Visual Testing (VT) Weld Inspection Report Template
A VT report for fit-up, in-process and final visual inspection of welds, with the viewing conditions, the gauges used, and a weld-by-weld record of profile and surface imperfections.
Printable template (save as PDF) · Download CSV · Request the editable Word/Excel version
| Item | Reference |
|---|---|
| ASME code reference | ASME Section V, Article 9 |
| ISO reference | ISO 17637 (visual testing of fusion-welded joints) with ISO 5817 quality levels |
| This template covers | Header, equipment and calibration, results table, sign-off |
| Formats | Print view (save as PDF) · CSV · editable Word/Excel on request |
What a compliant VT report must contain
ASME Section V Article 9 requires a written report when the referencing code section asks for one (T-991 in recent editions). The report must contain the date of the examination, the procedure identification and revision, the technique used (direct, remote or translucent), and the results. Documentation must include every observation and dimensional check the referencing code specifies, so a visual report under a piping or vessel code usually carries weld size, profile and surface imperfection checks against that code's limits.
ISO 17637 specifies visual testing of fusion welds in metallic materials and can also be applied to the joint before welding. It covers test conditions including illuminance and viewing angle, testing equipment, personnel, and the test record. Quality levels for the imperfections found usually come from ISO 5817 or the application standard.
- Stage: joint preparation and fit-up, during welding, final weld, or repair.
- Viewing conditions: direct or remote, lighting and its measured intensity, viewing distance and angle, and any aids (mirrors, magnifiers, borescope).
- Gauges: fillet and bridge-cam gauges, undercut gauge, and their identification.
- Weld-by-weld result: size and profile, undercut, overlap, porosity, cracks, arc strikes, spatter, and the decision against the named standard.
Example visual inspection (VT) report layout
The layout below is the template filled with illustrative example values so each field's purpose is clear. The print view gives you the same layout blank, ready to fill in on site.
| Report number and revision | RPT-2409-017 Rev 0 |
|---|---|
| Date of examination | 2026-09-14 |
| Client / end user | [Client name] |
| Project or job number | J-2409 |
| Work order / PO reference | WO-55821 |
| Site and location | [Site], Unit 3 pipe rack |
| Component / item ID | [Line or equipment tag] |
| Drawing number and revision | ISO-1045-01 Rev B |
| Procedure number and revision | NDT-PRO-004 Rev 3 |
| Acceptance standard | As named in the contract (see below) |
| Extent of examination | 100% of the welds listed |
| Inspection stage | Final visual, after cleaning |
|---|---|
| Technique | Direct visual, supplemented by torch |
| Lighting (type, measured intensity, meter) | Torch plus site lighting, meter S/N LM-07 |
| Viewing distance and angle | Within the procedure limits |
| Gauges and aids | Bridge cam gauge S/N G-14, fillet gauge set, 5× magnifier |
| Welding process / WPS | SMAW, WPS-011 Rev 2 |
| Acceptance standard | As named in the contract (e.g. AWS D1.1 or ISO 5817 level B) |
| Weld ID | Welder | Size / profile | Undercut | Porosity | Cracks | Other | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FW-31 | W-07 | 8 mm fillet, convex, OK | None | None | None | — | Acceptable |
| FW-32 | W-07 | 6 mm fillet, undersize 1 mm over 40 mm | None | None | None | — | Reject — build up |
| BW-05 | W-11 | Cap height 2 mm, OK | 0.5 mm, 30 mm long | None | None | Arc strike near toe | Reject — dress and PT |
| Examined by (name, method, level, scheme) | [Name], VT Level II, SNT-TC-1A |
|---|---|
| Certificate number and expiry | [Cert no.], expires [date] |
| Reviewed / interpreted by (Level II or III) | [Name], Level III |
| Client or third-party inspector | [Name, company], witnessed / reviewed |
| Signatures and dates | On the issued report |
Download, print or get the editable version
- Open the printable VT template: a clean blank form. Use your browser's Print and choose "Save as PDF" to keep a PDF copy.
- Download the CSV with every field and the example rows, to build your own spreadsheet.
- Want the editable Word or Excel version with your logo? Use the request form on this page or ask for it here.
Making a visual report more than a tick box
Visual inspection finds more rejectable defects than any other method, and it is the report most often reduced to a column of ticks. A tick tells a reviewer that someone looked, not what they saw or how they measured it. The template asks for the measured value where the acceptance standard sets a limit, and a short description where it does not.
- Record the stage; a fit-up check and a final visual are different examinations with different acceptance points.
- Write measured values against limits (fillet size, cap height, undercut depth), not just "OK".
- Record the welder identification where the project tracks welder performance or repair rates.
- Note conditions that limited the examination, such as access, lighting or surface condition.
- Reference any follow-up method (for example PT after dressing an arc strike) so the chain of evidence is complete.
Recording the stages of weld visual inspection
ISO 17637 describes visual testing at several points in the life of a weld: the joint preparation before welding, during welding, the finished weld, and repaired welds. Many quality plans call for a hold or witness point at more than one of these, and each needs its own record line. Before welding, the report typically covers joint type and preparation, root gap, alignment, cleanliness and tack welds. During welding it covers interpass cleaning, root and hot pass condition, and preheat or interpass temperature if the WPS requires it. After welding it covers size, profile, surface imperfections and cleanliness.
Recording the stage on each line prevents a common audit finding: a final visual that is presented as evidence of fit-up checks that were never done. It also lets a project see where repairs originate, which is more useful than knowing only that a weld was rejected at the end.
- Fit-up: joint preparation, gap, alignment, tack welds, cleanliness.
- In-process: root condition, interpass cleaning, temperature control where required.
- Final: size, profile, undercut, porosity, cracks, arc strikes, spatter, cleaning.
- Repair: excavation checked before re-welding, then final visual on the repair.
The header fields every NDT report shares
Whatever the method, a report is only useful if it can be tied to the job, the drawing and the people. Every template in this library starts with the same header block: report number and revision, date, client, job and work-order references, site, component, drawing and revision, procedure and revision, acceptance standard and extent. ASME Section V Article 1 sets general record requirements that each method article then builds on, and client specifications almost always add their own. Keeping the header identical across methods means a reviewer, or the software that reads your reports later, always finds the same facts in the same place.
Generate these reports automatically in Atlantis NDT Reporting
A template solves the layout. It does not stop the same job, drawing, procedure, instrument and technician details being typed again on every report, or a report going out before anyone checked the technician's certificate was in date. In Atlantis ERP, the NDT Reports app holds VT as its own report type with its own numbering sequence, captured in an offline field app with photos and on-screen signatures, then moved through draft, review, approval and sending with inspector, reviewer and approver signatures.
The NDT Reports app has a VT report type with weld lines for defect type, orientation and result, and the offline field app captures photos on the spot and places them in a two-up grid in the PDF. Procedure and WPS references are taken from the job, and the report moves from draft to review to approved before it is sent.
Your company format is kept: templates can be versioned in Excel, Word, PDF or HTML with your logo, header and footer, and Excel templates are filled automatically by mapping fields to cells. When the report is approved, Digital Twin Reporting can place its results on a 3D model of the asset, so clients find reports by location rather than by file name.
See VT reports generated in Atlantis, or keep using the template: both are fine starting points.
Frequently asked questions
What must a VT report contain under ASME Section V Article 9?
When the referencing code requires a written report: the date of the examination, the procedure identification and revision, the technique used, the results, and all observations and dimensional checks the referencing code specifies.
Does ISO 17637 set acceptance criteria?
No. It covers how visual testing of fusion welds is carried out and recorded. Quality levels normally come from ISO 5817 or the application standard.
Is a tick-box checklist enough for a VT report?
Rarely. Where the acceptance standard sets a numeric limit, record the measured value; reviewers and auditors expect to see what was measured.
Should fit-up inspection be reported separately?
It can share a template, but record the stage on each line. Fit-up findings and final weld findings have different acceptance points and different follow-up.
Who can perform and sign VT?
Personnel qualified for visual examination under your written practice or the scheme the contract names. Many construction codes also recognise welding inspector qualifications for visual examination of welds.
Other NDT report templates
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- UT Thickness Survey Report template
- Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT) Report template
- Magnetic Particle Testing (MT) Report template
- Radiographic Testing (RT) Report template
- Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) Report template
- Time-of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD) Report template
Standards referenced
ASME Section V paragraph numbers change between editions. Always check the edition your contract or the referencing construction code names; the template fields are the same.
Speak to an ASNT NDT Level III
Atlantis NDT provides ASNT Level III consulting, NDT training to ASNT SNT-TC-1A, inspection management software and independent report validation. Request a free consultation and we will return a tailored quote — affordable, accessible and fully customizable to your programme.