A visible edge discontinuity less than 1 inch long that has been prepped for welding should be removed to a maximum depth of what?

A visible edge discontinuity less than 1 inch long that has been prepped for welding should be removed to a maximum depth of what?

• A. 1/4 inch (6 mm)
• B. 1/2 inch (13 mm)
• C. 3/8 inch (10 mm)
• D. 1 inch (25 mm)

Answer: (C)

When prepping for welding, a small visible edge discontinuity that’s under 1 inch long should be removed only to a limited depth to preserve enough base metal for a sound weld while still eliminating the defect. The specified maximum depth for this scenario is 3/8 inch (about 10 mm). This depth strikes the right balance: it removes the flaw so the weld can properly fuse to clean, defect-free edges, but it doesn’t erode too much material or weaken the edge geometry. Grinding deeper—like 1/2 inch or 1 inch—would remove excessive metal and risk compromising strength and fit-up, while removing less than 3/8 inch could leave residual defect. A smaller removal (around 1/4 inch) might be insufficient for this length of discontinuity.

When prepping for welding, a small visible edge discontinuity that’s under 1 inch long should be removed only to a limited depth to preserve enough base metal for a sound weld while still eliminating the defect. The specified maximum depth for this scenario is 3/8 inch (about 10 mm). This depth strikes the right balance: it removes the flaw so the weld can properly fuse to clean, defect-free edges, but it doesn’t erode too much material or weaken the edge geometry. Grinding deeper—like 1/2 inch or 1 inch—would remove excessive metal and risk compromising strength and fit-up, while removing less than 3/8 inch could leave residual defect. A smaller removal (around 1/4 inch) might be insufficient for this length of discontinuity.