Well Zane,
Having already passed a piping qualification test may help get you the opportunity to take an employers' test. It is hard to tell. Various piping contractors will look at many things: You for one, your gear & rig, past employment record, etc.
AWS doesn't have a code for pressure piping. But, you can get an AWS/CWI to test you to API 1104 or ASME codes for pressure piping. AWS does have some pipe exams in D1.1 but it is not the same as those in the pressure piping codes as it is mainly designed to cover structural work.
Have a Great Day, Brent
You opened the can of worms with that question, "certs". A pipeline company will test you before they hire you and if you passed before and fail that day on their test then your "certs" don't mean dookie.
If your looking for something to dress up a resume and your going up against guys who do not have proof that at one point in their life they actually did an API test and passed then getting your "certs" is good. For me personally if I am hiring, and I have a guys resume who says he can weld with no indication of prior certs and then another fella who says he has passed a test previously with proof then for me I'd be more likely to give the guy with papers a test over the guy with nothing. In my eyes it shows the guy or gal had the moxy to pass it once and must have a basic understanding of what needs to happen. I guess I need to clarify a bit, two guys that are green is my comparison with little job experience.
I also suppose it depends on where you are in the country. Around here, well, I talk to guys that tell me about doing xxx feet of gas pipe for some contractor on a job and certification? Weld procedures?? Hahahaha, haha....ha..... The work I do is with local gas companies mostly. I'm required to give them my current wps, test results and drug test myself and all of this is filed with the regulatory authority. Some contractors I've done work for I personally think they have no flippin clue. Luckily I keep my nose buried in here learning from these guys, talking to the lab and so forth. Now, from talking with my Uncle in New York if you stick two piece's of paper together with a piece of chewing gum your gonna need wps, tests, x-ray and everything else!
What I've learned so far about certs is the opinions on them are like buttholes, everybody has got one and they range from the highest high to the lowest low. Some guys don't think they are worth an ounce of spit, others will say they are. It depends on what you want, do you want that on your resume to show you have at least passed it once before or not? Now, if you go test for a company, say you come to work for me. I send you to the lab, spend a butt load of cash for your test, you pass and you are now qualified to my companies procedures. If one day you wake up and come in to work and say "hey Shawn go screw yourself". From my understanding you are no longer "certified". You don't carry them like a hat is what I'm trying to say. If you go across the street and apply for a pipe welding job and it's API, you tell them you worked at the buttheads across the street and were certified with him. They are gonna test you just as I did because you are gonna have to qualify to their procedures. Again, from my understanding that is because their procedures might not be the same as mine. Even if they were the same, me, I'd still test you. You may have been unemployed for the last 8, 9 12 months and have not picked up a stinger in that time.
As far as the AWS and pipe, I think, guys on here correct me or add more if I'm wrong in some way. I believe when you do a 3g or 4g AWS structural test it qualifies you to weld on pipe over 24"(??) in a structural pipe kind of way. I was told pipe over that size is nearly flat anyhow, actually I think Cactus and some guys had a debate in another topic about this awhile ago. But doing those tests in AWS will not qualify you to weld API.
Well, hope this makes it a little more clear, about like mud right? LoL!
I agree with Larry on this issue because nowhere does it state in any of the codes that the employers must be obligated to, or "must" accept the previous certs as an alternative to testing... It can be used as an option, and it is important to note, that by choosing the option to indeed accept the previous cert as an equivalent as being certified to the present contractor instead of performance testing and then certifying to the present contractor/employer, the contractor should seek agreement from the EOR (Engineer Of Record) beforehand in order to protect themselves from any future potential liability issues that may or may not pop up afterwards... It is most definitely NOT automatic or to be considered a "must" to use. ;)
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