Military Weld Cert

By ctacker (****)

Date 07-01-2008 03:28

I'm not real familiar with ALL government Jobs, and with the info you posted, I will only be guessing at what exactly your asking, if you need qualified welders and the presence of a CWI you can find an inspection company and contract the CW inspection, you can also contract getting your welders qualified from same inspection service(granted you find one with a CWI).
I have never seen where a CWI must be employed at a company to get a contract, you just need to be able to contract one to do the work!
If I'm off base, someone will straighten me out!

By swnorris (****)

Date 07-01-2008 10:34

Sounds like the simplest way to handle this is to do what ctacker has suggested. If you're required to have this process performed by a CWI and you're in a position to stay with the CWI during the process, watch and learn from him/her, and ask a lot of questions. After all, they're working for your company, so learn all you can while you can. If this government work is to be in accordance with the Structural Welding Code, the code does not solely require a CWI. There are provisions in this code that allow acceptance and rejection of materials and workmanship by someone competent enough to perform this work based on their training and experience, or both, in metals fabrication, and inspection and testing. A CWI may be required by contract documents, but again, learn all you can from this person. It may be of great value to you later on.

By IAD Date 07-01-2008 14:19

Thanks for the replies! The contracts don't require a CWI, I was just told that. I have talked a couple of times with a welding "consultant". I feel that they are just trying to take us for a ride, which is why I am researching myself. I think that I will try to find a contract CWI to help us out. I am also trying to figure out this PQR, WPS, and WPQ stuff. I really lost when it comes to that...

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 07-01-2008 14:38

While watching and learning from this CWI(whomever it may be), have them show you in black and white why something is required by code. Always have them look it up and show you, so you will know that they aren't mis-quoting something they may have heard somewhere. A good memory is a great tool, but I can not trust mine all of the time. After you have worked with more than one code, things start to all run together, so it pays for me to look things up.

By jrw159

Date 07-01-2008 14:40

IAD,
You are in one of the best spots to find a contract AWS CWI, right here on this forum. IMHO

Good luck,
jrw159

By IAD Date 07-02-2008 15:38

I agree! When we get to that step, I know where to go :)

By arrowside (**)

Date 07-03-2008 11:59

I was actually studying for my CWI and working as a welder for a company that was just getting into the millitary contract thing at the same time. From what I saw, most of the documents referred back to AWS codes. It seemed to me that the Gov. was getting away from the old millitary standards.

I think that they are probably doing this to make it easier on themselves. The guys that worked with the mill. codes are getting older and retiring on both ends.

Always remember to call and ask for a variance BEFORE making a change!!!!

This is one situation where it is easier to ask for permission rather than forgiveness!!!!!

Also, make damn well sure that your ducks are in a row BEFORE the inspectors get there. This is VERY important, especially if you guys have your own inspection area. Every gauge, machine, caliper, mic. etc. must be calibrated and documented!

By bozaktwo1 (***)

Date 07-04-2008 12:23

The military is getting out of the MIL-STD business. It's too expensive to maintain. Over the next decade we're going to see a lot of MIL-STDs going away, being replaced by industry standard code. 2219 is already pretty much replaced by 17.1, and more and more military and government contracts are citing AWS code for welding.

By jrw159

Date 07-04-2008 13:55

I worked for a company in CO briefly that built shipping crates for missiles, bases for missiles as well as armour plating for humvee's for the military, and AWS D1.1 was the referanced code. FWIW

This was almost five years ago though.

jrw159

By arrowside (**)

Date 07-04-2008 14:25

Wait until you have the pleasure of running into one of the military's " hybrid" codes. Say where they reference 17.1 and D1.1 together. Not a problem for us CWI's and Welding engineers, but try keeping a run of the mill mechanical engineer straight on it. Oh boy!!!!!!!!!!!!

By jrw159

Date 07-04-2008 14:33

Fun Fun Fun!!! :-)

jrw159