CW-CAWI-NDT

By Dusty Hood Date 12-31-2002 05:29

I learned how to weld in high school and got a job welding trailers in 1978 when I graduated. In a couple years I was certified and working structural steel. From welder, fabricator, foreman, to supervisor. Now I'm on disability and looking at back surgery. With iron still in my blood I thought welding inspection would be a good career move. The D1.1 is a lot lighter then a LN-25. I recently took the AWS CWI seminar/test and just got the results back. The years of experience made part A and B easy. For part C I used D1.1. I think if your going to work in structural then you should test in structural. I got my first D1.1 code book on Sunday and tested on Saturday. The big book bit me. I missed CWI by one question. I'm too mad to be happy. Will this diminish my chances of getting hired? Can I get UT training as a CAWI? Should I pay the money and fly to the next retest or wait until it comes to my area in May? I was going to offer my services to my high school welding instructor but now I don't know what I could do for his students. Dusty Hood

By DGXL

Date 12-31-2002 16:56

Dusty:
You did not fail the exam, you just did not make the CWI cut-off score. You DID qualify as a CAWI. That is an accomplishment in itself! If you passed the fundamentals and practical, you are probably very close to passing the code book section.

Learn the basic sections of the code. Use the index to find the subject. Use the table of contents if that fails. Tabbing the book helps claim some, but I have never used tabs. If you know how to find the material, you won't have to memorize, tab or highlight your code book and never will. It sounds like you just needed a little time preparing with the code book.

I would recommend retesting when they come back to your area. Taking the test is enough stress without the added stress of traveling, unfamiliar surroundings, etc.

UT and AWS-QC1 certifications have nothing to do with each other. Some companies may require both as part of their internal inspector criteria. I would finish your CWI then go for the UT. You will find the UT to be quite complex in physics.

As far as offering your services at the local high school, why not? The students will enjoy your years of experience and knowledge. You can't buy that from the AWS or anyone else.

Good luck on your retest in May.

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 01-01-2003 13:50

DXGL has given you some good advice. I just wanted to add that 6 days to study and understand D1.1 is not enough time in my opinion. You did very well to achieve CAWI even though your heart was set on CWI. I would suggest that if you take the test again, spend a lot of time looking up the answers to the practice questions. Don't depend on what you already know, but find where it says the answer (good practice for inspection work too). I also didn't find that tabs helped me much but knowing how to use the index really helped.
Hope you do well,
CHGuilford

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 01-02-2003 12:57

Dusty,
I agree with the other posts, alittle time getting familiar with the code and you'll be fine to retest and give another go at it.
UT is not so difficult, if you are given time to absorb all the new terms that will be thrown at you when you first get involved. Trig. is needed to help with the math. I was a structural detailer in my former life so working triangles was easy for me. I recommend looking into a school that specializes in NDT. I went to Krautkramer NDT school in Lewistown, PA. they have great instructors that will help you through the learning process. They will have Level I and Level II all in two weeks. I took Level I and then went back a few months later and took Level II, it gave me time to get alittle more familiar with what I had learned and how to apply it, before going on to Level II. If you are a fast learner you may do alright taking both levels back to back.
Good Luck with your retest, and help steer some good young welders our way,
John Wright

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 01-02-2003 16:15

Just a note,
Krautkramer NDT Schools has changed their name to:

Agfa NDT Inc.
50 Industrial Park Road
Lewistown, PA 17044-9930

Phone 717-242-0327
Fax 717-242-2606

Jim Fauth is the NDT School Training Director.

John Wright