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Up Topic American Welding Society Services / Certifications / Looking for guidance
- - By JeremyW83 (***) Date 03-12-2013 00:04
I'm interested in a making a move in my career.  I'd like any insight or advice in the different ways of becoming a CWI or CWM.  I've been on the welding side for a little over 10 years.  I've looked into AWS' testing and prepatory options and Real Education Services.  Are either of these the best way of going about this career change?  Or is there a better option?  Thanks
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 03-15-2013 17:05
I got my CWI in 2006 and I am very happy I made that move.  I was a welder like yourself for 7 years and wanted to get into something less physical and get into the technical side of of the inspection and QC/QA.

Your best option is to just apply and get into a CWI pre course and take your exam.  AWS has a lot of these CWE, CWS, CWM, etc... but I think this is just a way for AWS to get a quick buck.  I haven't seen many employers looking for these endorsements.

I suggest signing up for a prep course and exam and getting all of the applicable books for study and just start reading about 30 minutes a day and getting familiar with all of the verbiage and terminology and how code read.  So by the time the prep course comes around you can relax a little bit and take in a lot more info.

Another option is to find a local company that does their own prep course.  This way can be good or bad.  Good because you can digest the info a little slower and not crammed in 40 hours.  The bad is that doesn't mean that they will teach you all the correct info as AWS instructor "should" be pretty good at delivering the correct info to the class.

Again not sure if the CWM is going to help but wouldn't hurt to get it, just a waste of money in my opinion in the current industry.

A lot of new CWI's have trouble getting hired because they don't have any experience and a lot of employers want you to have at least two NDE level II certs.
Parent - - By JeremyW83 (***) Date 03-15-2013 17:38
SM-
Where did you buy all your books from? 

I've talked to a CWI friend of mine.  He advised me that I should expect to need around 4 to 6 months of studying.  Cause there is a 75% failure rate on first try of taking the tests.  He's said he's going to help me out in preparing for it as well as giving me test to check my understanding of everything that is covered. 

I'm really not familiar with how NDE works but could you explain to me what you mean by two certifications in NDE?  I am familiar withe levels.  I know a level one is not much more than a helper.
Parent - By supermoto (***) Date 03-15-2013 19:55
I would suggest right on here in AWS publications section. I can't think of all the different books but you can search on here to see what others suggest.

You new to decide what code you will take your exam to. Most people choose D1.1 or API 1104. D1.1 is much thicker with a lot more to search through and is a 45 question exam. API 1104 is much much thinner but has 60 questions to answer in the same time frame.

I have heard the pass rate is more like 50%. I passed my first time and I was in the same experience level as you.

Search for NDE/NDT level II on here on you can get a lot of info.
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 03-15-2013 20:47
JeremyW83,

Most tradesmen do not have the technical education in the science behind the welding arts.
Too many think they are going to "learn" everything they need to know to pass the CWI exam in a seminar. AND... you could if the following were to apply to you.
1) Have a 100% total recall and Photographic memory.
2) Be fortunate enough to have a competent instructor who just happens to include the majority of the test questions from your selected test in his presentation.
3) Be gifted at being a Multiple guess, Bubble sheet, Test taker.
OR,
You can study yourself for 2-12 months a minimum of one hour a day.
Buy the materials from AWS and start reading ASAP! If you choose to take the seminar (which will include all these books again), just sell a set to someone else.

"what you mean by two certifications in NDE?"
Pick 2 from the list below.
MT, PT, UT, VT, RT, ET, LT, AE...
Parent - By supermoto (***) Date 03-16-2013 00:29
Most employers want you certified in a volumetric and surface method such as UT and MT or RT and PT, at least that was my experience when job searching.

CWI work is unfortunately learned on the job. But like Superflux and I say you can learn everything over a few month period to pass the exam as long as you are willing to read a lot and very frequently.

Some things that maybe difficult are all the NDE processes, learning some of the metallurgy, but for me as a newbie at the time the most of the difficulty is learning how to get through all of the code crap with various notes and how to pick out keywords and go to the right place to find the answers.

The best way for me to learn is to answer a bunch of mock test questions. I'm sure someone can help you out. You can email me and I can send you a bunch once you get all of your books.
Parent - - By MRWeldSoCal (***) Date 06-17-2013 19:52
I did the same thing most of these guys did. I wanted a job that took me more into the science of welding and I happen to like destruction and seeing both great and poor quality welding work. 

I Studied every night for 5 months and then took the week long seminar that covered the code I was taking and the general as well as the hands on portion... They comp your lunch which was quite good. 

I would reccommend doing it.  Only downside was the $$   ran me about $1900+ hotel for a week and food...  Glad I did it. Worth every penny

-J
Parent - By ssbn727 (*****) Date 06-23-2013 16:33 Edited 06-23-2013 16:35
What startles me in this discussion/thread is when Shane and Supermoto were discussing why a 3G would be a Groove weld and not a fillet.:yell::eek::roll:

Shane is absolutely correct if the OP typed "3/8" 3g wpqr qualification" simply because the letter "G" means Groove and if it were a letter "F" instead then it would be a Fillet weld...

I don't think there is any other simple way to determine the difference between the two types of weld deposits and I generally prefer to use the K.I.S.S. method when sorting these types of discussions where there is a simple dispute on determining a definition.:lol::wink::cool:

HVC
- - By jbarnes Date 03-18-2013 01:15
:neutral: i just signed up for this hoping for some great instruction on the aws cwi siminar and the cwi test i'm about to go take here soon is there anyone out there that can help me out with this i have a copy of the D1.1 structural welding code, i've also copied the part B examination book of specifications and the standard for aws certification of welding inspectors but
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 03-19-2013 00:30
Best you can do is get the study materials that the seminar package includes at a minimum and start reading and doing the practice questions.

As boring as it is just start reading and familiarizing yourself with D1.1

What year is the D1.1?
Parent - - By jbarnes Date 03-19-2013 02:12
the d1.1 code book is from 2010 and my work has signed me up for the class. They have not mentioned any study material to me but i will mention it to them tomorrow. Is there any material online that will help me if they dont have the stuff you mentioned can i contact someone to get that material myself? Thank you for your help with this!!
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 03-19-2013 13:43
Are signed up for the seminar?  If so you should receive all applicable books but by then it is cram time.  If you could get with another CWI they might have some old or similar books you could start studying from.
Parent - - By jbarnes Date 03-21-2013 01:24
hey sorry i'm just now getting a chance to reply and thanks for giving me all this useful info. The company I work for has just paid for the seminar and hasnt signed me up yet so i have not got any of the work books. I live in Lawrenceburg TN and if anyone knows someone that is within 2 hours of us i will be glad to drive to get the books from someone if they will lend them to me. Thank you again for all your help with this. It means a lot to me to do good on this exam so i can benefit my family from this with a pay increase.
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 03-21-2013 01:40
If they paid for the seminar then you should be signed up for the exam.  Since they said they paid then I'm guessing you got an eye exam and filled out an application right?
Parent - By jbarnes Date 03-23-2013 18:10
they have paid for it to reserve a spot but they have not submitted my info and they have not scheduled me an eye opp. i called aws and found this out
Parent - - By jbarnes Date 03-24-2013 17:56
i just purchased a set of 5 aws books that are the ones we are going to be going over the week i'll be at the seminar and i also bought 2 more books 1 called "symbols for nondestructive examination" and the other called "symbols for welding" but i'm taking this opp. very seriously so since the company i'm employed with seems to be taking their time with finishing up my app. i'm doing the best i an do to prepare myself for this career changing test so is there any way you could get me some practice questions to answer those 7 books i bought isn't going to arrive at my house till someday around the 8th of april and my test is going to be on the 27th of april thanks again for your help
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 03-26-2013 15:08
Well I don't have any prep questions to give.  I guess you are going to have to just read and study and try and retain as much as possible.  The questions would help you study but it really just helps you prepare yourself to figure out AWS "trick" questions.  I say "trick" because it seems that is what they are trying to do but really it makes you take a second to pay attention to the questions and interpret what they are asking.

Good luck
Parent - By jbarnes Date 03-27-2013 00:46
okay that is understandable and i appreciate you responding. i feel really good about the material i have.i think i'm just really really nervous.:eek:
- By 803056 (*****) Date 03-27-2013 13:46
The AWS CWI can be viewed as an English comprehension examination. Can you read the question and understand what it is asking you? Many of the questions are "technical", that is, they are very specific and the examinee must read the question and respond to the question exactly. That is the nature of our work. While we are not lawyers, we have to read the question and select the response that is correct "all the time" versus a response that is "conditional", that is it is correct only when unspecified conditions exist.

For instance:
Post weld heat treatment is employed to:
a) enhance the mechanical properties of the base metal.
b) reduce the hardness of the base metal.
c) prevent cracking.
d) soften the weld and heat affected zone.
e) prevent the formation of Martensite.

This is not a trick question. The best response is "a" because the form of PWHT is not defined. Responses "b" through "e" are correct if the reader makes an assumption as to what PWHT is used. However, not all alloy systems respond to the same heat treatment in the same way. If you heat carbon steel to about 1700 degrees F and cool it rapidly in cold water the base metal will become harder and stronger. In contrast, copper subjected to the same heat treatment will become softer and more ductile. In general the reason alloys are heat treated, after welding or before, is to enhance those mechanical properties deemed to be beneficial. Therefore response "a" is always correct because it makes no presumption as o the base metal being subjected to PWHT and it is not making a presumption as to what PWHT is being applied.

Good luck on the exams.

Best regards - Al
- - By jbarnes Date 05-01-2013 18:19
which table and sub clause in d1.1 does it talk about the "WPQR" on welding 5/8" thick material to 2" thick material using gmaw & fcaw there is a slight dispute within my company in regards to the 3/8" 3g wpqr qualification being sufficient enough,but i'm almost positive that is not right i think the welders need to be re qualified on the 1" unlimited test could someone help me with this please i am at home and my code book is at work the ceo of the company just called me asking if i knew the exact page this was stated i told him it would be in clause 4 and around table 4.10
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 05-01-2013 20:20
Its been a couple of years and I don't have a D1.1 accessible, but I think the material thickness limitations for a 3G Limited is only limited to 3/8 CJP.  I don't think the material thickness has anything to do with it if it is a fillet weld, but I don't know the weld joint details.

Another question is that you mention GMAW and FCAW.  What GMAW are you using, spray, pulsed, globular, or short circuit?  This could be another concern I would argue depending on what type welding process is being used.
Parent - - By jbarnes Date 05-02-2013 00:40
we are using spray
Parent - - By Shane Feder (****) Date 05-02-2013 02:25
jbarnes,
Table 4.11
Qualification on 3/8" plate (Fig 4.31 or 4.32) qualifies the welder from 1/8" through to 3/4" max
Regards,
Shane
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 05-02-2013 15:37
Yeah but that is only for PJP or CJP groove welds, the limitation doesn't apply to fillet welds.  Correct?
Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-02-2013 16:04

>that is only for PJP or CJP groove welds, the limitation doesn't apply to fillet welds.


Correct.
See Table 4.11 on page 151 down about mid-page. If the welder qualified on plate with a fillet weld...see option 1 or 2 and follow across to see the qualification ranges(1/8" to unlimited)
Parent - - By Shane Feder (****) Date 05-02-2013 22:21
The question from jbarnes was regarding 3G which has nothing to do with fillet welds
Parent - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-03-2013 11:20
Anothing to mention is that FCAW and GMAW are regarded as two different welding processes in D1.1, so if the welder tested on FCAW but performing production welds using GMAW or visa versa...he needs to be requalified using the correct welding process for the production welds.
Parent - - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-03-2013 11:22 Edited 05-03-2013 14:18
Hi Shane,
I fell for the "new posts" button and only read that "new post"...should have backed through the thread until I read the original question.
Parent - - By Shane Feder (****) Date 05-03-2013 11:53
John,
No problem - my response was directed at Supermoto,
Regards,
Shane or Sahne
Parent - By jwright650 (*****) Date 05-03-2013 14:18
<Shane or Sahne

LOL...sorry about my fat fingers :red:
Parent - - By supermoto (***) Date 05-03-2013 21:09
How do you know what the question was directed to fillet or groove.  The question was the limitation of a 3GL (L for Limited of course).  Joint type was never addressed so I addressed it.  The qualification doesn't matter if they are making a fillet weld.  If they are making a groove weld then the material thickness does matter.  This is my point as I think it is necessary for clarification.  Looks like we got a little off topic, but either way looks like it was figured out and hopefully we helped the situation.
Parent - - By Shane Feder (****) Date 05-03-2013 22:20
"regards to the 3/8" 3g wpqr qualification being sufficient enough"

"The question was the limitation of a 3GL (L for Limited of course).  Joint type was never addressed so I addressed it"

3G is a vertical groove weld,
Regards,
Shane
Parent - By supermoto (***) Date 05-03-2013 22:43
Maybe I missed something but the 3/8" welder qualification test is limited unlike the 1" plate which is unlimited. Yes a 3G is vertical and the 3/8" qualifies up to 3/4" plate, but thanks for clarification on this as it was very helpful.

How can anyone answer the question without making an assumption that the joint detail is a groove weld? I'm surprised no one else asked this question as most people on here are always asking for more information so they can provide accurate answers.
Parent - By ctacker (****) Date 05-04-2013 04:52
The limitation does not apply to PJP welds either.
Up Topic American Welding Society Services / Certifications / Looking for guidance

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