The certification paper simply says the welder had a good day when he tested.
Whether the welder is tested by the employer without third party oversight, tested and witnessed by an independent SCWI/CWI, or at an AWS test facility is worth about as much as the paper it is printed on.
What does the certificate issued by the employer administered test tell you: what process was used, what material was used, what electrode was used what position was used, etc. Was the test actually witnessed? Was a WPS actually followed? Was it actually "Joe the Welder" that took the test? Was the test coupon in the stated position at the time of the test? I have no way of knowing. Given that I have been welding for more than 40 years and I have taken too many tests to remember, I can say the answers to some of the questions are No, No, No, ...... for some of the employers and Yes, Yes, Yes, .... for the better ones I've worked with.
What does the certificate issued by a SCWI/CWI tell you? Just about the same things as the employer based certification does. In general, most independent SCWI/CWIs do a good job of testing welders because it is their name on the dotted line and it is their reputation that is at stake, more so than if the CWI works for a lab or manufacturer. If an when a SCWI/CWI signs for marginal welders and the welders produce unacceptable welds in the field, notice is taken and at some point paperwork issued by that individual is no longer recognized by contractors or inspection agencies in the area. Papers signed by the offending SCWI/CWI are worthless at that point.
The AWS Accredited Test Facility is will have procedures in place to ensure the base metal used was the right stuff (but people still make mistakes and suppliers can still ship the wrong material with the right mill cert.), the filler metal will be appropriate for the base metal being joined, a WPS will be followed (but the range of parameters, joint design, etc. are so wide they leave much to be desired), the welding machine will be in perfect working order, meters will be calibrated, etc. So, the end result is the welder passed under ideal conditions that may not come close to replicating what the welder is doing on the job.
The bottom line is well stated by Lawrence; it is best to test the welder upon arriving at the jobsite to ensure he is familiar with the job requirements, equipment that will be used, welding procedures and anything else that will ensure he can meet the employer's expectations and the code requirements.
In my humble opinion I don't believe the standard welder qualification test used by the majority of fabricators come close to doing an adequate job of ensuring the welder has the minimum skills needed to deposit a sound weld. I believe there is an elephant running amuck and most people close their eyes to the fact. Yes, my friends, the elephant is the most popular type of weld used by industry worldwide. The lowly fillet weld is the elephant.
Given my choice, I would administer the test AWS D1.1 lists as one of the options to qualify welders for fillet welds. The test is the 3/8 inch thick butt joint that employs the square groove with backing. I would drop the idea that a Vee groove butt joint qualifies a welder for both groove and fillet welds. I would use the square groove with backing to qualify the welder for fillets by having him deposit two fillets in either corner. What would be left to fill would be a "Vee groove". The remainder of the test, welded in the test position would then qualify the welder for groove welds. You would cover both fillet welds and groove welds with one test. This not my idea, no, I'm not that original. I saw the test administered in Canada. I was told it was a standard test for structural welders. I saw it and it made perfect sense.
A pipe welder, welding open root butt joints, is a separate matter. I'm still scratching my head on that one. My thoughts are to test the welder for fillets using a socket joint and a grooved butt joint (on pipe of course) to qualify him for groove welds. Contrary to AWS, ASME, and the rest, my experience doesn't support the practice of groove welds qualifying the welder for fillet welds.
Best regards - Al
"AWS does not own the word 'certified'"
No, but they do have something to say about the phrase "AWS Certified". If AWS or some approved agent running an AWS-approved program didn't certify you, you're not AWS Certified. If you're qualified to the requirements of D1.1, then that's what you are--qualified to the requirements of D1.1. Your employer or whoever can certify all they want that you're qualified to the requirements of D1.1, but that doesn't make you "AWS Certified".
Hg