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INSPECTIO_
TECHNOLOG

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FOURTH EDITION-2000
Published By
American Welding Society
Education Department

AmericanWeldingSociety

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DISCLAIMER
The American Welding Society,Inc. assumes no responsibilityfor the informationcontainedin this
publication. An independent, subs\antiating

such information.

investigation should be made prior to reliance on or use:of

\).

International Standard Book Number: 0-87171-467-1

Copyright @ 1995 by American Welding Society, Miami, Florida.
Fourth Edition 2000

All rights reserved. No part of this book may Je. reproduced in any form ,or by and means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording. or by and any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Pri1l1ed ill lhe United Slllles (~rAmerica

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REVISION
NOTES

The training materials fonnat for the Welding Inspection Technology seminar Workbook has evolved over the
past several years, incorporating many upgr;tdes and improvements. Originally, there were 12 Modules in
black and white pamphlet fonn, followed next by a fonnat using a black and white, loose 3-ring binder
approachwhich simplifies the task of revisions and printing fonnat changes. The 1995 revision continued th
loose leaf and binder approach, but incorporated the liberal use of color graphics for the first time. as well as
improvementsin the layout and font types for improved legibility. The ClJITentrevision simplifies Modules 4
and 7 and COITects
the typographical eITorsthat 'crept' into the 1995 version. It is hoped these recent changes
make the learning experience more enjoyable, and result in greater retention of the technical material.
The technical content of the last two versions of the training materials has also been changed somewhat to include several new technologies and topics, and to broaden the technical base for the Certitied
WeldingInspector. However, these latest versions are not entirely new texts, since it required retention of
much of the original technical content to comply with toe responsibility of meeting the training coverage
requirements of the existing CWI Certification Test Question Bank. Future revisions will be necessary, and
are anticipated as the welding technology evolves and the usage of the metric system becomes more common
withinthe welding community in the United States.
1. R. Roper, Ph.D., Roper Engineering, authored the new sections on EBW and LBW. Also, thanks to Richard
D. Campbell, Welding Solutions, Inc., for his technical and editing input. Special thanks are also given to
Richard L. Holdren, Senior Research Engineer, Edison Welding Institute, who authored the 1986 version of
the training m;tterial, which is retained in large part in the CUITentversion.

December 1998
Ted V. Weber
Principal Consultant
Weber & Associates

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Contents
Module

Page

CD

Welding Inspection and Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " I_I

Safe Practices for Welding Inspectors

2-1

Metal Joining and Cutting Processes

3-1

Weld Joint Geometry and Welding Symbols

4-1

Documents Governing Welding Inspection and Qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . : . . . . . . . .. 5-1

Metal Properties and Destructi\'e Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6-1

(!J)

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Title

Metric Practice for Welding Inspection

7-1

Welding Metallurgy for the Welding Inspector. : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8-1

Weld and Base Metal Discontinuities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9-1

10

Visual Inspection and Other ~DE ~lethods and Symbols. . . . . . . :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-1

Contents

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Introduction

Who is the Welding Inspector?

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Important Qualities of the WeldingInspector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]-4

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Ethical Requirements for the Welding Inspector

The Welding Inspector as a Communicator

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Personnel Certification

Programs

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Key Terms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13

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II

MODULE 1-WELDING

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

WELDING INSPECTIONTECHNOLOGY

Module 1-Welding In~pection and Certification

Introduction

In todais world there is increasing emphasis

placed on the need for quality, ~d weld quality is
an important part of the overall quality effort. This
concern for product quality is due to several factors,
including economics, safety, government regulations, global competition, and the use of less conservative designs. While not singularly responsible
for the attainment of weld quality, the welding
inspector plays a large role in any successful welding quality control program. In reality, many people
participate in the creation of a quality welded product. However, the welding inspector is one of the
"front lin~" individuals who must check to see if all
of the required manufacturing steps have been completed properly.
To do this job effectively, the welding inspector
must have a wide range of knowledge and skills,
because it involves more than simply looking. at
welds. Consequently, this course is specifically
designed to provide both experienced and novice
welding inspectors a basic background in the more
critical job aspects. This does not imply, however,
that each welding inspector will use all of this information while working for a particular company.
Nor does it mean that the material presented will
include all of the information for every welding
inspector's situation. Selection of these various topics is based on the general knowl~dge desirable for
an individual to do general welding inspection.
The important thing to realize is that effective
w~ldiOg in~pection involves much more than just
IQokingat finished welds. Section 4 of AWS QC 1,
Standard for AWS Certification of Welding
Inspectors (see Figure 1.1) outlines the various
functions .of the welding inspectors. You should
,become familiar with these various responsibilities
because the welding inspector's job is an ongoing

Figure 1.1-AWSQC1,

Certification o(weiciinf/..lhspectors.
process. A successful quality control program
begins well before the first arc is struck. Therefore,
the welding inspector must be familiar with many
facets of the fabrication process. Before welding,
the inspector will check drawings.and specifications
to detennine such information as the configuration
of the component, its specific weld quality requirements, and what degree of inspection is required.
This review will also show the need for any special
processing during manufacturing. Once welding
begins, the welding inspector may observe various
processing steps to assure that they are done prop1-2

Standard for'AWS

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WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

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MODULE 1-WELDING

erly. If all thesesubsequentsteps have been completed satisfactorily, then final inspection should
simplyconfirm the success of thoseoperations.
Anotherbenefitof this courseis that it has been

AWS A2A, Standard Symbols for Welding,

Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination
AWS A3.0, Standard
Definitions

designedto provide the weldinginspectorwith the

necessary information for the successful completion of the American Welding Society's Certified
Welding Inspector (CWI)" examination. The ten
modules listed below are sources for examination
information. The welding inspector must have at
least some knowledge in each of these areas.
Typically, the information presented will simply be
a review, while sometimes it may represent an

introductionto a newtopiC.

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Module1:

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Module2:

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WeldingInspection and
Certificafion .

Module3:
Module4:

WeidjOintGeom~~ryand

WeldingSymbols
Module5:

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Documents GoverningWelding
Inspection and Qualification

Module6:

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MetalProperties and

DestructiveTesting

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Module7:

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Metric.Practice for Welding

Inspection .
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Module 8:.

Welding Metallurgy 'or the

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Module
9:

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Welding Inspector

Weld and Base. Metal

Discontinuities
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Module 10: Visuallnspecficm and Other

NDE Methods and Symbols

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Additionally, selected technical references are

included in the "Body of Knowledge"

These include:

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Welds
ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and
Allied Processes

AWS QCl, Standard for AWS Certification of

A SelecredCode

Welding Inspectors

Before turning our discussion to the technical

subjects, let us talk about the welding inspector as
an individual and the typical responsibilities that
accompany the position. The welding inspector is a
responsible person, involved in the determination of
weld quality according to applicable codes andlC?r
specifications. In the performance of inspection
tasks, welding inspectors operate in many different
circuID;stances,depending primarily for whom they
are working. Thus, there is a special need for job
specifications due to the complexity of some components and structures.
The inspection workforce may include destructive testing specialists, nondestructive examination
(NDE) specialists, code inspectors, military or government inspectors, owner representatives, in-house
inspectors, and others. These individuals may, at
times, consider themselves "welding inspectors,"
since they inspect welds as part of their job responsibility. The three general categories into which the
welding inspectors' work-functions can be grouped
are:

Metal~olningand Cutting
ProCesses.. . :

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AWS B 1.11, Guide for the Visual Inspection of

Who is the Welding Inspector?

Safe Practices for Welding

Inspectors.

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Welding Terms and

AWS B 1.10, Guide for the Nondestructive

Inspection of Welds

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INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

required.

Overseer.
Specialist
Combination Overseer-Specialist

An overseer can be one individual or many individuals whose skills vary such that any amount or
type of workmanship may be inspected. Both economics and technical requirements will decide the .
extent to which these types of inspectors will group

(AWS D1.1, API 1104, etc.)

Welding Inspection (WI-SO)

AWS:A1.1, Metr'-c.Practice:Gliide for the

Welding Industry

1-3

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MODULE

1-WELDING

INSPECTION

AND CERTIFICATION

WELDING

themselves and function in various areas of

expertise.
The specialist, on the other hand, is an individual who does some specific task(s) in the inspection
process. A specialist mayor may not act independently of an overseer. The nondestructive examination (NDE) specialist is an example of this category
of inspector. This individual has limited responsibilities in the welding inspection process.
It is common to see inspectors serving as both
overseer and specialist. Such an individual may be
responsible for general weld quality judgments in
each of the various fabrication steps, and be
r'eq~ired to perfonn any nondestructive testing that
is necessary. Fabricators m~y employ several over.

unfair or show partiality or inconsistency;they.

greatly affect the inspector's credibility. A welding.
inspector must be completely familiar with thejob.
requirements so that decisions are.neither too critical nor too lax:. It is a mistake for the inspector to
have preconceived ideas as to a componeIit's
acceptability. Inspection declsions must be based oIi
facts; the condition of the weld and the acceptance
criteria specified in the applicable specification
must ~e the determining factors. Inspectors will
often find themselves being "tested" by other
personnel on the job, especially when newly
assigned to some task. Maintaining a professional
attitude helps overcome obstacles to successful job

general weld inspection responsibility. Because

inspection responsibility is divided in these cases,
inspectors maY'have to rely on others for specific
aspects Qfthe total inspection program.

For the purposesof this course,we will refer to

the welding inspector in general, without regard to

how each individual will be used by an employer. It
is impractical to address eac~ individual's situation

in the scopeof this discussion.

.
.. To emphasize the differencesin job require-

perfonnance.

pipelines,and other distributionequipmentrequir-

. ing pressure containment. The chemical industry

.also uses weldirig extensively in the fabrication of
pressure-containing processing facilities and equipment. The transportation industry requires assurance of accurate weld quality in such areas as aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, railroad apparatus
and off-road equipment. Finally, the manufacturing
of consumer goods often requires specific weld
quality requirements. With the diversity shown by
this listing, various situations will clearly require
different types and degrees of inspection.

12 at 12 in., and completea color perceptiontest.

Another aspect of physical condition involves the
size of some welded structures. Welds can be located anywhere on very large structures,. and inspectors must often go to those areas and make evaluations. Inspectors should be in good enough physical
condition to go to any location wnere the welder has
been. This does not imply that inspectors must vio- .
late safety regulations just to do their duties.
Inspection can often be hampered if not done immediately after welding, because access aids for the.
welder such as. ladders and scaffolding may be
removed, making inspection impossible or dangerous. Within safety guidelines, welding inspectors
should not let their physical condition prevent them
from doing the inspection properly.

Important Qualities of the

Welding Inspector
The individual who does welding inspection
should possess certain qualities to assure that the
1-4

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Next, the welding inspector should be in good.

physical condition. Since the primary job involves
visual inspection, obviously the welding inspector
should have good vision, whether natural or corrected. The AWS CWI program requires thein'Spec"
tor to pass an eye examination, with'orwithoutcorrective lenses, to prove near vision acuity on Jaeger.

ments, let's look at some industries using welding

inspectors. We see welding inspection being done in
the construction of buildings, bridges and other
:structural units. Energy related applications include
power generation faCilities, pressure vessels and
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TECHNOLOGY

job will be done most effectively. Figure 1.2 illustrates these qualities.
The tirst, and perhaps the most important quality, is a professional attitude. Professional attitude is
often the key factor for welding inspector success.
Inspector attitude often determines the degree of
respect and cooperation received from others during
the performance of inspection duties. Incltided in..
this category is the ability of the.welding inspector
to make decisions based on facts so that inspections
are fair, impartial and consistent. If decisions are

seer type inspectors,each havingtheir own area of

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INSPECTION

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WELDINGINSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

MODUL'I=1-WELDING

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

()

A WELDINGINSPECTOR
BRINGSCERTAIN
AMOUNTS
OF lASH TOTHEJOB
Knowledge of drawings and
specifications

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Knowledge C?fwelding terms

Knowledge of welding processes
Knowledge of testing methods
Professional attitude

Training in engineering and

metallurgy
Inspection experience
Welding experience

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Safe practices
Ability to maintain records
Good physical condition
Good vision
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Figure 1.2- The Inspector Possesses a Great Amount of

Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills and Habits (KASH)
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MODULE 1-WELDING

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

Another quality the welding inspector should

- develop is an ability to understand and apply the
various documents describing weld requirements.
These can include drCiwings,codes,. standards and
specifications. Documents provide most of the
information regarding what, when, where and how
-the welding and subsequent inspections are to be

welding processes. Because of this, former welders

are sometimes selected to be converted into welding
inspectors. With a basic knowledge of welding, the
inspector 'is better prepared to understand, certain
problems that a welder encounters. This aids in
gaining respect and cooperation from the welders.
Further, this understanding helps the welding
inspector to predict what weld discontinuities may
be encounter~d in a specific situation. The welding
inspector can then monitor critical welding variables to aid in the prevention of these welding problems. Inspectors experienced in sever~l weldingprocesses, who understand the advantages and lim-'
itations of each process, can probably identify
potential problems before they occur.
Knowledge of various destructive and nondestructive test methods are also very helpful to the
welding inspector. Although inspectors may not
necessarily perform these tests, they may from time
to time witness the testing or review the test results
as they apply to the inspection. Just as with welding
processes, the welding inspector is aided by a basic
understanding of testing processes. It is important
for the ih~pector to be aware of alternate methods
that could be applied to enhance visual inspection.
Welding inspectors may, nQt actually perform a
given test but they may still be called upon to decide
if the results comply with the job requirements.
The ability to be trained is a necessity for the job
of welding inspector. Often, an individual is selected for this position based primarily on this attribute.
Inspectors do their job most effectively when they
receive training in a variety of subjects. By gaining
additional knowledge, inspectors become more

done. Therefore, the rules . or guidelines under

which the welding inspector does. the job can be
found in these documents.. They also state the
acceptable quality requirements against which the
welding inspec;tor will judg~. the weld' quality. It is,
important that these do~uments are ~eviewedb~fore
the start of any work or production because the
welding inspector must be aware of the job requirements. Often this pre-job review will reveal
required "hold points" for inspections, procedure
and welder qualification requirements, special processing steps or design deficiencies such as weld
inaccessibility during fabrication. Although welding inspectors should be thorough in their review,
this does not mean that the requirements should be
memorized. These are reference, documents and
shou~dbe readily available for detailed information
any time in the fabrication process. Generally,
inspecto,rs'are the individuals most familiar with all
these documents so they may be called upon by others for information and interpretation regarding the
welding.
Most people associated with,welding ,inspection
will agree that having inspection experience is very
important. Text books and classroom le~g.
can,.
not teach an inspector all of ili,e things needed to
inspect effectively. Experience will aid the welding
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inspectorin becomingmoreefficient.Betterwaysof

1-6

valuableto their employers.

Another very important responsibility of the

welding inspector is safe work habits; good'safety
habits play a significant role in avoiding injury.
Working safely requires a thorough knowledge of
the safety hazards, an attitude that all accidents can
be avoi,:led, and learning the necessary steps to
avoid u~safe exposure~Safety training should be a
part of each inspector's training program.
A final attribute, which is not to be taken lightly, is the welding inspector's ability to comphite and
maintain inspection records. The welding inspector
must accurately communicate all aspects of the various ,inspections, including the results. All records
developed should be understandable to anyone

thinking and workin'g will develop with time.

Experience will also help the inspector develop the
proper attitude and point of view regarding the job.
Experience gained working with various codes and
specifications improves an inspector's understand'"
ing of welding requirements and generally improves
job effectiveness. To emphasize the need for inspection experience, we often see a novice inspector
paired with an experienced one so the proper techniques can be passed along. Finally, we see that
inspector certificatIon programs require some minimum'level of experience for qualificatiori.
Another desirable quality of the welding inspector is a basic knowledge of welding and the various

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WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

MODULE 1-WELDING

familiar with the work. Reports that can only be

deciphered by the welding inspector are useless
when he or she is absent. Therefore, neatness is
important as well. The welding inspector should
look at thesereports as his or her penn anent records
should a question' arise later. When reports are generated, they should contain infonnation regarding
how the inspection was done so, if necessary,it can
be duplicated later by someone else with similar
results. Once records. have been developed, the
welding inspector should facilitate easy reference
later.
. .

pIe, or offers of financial gain, then the inspector is

not acting with integrity. A welding inspector's
decisionsshould be based totallyon availablefacts
without regard to who did the work in question.
The welding inspector's position also carries
with it a certain responsibility to the public. The
component and/or structure being inspected may be
used by others who could be injured should some'
failureoccur.Whileinspectorsmay be incapableof
discovering every problem,. it is their responsibility
to report any condition that could result in a safety
hazard. When performing an inspection, inspectors
should only do those jobs for which they are properly qualified. This reduces the possibility of errors
in judgment.
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 opinjon. If stated, the
opinion should be. based totally on facts that the
inspector believes to be valid. Probably the best
way to deal with pu1:)licstatements, however, is simply to avoid them whenever possible. The inspector
should not volunteer information just to gain publicity. However, in situations' where a public statement is required, .thewelding inspector may wish t9
solicit the 'advice. of a legal representative before
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speaking.
The ethical requirements of the job <;arrywith
them a great deal of responsibility. However, the
welding inspector who understands the difference
between ethical and unethical behavior should have
little difficulty in performing the job with everyone's best interests in mind. Many inspectors are
required to make. decisions that may have great
financial impact on certain parties. In such situations, the inspector may be approached to overlook
some feature' or reverse a .decision for personal
financial gain. The weldingiilspector must recognize such dishonest acts and stand firm on all
decisions.

There are a few "rules of etiquette" relating to

inspectionreports.First, they shouldbe completed
in ink, or typewritten. (In today's"age of computers," typing of inspectionreports into a computer
systemis a very effective way of making legible
reports,easilyretrievedwhenneeded.)If anerroris
madein a handwrittenreport,it canbe single-lined
out and corrected(the error should not be totally
obliterated). This corrective action should then be
initialed and dated. A similar approach is used when
the reports are computer generated. The report
should also accurately and completely state the job
name and inspection location as well as specific test
infonnation. The use. of sketches and pictures may
also help to convey information regarding the
inspectio~ results. Then the completed report
should be signed and dated by tbe inspector who did
the work.

Ethical Requirements for the

Welding Inspector.
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INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

Wehavedescribed sollie of the qualities whicll'

are desired of. a welding inspector. In addition to
those listed above, there are ethical requirements
which are dictated by theposition. Ethics simply
detail what is considered to be common sense and
honesty.The position of welaing.inspectorcan be
very visible to the public if some critical dispute
arises and is publicized. Therefore, welding.inspectors should live by the rules and report to their
superVisors whenever some questionable situation
occurs. Simply stated, the welding inspectqr should
act with complete honesty and integrity while doing
the job since the inspection function is one of
responsibility and importance. If decisions are
biase9 because of associations with dishonest peo-

The Welding Inspector as a

Communicator
An important aspect of the welding inspector's
job is that of communication. The day-to-day
inspection effort requires effective communication
with many people involved in the fabrication or

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MODULE 1-WELDING

WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

SPEAKS
WRITES
ACTS
DRAWS
WELDS

construction of some item. What must be realized,

however, is that communication is not a one way
street. The inspector should be able to express
thoughts to others, and be ready to listen to a reply.
To be effective, this communication sequence must
be a continuous loop so that both parties have an
opportunity to express their thoughts or interpretati9ns (see Figure 1.3). It is wrong for any individual
to think that their ideas will always prevail.
Inspectors must be receptive to opinions to which a
further response can be made. Often, the best

inspectoris one who listens.well.

As mentioned, the welding inspector ',has to _,'

communicate with several different people involye'iF": .,
, .,::,in

tile fabrication

sequence

(see Figpre:b.4)~

!nifact.u,""o',::'

.'

many situations occur where welding inspectors are ,~:;"~;.')LISTENS

FEEDBACK
the central figure of the communication network,
RESPONSE
since they will constantly be dealing with most of c~:",;..~EADS
TO SENDER
the people involved. Some people that the inspecto!. . . OBSERVES
"may communicate with are welders;'wHding'.engr>';~' ',.: S'
neers, inspection supervisors, welding sUperviSOfS";<':
.,.,INFER
welding foremen, design engineers,.and production"" .'.'. INSPECTS

supervisors.Eachcompanywilldictateexactlyhow.' "

FiguJ:e1.3-The Welding Inspector":""

A Communicator

its welding inspectors function..

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The communication between the welder'and.':, :
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inspector

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is important
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to the attainment,
,

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.', f' work. If there is good communicatioii; each'iridi:'~"" processes specified. The welding inspector can also
vidual can do a' better job. Welders can discuss
confinn whether specified procedures are being fol.:;..")i
'-'problemsthey encounter, or ask abouCspeCific"qri~:,<;~,.,1
'}i}6wed.The welding inspector,. in turn, can ask the
ity requirements. For example, suppose the w'eldefS\:i;,grwelding engineer about certain aspects of those
. ~:. ..:,.~?:.asked to weld a joint having a root PP$ttW1K'~~ 'p(qcedures as well. Often, if a welding procedure is
.
which is so tight that a satisfactory weld cannot.:!>:~'J'-;:i.:-no.t:producingconsistent,
reliable -results,the weld"

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~ccQmplished.
They may contact . the,.
insp~ctor,!o.,
.' ~J;lginspector
m~y .be
the ,first person to. spot the
'.
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.
paSsjudgment' and get the situation c~q~~ted.ng1it .' <problem.At that point; the welding engineer is noti-

then rather than after the weld is rejected'for being.' . 'fled so that adjustrnentscanbe madeto alleviatethe
made improperly. When effective communication.
occurs, the welding inspector has the opportunity
to supply answers and/or begin corrective action to
prevent the occurrence of some problem. The communication between the welder and an inspector is
usually improved if the welding inspector h~ some
welding experience. Then the welder has more confidence in the inspector's decisions. If there is poor'
communication between these two parties; quality'
can suffer.
.
Welding engineers rely heavily on welding
inspectors to be their "eyes" on the shop floor or
construction site. Engineers count on the inspector
to spot problems relating to the techniques and
.

problem.
.'
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The welding inspector will'probably work under
the direction of some supervisor. This individual is
responsible for verifying a 'welding inspector's
qualifications to perform the work. The supervisor
'. should also answer the inspector's questions and aid
in the' interpretation of quality requirements. In
some industry situations, the welding inspector
.must bring all questions to the supervisor. In turn
the supervisor takes that question to someone in
engineering, purchasing, etc. The welding inspector
must convey a question clearly so it can be
described properly by the inspection supervisor to
the other party.

]-8

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WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

MODULE 1-WELDING

/~---~
0"'" I ""'Jod.;""",

--MWelding

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

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Welder

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Figure 1.4-Establishing

During the.actualfabricationprocess,the weldinginspector will haveopportunitiesto speakwith

rejections have been noted which could alter the

production schedule. It is important for the welding inspector to keep the production personnel
aware of the status of the welding inspection so
that schedules can be adjusted if necessary. As
indicated, depending on the. welding inspector's
specific job descpption, he or she may not deal
with all those noted .above, or 'the in~pector may
cciinmuniCaie..with~thers .not discussed here. It is
important to realize that all will benefit if some
effective communication tak~s place so surprises

many other personnel. In some situations, instead of

communicating directly with the welders, the welding inspector will deal with the welding supervisor
or foreman. This usually involves specific quality
requirements or explanations why some aspect of

fI5
~
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Lines of Communication

theweldingis rejectable.
. '. The welding inspector may also h.aveto gain

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-,
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information from design engineers about the actual

weld requirements,. During fabrication, other problems may arise which can only be answeredby the.
person who actu~ly designed the strUcture or component Another way in which this aspect of communication takes place is through drawings and
weldingsymbols. Although a powerful communication tool, welding and NDEsymbols may require
clarificationby the symbol creator.

do not occur during fabrication. . .

When we talk of commu9ic.ation,we are not
limiting our attention to speaklng:There are' several ways in which people effectively communicate.
They include speaking, writing, drawing, gesturing,
and the use of pictures or photographs'. Each situation may be dealt with using one or more of these
methods. The method is not as importai1t as the fact

Finally, the welding inspector will have some

occasion to discuss job scheduling with production personnel. This occurs especially when

. that

communication occurs;. messages are sent,

receivedand understoodby all concerned.

1-9

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MODULE 1-WELDING

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

WELDINI?
INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

\~

Personnel Certification Programs

document his or. her educational background. In

addition, the candidate's years of welding-related
experience according to some code or specification
must be documented.

There are several programs presently available

to detennine whether an individual possesses the
necessary experience and knowledge to perfonn
welding inspection effectively. The American
Society for Nondestructive Testing has issued
guidelines for certification of NDE personI1el in
ASNT SNT-TC-1A. This document describes the
recommended procedures for certifying inspectors
performing nondestructive testing. ASNT recognizes three levels of certification, Levels I, n, and
.
.
.
Ill.
AWS has also initiated an NDE Certification

With supporting documentation (e.g., copies of

transcripts, reference letters, credited hours of training. quarter hours or semester hours), up to two
years of work experience may be substituted by
post high schooi educational exper~ence.
Substituted educational experience includes an
Associate or higher degree in engineering, physics
or physical science and welding technology. Trade
and vocational ~ourses can be applied to work experience substitution for completed courses related to
welding (up to one year maximum).

Program. Presently, AWS ~an certify one Level.of

.Radiographic Interpreter (RI). The RIprogram cer-..
tifies inspectors for. interpreting weld radiograplIs~
Additional NDE methods' certification is available
.

by diploma or state or military equivalence, must

have at least 5 years experience. Individuals with

throughthe joint efforts of AWS and outside train- .

ing agencies.
..
.
For visual inspectionof welds,AWShas devel- .

oped the Certified Welding Inspector program. The

front page of the Application form for the Certified
Welding Inspector is shown in Figure 1.5.
. . AWS QCl, Standard for AWS Certification oj'
Welding Inspectors, Figure 1.1, establishes the
n;quirem~nts for AWS certification of welding
..-,.I'(
inspection personnel. There are three levels ofcertification in AWS QCl.The Senior Certified Welding
..,
Inspector (SCWI) is a person with at least 15 years
. .exPerience, including 6 years experience while certi..fled as a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI). The
SCWI must pass a separate examination.from the

. CWI examinationexplainedbelow.Inforiiultionor( .

. ..

ejghthgradeschoolingare requiredto have not less

than 10 years job experience to qualify for the

examination. For individuals with less than eighth
grade schooling, not less than -IS years is required.
. A subordinate
level. of qualification is the
Certified Associate Welding Inspector (CAWI),
which requires fewer years of experience for each
educational level. All of the experience noted for
both
the CWI and CAWI must be work associated
.
with some code or specification to be considered
.

valid.

..

Individuals who qualify for the. Certified

...'Yelding Inspector Examination take a three-part
examination:
,
.

..

the SCWI program and examination are found in a

separate course, Welding Quality Assurance and..
Inspection Manual-A
Guide for the Senior
Certified Welding Inspector. The next certification
level is the CWI and the third level is the Certified
Associate Welding Inspector (CAWI). Both of these
certifications are covered In this course. AWS QCI
describes how personnel are qualified, lists the prin.. ciples of conduct, and notes the practice by which
certification may be maintained. Those major ele-

ments will be discussedhere.

Candidateswith a high school education,either

..

Part A-Fundamentals.
The Fundamental examination is a closed book test consisting of 150 multiple choice questions. The .topics covered in this portion of the exam include reports and records,
destructive tests, welding perfonnance, duties and
responsibilities, weld examination, definitions and
terminology, safety, welding and nondestructive
examination symbols, nondestructive exanunation
methods, welding processes, heat control, metallurgy, mathematical conversions and calculations.
Part B-Practical. The Practical examination consists of 46 questions. It requires measurement of
weld (eplicas with provided measuring tools, and
evaluation in accordance with a supplied "Book of
Specifications." NotalI questions require the use of

The first step toward certification is the

documentation of relevant educational and work
experience. To qualify for the Certified Welding
Inspector (CWI) examination, the individual must
. ...

1-10

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MODULE 1-WELDING

WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

AWS USE ONLY

,*. Americanwelding SOciety

SITE CODE
1. Check #_
2. Date Rec'd

APPLICATION FOR AWS WELDING INSPECTOR

EXAMINATION
Please PRINTor TYPE

~~
.

1a.

CHECK THE EXAMINATION LEVEL YOU DESIRE

o A. Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)
o B. Certified AssocIate Welding Inspector

1b.

Choose

ONE.01 the following

fQl'the

o C-1 AWS D1.1

o C-2 API 1104
o C-3 ASME 831.1 & ASME See IX

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;

o C-4 ASMESee VIII&See IX

(CAWI)

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CODE BOOK tes

.....

2. PERSONAL

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

..

3. Account
Amount. #
4.

[ CHARGEMY:

VISA
AMEX

MC
DIN

CARD #
I

EXP.

DATE

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TB.EPtIONE:

SOCIAl. secuRITY

AREA CODe ANO NOWEll

3. AWS CERTIFICATION STATUS.

I

a.

b.

Haveyou taken a previous AWSQC1certification

examination? .
0 YES
0 NO

Have you ever been certUled as an.AWS QC1 ?

DYES
DNO

b.1. If Yas, print your certification no..

a.1. "Y as, givedate and location

SOURCE CODE: QC1

4. SIC CODES
Type of

Job Classification

Business

(Check ONE only)

A 0 Contract construction
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Chemicals & allied products

Petroleum & coal industries
Primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products
~chlnery except elect (incl. gas welding)
ElectiicaJ equip. supplies. electrodes
Transportation equip. - air. aerospace

TranSportation

equip.

. automotive

J 0 Transportation equip. . boats. ships

K 0 Transportation equip. - railroad

0 Utilities

M 0 Welding disbibutorS & retail trade

N 0 Misc. repair services (Ind. welding shops)

Educe\ional

services

(univ. libraries,

schools)

P 0 Engr. & architectural services (Inel. assns.)

Q 0 Misc. business services (incl. commercial labs)
R 0 Govemments (federal. state. local)
SOother

.,

BlRTHOATE

NO.

(Check ONE only)

01 0 President, owner, partner, officer
02 0 Manager, director, superintendent
(or assistant)

03
04
05
06

0
0
0
0

Sales
Purchasing
Engineer'- welding
Engineer other

07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Inspector, tester
Supervisor, foreman
Welder, welding or cutting operator
Architect. designer
COnsultant
Metallurgist.
Research & development
Technician
Educator
Student
Ubrarian
Customer. service
Other.

Your Technical Interests

(Place a number on line in
choice
A
B
C
o

G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N

order

-1vcWeldlng

--:..Bruing & Soldemg.

_Resistance
Welding
_Them1a1 Spray
_cuttInO
_NOT.
_Safety
&.Health
_Pipe
& Tubing
o _Pressure Vessels&Tanks
P _Structures
Q _Ron
Forming
R _Sheet
metal
S _Slemplng
&punching
T _!lending
&shearing .
U _Aen>space
V -",utomotiYe
W _Machinery
X _Marine
Y --,-Other

Major product or service of your company.

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Figure 1.5-AWS Certified Weldinghispector

1-11

- 1-2-3,etc.)

_Ferrous
metals
--Alumlml1l
_Non-fjll'.
except aluminum
~mat'Vk1termetar"",
_Ceramics
_High energyProcesses

Application Form

"

MODULE 1-WELDING

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

the Book of Specifications; some require the individual to' answer from 'practical knowledge. The
Practical Test covers welding procedures, welder
qualification, mechanical tests and properties,
welding inspection and flaws, and nondestructive
tests. Test candidates should be familiar with fillet
.

passing score in each part for the CWI is 72 percent;

the passing for CAWI is 50. percent. Beyond completion of the examination, the test candidate must
undergo an eye examination to assure that the indi-.
vidual possesses adequate vision, whether natural
or corrected. After all test results are successfully
completed, the individual is considered qualified to
perform visual inspection of welds. When AWS.
says that this individual is a Certified Welding
Inspector, this simply implies that the person's
.qualifications are documented with an appropriate
certificate. The CWIcertificate does not state what
code the inspector used.on the.exaIilination. A CWI
is qualified to use and interpret any welding code or
standard.
. .
Welding irispectors are a very important part of
any effective quality control. program. While there
are various categories of welding inspectors, in general they are . considered to be. those individuals
responsible for evaluation of the resulting welding.
These in~viduals must possess physical, mental
and ethical qualities in order to be effective. The
remaining modules. will detail those aspects of
welding. considered important fot the welding
inspector. In addition, theSe topics are also considered relevant to the AWS Certified Welding
Inspector Examination. Therefore, . this text. is an
appropriate .guide for individuals to use in preparation for that series of examinations.

andgrooveweldgauges,micrometers,dial calipers,
and machinist's scales.
Part C-Open

Book Code. This portion consists

.i.~

of M6fluestions on the code the individual has

'>'f~"'\ selected for this part of the examination. The following codes are applicable to this portion of the.
exaurination:
.

..

AWS Dl.l. The AWS D1.1, Structural Welding

Code-Steel examination covers the following
subject areas: general requirements, design of
welded connections, prequalification of WPSs,
qualification, fabrication, inspection, stud welding and the annexes.
API 1104. The API 1104, Welding of Pipelines
and Related Facilitiesexaurination covers the
following subject areas: general, qualification of
welding' procedures, welder qual.ification,
design and preparation of a joint for production
welding, inspection and testing of production
welds, standards of acceptability-NDT, repair
or: removal of defects, radiographic procedure,
;md automatic welding.

In preparationfor that portionof the CM exam-

AWS Dl.5. The AWS D1.5, Bridge Welding

Code exaInination cover~ the following subject
areas: general provisions, design of welded connections, workmanship, technique,qualification, inspection, stud welding,' welded steel
bridges, fracture control plan for nonredundant
members and the annexes.

AWS D15.1. TheAWS DI5.1, Railroad Welding

Specification-Cars arid Locomotives examination covers weldIng of me~ at least 1/8 in.'
thick, specific requirements for welding railroad
cars, and the requirements for the manufacturing.
and reconditioning of locomotives and passenger train vehicles.

To successfully complete the examination, individuals must pass all three parts of the test. The
1-12

ination covering welding inspector 'certification

requirements, you are enco~aged to read and
become familiar withAWS QCl, Standardfor 4WS
Certification of Welding:./nspectors. .Part of the
welding inspector's job is the review and interpretation of various documents relating to the welded
fabrication. This requires that the individual have a
full understanding Qf the proper tenns and definitions that are used. For this reason, included at the
end of each module the reader will find, "Key
Terms and Definitions" applicable to a module's
topic. AWS realizes the need for stan~ardized terms
and definitions for use by those involved in the fab~cation of welded products. In answer to this need,
AWS A3.0, Standard Welding Terms and
Definitions, was plJblished (see Figure 1.6).
AWS A3.0 was developed by the Committee on
Definitions and Symbols to aid in welding information communication. Standard terms and defini-

MODULE 1-WELDING

WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

An AmerIcan

ANSUAWS A3.G-9(
NatIonal standard

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

used wherever possible, but the inspector must be

familiar with nonstandard terms as well.

Standard
WeldingTerms
and Definitions

Ke}"Terms and Definitions

API-American Petroleum Institute. The technical
society which provides technical guidance for the
petroleum industry.

Including Terms for Brazing,

Soldering. Thermal Spraying
. end Thennal Cutting

API l104-TheAPI
Standard, Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities: This staridard is often
used in construction of cross-country pipelines.
ASM~Anierican
Society of Mechanical.
Engineers. The technical. society which provides
.technical guidance fot pressure containing vessels

and equipm~nt..:

ASNT~American
Society for Nondestructive
Testing. The technical society which provides technical guidance for NDE.

~
I

AWS-American Welding Society. The technical

society which provides technical g\lidance and
leadership in all phases of welding.

-g

.,
l.,

Figure 1.6-AWS A3.0, Standard Welding

Terms and Definitions

AWS A3.~The
AWS Standard Welding Terms
arid DejinitioflS. This standard defines weldingrelated terms 'with standard definitions.

tions published in A3.0 .are those that should be

used in the oral and written language of welding.
While.these are the standard, or preferred, terms,
they are not the only terms used to describe various
situations. The purpose here is to educate, and it is
often important to mention.some of these common
terms, even though they are not preferred terminology. When nonstandard terms are mentioned,
they appear' in parentheses after the preferred
words."

AWS Dl.l-The AWS Structural Welding CodeSteel. Used worldwide for construction of buildings
and structures.
AWS Dl.5-The AWS Bridge Welding Code used
in the U.S. ..forconsn:uction
of bridg~s.
.
.
.

. .

.:.While most of the terms used apply to the actual

weldiQg.operation, it -is important for the welding
inspector. to understand :other definitions which
applyto other related operations. Welding inspectors
should understand how to describe weld joint configurations and fitup process elements requiring
comnierit.After welding, the inspector may need to
describethe location,of.a weld discontinuity that has
,

AWS B5.11-The
AWS Specification -for the
Qualification of Radiographic Interpreters.

AWS D15.1-,-The
.

cation-Cars

AWS Railroad Welding Specifi-

and Locomotives. This specification

covers welding of railroad cars. ~d locomotives.

CAWI-Certified Associate Welding Inspector.

CWI-Certlfied

Welding Inspector.

KASH-An
acronym .for. Knowledge, Attitude,
Skills and Habits, the. basicto()ls o~ a welding
inspector.

been discovered. If a discoQ.tinuity. requires further

attention,it is impQrtantthat the inspector accurately

describe the location of the problem so that the
welder wiil know where the. repair is to be made.
AWS recommendsthat standard terminology be

ND~Nondestructive
Examination. The act of
determining the suitability of some material or

1-13

II

ill

I' I

I..

MODULE 1-WELDING

INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION

WELDING INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

component for its intended purpose using techniques that do not affect its serviceability. NDE is
the preferred term per ANSI/AWS.

QCI-The AWS StandardforAWS Certificationof

Weldmg Inspectors. Defines the requirements and
program for the AWS to certify welding inspectors.

NDI-Nondestructive
Inspection. A nonstandard
term for nondestructive examination (see NDE).

SCWI-Senior

Certified Welding Inspector.

SNT-TC-IA~ This ASNT Recommended Practice,

Personnel Qualification and Certification in
Nondestructive Testing, outlines the certification
program for NDT.tec~nicians.
. .

NDT-Nondestructive Testing. Anonstandard term

for nondestructive examination (see NDE).

1-14