Visual inspection (VT) is recorded in two places: weld by weld, on each weld's Inspection page, for every stage from pre-weld checks to the final inspection; and for many welds at once, on the Welds - Visual Inspection page, for the final inspection only.

Visual inspection can be recorded by welding inspectors and project administrators (super users and account administrators have the project administrator privilege), when the project's visual inspection (VI) is set above 0% in the project configuration.

Click "Explain this function" next to a page title for a narrated walkthrough of that page, or the book icon beside it to open this article.

Step 1 - The Inspection button on a weld

1. Open the weld's details page (click its weld number in the Welds list) and click Inspection.

Step 2 - Stage-wise inspection: pre-weld and during welding

Pre-weld inspection and inspection during welding are optional. Use them when a contract or ISO 3834-2 certification asks for these inspections to be recorded.

1. Pre-weld Inspection: tick it to open the checklist: WPS suitable, welders suitable, parent materials checked, welding consumables checked, joint preparation checked and fit-up checked. All the items start ticked; untick any that do not apply;
2. Inspection During Welding: tick it to open its checklist: welding parameters checked, preheat and interpass temperature checked, cleaning and shape of runs checked, back gouging checked, welding sequence checked, handling of materials and consumables checked, distortion within permissible limits and dimensions within permissible limits;
3. For each stage, enter the inspection report reference and comments (both optional) and pick the date of the inspection. The inspector's name is recorded from the login.

Save at the bottom of the page records the inspection.

Step 3 - Post-weld (final) inspection

The post-weld inspection section is available once the weld is completed, that is when its date welded has been entered.

1. Inspection Result: Passed or Failed. Failed opens the defects window (Step 4);
2. VI Report: pick the inspection report from the project's Test Reports, if you have one. Optional;
3. Date Inspected: type the date or pick it from the calendar;
4. Upload Weld Photo: a photo of the weld. On a phone or tablet you can take the photo with the camera; it is named with the project and weld numbers. Optional;
5. Inspection Report Ref: the inspection report reference. Optional;
6. Inspection Comments: optional.

Save at the bottom of the page records the result.

The result can be changed later, and every change is kept for audit; the record is in the project reports. The inspector's name for all three stages is recorded from the login, which helps show compliance with ISO 3834-2 in an audit.

Step 4 - Defects of a failed weld

1. When a weld is marked Failed, the defects window opens with the weld's details: its number, tag, drawing, WPS, joint type, size and dates;
2. The welders on the root, fill and cap;
3. Defects: tick one or more: arc strike, blow through, surface crack, excessive convexity, excessive gap, fasteners, hold back, hammer marks, incomplete fusion, incomplete penetration, insufficient throat, missing weld, notch, overlap, pinholes, sharp edges, slag inclusion, surface porosity, spatter, tool marks, undercut, unequal leg, undersized weld and wraparound;
4. Assign Penalty To: the welder the defect is counted against;
5. Save records the defects.

When the project allows repair welds (1 or 2 in the project configuration), a failed weld gets a repair weld with "-R1" added to its number (or "-R2" for the second repair), and the failed weld is locked.

Step 5 - Welds - Visual Inspection: many welds at once

Click Inspection on the Welds page to record the final inspection of many welds at once, in a grid that works like a spreadsheet. It is not available on mobile devices.

1. Search: type a weld number, or pick Drawing Number in the box beside it to search by drawing;
2. Not Inspected: the grid lists the completed welds that have not had their final inspection yet. Slide the switch to list the welds already inspected and correct a result; the person signed in is then recorded as the inspector;
3. Weld, drawing and item: each row is a weld with its drawing and, when the project groups its welds, its item, with the project's name for it (Item, Spool, Assembly or Piece);
4. Inspection Result and Date Inspected: Passed or Failed, and the date. Both are needed for each weld you inspect. Copy and paste work down the columns, so one result can be applied to a run of welds;
5. Inspection Report Ref, then (scroll right) VI Report, Weld Photo and Inspection Comments: optional, as in Step 3.

Save at the bottom of the page records every result at once, and Cancel goes back to the Welds list without saving.

When a weld is failed in this grid, a window opens to pick its defects and the welder to assign the penalty to, as in Step 4. The pre-weld and during-welding checklists are recorded only weld by weld (Steps 1 and 2).