AI-assisted visual feedback is educational guidance only and is not always accurate. A photograph cannot confirm code compliance, structural integrity, internal fusion, penetration, or test results, and it is no substitute for hands-on inspection. Have a qualified instructor or inspector evaluate any weld that matters.
What AI analysis is
When you submit a photograph of a weld together with details about it, ArcForge uses an AI vision model to describe the visible surface characteristics of that weld: bead consistency, ripple pattern, toe transition, visible surface discontinuity indicators, spatter, starts and stops, and similar observable features. The output is a structured educational result: described strengths, possible concerns with confidence levels, descriptive practice-score bands, and suggested practice drills.
Findings deliberately use cautious language — “possible,” “appears to show,” “indicators of” — because that is the honest limit of what an image supports.
The photograph itself is analyzed and discarded by default — it is stored only if you choose to save a photo to your private record at submission, and you can remove a saved photo anytime. Otherwise only the structured result and the details you entered are kept. If an analysis fails, the consumed allowance is refunded automatically and you resubmit the photo — failed analyses never store the photo, even when you asked to save it.
What a photograph can never confirm
No ArcForge analysis result will ever state or imply any of the following, regardless of how good the weld looks:
- Compliance with any welding code or standard (including AWS, ASME, or API documents)
- Acceptance under any official or contractual acceptance criteria
- Structural integrity, load capacity, or fitness for service
- Internal fusion, including sidewall or inter-pass fusion
- Penetration depth or root condition on a closed joint
- Freedom from internal discontinuities such as subsurface porosity, slag, or cracks
- Certification, qualification, or test readiness of any welder
- Qualification for any employer, job, or contract
- Results of destructive testing (bend, tensile, nick-break, hardness, or impact tests)
- Results of nondestructive testing (VT by a qualified inspector, PT, MT, UT, or RT)
Why these limits exist
They are physical and procedural, not technical shortcomings we expect to fix. A photograph records the outside surface of a weld; weld quality is substantially determined by what happened inside the joint — fusion, penetration, and internal soundness — which only destructive or nondestructive testing can reveal. Code acceptance additionally requires measurements, procedure context, and evaluation by a person with the authority and qualification to make the call. Software that claimed otherwise would be wrong, and in welding, wrong is dangerous.
Confidence and image quality
Each finding carries a confidence level (low, moderate, or high) that reflects how clearly the visual indicator appears in your image. Confidence describes visibility — it never converts an observation into a measurement or a verdict. When an image is too dark, blurred, or cropped to read responsibly, the system requests a better photo rather than guessing.
Practice scores are educational metrics
Practice scores use descriptive bands (Emerging, Developing, Consistent, Proficient, Refined) across seven visual categories. They are ArcForge’s own educational metrics for tracking visible consistency over time. They are not weld quality ratings, do not correspond to any industry measurement, and no band implies that a weld would pass any examination or test.
Your responsibilities
- Treat every analysis result as study input, never as inspection output.
- Have an instructor or qualified inspector evaluate any weld that carries consequences — structural, pressure-bearing, safety-related, or graded.
- Never present an ArcForge result to an employer, customer, or authority as evidence of weld quality, compliance, or qualification.
- Follow all safety rules that apply where you weld.
Certification content disclaimer
ArcForge is an independent study tool from Forge Nova Labs. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by AWS, ASME, API, OSHA, or any certification organization. Completing ArcForge content does not grant any certification or qualification. Always consult official sources and an accredited testing facility.
No guarantee of accuracy
AI analysis is probabilistic and is not always accurate. It can miss a real flaw, flag something that is not actually a problem, or describe a weld incorrectly. ArcForge makes no warranty — express or implied — that any result is correct, complete, or fit for any purpose. Treat every result as a second opinion to learn from, never as a finding to rely on.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, ArcForge and Forge Nova Labs are not responsible or liable for any decision made, action taken, or outcome — including weld failure, injury, property damage, financial loss, or a failed test or inspection — arising from reliance on AI feedback, practice scores, lessons, or any other content. You use the software at your own risk and remain solely responsible for the integrity and safety of your work and for obtaining qualified inspection wherever it matters.
Questions
This disclaimer forms part of our Terms of Service. If anything here is unclear, contact us at support@arcforgepro.com — we would rather over-explain the limits than have anyone misread them.