Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 266 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Handbook measures help make a company as strong as possible in an increasingly competitive industry. Inspection Areas GTAW welders need to ensure that all aspects of the operation are performed correctly. At a minimum, welders should check the following areas: • Base material is as specifi ed. • Joint design is as specifi ed and within required tolerances. • Filler metal type and size are correct. • Required welding equipment is available and operating satisfactorily. • Tooling has been adequately tested to determine that it will properly support the operation. • Parts have been properly cleaned. • Welder training or certifi cation is suffi cient for the weld operation. • Proper welding procedure is used and the welding equipment is set up properly for the operation. • Inspections and tests required during the welding operation are performed as specifi ed. • Completed weld has been inspected to ensure that it will meet the visual requirements. Additional nondestructive examination is usually performed by other personnel. Types of Inspection Inspections are performed to determine whether a weld meets expectations. Depending on the fi nal use of the weldment, several types of inspections may be required, ranging from simple visual inspection to rigorous testing. Nondestructive Examination (NDE) Inspections and tests of a weld that do not destroy any portion of the completed weld are called nondestructive examination (NDE). Inspections and tests that destroy the completed weld, or samples of the completed weld, are called destructive tests. Visual Test A visual test (VT) is one of the most important methods of inspection and is widely used for accep- tance of welds. VT is also used to identify bad welds before other more expensive or time-consuming forms of inspection are performed. Visual inspection is easy to apply, quick, and relatively inexpensive. Visual testing equipment includes rulers, fi llet weld gauges, squares, magnifying glasses, and reference weld samples. Some of the various tools used in weld inspection are shown in Figures 18-1, 18-2, and 18-3. These tools include the following: Bridge cam gauge Automatic weld size gauge V-WAC gauge Fillet weld gauges Extension mirrors Optical comparator w/ scale Magnification lenses Figure 18-1. An inspection kit may include any of the tools shown here. These tools are used to inspect a variety of dimensions, including material thickness, bevel angle, crown height, undercut, mismatch, fillet weld leg length, and throat thickness. (Mark Prosser)