Pipe Weld Cost

AWS D1.1 Inspection Report — Pipe Rack Fillet Welds, Cyclically Loaded

A pipe support rack was added during a refinery expansion to support 6″ Schedule 80 pipe runs, classified as cyclically loaded due to vibration and thermal cycling. The inspector evaluated 18 fillet welds on A36 stanchion-to-baseplate connections. All 18 welds passed. Under cyclic criteria, no visible porosity is permitted — this was the controlling criterion. Zero porosity was observed on all welds.
Document Preview
Weld Cost Breakdown — Generated by IronKit

Job Parameters

ProjectPipe support rack — refinery expansion
InspectorSandra K. Watts, CWI
Date2025-10-04
WPS ReferenceWPS-P-003 (SMAW, AWS D1.1)
Base MetalASTM A36 structural steel
FillerE7018 (3/16" SMAW electrode)
Joint TypeFillet
Service CategoryCyclically Loaded
Total Welds Inspected18
Accepted18
Rejected0

Cost Breakdown

Cost ComponentFormula / BasisUnit CostTotal
Crack Prohibition (Cl. 6.9.1)All 18 welds — PASS$18.00$18.00
Fusion — Weld/Base Metal (Cl. 6.9.2)All 18 welds — PASS$18.00$18.00
Crater Cross Section (Cl. 6.9.3)All 18 welds — PASS$18.00$18.00
Weld Profile, Fig. 5.4 (Cl. 6.9.4)All 18 welds — PASS$18.00$18.00
Weld Size Under-Run (Cl. 6.9.5)All 18 welds — PASS$18.00$18.00
Undercut (Cl. 6.9.6, cyclic: <=1/32")All 18 welds — PASS (no undercut observed)$18.00$18.00
Porosity — Fillet (Cl. 6.9.8, cyclic: none)All 18 welds — PASS (zero visible porosity)$18.00$18.00
Total Direct Cost$0.00

Per-Unit Cost Summary

Total Welds18
Accepted18
Pass Rate100%
Overall DispositionACCEPTED
Controlling CriterionPorosity (cyclic: no visible porosity permitted)
Code ReferenceAWS D1.1:2020 Table 6.1, Cl. 6.9.8

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are porosity limits stricter for cyclically loaded structures?
Cyclic loading causes fatigue — cracks initiate at surface discontinuities. A pore at the surface of a weld in a cyclically loaded structure acts as a stress concentrator that seeds fatigue cracks under repeated loading. AWS D1.1 applies a zero-tolerance porosity rule for cyclic structures.
What counts as visible porosity under cyclic rules?
Any porosity that can be seen with the naked eye or up to 10x magnification during visual inspection. The inspector looks at the as-welded surface after cleaning.

Generate Your Own — In 3 Minutes

Calculate your true weld cost in 3 minutes — free for 14 days.

Start Free Trial $29/mo after trial. Cancel anytime.
Start Free Trial — 14 Days Free