CWI Exam

Date 04-22-2014 09:06

I took this exam without attending seminar / course in 1994.
I borrowed the fundamental course book from my colleague, if I remember the book consists of 12 chapters. Master every chapter (1week/chapter), don't jump from one chapter to another chapter until you acquired complete knowledge of each chapter. Test yourself by answering the quiz provided at the end of each chapter. If you did not get a good score, repeat the study of particular chapter.

Use API 1104 - get familiar with the table of contents, don't put tabs (unless you are taking API 510/653/570 certifications). Don't waste your time of reading this code. The key is to understand the question during exam, and look at the table of contents for you to know the page to get the answer. The answers are exaclty written in the code. Get some sample questions from colleagues who attended the course earlier and practice answering the questions. Time yourself, how fast you can find the answers to the questions. I think you should not spend more than 2min/question.

My lowest score was Practical exam. If you really need to attend the course, practical session is a must. During my time, there was this AWS code book that you will see only during the time of exam & there were radiographs too (which I heard currently no longer included in exam).

Hope the above helps.

Good luck! :grin:

~Joey

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 04-22-2014 11:43

The first time failure rate for taking the test is something like 70%

The test is harder every year

It really depends on the depth of your experience with the code and inspection.

If you are not completely involved in code work on a daily basis... My advice would be to put 6 months into study with the entire body of knowledge and then take the seminar prior to sitting for the exam.

By SCOTTN

Date 04-22-2014 11:54

The Ruffian,

Here's a link to AWS D1.1 flash cards that I'd previously posted. All free. A good source of information.

http://www.cram.com/flashcards/aws-d11-1325432

Also, on the same site, CWI flash cards:

http://www.cram.com/flashcards/cwi-awsd11-study-set-2404999

By Tyrone

Date 04-25-2014 10:51

Good cards Scott,
You should put the link into the "Useful Downloads" section.
Tyrone

By 99205

Date 04-22-2014 18:17

When I took the test I attended a 2 week seminar at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology, well worth the money. There were 34 people that tested at the end of the course. Twelve passed, out of those twelve 5 were retests. This is not a test to take lightly, it' an ass kicker and you're fighting the clock at every question. Good luck.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-22-2014 18:38

I think part of the problem concerning so many failures and retests is that the questions are written in a way to see if the test taker really knows the material or not. I say that because I remember the questions reading sort of tricky and confusing unless you knew the material inside and out. Areas where I was not quite as familiar with, I found those questions extremely confusing because part or most of the answer was correct in all four choices and one little detail made a particular answer more correct than the other three.

By 99205

Date 04-22-2014 19:08

Attention to detail is key.

By jstepp

Date 04-23-2014 12:22

I also did the Hobart class in 2012. They'll get you through the test but it requires studying for 2-3 hours every night. I was already familiar with most of the material and passed the test but if I hadn't studied I wouldn't have passed. Even if you disagree with some of their homework questions regarding interpretation of the D1.1 (like I did), go with their answer. You're paying them to help you pass. The prep class AWS offers is only one week and that's a lot of information to cram into a 1-week period. Hobart's class was worth the money. But you have to study!

By Joey

Date 04-24-2014 05:04

Good suggestion Al.

In addition, you have to make yourself physically & mentally fit, so that you have the energy to study and able to absorb the knowledge easily.
Daily jogging & taking Gingko Biloba vitamins for mental focus & memory are my recommendations during exam preparations.
On the day of examination, bring "Red Bull" energy drink. Take it after the first 2hrs (Fundamentals-150 questions), so that you have the energy for the remaining 4hrs.

The above are proven effective to me :grin:

American English is not my native language & my background is NDT technician before AWS-CWI. But I passed them all on first attempt.

AWS-CWI (1994) - self study
API 570 (1998) - attended course provided by Hellier
API 653 (2002) - attended course provided locally
API 510 (2003) - attended course provided locally
AWS-SCWI (2006) - self study

~Joey~

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 04-24-2014 07:33

Yes indeed! Great suggestions from everyone especially the blunt yet very true reality check by Al of being focused only on studying for a better chance of passing the exam because distractions will almost always result in failure... it is what it isn't, and I mean it's no easy test at all as well as being a very demanding test with respect to the amount and length of the 3 part exam which totals 6 hours in test taking time with very short breaks in between each part of the exam...

I suggest at least 2-3 hours a night prior to taking the exam just to prepare yourself for the amount of stamina which will be required of you once you take the actual exam because if you study less than the 2 hours minimum each night, you'll end up exhausted and unfocused towards the end of each part of the exam if you even make it past the first two parts!

Excuse me for hijacking this thread momentarily but, Happy Days eh Joey? PAC MAN IS BACK!!! And is justified as well as being a smarter champion this time around as he took Timothy Bradley to school once again!!! Manny was "kaya mainit na siya ay sa sunog at kaya matalim at mabilis" in the fight!!!
( "So hot that he was on fire and so sharp and fast"! )

This quote is about what Manny PAC-Man Pacquiao was thinking in the ring:

"Buhay ay hindi kailanman tungkol sa mga tao na kumilos sa harap ng sa iyo tunay Ito ay palaging tungkol sa mga taong mananatili sa likod ng iyong back totoo!!!!
( Life is never about the people who act in front of you It's always about real people who remain behind your back true!!! )

"Manny nanalo para sa mga tao ng Philippines!!! Maligayang araw at maayang pagbati sa mga tao ng Pilipinas!!!"
( Manny won for the people of the Philipines ) ( Happy days and warm congratulations to the people of the Philippines!!! )

"Kapayapaan at kasaganaan sa Pilipinas!!!"
( Peace and Prosperity to the Philippines!!! )

Okay, finished with the hijack. :eek:

Respectfully,
Henry

By Joey

Date 04-24-2014 08:56

Thanks Henry :lol:

very well said :grin:

Hope Pacman vs Mayweather next fight.

Another energy booster supplement while studying is to eat Balut egg served with one bottle of San Miguel Beer :lol:

Regards
~Joey~

By 803056

Date 04-24-2014 14:28

As long as it is "near beer."

Al

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 04-24-2014 21:49

No balut for me. But all the other things I can see as helping. I strongly suggest starting to study now.

I have no idea how the courses are. I can't imaging cramming what I learned into a two week course.

The AWS Welding Handbook Volume 1 has a great deal of content related to the CWI body of knowledge. It's not a step by step exam prep but the information countryside contained is extremely valuable to me.

By TruthBeKnown Date 04-25-2014 04:16

Someone is not telling the truth!
http://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?pid=125878

By Joey

Date 04-25-2014 16:21

Yes at that time :cry:

, but who cares :eek:

. I already told my reason for not telling truth after that :lol:

I hope you are not feeling envy :yell:

. But if you are really interested to know the truth, PM me your home address and will post to you the photostat copy of certs complete with notarization. I know who you are :razz:

Why don't you contribute and share with us on how you've prepared yourself in exam. That will be cool :razz:

By The Ruffian (**)

Date 04-29-2014 04:05

Thanks to all the answers given. I have one more question. Since I'm having a hard time getting my hands on the books to study, what do ya'll think about taking the seminar and getting your books, going home to study everything you just learned and taking the exam one or two months later?

By js55

Date 04-29-2014 12:24

Good lord people!!!
If I might be allowed to be a bit contrarian, the test is not that tough.
I thought API 510, API 653, NACE Level I (Level II was easier since by then I understood the vernacular), and NACE nuclear coatings were more difficult.
But of course I will grant that these were not my primary areas of experience.
The body of knowledge built around the API's is far more extensive, and I knew squat of coatings.
I will also grant john as correct in that the questions can be a bit confusing, though I am convinced it is not all by design. Some of the questions are just plain poorly written.
I will grant that they have consciously increased its difficulty as of late.
And I will grant that there is a reasonably high failure rate, though this is concentrated in one section of the test. If you have good practical experience it will help a great deal.
Having said this, I think it wise to spend time prior to the seminar studying the body of knowledge so that it becomes second nature. That way you can use the seminar to strengthen weaknesses.

By WeldinFool (**)

Date 05-01-2014 18:57

I can tell you this: in the seminar I attended, we went over everything we would find on the exam, some of it word for word. If you have good retention skills and a decent body of knowledge from your past experiences, you will pass the exam. Quit worrying so much, it isn't that hard!
Also, I have decided that one of the main reasons for the high failure rate on this exam is the common misconception that being a good welder means that you will be a good inspector (which is kind of true, but it doesn't help you with passing the exam!). This encourages many to attempt the CWI exam that really have no academic skills, which is really what passing the exam requires more than anything. But hey, if all of us welders had good academic skills we would be engineers or doctors or something, right? Its a catch-22 I tell you...

By js55

Date 05-01-2014 19:44

There is truth in what you say. Success at studying for and taking tests requires the skill to judge the types of info that is likely to be a question. This greatly reduces the amount of information required to assimilate. A lot of folks that take the test have been out of school for a lot of years and have lost study skills.
On the other hand, the great majority of failures come from one segment of the test. The practical.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 05-02-2014 11:37

I agree with Jeff, the practical trips up a lot of people for some reason...the folks I know who flunked that portion of the exam were over thinkers who could not turn off past experiences and take the code they were given to judge the sample for acceptability or rejection.

Ex. If the code allows 3/8"(.375") of accumulated porosity in any inch of weld, then when you add up the porosity and it is .374"(less than 3/8") ... it is acceptable regardless if it looks like swiss cheese.
You have to look at it as black and white (what does the code say is acceptable?) ...not grey where you have interjected your own opinion about the weld sample into the acceptance criteria. That is easier to say, than do, when you have been looking at welds for a number of years.

AND...don't forget to check out the foot notes "that apply" to the question.(most foot notes WILL change your answer)

By js55

Date 05-02-2014 12:00

John,
What you explain are the two primary reasons for the high failure rate. Inability to adjust to a spec with acceptance criteria that varies from the Code and failure to read the notes, of which we are all guilty. In the practical its a killer.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 05-02-2014 12:08

Yes !

1,   Text

2,   Figures

3,   Tables

Almost all questions will be referenced to the/an index.... The index often will refer to Text, a figure and/or a table... Any or all of those three may have a note or footnote.

If you look at only one of those... yer playin with fire.

In the context of a timed exam that makes comfortable navagation of the code,,,, any code,,, key.

By The Ruffian (**)

Date 05-06-2014 03:14

What is everyone's thoughts on taking the seminar, then coming home with your books and studying for five or six weeks then taking the exam? One of my main problems is I don't have the books to study prior to going to the seminar and I can't find a set from anyone I know. My company is paying for me to go and I really don't want to blow their money by not being ready. I appreciate all the feedback.

By Joey

Date 05-06-2014 10:39

I think you are street smart :lol:

. There are many good people in this forum that can help you to solve your main problem.

By Milton Gravitt (***)

Date 05-06-2014 11:29

Ruffian, I wished that I had taken the seminar and waited to study my code before taking my exam. You learn a lot taking the seminar but it's alot to take in in a short time. I think you would have a better chance of passing by waiting and understanding everything.

M.G.

By vagabond (***)

Date 05-06-2014 14:46

If you can swing it buy a set of books and then sell the ones you get at class. I sold mine on ebay, on here and to some friends.

By The Ruffian (**)

Date 06-22-2014 20:30

Has anyone taken the CWI Online Pre-seminar? What are your thoughts? Was it worth the money? Will it really be good study before you go to the real seminar?

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 06-22-2014 22:36

I have heard good things but have no personal experience with it.

With a fair degree of honest self study and then the seminar, it may be quite an unnecessary added expense. But without personal knowledge that is a personal opinion based on absolutely no facts.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent

By Mwccwi

Date 06-23-2014 13:08

Hey you will still get the PDHs needed for the nine year, I'm looking at doing the on-line pre- seminar this fall just for refresher and the PDHs.

By MrJuls

Date 07-02-2014 08:48

I will be arriving in the U.S next year, what will be the best way for me in order of events?

1. Join AWS
2. Buy the CWI books
3. Study the books
4. Attend seminar
5. Write the exam

I think my biggest difficulty will probably be the change from metric to imperial, when it comes to groove sizes.

What do you guys think?

By Joey

Date 07-02-2014 09:39

"I think my biggest difficulty will probably be the change from metric to imperial, when it comes to groove sizes".

The use of calculator is allowed. So easy, just convert the fraction to mm.
How will you pass if the simple one is difficult for you? :confused:

~Joey~

By MrJuls

Date 07-02-2014 09:55

I will pass. :cool:

By 803056

Date 07-02-2014 13:41

You have described the proper approach to maximizing the probability of passing the CWI examinations.

Do not underestimate the difficulty and complexities of the Part B Book of Specifications. It not exactly like AWS D1.1, API 1104, or ASME Section IX. It is similar, but changes have been made to ensure one cannot answer the exam questions based on their familiarity with AWS, API, or ASME. One must consult the "Book of Specifications" to derive the proper and correct response to the question asked. It is not a case of memorizing the content of the Book of Specifications, it is a case of taking the time to look up the answer before marking your choice selected from the five possible responses. One must know where to find the information sought.

Good luck.

Al

By MrJuls

Date 07-03-2014 04:43

Well, I have done the ASME Codes course and actually failed the second week (ASME IX and I Sections).But passed the XIII and NBIC. So I know I'll have to better understand the areas where I struggle.

Like you said,It's a question of knowing where to find the answer and you must understand what's being asked. Thanks for the advice guys.

By MrJuls

Date 07-10-2014 13:24

So there are basically two code books: AWS D1.1 and API 1104, but the API 1104 you have to buy yourself? Am I correct? And If I look at the time table of the seminar I see the exam is on the Saturday following the seminar. But why do some people talk of taking the seminar, study and then in a few weeks do the exam? is that allowed?

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 07-10-2014 17:39

This from the AWS Website 'Certification' page:

"Most candidates choose either D1.1 or API 1104, and AWS offers preparatory Code Clinics for each.

You may also take Part C to several other codes; however, no AWS Code Clinics or study materials are offered for them: AWS D1.2/D1.2M (Aluminum); D1.5M/D1.5 (Bridge Welding Code); AWS D15.1 (Railroad Welding Code); ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Sections VIII and IX, or ASME Section IX, B31.1, and B31.3. The Welding Inspection Technology Workshop and the Visual Inspection Workshop (without a Code Clinic) would be the best choice if you are taking Part C to one of these alternative code books."

As you can see, there are several code books you may test to on the open code book part of the exam.

Yes, it is allowed to take the test with an interval in between, but it would more than likely be in another location or wait an entire year. It will be able to be scheduled according to how you fill out the application or contact the Certification Dept by phone and they will help you work it out.

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent

By MrJuls

Date 07-11-2014 06:55

Thank you. Looks like I'll have to join as an international member, order the API 1104 long before the seminar (If desired), then start studying here in SA.