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Welding Nonconformance Report (NCR) Template

A welding NCR has to do two jobs: stop a bad weld from moving downstream and give the quality system enough information to fix the cause. This template captures the facts inspectors need and leaves clean space for disposition and closure.

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Welding Nonconformance Report Template

Welding Nonconformance Report NCR-W-0387

Company: Northfield Fabrication Ltd Date raised: 2026-10-20 Project / work order: WO-48213 Skid frame assembly

Weld identification

Weld IDWelder IDProcessWPSClause
W-27WLD-044GMAWWPS-008 Rev 2Customer spec section 6.3, visual acceptance

Nonconformance

Type: Undercut

Undercut of 1.2 mm depth over 85 mm length along the toe of fillet weld W-27, exceeding the 0.5 mm limit in the customer specification.

Root cause

Travel speed too high and torch angle not held; welder was new to the fixture position.

Disposition

Repair

Re-inspection after disposition must be recorded against this NCR number. If disposition is use as is, attach the engineering concession or customer approval.

Corrective and preventive action

Refresher training on position 2F, add torch angle sketch to the traveler, increase in-process visual checks for the next five assemblies.

Verification of closure

ActionOwnerDue dateVerified by
Repair or rework completed
Re-inspection accepted
Corrective action implemented

Approvals

Welding inspector / Date
Welding engineer / Date
Quality manager / Date

A generic starting point. Align the numbering, severity classes and closure rules with your quality system (for example ISO 9001, ISO 3834 or the customer quality agreement). Not legal advice for contractual rejection or warranty claims.

Track weld NCRs inside your ERP

Ask for a short review of how NCRs could link to work orders, WPS and welder records.

Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.

How to fill it in

Identify the weld, welder, process and WPS so the NCR can be traced to a joint and a person. Quote the clause that the weld failed, not just the defect name, because that is what turns an opinion into a rejection. Describe size and location with measurements. Choose a disposition, then record the root cause in plain words. Export the finished NCR to PDF for the job file, or to Excel if you track NCRs in a log.

  • Use measurements, not adjectives, in the description
  • Quote the specification clause and the limit
  • Record who found it and by what method
  • Attach photos or the NDE report

Root cause thinking for welding

Welding defects usually trace to one of the classic variables: procedure, person, material, equipment or environment. Porosity points to shielding gas, contamination or moisture in consumables. Lack of fusion points to heat input, joint preparation or technique. Cracking points to hydrogen, restraint, preheat or the filler. Write the cause at the level where an action can prevent it, such as an uncontrolled electrode oven, rather than blaming the welder. Pair the NCR with a corrective action that changes the process, then verify it on the next lot.

Reading the example

The sample NCR describes undercut on a fillet weld with a measured depth against a customer limit. The disposition is repair, the root cause is technique, and the corrective action adds a visual aid and extra checks. Notice that the action is verifiable: five assemblies is a countable check. Replace the sample text with your own, and use the closure table to track who verifies the repair and the corrective action separately.

Common mistakes

Weak welding NCRs create arguments later. Avoid vague wording and missing links.

  • No weld ID, so the joint cannot be found again
  • Disposition of use as is without a documented concession
  • Closing the NCR when the repair is done but before re-inspection
  • Listing training as the only corrective action every time
  • Not checking other welds by the same welder or WPS for the same defect

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a welding NCR always include?

Weld or joint ID, welder, process and WPS, the clause or limit that was not met, a measured description, disposition, root cause, corrective action and signatures. Without the clause and a measurement, the rejection is hard to defend.

Who can approve use as is?

That is set by your quality system and the contract. Usually it needs the design authority or the customer, with a written concession attached to the NCR. The inspector alone should not approve it.

Do I raise an NCR for every minor visual defect?

Many shops allow immediate rework of minor in-process defects under a weld repair record and reserve NCRs for defects that escape a hold point, repeat, or are found after acceptance. Follow your procedure and the customer requirement.

Can I export this to Excel?

Yes. Every template exports to PDF, Word, Excel and CSV. Use the Excel export to build a simple NCR log, though a dedicated log worksheet is easier to filter.

If NCRs are still tracked in spreadsheets, we can show how to capture them against work orders in your ERP and surface repeat defect patterns by WPS or welder.

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