Which condition indicates a part has cooled too quickly after being welded?

Cracking adjacent to the weld is a sign that a part has cooled too quickly after welding. This rapid cooling can lead to the formation of brittle microstructures in the welded area or the heat-affected zone. When metal cools too fast, the physical and chemical properties may change unfavorably, resulting in a mismatch in thermal expansion and contraction characteristics between the weld metal and the base metal. This strain can induce cracking, particularly in areas adjacent to where the weld was made.

Understanding the other conditions is helpful for context. Warpage away from the weld typically points to uneven thermal gradients or stresses during cooling but may not directly indicate quick cooling. Loss of tensile strength can result from various factors, including microstructural changes due to heat treatment or other forms of damage beyond just rapid cooling. Excessive distortion of the heat-affected zone relates more broadly to thermal treatment effects and mechanical stresses rather than specifically to the issue of quick cooling post-welding.