Blog
Technical content on welding processes, materials and costs, plus practical calculators for day-to-day engineering work.
August 30, 2026
Padeye Weld Size Calculator
Size the fillet weld leg of a padeye to AWS D1.1, AISC 360 and ASME BTH-1, accounting for out-of-plane load and eccentricity.
July 29, 2026
Welded joint categories under ASME VIII (UW-3): where is your weld?
Categories A, B, C, D and the new F of UW-3 in ASME VIII Div. 1 ed. 2025, where each one appears on a pressure vessel, and what changes in inspection and joint design.
July 14, 2026
ASME IX F-Number and A-Number tables: a reference guide
What F-Numbers (QW-432) and A-Numbers (QW-442) are in ASME IX, a summary table of consumable classification, and the impact of each on qualification.
July 13, 2026
ASME WPS template in Excel: free download and what it must contain
Download a WPS template to ASME IX 2025 ed. in Excel, bilingual and with every QW-402 to QW-410 block, and understand how to complete each field.
July 12, 2026
Ferrite and austenite phase balance in duplex welding: how to avoid deleterious phase precipitation
Understand the role of the metallurgical balance between ferrite and austenite in duplex steel welding and how to avoid the formation of precipitates and deleterious phases.
July 07, 2026
What are lean duplex stainless steels (S32101) and why are they changing the industry?
The metallurgy of lean duplex stainless steels, grade S32101, their superior mechanical properties and their excellent cost-benefit against conventional austenitics.
July 07, 2026
Double-Sided TIG (GTAW-DF) vs conventional TIG: what is the real thermal impact on joint properties?
A thermal and metallurgical analysis comparing conventional TIG welding with the double-sided fusion process on lean duplex stainless steel, focused on reliability and heat input.
July 07, 2026
Mechanical testing of lean duplex welded joints: tensile, bend and Charpy impact
How mechanical testing validates the quality of welded joints in lean duplex S32101 steel, and the comparison of ductility and toughness between the GTAW and GTAW-DF processes.
July 07, 2026
Pitting corrosion resistance in lean duplex steels: the ASTM A1084 test
How the ASTM A1084 pitting corrosion test works on welded joints in lean duplex S32101 steel, and the comparative evaluation between welding processes.
July 01, 2026
PQR vs WPS: what is the difference between the two documents?
Understand the difference between a WPS (Welding Procedure Specification) and a PQR (Procedure Qualification Record), and why your company needs both.
April 27, 2026
Far beyond the weld bead: 10 reasons to have a Level 2 welding inspector consulting for your company
In day-to-day industry, welding is usually seen as just another production step. The arc strikes, the metal melts and the part moves on. The reality is different.
November 11, 2025
What is the impact requirement in welding?
Why the impact requirement is essential in projects operating at low temperatures, and how adjustments to the welding process affect the toughness of the material.
October 08, 2025
5 simple steps to reduce welding costs
How to apply practical welding engineering strategies to cut cost, raise quality and improve productivity in fabrication shops and industrial equipment manufacturing.
September 17, 2025
Welding Engineering: The Link Between Productivity and Absolute Quality
Applied welding engineering: how to combine codes, productivity and quality to avoid failures, cut costs and deliver projects with no surprises.
September 15, 2025
Welder requalification - how is it done?
Welder qualifications expire. Learn how to revalidate them, understand the 6-month rule in ASME and AWS, and know what to do when the deadline passes.
July 28, 2025
Important update: AWS D1.1 2025 edition changes the rules and corrects errors in post-weld heat treatment
A full analysis of the PWHT changes between AWS D1.1 2025 and 2020. The new heat treatment rules, the correction of a critical error, and the impact on cost.
July 08, 2025
ASME IX 2025: the main changes affecting welding qualifications
The 2025 edition of ASME Section IX was published on 1 July and becomes mandatory in January 2026. After a detailed review of the Summary of Changes, I read and compared it item by item against the previous edition. This article presents the welding-related points that changed most and that demand attention from anyone working with procedure, welder and operator qualification.
June 11, 2025
Welding Time and Cost Calculator
A simple, practical calculator to estimate welding time and cost for fabricated pressure and structural equipment.
May 16, 2025
Welding and strategic business growth: how technical structure and code compliance drive high-value industrial business
How welding engineering can drive strategic growth. Why qualifying procedures, keeping full control of documentation and working with specialist consulting opens doors to high-value contracts in demanding markets such as oil, gas and power.
May 16, 2025
What is boilermaking? Understanding how this industry works
What boilermaking is, how this essential industrial sector works and why it goes far beyond making boilers. The cutting, forming, machining and welding processes behind made-to-order steel structures.
April 16, 2025
Gasless MIG?
In the welding industry it is common to hear about processes run without shielding gas, often labelled "gasless MIG". But is it really MIG? Here is what is actually happening.
April 11, 2025
What is a P-Number in welding?
To reduce the number of welding and brazing procedure qualifications required, the ASME committee grouped base metals into P-Numbers in table QW/QB-422 of ASME IX. Ferrous base metals with specific impact test requirements are further subdivided into Group Numbers within each P-Number.
April 11, 2025
ASME IX P-Number Table
Interactive ASME IX QW-422 table with filters by base metal, P-Number, UNS number and other variables.
April 08, 2025
Fillet welds: why planning their execution avoids rework and excessive cost
Welding is fundamental in countless industries, and the fillet weld, used to join parts at an angle, is one of the most common techniques. Its apparent simplicity is deceptive.
April 08, 2025
Welding Travel Speed Calculator
Calculate welding travel speed from the length of the weld bead and the time taken to run it.
July 24, 2024
Welding defects: main types, causes and how to avoid them
Cracks, porosity, undercut, lack of fusion and other welding defects: the cause of each and the practices that prevent and correct them.
July 15, 2024
Double-sided TIG welding process
What is double-sided TIG? The double-sided TIG welding process, or GTAW-DF, is a variation of the TIG (GTAW) process in which welding is performed with two arcs on one weld pool.
July 15, 2024
GTAW (TIG) welding process
Everything about the TIG (GTAW) welding process and its applications.
July 15, 2024
Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)
Everything about the heat affected zone (HAZ) and the effects of welding on it.
July 15, 2024
MIG/MAG (GMAW) welding process
Everything about the MIG/MAG welding process and its applications.
July 15, 2024
Stainless steels
Everything about stainless steels: types, characteristics, properties and applications.
July 15, 2024
Welding positions: a complete guide to 1G-6G and 1F-4F (AWS and ASME)
Every welding position on plate and pipe (1G to 6G, 1F to 4F) to AWS and ASME, with figures and the calculation of positions on pipe joints.
July 15, 2024
Welding process abbreviations and designations
The abbreviations and designations of every welding process according to AWS and ISO 4063.
July 15, 2024
Welding terminology: a complete glossary of technical terms
A complete glossary of welding terminology: joint, groove, pass, bead, HAZ and the other technical terms explained clearly and directly.
July 15, 2024
Schaeffler Diagram Calculator (Cr and Ni equivalent)
Calculate chromium equivalent and nickel equivalent to plot your weld on the Schaeffler diagram.
July 13, 2024
Which is the best welding process?
Choosing the best welding process may look simple, but in practice it involves a series of factors that vary with the specific application.
July 13, 2024
Which welding process costs your company more? A comparison: MIG/MAG vs stick welding
Choosing the right welding process is fundamental to operational efficiency and to the financial health of the company. Here we compare two popular methods, looking not only at the up-front cost but at operating cost and the impact on productivity.
July 13, 2024
Welding Heat Input Calculator
Calculate the heat input of your weld from current, voltage and travel speed.
July 12, 2024
How to choose the right welding machine for industrial use
How to select the right welding machine for the specific needs of your industrial production. This guide covers machine types and applications, cost evaluation and integration with automated systems.