I have been using software from Computer Engineering Inc. titled "Welding Pro-Write" and "ASME Form Pro". and have become thouroughly discouraged with them as they have been full of bugs and don't seem to be getting any better. This software helps keep up our Welding program documentation and ASME - U1-A forms. I'm wondering if you folks could recommend a more efficient program to me.
Thanks in advance,
Tim Gary
I use ArcWorks Section IX, (u can find it in the AWS store or at Lincoln) I have never had any problems with it.
There was an occasion I needed Tech Support and belive it or not the tech support answered the phone. Was very helpful also.
U can down load a working demo at the Lincoln web site.
I am in the process of developing welding related software using Microsoft Access/Visual basic. One of the things I have noticed about the packages already available is there is alot of options that users may or may not need. The more comnplicated the software the more bugs.
If you have someone in your organization that is familar with relational databases and a little programming then that may be another answer. The great thing about that is that any changes you need can be made there. Another great advantage is the ability to tie(Relate) that information to a Job Database, Employee Database, Material or MTR database or any other SQL (Structured Query Language) database.
The work is pretty simple if you just want a way to organize welding related. If you want the ability to make sure everything is "By code" then of course you are dependent upon an outside source that may or may not be correct. One of the major "Bells and Whistles" is code checking on the other software. Thats fine and is a little more complicated also (Especially with addendums and code changes). One thing that is easy to do is have a "Pop Up" of what the code says at each "field in your welding database (WPS/PQR or WPQ) this is done by having a text document of the codes on your computer, adding a bookmark, and adding VB code or a hyperlink to your screen form that opens that text up to let you see what it says and interpret it yourself.
One of the things I have done in the past using custom built databases is provide detailed weld maps with information sorted by welder, wps, location on a boiler, material type, date welded etc.. All of the various reports are generated from the same information that is entered only once.
Anyway, if you can't get satisfaction with purchased applications consider using your company resources to devlop what you wan't. I even think some of the commercially available applications may be based on a compiled Access or Visual Basic application.
I have a website (Link Below) that shows some of the things that can be done using Access/VB. Much more can be done but that shows what welder from Mississippi can do with a a little programming. If you have an MIS person with programming and database experience you can do many things.
Have a good Day
Gerald Austin
Iuka Mississippi
http://www.geocities.com/pipewelder_1999/
Try C-spec's Weldspec and Welderqual. You will be impressed. Just came back from the AWS welding show. I talked to many software users out there and test drove all of the available programs. You don't have to put up with substandard nor buggy software anymore. See for yourself at http://www.cspec.com .
Thank you for your helpful replies.
I checked out C-spec and Arc Works web sites and both look promising.
I was wondering if any more of you guys out there use these programs and are you satisfied with them?
Am I the only one who is having problems with "Computer Engineering" software?
Thanks again in advance,
Tim Gary
Tim, you are not the only one with Welding Pro-Write problems. I've heard this from several people. I'm also hearing the same about Lincoln's software but I've never really seen their new version. I highly recommend Weldspec and Welderqual instead. I use them as part of my Welding Co-ordinator development and I couldn't be happier with the performance.
Our company has approximately 175 weld procedures and over 65 qualified welders so as you can see we have a lot of documentation to account for.
We are very interested in purchasing a welding software program and have looked at ArcWorks thru the demo program.
If you could give me a little more background on your usage, it would be helpful on our decision making.
We also do tube to tubesheet welding and am wondering if ArcWorks will work for writing those procedures.
We are also doing a significant amount of Military work and have had to qualifiy about 40 Military Weld Procedures and was also wondering about those.
Any info you can provide will be helpful.
Thanks
Ho Jo,
The only background I can give you on ArcWorks is rumor from a couple of my vendors. Lincoln was supposed to come out with a version 3 but it wouldn't work and it messed up their systems pretty bad. Both of them got their money back and followed my lead by upgrading to Weldspec and Welderqual instead. We are all very satisfied with software and the support. You can find them at http://www.cspec.com/.
From what I understand, Military procedures are easily handled in Weldspec. However, the code intelligent part is only for ASME and AWS.
I believe the CodeMan product will cover all your needs including your military weld procedures. There is a rumor on the street that Lincoln will soon be marketing and supporting the CodeMan product.
I have heard some pretty bad reports on the CSPEC product.
Good luck with your search!
Come on Bill! You seem to believe a lot of strange things. Instead of providing the readers of this board with a lot of bad rumors and misinformation, please provide some facts and specifics for a change.
Your buddy Bob.
Bill, I provide technical support for all C-spec software, but I've never heard of any "bad reports" from our users. There were a few instances where potential "would be buyers" have clearly mistaken our competitors' products for our own. My advise to everyone here is to please check the software title carefully when comparing vendors before passing judgment and before making sweeping statements. I am always interested to hear what the public has to say about us and our products. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate to receive feedback from your source. Please call me. Thank you in advance.
Nick Mossman
C-spec Technical Support
1-888-673-9777
If you are really serious go to seamoss.com
By WallyT
Date 05-23-2001 11:31
We use Weldoffice.com software. Works great, outstanding support.
Tim,
It might be worth your time to check out seamoss.com (CodeMan Software)
They have developed a weld management system for large companies to share welder, WPS, and weld related information. They are also getting ready to release a smaller version of their software for smaller companies. A friend is using their software and says their CodeMan software is light years ahead of anything else on the market. I will be buying their smaller version as soon as it is available.
PS: Did you notice some of these helpful suggestions sounds like a CSpec salesman?
Good Luck
Bill Green
AMEN to your comments about seamoss.
My company implemented Welderqual and Weldspec from C-spec in 2000. It has worked well for us and we get excellent tech support.
Bill,
It is the Cspec&TWI software that is "...light-years ahead..." of anything else on the market. They had their latest software out there available and working well for the past year for all of us! The large and the small companies alike. It doesn't look to me like either Lincoln or Computer Engineering can catch up with them any time soon, but at least they have real products out there to demo so the rest of us can try them and compare. All of the above mentioned companies publish their price-lists, screen-shots and printouts as well as their features on their sites. They have their demo as well as the real products instantly available for us to download making us productive in few minutes. They also have impressive lists of clients and users numbering in hundreds and/or thousands.
Now, please enlighten us here. Since we can't get any useful information from Seamoss site in order to compare apples and bananas, maybe you can ask your "friend" how many "large companies" have bought their software and how much did they pay for it? You are telling us here that you will buy some "smaller version" in the future that is not available today? I was told the same old story a year ago. Do you really expect us to believe your "friend" using a quote seemingly plagiarized from Cspec&TWI's website? Maybe your "friend" needs to do a little homework on his/her own.
PS: Did you ever speak with any users of Cspec&TWI software? I am one of them. We all sound like a Cspec salesman. Apparently we have a good reason for it. (No need for AMENs here, please.)
Good luck to you too!
Bob Green
Bob or what ever your real name maybe,
I really didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. My posting was made to provide information that might be helpful to others. I am not suggesting that anyone should buy any particular product, but I believe it is a good practice to share information with others, where they can evaluate all their options and make their own choice.
Bill,
The experiences posted directly by software users are useful to others. Sharing hearsays and rumors is not. However, it is a lot of fun watching your "subtle suggestions" appearing here and there on this board.
Bob
By JohnP
Date 08-10-2001 15:43
It looks like there is a lot of interest in welding software. I am also in the process of evaluating software. I am, however, taking most of the comments in this forum with a grain of salt. I know for a fact that there are a lot of people using the software packages that are named in this forum that are not happy with them. From what I have seen for myself, all of the packages need improvement and all of them have their problems and limitations.
I am currently trying to get by with what I have until something comes out that will better meet my needs. My advice to anyone would be to evaluate ALL of the software available and base your decision on the true merit of the software and the company behind the sofware. If your company is growing, make sure that the software can meet your future needs as well. I had a "computer guy" take a look at the products and tell me what he thought. With his help, we tested the "networkability" of the products and we found some problems in that area. Another thing that was brought up was the fact that many products like these perform well with only a little data in them but don't do so well in a few years when there is a lot of data in them.
Well, that's my two-cents worth. I just thought that someone needed to post an unbiased reply to your question. I hope this helps in some way.
John Pacchiano
1. Download Weldspec and Welderqual from cspec.com
2. Call their tech-support to get started
3. Have a finished PQR, WPS and WPQ within minutes (in compliance with ASME IX and with hardly any typing at all). See http://www.cspec.com/sample
Then, ask any other vendor to do the same for you. Good Luck!
We are a structural/bridge fabricator. About a year ago we purchased the Linclon Arc-works D1.5 package. While it does have a few glitches, it has been adequate for our particular applications. The biggest drawback that I see is the limited ability to modify the printed forms and it does seem a bit pricey for what it actully is. Beyond that I have had no problems that were insurmountable or that I could not learn around.
To further the lively debate on welding software, we recently acquired the C-Spec/TWI WeldOffice package and found it a very elegant programme and much more user friendly than earlier versions. The technical support is next to none.
I wanted to weigh in with Mr. Phil Doubel, the C-Spec program is outstanding. The Tech Support is even better than outstanding. We recently switched to C-Spec from a provider also mentioned on this thread. Intent is not to bash anyone's product, but to make life easier on myself and other users.
