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Top 10 Reasons Fabricated Components Fail & How to Prevent It (2025 Expert Guide)

Top 10 Reasons Fabricated Components Fail & How to Prevent It (2025 Expert Guide)

Whether it's oil & gas, chemical plants, refineries, power plants, pharma, or structural fabrication— fabricated metal components must be perfect. A single fabrication mistake can cause leakage, safety hazards, shutdowns, misalignment, corrosion, cracking, early failure and in the worst case, complete plant downtime.

This guide explains the top 10 reasons fabricated components fail, with practical prevention tips.

Poor Welding Quality

Bad welding leads to:

  • Cracks
  • Porosity (air bubbles)
  • Undercut
  • Lack of fusion
  • Weld spatter

Prevention:

  • Use certified welders (TIG/MIG/SAW)
  • Pre-heat thick materials
  • Follow WPS/PQR
  • Perform NDT testing (UT, RT, DP)

Wrong Material Selection

Using the wrong grade causes corrosion, cracking, softening and mechanical failure.

Prevention:

  • Select based on temperature, pressure, chemical media, and corrosion level
  • Choose: Stainless Steel, Duplex, Nickel Alloys, Carbon Steel (only for non-corrosive use)

Improper Cutting or Laser Inaccuracy

Poor cutting causes distorted edges, misalignment, wrong dimensions, and stress points.

Prevention:

  • CNC laser cutting
  • Waterjet cutting
  • Plasma cutting
  • CNC machining

Incorrect Heat Treatment

Wrong heat treatment leads to brittleness, reduced strength, cracking, and grain failure.

Prevention:

  • Annealing
  • Tempering
  • Solution annealing (for stainless)
  • Quenching & normalizing

Dimensional Inaccuracy

If the component doesn't fit, failure is guaranteed.

Prevention:

  • CNC machining
  • Laser measurement
  • Digital vernier calibration
  • Strict QC on tolerances

Corrosion Due to Poor Finishing

Unfinished surfaces trap moisture and chemicals, causing pitting and cracks.

Prevention:

  • Pickling
  • Passivation
  • Powder coating
  • Polishing (No. 4, No. 8, Mirror)
  • Anti-corrosion coatings

Stress Concentration & Fatigue Failure

Repeated vibration causes micro-cracks and fatigue failure.

Prevention:

  • Use thicker sections
  • Avoid sharp corners
  • Proper reinforcement
  • Perform vibration analysis

Assembly Errors

Common issues include under-tightened bolts, misalignment, wrong gaskets, and poor fit-up.

Prevention:

  • Use torque wrenches
  • Follow alignment charts
  • Correct gasket selection
  • Skilled assembly team

Cheap or Fake Raw Materials

Low-grade or fake metals lead to early failure.

Prevention:

  • Buy from certified suppliers
  • Request PMI test
  • Ask for MTC 3.1/3.2
  • Verify chemical composition

Lack of Testing & Inspection

Without testing, failures go unnoticed during fabrication.

Essential Tests:

  • UT (Ultrasonic)
  • Hydro Test
  • DP Test
  • Radiography (RT)
  • PMI

Prevention:

  • Always demand testing before dispatch

Conclusion

Fabricated components fail for many reasons, but 90% of failures are preventable with the right materials, precise cutting, skilled welding, proper testing, and accurate measurements.

Moksh Tubes ensures every fabricated part is professionally welded, precision-cut, NDT tested, dimension-checked, and made from certified material for long-lasting industrial performance.

FAQ's

What causes the most fabrication failures?

Poor welding & wrong materials.

How to prevent corrosion?

Use proper surface finishing (pickling, passivation, coatings).

Do dimensions affect fabrication?

Yes, even 1–2 mm mismatch can cause failure.

Does Moksh Tubes provide NDT testing?

Yes, UT, RT, DP, PMI, Hydro.

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