Welder qualification Certification

Courtesy: Welder qualification Certification

Welding inspector certification

In addition to welders and welding machine operators, there are also schemes to independently certify welding inspectors and related specialities. The duties of the welding inspector are described in ISO 14731; however the requirement for inspector certification are not standardized, so there are differences in requirement between the various schemes. Some notable schemes established by personnel certification bodies are those of the American Welding Society, of the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing (PCN), of The Welding Institute (CSWIP) and of the Canadian Welding Bureau (CSA W178.2).

The American Welding Society offers the following programs:

• Certified Associate Welding Inspector
• Certified Welding Inspector
• Senior Certified Welding Inspector
• Certified Radiographic Interpreter 

The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing offers three levels of certification:

• PCN Level 1
• PCN Level 2 Weld Inspection
• PCN Level 3 Weld Inspection with radiographic interpretation

The Welding Institute (TWI) in the United Kingdom offers the following certification scheme:^[16]

• CSWIP 3.0 (Level 1): Visual Welding Inspector
• CSWIP 3.1 (Level 2): Welding Inspector
• CSWIP 3.2 (Level 3): Senior Welding Inspector; with or without radiographic interpretation (3.2.1 or 3.2.2 respectively)

The Canadian Welding Bureau offers the following programs:

• Level 1 Certified Welding Inspector
• Level 2 Certified Welding Inspector
• Level 3 Certified Welding Inspector

The BINDT/PCN and TWI/CSWIP schemes are accredited by UKAS under ISO/IEC 17024. There are many other general schemes, as well as sector specific schemes.

In 2008, the American Petroleum Institute introduced the API 577 Advanced Welding Inspection and Metallurgy programme of certification. Certification is issued following the successful completion of a multiple choice exam which is based on the recommended practice document API 577. Certification identifies the candidate as a ‘Welding Inspection and Metallurgy Professional’, as opposed to a certified welding inspector under other programmes.

A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) is the formal written document describing welding procedures, which provides direction to the welder or welding operators for making sound and quality production welds as per the code requirements . The purpose of the document is to guide welders to the accepted procedures so that repeatable and trusted welding techniques are used. A WPS is developed for each material alloy and for each welding type used. Specific codes and/or engineering societies are often the driving force behind the development of a company’s WPS. A WPS is supported by a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR or WPQR). A PQR is a record of a test weld performed and tested (more rigorously) to ensure that the procedure will produce a good weld. Individual welders are certified with a qualification test documented in a Welder Qualification Test Record (WQTR) that shows they have the understanding and demonstrated ability to work within the specified WPS.