besides CWI, who can write WPS

Date 01-16-2009 18:38

i do not believe you HAVE to be a cwi to do either. that is what the code is there for to guide you in the proper ways and req's that need to be met to achieve the proper result. if i'm wrong there are plenty of knowledgeable people in here that will correct me. (hopefully)

JJ

By 803056

Date 01-16-2009 22:24

According to B5.1, Table 1, writing a WPS is beyond the scope of work that the CWI is responsible for. That doesn't mean a CWI cannot write a WPS, it simply is not expected that every CWI has the training, experience, or ability can write a WPS. B5.1 Table 1 does expect a SCWI to be able to write a WPS.

There is nothing that says your pet dogl can't write a WPS if he or she can hold a pencil or use a keyboard.

Best regards - Al

By MBSims

Date 01-16-2009 23:28

"There is nothing that says your pet dogl can't write a WPS if he or she can hold a pencil or use a keyboard."

Yes, I think I reviewed THAT WPS last week.

By arrowside (**)

Date 01-17-2009 01:51

The guy that writes them for the project that I am currently on was a pine cone farmer up until last week.

By 803056

Date 01-17-2009 05:24 Edited 01-17-2009 05:36

I'll never forget one project that I was called in on. The steel for the entire building was rejected. The fabricator from the Midwest flew several of his staff in to New England to straighten the inspector (me) out.

When we got done with our meeting the steel was loaded onto about six tractor trailers and sent back to their plant for rework. They refused to deliver it to New England unless I flew out to their plant to inspect it. I asked them if they had a CWI. They responded they did have a CWI. Being somewhat green I failed to ask if their inspector was a CWI. I assumed that if they had a CWI, he would perform the QC functions.

Upon arriving at their plant I discovered their QC inspector was the janitor two weeks prior to my arrival and the CWI was one of their welders. As it turned out, I never met the "inspector". He was "sick" that week (the welder pointed him out to me, but he kept his distance and walked in the opposite direction whenever he saw me walking in his general direction). The welder (CWI) said all the steel had been checked by their "inspector" and reworked before I arrived. I still rejected about forty percent of the steel and spent nearly three weeks with the welder (CWI) reworking the steel before it was ready to be shipped back to New England.

The welder (CWI) said he never had so much fun on a job! He was delighted every time I marked up another weld for repair. As a matter of fact, he pointed out many of the areas that needed to be reworked saying, "Here's another one he missed!"

Best regards - Al

By G.S.Crisi (****)

Date 01-19-2009 17:34 Edited 01-19-2009 19:48

Al,
I couldn't stop laughing at reading your posting. I've always thought that that kind of things only happened in third world, underdeveloped countries (like mine, but don't tell it to anybody), never in the United States. Seems I was wrong ............
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil

By bozaktwo1 (***)

Date 01-17-2009 19:56

I am not a CWI, yet I write all the WPS for my company. Taking it a bit further, I plan and execute PQRs, supervise all testing, write the WPS, then write the WPQTR from it to qualify the guys using it. I think my work is pretty good, and it has been looked at hard by more than a few folks with stamps in pocket. I think that being a CWI one may have much more knowledge as to specific requirements, and may be able to write a procedure faster than I could, but it's not a requirement.

By hogan

Date 01-19-2009 16:36

bozaktwo1,
As stated by 803056, AWS B5.1 (specification for the qualification of welding inspectors) lists this as a duty of a SCWI.

Attachment: whowriteswps.pdf (91k)

By MBSims

Date 01-19-2009 16:42

I don't see where that table excludes others from preparing the WPS. That is a list of "capabilities" and not a list of responsibilities.

Also, it seems a number of posts have been lost or deleted on this thread. Anyone else having this problem?

By bozaktwo1 (***)

Date 01-19-2009 17:48

Oh, I do know that a SCWI must have this capability. However, must one be a SCWI to write a WPS? I think not.

There have been times that I considered going after my CWI card; however, once I do I am no longer going to be an efficient QA manager. This is because as a QA manager, I am responsible for much more than just welding. I do stay up to speed in those areas that are applicable to our operation here, just so I remain capable of managing the welding operation. This includes process selection, designing and performing PQRs, writing WPS, and running welder qualifications. It is such a small part of my job that I am really trying to interest someone else in the CWI; it would be very helpful to have one in-house for some projects.

I'm not stupid enough to challenge anyone to find fault with my work, but I will reiterate that my work has been closely examined by several well-qualified folks, including some sub-committee members, and passed onward.

By pipewelder_1999 (****)

Date 01-19-2009 18:26

There are no codes that require a CWI for any preparation of documentation that I am aware of. In most cases a CWI is an option for an inspector but is by no means "required". Haveing a CWI or SCWI or CAWI perform any specific task is only an indication that that person has met certain requirements as spelled out in the applicable standard . http://files.aws.org/certification/docs/QC1-2007.pdf

As already indicated, the CWI standard indicates the SCWI "shall be able to" just indicates that they must have the ability to. That does not preclude a CWI or CAWI from preparing the documents.

Similar goes for inspections etc.. (except for the CAWI is the opinion of many)

Keep in mind that an individual project may have its OWN set of specifications that add to or take exception to the specific code of construction. Also, a companies internal quality program would be a document that would more clearly define the duties and responsibilities of individuals within an organization.