Hello,
I took the test in January 2002, Below is a letter I wrote right after taking it. May be something in it to help you, feel free to contact me if you have a specific question. I did pass . Part B-missed 4. Part A missed 20 Part C Missed 1
tmcrigw@aol.com
Subject: CWI Exam
I just completed the CWI Exam on Jan 25, 2003, I will write what I remember about it .
There were about 45 people there to test. They had us all together, handed out a Scan tron answer sheet, and proceeded to explain about filling it out. Name, social security, number, test site number, city of test. Then they explained the AWS-Form number and test number..and how to put them on answer sheet. Prior to this explanation, they called us up by name and gave us a sticker with our test group on it, I, II, or III.
After all this they separated us by groups, my group was “ I “ and it was the Part B of the Exam. The AWS personnel , handed out a test kit to each of us. They then had us open it, and verify we had all the tools and pictures and test items to examine. After this they had us to check the Micrometer to verify it was accurately set. Mine was not, so I had the test person to come set it, after he had set it I rechecked it, it was 8 thousandths off, enough to make a bad reading, I had him to reset it, even then it was still off, I finally set it properly to the zero mark myself.( Make sure all that will take the test know how to set this Micrometer properly). At this point the test began, The first thing I noticed was that the first 8 questions were not answered in the Part B code. This was a shock to me, I was not expecting to answer acquired knowledge questions in this part. Be prepared to know what is and is not in the Part B, or you will get stalled.
As I progressed through,the questions started about the specimens. On the Porosity Sample, it is about 8 inches long with 4 areas numbered and 4 different sets of holes drilled into a fillet weld. You are to examine these and determine if they meet the fake code. Then you have to add two together to see if they are in code for 12 inches of weld.
( These holes appear to be in 64ths, I tried with the 32nds but was hard to determine differences in close sizes, use magnifying glass to read 64ths, The sizes appear to be 2/64, 3/64/ 4/64 and 5/64, do not take this as gospel, but do be aware the sizes are close.)
The Fillet weld specimen is a T joint, my specimen had one side with a concave uniform fillet, the other side was a convex horrible fillet. They ask if they are acceptable, on the convex side, 2 inches from end the weld is swelled out more than code allowed, so I called in in excess of code. ( It is hard to distinguish this due to 1/8 convex is allowed, and this is a hard call with no real way to evaluate it. Be careful). The next question was on the bend specimens, It simply asked if they were acceptable or not. The code allows 1/8 defect, my specimen had a smaller than 1/8 defect, with a larger than 1/8 void with it, ( it could have been a molding void, but I called it bad anyway, some of these things are hard to tell), Now I was to examine a butt weld specimen. There were around 4 questions to this, My specimen was underfilled, the top bevel was not full at all. . It asked if weld was acceptable by code, I said no due to underfill, next it asked it the porosity was acceptable, (I just said the weld was bad, yet now Im asked if the porosity is acceptable, I answer yes, by code it is, but remember the weld is bad, so Im not sure how one should answer) It asks a couple more questions about the weld. Then we moved to the pictures. There are 4 NDT pictures and 3 radiographs. Or that’s what was on mine. You need to recognize PT, and when a cleaner is being sprayed directly on part, that this is improper technique.
Recognize UT, machine with transducer, and MT with a yolk. On the Radiographs, one is of a crack, one is of a 2 inch butt weld of a ¾ in pup. It asks what is the dark region in film, there is a small dot in one weld, but could be film defect, so out of answers I put none of above. Note that a pup welded that close shows two stringer beads with one cap, so it is a funny looking shot.
Look up transition mode in GMAW and know what it is, I don’t know but it did ask this.
Also discuss Weld Soundness tests, is it tension, Nick Break, hardness, ? This is about all the part B, Read the code enough to be able to know what is in it.
Now the next part is Part A the fundamentals. 150 questions. If you practice the modules and the 230 question samples, you should be ok, Know welding symbols, not ever one but the ref . line and arrow, fillet welds and field welds and all around. NDT abbreviations, Different bevels, J bevel U bevel Vgroove, Bevel ect.
Know what NDT methods are and what their limitations are, Know how to figure tensile strength, A CWI,s resposibiltiy, A CAWI has to work under a CWI. Again PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE, you will not know where the questions are coming from so be well read over it all.(This is SERIOUS, use the rest room before testing, We were allowed to go, but remember you are timed, I had to take a S__t 1 hour into fundamental, and would not have been able to finish it had I went, so the last hour of my test I was not 100% focused on the test, I was worried and trying to keep from soiling my drawers, it may seem funny, but I assure you with 750.00 in test money on the line, it isn’t funny)
The final part I took was the Code Specific, You will need to know this book well enough to spot key words and locate it quickly, the high lighting and tabing is a necessary part of successfully making this part. Even though you have high lighted parts, a lot of the questions I got were not highlighted, they were in the same paragraph sometimes or the same area, you have to be able to scan the information and be familiar enough to find it.
Some of the questions have 2 answers, and both are correct, yet you are only allowed to pick one. It is a toss up on this, it depends how you read it. ( on the back of this part you can contest a questions, so be prepared to write it on the back with a explantation, maybe it will help) Know your code book well enough to navigate on key words.
In closeing I will say, I knew the material, there is no way I could know it any better, I studied, did well in the course, and took practice tests till I was sick, I reviewed the night before and even that morning. I will know in March 2003 if I made it.
Do not let anyone tell you it is a piece of cake, even if you know the material well, the pressure, and time constraints might unwind you, the part b may make you stumble, USE THE REST ROOM before the test.
If you read this, you know more than I did going in.
Good Luck to any future folks taking this exam.
Sincerely Tim Clark
I agree with Gerald, I went through one of those crash courses, and most, if not all, the info that was gone over, showed up somewhere on the exams. Be familiar with your code book and where to find things quickly. Time will be your enemy if you are struggling to locate the answers. Don't take for granet that you know the answer, look it up anyway, because the footnotes will probably change the answer. Filler matching charts, Preheat interpass charts, qualification of WPS and welders, prequalifieds, all of which questions will come from. Metallurgy was my weakness, I had never used or heard of some of the types of steels and stainless steels, so when I saw the questions and it had some odd ball answers listed, I didn't know if they were trying to trick me or not. Pay attention to the notes you took in the course, they will most likely have the questions that you'll see in the exams. On the practical, don't go by what you know, use the code that they give you to determine acceptance or rejection of the samples. This course and exam is geared to see if you can determine code or not.
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