Surface Indications

Date 10-11-2008 00:30

1st. The depth meter indicates that the depth of the defect is about one millimeter, i.e., well below the 1/16 inches (1.6 mm) you mention.
2nd. Is that beam a hot rolled one made according to ASTM A 36? In that case, take a look at the standard, which will tell you the allowable depth of defects.
Or was beam fabricated with welded plates? In that case, knowing what plate was it (ASTM A 283, for example), take a look at the standard, which again, will tell you the allowable depth of defects.
3rd. If I were you, I wouldn't be that much concerned. Looking at the photos, it's evident that the defects are superficial ones. I wouldn't care about the minors and would repair by welding the deeper ones.
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 10-11-2008 19:36

According to ASTM A6 it is permissible to grind these indications out provided you follow the guidelines in ASTM A6 paragraph 9.3.1, if addition weld material is needed to be added due to the reduction of through thickness, then see 9.5 and subsequent paragraphs.

By Quibo

Date 10-13-2008 15:06

Hi, thanks a lot for your comments,

Those defects are surface defects and with grinding and welding I can clean it, both is typical those defects during manufacturing process? the beam was hot rolled; is possible internal defects?

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 10-13-2008 15:16

I expect that all you see is from the rolling process...I doubt that there are internal problems. I have UT'd many beams with indications like you have there and have yet to find anything other than what you can see. We typically would grind them out and verify that they are gone with MT. Be careful to slope the grinding so not to create any stress raisers. I haven't noticed this before until this year, as there seemed to have been several beams like this come in from the mills in the recent few months.

By Quibo

Date 10-14-2008 17:47

Thank you very much.

By Bill M

Date 10-14-2008 20:48

We have seen similar ocnditions here on the heaver section I beams. Our indications are tighter, linear, crack-like & parallel to the direction of rolling. Same depth though, they seem to grind out at about 1/8" max.

Attachment: picofflangePlateMTindications.jpg (76k)