next to the weld.
Some spatter is normal in practice, but heavy spatter can point to voltage, wire feed, stickout, polarity, or dirty metal issues.
Overlap looks like the bead has spilled onto the base metal without fusing at the edge. It often comes from low heat or poor angle control.
On groove welds, incomplete penetration means the weld does not reach the needed depth at the root.
An uneven bead often means travel speed, work angle, arc length, or hand position changed during the pass.
| What You See | Likely Practice Focus | Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| Holes or pits | Cleanliness and gas coverage | Clean metal, block wind, confirm shielding gas. |
| Groove at bead edge | Heat, angle, and travel control | Reduce edge washout and keep the puddle controlled. |
| Cold bead sitting high | Fusion and tie-in | Increase heat or slow travel enough to wet both edges. |
| Random bead width | Body position and speed consistency | Run shorter practice beads and keep your hand braced. |
DimeVision can help students practice by flagging visible issues like porosity, undercut, spatter, bead consistency, and likely next-step coaching. It works best as a training aid between instructor reviews, not as a final inspection decision.
For a deeper reference, see the weld defect identification guide and the weld quality check.
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