After a short period, the stud is then plunged into the now molten pool of steel base metal and the electrical flow is cut off. The welding is complete, except for removal of the ferrule and inspection. In a seminar I was conducting in Denver, I learned that this method had reached a new level of sophistication. Unfortunately, this is not a code-approved method of inspection, regardless of how sophisticated it sounds. Stud Inspection Steps Stud inspection takes place in several steps, as does conventional weld inspection.
Weld inspection begins with the use of approved welding procedures and qualified welders.
After the welding is performed, a visual inspection is performed. After this, non-destructive testing may be performed. The same holds true for stud inspection. The welding process is established and verified, the welders are qualified, the studs are welded and visually inspected, and a certain number of studs may be subjected to nondestructive testing, namely bend tests. The steps performed prior to actual stud welding are called pre-production testing, operator qualification and application qualification.