We at Reid Fabricators Inc. have been working in the metal fabrication industry for over 30 years, and we take great pride in our work. When you turn to us for welding services, you can count on our experts to deliver the high-quality results you deserve. Seeing low-quality welding offends our professional sensibilities, and we have put together this article to teach you how to tell poor welding apart from good welding.
- Inconsistent Bead Width – One sign of low-quality welding is inconsistent bead width. In welding, the “bead” refers to the deposits of metal placed at the joint and fused to the two pieces, holding them together. A good weld’s bead should be straight and consistent, while a bad weld’s bead will be inconsistent and may even have breaks.
- Slag or Burnout – Another sign of poor welding is visible slag around the seam. Slag is a waste material which forms as part of some welding processes, and it should always be removed from the final product. In addition, if you see areas where the weld material has burned through or has gaps, it means the welding torch was too hot during the process, and resulted in a lower-quality finish.
- Thin Bead – A third sign of poor welding is thin bead. This means the welder didn’t use enough flux to bind the two pieces together, and it results in a weaker seam. Thin beads can create serious problems down the line, as they mean your product will be more prone to breaking.