Lapse in Calibrating a Welding MAchine D1.5

Date 01-29-2010 20:52

Per D1.5 it calls for welding machines to be calibrated/ verified every three months.

What do you guys do when the 3 months comes around and the units are not being used, do you still check them?

I ask because for instance our SAW unit is not in use, and to get a guy to stop production and set it up, then for me to check it is an hour or so that I don't want to waste a production person if I can. But now I've exceeded my 3 month window. I put a red tag on it saying it can't be used until it get's checked. We do SAW very limited, in fact its usually during my 6 month welder re-qual that we have to start it up to keep their certs active, but its the in between time that I'm concerned about.
Also I have about 5 SMAW machines that are not being used, and don't even have any leads to them, I put a red tag on them saying do not use until being recalibrated.
Im curious as to what other shops do.
Thanks Chris

By 803056

Date 01-29-2010 21:14

If your QC manual doesn't address the issue, add it.

I would simple say the welding machines have to be checked every three months. Machines that have not been checked at three month intervals shall be removed from service and they must be checked before being placed back into service.

Best regards - Al

By waccobird (****)

Date 01-30-2010 11:44

eek
Something like what you do.
I tag the unit OOC until it is needed then do the Calibration when required.
Marshall

By Regmanager (**)

Date 02-01-2010 16:15

We do calibrations on a yearly basis for most customers. Even government contractors don't need their calibrations done any sooner than that. Wouldn't it be very costly for an outside contractor to calibrate machines 4 times a year? Our load bank is calibration is also good for One year. Just wondering why D1.5 calls for quarterly calibrations. Joe

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 02-01-2010 18:02

Our shop is small so any machine not being used is unplugged and put out of the way. FCAW machines are in daily use so those are not disconnected unless they are out for repairs. But our SAW machines, and even the SMAW machines don't get as much use. I used to scramble trying to get them hooked up for calibration; but then figured that I don't need to.

We simply say in our procedures that machines in constant use will be checked every 3 months, but welding machines that are used infrequently are not maintained. We state that those machines, or machines going back online from maintenance, are checked prior to use in production.

We schedule calibrations for every machine in use, for the months of Jan, April, July, and October. That means that even if a machine was hooked up and checked during December, it gets checked again with all the other machines in January. It's easier that way.

To remind everyone that calibrations are due, I have set up a recurring schedule in Outlook so it pops up on the calendar.
Each machine has a sticker to show cal date.
Our cal records are scanned in and saved as a pdf.

Just remember that all you need to do is:
1) check that the machine has controls that can be set and checked for welding in accordance with a WPS
2) that any machine needs to have been checked no more that 3 months prior to use in production.
Don't make it any more complicated than you need to.