Austenitic　stainless　steels　are　widely　used　in　the　key　components　of　major　equipment　and　the　welds　can　be　the　weakest　parts　of　equipment　made　with　these　materials.　Ultrasonic　waves　propagate　in　austenitic　stainless　steel　welds　with　multiple　paths　and　modes.　This　study　employed　a　multi-view　total　focusing　method　using　an　ultrasonic　phased　array　for　defect　detection　in　the　welds　of　small-diameter　austenitic　stainless　steel　pipes.　The　detection　capability　of　four　different　direct　wave　modes　and　eight　different　half-skip　wave　modes　for　typical　defects　were　compared　and　analysed　through　numerical　simulation.　A　fusion　imaging　method　was　developed　using　the　preferred　direct　and　half-skip　wave　modes.　The　process　was　further　verified　with　a　weld　defect　detection　experiment　carried　out　on　small-diameter　austenitic　stainless　steel　pipes.　The　results　show　that　the　multi-view　total　focusing　method　can　efficiently　detect　the　defects　in　the　welds　of　small-diameter　tubes.　Compared　with　the　single-mode　imaging　method,　the　fusion　total　focusing　imaging　approach　can　not　only　improve　the　signal-to-noise　ratio　but　can　also　reduce　the　number　of　image　artefacts.　©　2019　British　Institute　of　Non-Destructive　Testing.　All　rights　reserved.