Laminations are a type of discontinuity that is not associated with welds.

• A. Laminations.
• B. Overlap.
• C. Underfill.
• D. Undercut.

Answer: (A)

Discontinuities in welded joints can come from the material itself or from how the weld is made. Laminations are a defect that forms in the base metal during manufacturing, such as in rolled sheet metal, where layers separate or slip along planes. Because this type of separation originates before welding and is not produced by depositing or shaping weld metal, it is not associated with the weld process. That’s why laminations fit the description of a discontinuity not tied to welds.

The other options are different: they are defects produced by the welding process itself. Overlap is when weld metal extends beyond the joint, underfill is not enough weld metal in the root or groove, and undercut is a groove melted into the base metal along the weld toe. These types are directly related to how the weld was performed.