Hello Paul,
Much like yourself, I am a CWI, CWE, teaching welding
classes and following the guidelines of AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code
Steel.
I have purchased a number of the pre-qualified weld
procedures from the AWS bookstore that fit the specific circumstances of the
most common welding practices used in our area (6010 open root, 7018 fill/cover
passes). These weld procedures are
referenced in the area on the WPS for welding procedure.
Students are given a written, step by step procedure with
illustrations, dimensions and weld parameters for the fit-up and welding of
their test plates. Each section must be followed by the students, and signed by
the Instructors. The guided bend test is performed by a qualified AWS CWI, and
the test results are documented by the same Welding Inspector.
My question is: does this weld test constitute a Welding
Certification?
W.P.
My answer is: It does, but will the contractors,
manufacturers or company the Welder works for accept it?
AWS D1.1 tells us that Qualification (not “Certification”)
is the responsibility of the “Contractor”.
They can “farm” the work of qualifying a welder out to an educational
facility, but the responsibility for that Welder Qualification still falls on
the contractor. That’s the reason
contractors give their own welding test regardless of any past qualifications
the welding candidate may have.
Setting up a “Certification” program (meaning; backing up a
Welders qualification with documentation) in a vocational school isn’t
uncommon, but if that program is sold to Welders as a means of becoming
“Certified”, you’ve done those Welders a disservice. They could go through your
certification process not understanding that their new “Certification” is not
valid anywhere.
Setting up that same “Certification” program and making your
”pitch” to area employers as the 3rd party qualification guru of choice would
be far more honest and code user friendly.
I spent many years in the welding industry filling the role
of Welding Engineer (The person responsible for the qualification of persons
and processes), Welder qualification was a messy and time consuming part of my
job. When testing Welders “off the
street” I would have a 10/1 pass rate (and then my 1 would fail the piss
test). I would always look to my area
technical schools to help me with that, but I found either a welding program
that didn’t give me confidence that ALL the requirements of qualification would
be adhered to, or the program was nonexistent.
What do I mean by adhered to?:
• Test plate fit-up met the WPS requirements
• Test plate position was maintained from start to finish
• The root pass was visually inspected (by someone who knows
the acceptance criteria) and found acceptable
• Fill passes were randomly monitored
• The cover pass met the acceptance criteria without
requiring repair to do so
• The bend coupons were from the correct location and same
test plate (I use steel stamps)
• Removal of the backing and weld reinforcement did not fall
below the plane of the base material
• The samples were bent in the correct fixture
• The person evaluating the bend samples understood the
acceptance criteria
Seems simple enough, but at all of the locations I evaluated
over my career, one or more (usually many more) of the requirements listed
above were not met.
There’s a great need for the service you’re suggesting, just
insure you are selling it to the right people.
Good Luck,
PWC
