Stainless Weld Cost

AWS D1.1 Inspection Report — Stainless Tank, 8 CJP Groove Welds

A specialty fabrication shop built a 304 stainless storage tank for a food-grade application — 1/2″ plate, GTAW process. The inspector evaluated 8 CJP groove welds. All 8 accepted. The inspector focused on weld-to-base metal fusion — stainless is susceptible to lack of fusion at the lower heat inputs used to minimize distortion. No LOF, undercut, porosity, or crater issues were found.
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Weld Cost Breakdown — Generated by IronKit

Job Parameters

ProjectFood-grade stainless storage tank
InspectorMaria E. Ruiz, CWI
Date2025-09-22
WPS ReferenceWPS-SS-101 (GTAW, AWS D1.1)
Base Metal304 stainless steel, 1/2" plate
FillerER308L (1/16" GTAW filler wire)
Joint TypeCJP Groove
Service CategoryStatically Loaded
Total Welds Inspected8
Accepted8
Rejected0

Cost Breakdown

Cost ComponentFormula / BasisUnit CostTotal
Crack Prohibition (Cl. 6.9.1)All 8 welds — PASS$8.00$8.00
Fusion — Weld/Base Metal (Cl. 6.9.2)All 8 welds — PASS (complete fusion at toes)$8.00$8.00
Crater Cross Section (Cl. 6.9.3)All 8 welds — PASS$8.00$8.00
Weld Profile, Fig. 5.4 (Cl. 6.9.4)All 8 welds — PASS (flush to +3/32")$8.00$8.00
Weld Size Under-Run (Cl. 6.9.5)All 8 welds — PASS$8.00$8.00
Undercut (Cl. 6.9.6)All 8 welds — PASS (no undercut observed)$8.00$8.00
Porosity — Groove (Cl. 6.9.7)All 8 welds — PASS (zero porosity)$8.00$8.00
Total Direct Cost$0.00

Per-Unit Cost Summary

Total Welds8
Accepted8
Pass Rate100%
Overall DispositionACCEPTED
Inspector FocusWeld/base metal fusion (LOF risk on stainless GTAW)
Profile ResultFlush to +3/32" — within Fig. 5.4 limit of +1/8"
Code ReferenceAWS D1.1:2020 Table 6.1

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is lack of fusion a concern on stainless GTAW?
Stainless steel has about 40% lower thermal conductivity than carbon steel. Fabricators often reduce heat input on stainless to minimize distortion and sensitization. Lower heat input increases the risk of lack of fusion at the weld toes and between passes.
What weld profile is required for CJP groove welds?
AWS D1.1 Figure 5.4 specifies flush to 1/8" above the base metal surface (convexity). Excessive convexity creates stress concentration. Overlap (cold lap) is always rejected.

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