Weld Shrinkage Calculator
Transverse shrinkage of butt joints — set your pre-allowance.
A 12 mm single-V pulls ~1.5 mm across itself — cut plates long by this much or chase the dimension with a grinder later. Angular distortion is the other half: back-step and balance your passes.
Formula
Weld Shrinkage Calculator is a free weld shrinkage for welding engineers, fabricators and CWI inspectors — instant, accurate and 100% client-side, with the governing formula and reference shown next to the result so the number can be defended, not just quoted.
About Weld Shrinkage Calculator
Transverse shrinkage of butt joints — set your pre-allowance. The calculation implements S ≈ 0.2·A_w/t + 0.05·gap (mm, empirical) (Blodgett, Design of Welded Structures). A 12 mm single-V pulls ~1.5 mm across itself — cut plates long by this much or chase the dimension with a grinder later. Angular distortion is the other half: back-step and balance your passes.
How to use Weld Shrinkage Calculator
- 1Enter Weld cross-section area in mm² (From the V-groove weight tool ÷ density).
- 2Enter Plate thickness in mm.
- 3Enter Joints across the dimension.
- 4Read Shrinkage per joint, Total allowance instantly — no submit button needed.
- 5Need US units? Flip the SI/Imperial toggle and every field converts.
Why use Weld Shrinkage Calculator?
- ✓Implements the standard formula — S ≈ 0.2·A_w/t + 0.05·gap (mm, empirical)
- ✓Reference cited on-page: Blodgett, Design of Welded Structures
- ✓One-click SI ⇄ Imperial toggle — values convert in place, physics stays in SI
- ✓Live worked example: the substitution recomputes from your numbers
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser — nothing uploaded, free forever
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the Weld Shrinkage Calculator use?+
It computes S ≈ 0.2·A_w/t + 0.05·gap (mm, empirical), per Blodgett, Design of Welded Structures. The formula is displayed under the result along with a worked example substituted with your own inputs.
What should I keep in mind when using this calculator?+
A 12 mm single-V pulls ~1.5 mm across itself — cut plates long by this much or chase the dimension with a grinder later. Angular distortion is the other half: back-step and balance your passes.
Does this follow AWS/IS welding codes?+
Each tool implements the formula from the cited code or handbook (AWS D1.1, IS 800, ISO/EN). Qualified WPS values always govern over any calculator for code work.
Is the Weld Shrinkage Calculator free to use?+
Yes — completely free, no sign-up, no limits. It runs client-side in your browser, so inputs stay private and results are instant even on slow connections.
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