CWI Part A - Part 1 ( Clause 1 to 4)

AWS CWI Part A - Module 1  

Welding Inspection and Certification  

Module 1 (Chapter 1) - Part 1

AWS CWI Part A comprises of ten chapters (or Modules), which would be covered in two days’ for offline courses and one week for the online course. The chapters (Modules) can be seen in the material provided to all the students.

During session one, the candidates would be apprised of the Role and responsibility of the Welding Inspector. After every three to four Slide, the interaction would be displayed with the questions based on these slides to be attempted by the candidates. After each session, the candidate is required to attempt the assessment comprising 10 to 15 questions based on the session taught.

Let's get going for session one for the terms and definitions of Welding inspection and Certification (CWI) course. (FIFTH EDITION-2008)

The first module/chapter of the AWS CWI Part A is Welding Inspection and Certification, which would cover the following:-

  • Who is the Welding Inspector?
  • Important qualities of Welding Inspector
  • Ethical requirements of Welding Inspector
  • The Welding Inspector as a communicator
  • Personnel Certification Program
  • Key Terms and Conditions

 

Introduction        

Who is the Welding Inspector? Who is responsible for the

Increasing Need for Weld Quality keeping in mind the following

  • Safety Issues – Most important for inspector to adhere to the laid down norms of safety as per

ANSI Z49.1 Safety in Welding, Cutting, and allied processes, which would be covered in detail in chapter 2 to follow.

  • Government Regulations – All the regulations laid for safety including the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), especially those of the Hazard Communication Standard should be taken care.
  • Competition Due to a large number of players in the business we have to be competitive enough the serve and survive in the market?
  • Less Conservative Designs - Last but not the least conservative design. It means that whenever we do any job we should reduce the wastage by which we can save money without compromising the quality of the weld.

Inspector - A Primary Responsibility to Ensure Weld Quality – It is primarily the Inspector, who is the frontline individual responsible for the quality of the weld.

The Welding Inspector Must-Have: The Inspector must have a professional attitude with fair, impartial and consistent ability.

  • Training and Experience: The training and the skills for the welding personnel to qualify have been laid down by AWS, which is available on their website at https://www.aws.org/certification/page/certified-welding-inspector-2
  • Broad Knowledge and Skill. The inspector should have Inspector Possesses a Great amount of   Knowledge, Attitudes', Skills, and Habits (KASH)
  • Certification for Inspection: The AWS QC1 Standard for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors, and AWS 85.I, Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors, establish the requirements AWS qualification and certification of the welding inspection personnel.  

AWS Certification - QC1-96

  • Visual Inspection Only: Must have the prescribed parameter  of  visual eye examination of near vision acuity as laid down by the AWS

One Approach to Training is “WIT”: The best method is to get the WIT is to qualify and obtain the AWS CWI certification

 

CWI Certification

These are three AWS Documents Governing the CWI Program. Which are

QC 1 - AWS QC1 Standard for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors,

QC1-96   - AWS Certification Visual Inspection Only: The AWS CWI program requires the inspector to pass an eye examination, with or without corrective lenses,  to prove near vision acuity on Jaeger  J2 at not less than 12 in, and complete a color perception test. AWS  B1.l  I, Guide for the Visual  Inspection of Welds is an addition to the document.

QC G- = The Guide to AWS Qualification & Certification & the Application.

 

The Seminar Is Designed to Prepare a Person to Take the Fundamentals Portion of the CWI & CWE Examination. 

It Is Also an Excellent Introduction to the Fundamentals of Welding Inspection or to Serve As a Refresher for Those Needing to Review the Concepts or to Update Their Skills.

 Welding Inspection Technology comprises of ten chapters (or Modules) that would be adequately covered to qualify for the AWS CWI examination by the candidates. The list of the chapters is given in the next two slides.

 

List of Chapters : 

These chapters would be covered over the next two days.

On the first day, the following topics along with the assignments would be covered

1 - Welding Inspection & Certification

2 - Safe Practices for Welding Inspectors

3 - Metal Joining and Cutting Processes

4 - Weld Joint Geometry & Symbols

5 - Documents Governing Welding Inspection and Qualification

6 -  Metal Properties and Destructive Testing

7 -  Metric Practice for Welding Inspection

8 -  Welding Metallurgy for the Welding Inspector

9 -  Weld and Base Metal Discontinuities

10 -Visual Inspection & other NDE  Methods

CWI ‘Body of Knowledge’ 

The number of standards which would be referred is given in two slides

  • Welding Inspection (WI-80)
  • ANSI/AWS A1.1 -  Metric Practice Guide for the Welding Industry
  • ANSI/AWS A2.4 -  Standard Symbols for  Welding, Brazing, &  Nondestructive Examination
  • ANSI/AWS A3.0 -  Standard Welding Terms & Definitions
  • ANSI/AWS B1.10 -     Guide for the Nondestructive Inspection of Welds
  • ANSI/AWS B1.11 -     Guide for the Visual  Inspection of Welds
  • ANSI/ASC Z49.1 -      Safety in Welding, Cutting, & Allied Processes
  • ANSI/AWS QC1-96 - Standard for AWS Certification

       

Who Is the Welding Inspector?

We had already discussed that who is a welding inspector Who is responsible for the  Increasing Need for Weld Quality. He should have the following attributes

 A responsible person who:

  • Determines Weld Quality to a Specification
  • Maybe an overseer of others
  • Maybe a test specialist
  • Or, a combination of the above

 

The Welding Inspector

A Person Who Brings “KASH” to the Job.

Let us see each topic of the KASH as shown in figure 1.1

  • Knowledge
    • Knowledge  o{ drawings  and specifications
    • Knowledge  of welding  terms
    • Knowledge  of welding processes
    • Knowledge  of testing methods
    • Attitude - Professional  attitude
    • Skills
      • Training  in engineering  and metallurgy
      • Inspection  experience
      • Welding  experience
      • Habits
        • Safe practices
        • Ability  to maintain  records
        • Good physical  condition
        • Good  vision

 

Let us study: Knowledge (part of KASH)

▪          Of Drawings

▪          Of Codes, Standards, & Specifications

▪          Of Welding Terms

▪          Of Welding Processes

▪          Of Testing Methods

 

Let us study: Professional Attitude (part of KASH)

▪          Professional attitude is often the key factor for welding inspector success

▪          Welding inspector must be completely familiar with the job requirements.

▪          Welding inspector to make decisions based on facts so that inspections are

▪                Fair,

▪               Impartial

▪               Consistent

 

Let us study: Skills (part of KASH)

Inspection Experience: Most people associated with welding inspection will agree that having inspection experience is very important.

Welding Experience: The communication between the welder and an inspector is usually improved if the welding inspector has some welding experience.

Training in Metallurgy: Metallurgy training should be part of each inspector's training program

 

Let us study: Habits

The Welding Inspector should have the following habits

Safe Practices: Inspector should follow the laid down safe practices 

Record keeping:   welding inspectors should be able to complete and maintain inspection records. The welding inspector must accurately communicate all aspects of the various inspections, including the results. 

Physical condition:  Inspectors should be in good enough physical condition to go to any location where the welding area

Good Vision:  Since the primary job involves visual inspection, obviously the welding inspector should have good vision, whether natural or corrected

 

Let us study Ethical Requirements

▪          Ethics Simply details what is considered to be common sense and honesty.

▪          The Welding inspector’s position also carries certain responsibilities to the public.

▪          So, it is their responsibility to report any condition that could result in a safety hazard.

▪          If the inspector is involved in a dispute regarding the inspection, he or she may be asked to publicly express an opinion.

▪          Probably the best way to deal with public statements, however, is simply to avoid them whenever possible.

▪          The inspector should not volunteer information just to gain publicity

 

Public Statements

There are situations that occur that may be reported to the public. If the inspector is involved in a dispute regarding the inspection, he or she may be asked to publicly express an opinion.

  • Avoid if possible,  the best way to deal with public statements, however, is simply to avoid them whenever possible. 
  • Never for personal publicity, The inspector should not volunteer information just to gain publicity. 
  • Get legal advice, in situations where a public statement is required, the welding inspector may wish to solicit the advice of a legal representative before speaking.

The interaction would be displayed now, based on the learning of the previous Slide.

The candidates are advised to attempt the interaction and check the score obtained.