Welding Distortion Control

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What is distortion ?
Before distortion

Undesirable change in

original shape is called

DISTORTION
After distortion

Distortion occurs due to heat input

and mechanical forces.

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Experiment No 1:
DURING HEATED CONDITION

X X + 9X

BEFORE HEATING AND AFTER COOLING

Uniform heating of a steel bar through out of its entire volume -

considerable expansion take place in all direction.

Now, if cooling of the bar is allowed evenly - retain its original shape and size without distortion. RKS,HZW

So, we can say that,

Uniform heating and cooling of
a component that can expand and contract does not cause

any appreciable distortion

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Experiment No 2 :
CLAMPING JAWS CLAMPING JAWS

STEEL BAR BEFORE HEATING

STEEL BAR AFTER HEATING & COOLING DOWN

Repeat experiment no:1 but heat the steel bar in

clamp condition and see the changes in shape and size after cooling.
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So, we can conclude that,

Restraint hinders free expansion
and contraction and causes

material to deform resulting in

Distortion
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Heat input

Gas cutting/heating

welding

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Distortion in case of spot heating?

HEAT SOURCE

HEATING
Heated area expands Expansion restrained by surrounding solid area Compressive stresses are developed Further compressive stress leads to plastic
deformation

Material bulges at the spot towards heat source RKS,HZW side

Distortion in case of spot heating?

COOLING
Spot area tends to contract.
Contraction restrained by surrounding hot area. Material goes back to original position with plastic
deformation.

Resulting distortion
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Longitudinal distortion
WELD BEAD ORIGINAL POSITION

WELD BEAD

LONGITUDINAL DISTORTION

AFTER WELDING RKS,HZW

Distortion in Butt welds

Longitudinal Distortion
It is contraction along the length of weld bead

It is maximum along weld bead and decreases at

points away from the bead.

at the weld

In C/S of shell it lead to reduction in diameter

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LONGITUDINAL SHRINKAGE
(A) BUTT WELDS IN CS/LAS
LS = 3. I .L / 100,000 t LS = longitudinal shrinkage (mm) I = welding current(amp) L = length of weld (mm) t = plate thickness (mm)

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EXAMPLE (LS IN BUTT WELDS)

Calculate LS for 6mm thick CS plate welded by SMAW using 200 A current.
Solution : LS = 3. 200. L / 100,000 x 6 = L/1000 mm

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LONGITUDINAL SHRINKAGE
(B) FILLET WELD LS = 25 Aw/ Ap Aw = Weld X-sectional area Ap = Resisting X-sectional area

Ap Aw
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EXAMPLE OF LS IN FILLET WELD

6
All dimensions in mm

75
8x8 6 100 LS = 1.52 mm
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Distortion in Butt welds

Transverse Distortion
It is the shrinkage perpendicular to the weld.

It leads to the development of high residual stress and

also cracking in case of highly restrained joint.

It is not uniform along the length of the plate It is lesser at that end of plate where bead is started.
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Transverse distortion
WELD BEAD ORIGINAL POSITION

TRANSVERSE DISTORTION

WELD BEAD AFTER WELDING RKS,HZW

TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE IN SINGLE PASS BUTT JOINTS

S = 0.2 Aw / t + 0.05 d Where S = Transverse Shrinkage (mm) Aw = Cross sectional Area of Weld (mm2) t = Thickness of Plates (mm) d = Root Opening (mm)
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TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE DURING MULTIPASS WELDING

TS = TS0 + b (log w - log w0)
Where TS = Total Transverse Shrinkage TS0 = Transverse Shrinkage after first pass w = Total weight of weld metal w0 = weight of first pass weld metal b = a coefficient
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Effect of Various Procedures on Transverse Shrinkage of Butt Welds

Effect on TS TS increases with increase in RG Single Vee produces more TS than double V TS decreases with increase in electrode Electrode dia. dia. Degree of constraint TS decreases with Degree of constraint TS decreases by peening Peening Gouging & repairs TS increases by these operations. Procedures Root Gap Joint design
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TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE IN FILLET JOINTS

1. For T joints with two continuous fillets. TS = Leg of fillet Weld (l) x 1.02 Bottom Plate thickness (tb)
All dimensions in mm.

lxl
tb

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TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE IN FILLET JOINTS

2. For intermittent fillet welds , a correcting
factor of proportional length of fillet weld to total length of joint should be used.

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TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE IN FILLET JOINTS

l t t

(3) For fillet welds in a lap joints between plates of equal thickness (two welds) TS = Leg of fillet Weld (l) Plate thickness (t) x 1.52
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All dimensions in mm.

Angular distortion
AFTER WELDING

ORIGINAL POSITION

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Distortion in Butt welds

Angular Distortion

Due to It is the bending transverse to the weld. non-uniform heating and cooling along the thickness of plate.

This is the main source of mismatch and dimensional inaccuracy in large welded structures
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Angular Distortion in Butt Joints

1. Use Both Side Welding Technique in place
of Single Side Welding
t1 t t2 t3

g = 3 mm t3 = 2 mm

t1 + 1/2 t3 t

= 0.6
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Angular Distortion in Fillet Welds

W t AD l t

W
AD

AD = 0.0076 . W . l1.3 t2 Where AD= Angular Distortion, mm W=flange width, mm l = weld leg length, mm t = flange thickness, mm

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Example of Angular Distortion in Fillet Welds

Find the angular distortion in a double fillet weld of a T-joint between a flange 1000 mm wide and a vertical member when the thickness of both the members is 6 mm and the weld leg length = 8 mm Solution. 0.0076 x 1000 x (8)1.3 AD = = 3.15 mm. (6)2
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Multiple Restrained Fillet Welds

AD

AD L =

1 4

x
L

1 2

AD = Angular distortion, mm. x = distance from weld to the L = span length, mm. point where distortion is to be = angular change, radians determined, mm.
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Example of AD in Multiple Restrained Fillet Welds

In multiple restrained fillet welds the span length is 1 m and the angular change is 90 at a distance of 400 mm from the span end, find the distortion.
Solution. By putting L = 1000 mm, = 90 = 0.1571 rad. x = L/2 - 400 = 100 mm in the Formula, AD = 14.164 mm.
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Distortion in T-joints
Angular distortion

Before welding

After welding

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Distortion in T-joints
Longitudinal distortion (a) pulling effect towards neutral axis

Section A - A

A
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Distortion in T-Stiffener
Longitudinal distortion
(b) pulling effect of welds above neutral axis.

Section A - A

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To prevent distortion :-

(A) Reduce the effective shrinkage force.

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Reduce effective shrinkage force

(A-1) Keep the angle of weld joint to the barest minimum.
50 deg. +/- 5 deg.

keep the angle of weld joint 45 deg.

MINIMUM ANGLE, LESS WELDING , LESS HEAT INPUT Hence less distortion
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Reduce effective shrinkage force

REINFORCEMENT REQUIRE MENT 20 MM (+5/-1)

KEEP REINFORCEMENT UP TO 19 MM

(A-2) Do not keep root gap more than required (A-3) Do not do over- welding.
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7 mm +3/-1

keep fillet size 18 mm/6 mm

19 mm +3/-1

50 deg. +/- 5 deg.

keep the angle of weld joint 45 deg.

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Reduce effective shrinkage force

(A-4) Minimize no of passes larger size of electrodes

MORE NO OF PASSES

LESS NO OF PASSES

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Reduce effective shrinkage force

(A-5) Place welds near the neutral axis

N. A.

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To prevent distortion :-

(B) Make shrinkage work for us

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Make shrinkage work for us

(B.1) Pre cambering OR Pre bending in plate

WEDGE

CLAMPS ALONG EDGE

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Make shrinkage work for us

(B-2) Keep over dimensions OR over bend before welding

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To prevent distortion :-

(C) Balance shrinkage force with other forces

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Balance shrinkage forces with other forces.

6 2

5
5

(C-1)
4 3

4 3 2

Do Sequence welding

1
4

1 2 3

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 Balance shrinkage forces with other forces

(C-2) Back step welding

Welding progresion

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 Balance shrinkage forces with other forces

(C-3) Back to back clamping for welding
PART -I
END PLATES TACKED

PART -II
Two identical parts should be tacked back to back together before welding as shown

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Back to back welding of saddles

SADDLEI

WELDING TACKS

SADDLE-II

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Good working methods for welding distortion in our routine work

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Bulging of tube sheet of heat exchanger

TUBE SHEET SHELL

TUBE SHEET BULGES DURING SHELL TO TUBE SHEET WELDING Welding of shell to tube sheet

LEADS TO Improper seating of gasket and leakage

Non uniform projection of tube ends from tube sheet face

CONTROLLED BY Back to back Weld optimum fillet size

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Distortion of shell long seams

Typical weld sequence and distortion observed
58T MIN LAS.
1184 mm DIA

D/4

D 3200
JOINT DETAIL 600 WELD SEQUENCE

OUTSIDE
2/ 3T

2 SAW

1/

3T

BACK GOUGING

1
3

SMAW SAW

INSIDE

600

0.2mm GAP

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Distortion of shell long seams

( D/4 TEMPLATE READING

STAGE 1 2 3 4 5 SET-UP STAGE AFTER SEAL RUN AFTE R O/S WELDING AFTER BACK GOUGING AFTER I/S WELDING

1 4+ 6+ 8+ 6+ 4+

LOCATION 2 2+ 4+ 6+ 5+ 2.5 +

3 2+ 5+ 8+ 5+ 4+
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Distortion of circumferential seams in shell

Caused by longitudinal shrinkage of weld Reduction in diameter around circumferential seam
C/S SUGARCANE EFFECT SHELL

Reduction in shell length Controlled by Provide compression spiders on both sides of C/S Design weld joint to have minimum weld metal deposit Use restricted heat input ( minimum no. of passes )
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CIRCSEAM JIINT

Gauge for checking long seam distortion in plate stage welding

GAUGE FOR CHECKING

PICK IN OR PICK OUT = A-B OR C-D (MAXIMUM DIFFERENCE TO BE CONSIDERED)

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Gauge for checking distortion of T- joint welding

GAUGE FOR CHECKING A

B PRE-TILT OF T-STIFFENER = A - C

SAGGING OF T-STIFFENER = A - B
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Distortion in flange to pipe welding

FLANGE WARPS
TEMP. SUPPORTS

FLANGE
FLANGE

FLANGE

PIPE AFTER WELDING BEFORE WELDING

PIPE

PIPE

Heavy fillet weld on flange to pipe joint leads to warping of flange Causing no machining allowance on flange face thickness CONTROL : back to back welding Temporary set up two flanges back to back as shown RKS,HZW

Sinking in of nozzle on shell

Controlling sinking Provide rigid internal jacks

/supports with moon plates

/compression spider Maintain optimum weld preparation and fit up to avoid extra weld deposit Keep excess nozzle projection

at set up stage to compensate

for sinking
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Distortion During Oxy-acetylene Cutting

PLATE

STRIP

STRIP CUTTING FROM PLATE

The strip tends to bow outwards as shown Distortion ( bow ) results due to unequal heating of

the metal
During cutting when hot, the bow is more on cooling & the bow diminishes slightly Finally the strip never returns to its intended shape
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Controlling distortion during oxyacetylene cutting

PLATE
TORCH I

STRIP

DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT FOR TORCHES

SCRAP

10 mm

TORCH II

METHOD I Two Torches Technique Mark strip of required width leaving 10 mm distance Move two torches simultaneously carrying out cutting operation
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Controlling distortion during oxy - acetylene cutting

PLATE STRIPS

KERF

HOLE

Method II Mark the strips with kerf allowance on the plate Drill small hole in kerf allowance at distance 20 mm away from the edge Start cut from drilled hole in kerf to the end such that the strip is attached to main plate Cut the balance strip attached to the plate
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Controlling distortion during oxy - acetylene cutting

30 mm 12 mm THK PLATE

R250 mm

30 mm

PIERCE START

50 mm

Aim : To get undistorted segment from the plate of size as shown Specific Steps Mark leaving 30mm Dist. from edge Start with pierce cut as shown instead of starting from the edge Follow the path as shown

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Reduction in distortion
Less weld edge preparation.

Less welding current as per WPS.

Higher base metal thickness. Lesser welding passes Do not over weld More distortion in stainless steel then carbon steel. Less offset-Lesser welding-Lower distortion

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Reduction in distortion
Provide intermittent welding

Place weld near the neutral axis

Balancing weld around neutral axis

Back-step welding
Sequence welding Pre bending OR Pre cambering Back to back clamping Double operator welding technique RKS,HZW