D17.1 code clinic?

By Catskinr Date 12-22-2011 17:04

I've been a CWI for a year and a half, and it has been a lot of fun (and a lot of work). I took my code test on D1.1, since that was where most of my background was, and I did fairly well on the tests. Since becoming a CWI though, I have seen very little D1.1 work. Most up to this point has been with aluminum structural under D1.2 and after some help from another CWI in the beginning, I have learned my way around that code pretty well. Lately, our shop has become involved with some D17.1 Aerospace work, and I have become more than a little concerned that I might be overlooking key details. D17.1 has a very different structure from either D1.1 or D1.2, and the stakes are so much higher that I am always scared that I am missing something, especially with D17.1's "a la carte" approach to procedure and welder qualifications. Does anyone know of a D17.1 class similar to the D1.1 code clinic that is taught at CWI classes? I know that there was talk of a D17.1 endorsement, but never saw anything about preparation classes. Is there anything like this available?

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 12-22-2011 21:21

Hey Cat

There was a trial run D17 endorsement exam at the welding expo in Chicago in November... It had very limited seats. (I applied the minute I got the notice and still diddn't get to sit for the exam) So maybe there will be something comming soon for both endorsements and training?

You can certainly bring some of your questions here to the forum in the mean time. There are a number of folks who post here that work regularly with D17.

It is a different approach for sure... Lot's of PQR requirements for folks dealing in multiple alloys, even though there are common groupings for both procedure and performance quals. The framers of the code assume that aerospace welding is done at high level facillities and therefore have the budget to do copius testing in house or can afford a third party to deal with the vast assortment of test coupons. There is also some pretty significant lattitude for engineering decisions (if the EOR has the nerve to exercise that lattitude)

By Catskinr Date 12-23-2011 15:49

Lawrence:

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your offer of help in navigating D17. My main concern is not what I _know_ I don't know, but rather what I _think_ I do know! Since D17 references a lot (but not all) of the Procedure and Welder qualification information in B2.1, it is easy to confuse something you read in B2.1 for gospel, when in fact there is different information in D17. One instance is in the PQR Test Requirements table (Table 5.5 in D17.1:2010 and Table 4.1 in B2.1:2009). There are others as well, but this is the one that has most recently bitten me on the rump.
Your comments about multiple alloys are interesting as well. While it appears to be possible to qualify a welder for all group I materials using 4130 (group IB) coupons and an appropriate WPS, there is nothing of the kind available for Procedure Qualification, resulting in very specific recipes for what seems like every weld (or at least every job in a job shop). Oy Vey! What an ant farm this is!! Somebody was definitely planning for job security for the CWI's, testing labs, and lawyers.

By ross

Date 12-27-2011 14:18

There will be some D17.1 seminars in 2012. I think they are working on an online class, too.

Ross
AWS Marketing

By Catskinr Date 01-03-2012 22:57

Thanks Ross,

I'll keep my eyes open for information on them.

By Mwccwi

Date 01-04-2012 10:32

Good to hear about AWS sponsored D17.1 seminars and online classes.
Everything that I encounter with aerospace welding reference the D17.1 for welder qualification, veer off to very specific customer standards.
Then we have to add NADCAP.
In the quarter of a century that I have been involved in welding the transition to aerospace seems to be the most difficult for me.
Maybe I’m just getting old.

I’m looking forward to seeing some training opportunity to help guide me in this transition.