Why be certified?

By js55

Date 07-21-2009 17:14

Yes and yes.
But it depends on the application and location.

By BryonLewis (****)

Date 07-21-2009 17:16

The customer (or buyer) is always right.

By 3.2 Inspector (***)

Date 07-21-2009 19:21

Answer: Keep in mind that most of the NDT is only a % of what the welder has welded, having him certified gives some confidence that he does it right every time :)
The "laws" - may it be federal, state or client would often like to have that confidence.

I am not sure "certify a process" is the correct term, I would call it "qualify"

3.2

By NMB Date 07-21-2009 21:19

Agree, qualify is what it is. My question is more based on trying to explain in a short answer rather than explaining what each code, ASME or AWS, dictates, when, why and so on. The short version is that my company says we weld and fabricate to such and such code so, that is what you will do. But this is not the case in total yet. I get the impression that our upper management thinks that the weld certification is kinda neat and only get a little concerned when I throw in the liabilty aspect of doing unqualified welds. I live in California so we get mandated to no end from every Governmet agency, I'm looking from that perspective.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 07-22-2009 12:41

NMB,
It basically boils down to confidence.
Having qualified welding procedures and qualified welders is no guarantee of producing perfect welds.
What it does is give your company confidence that the welds going out the door are "probably" sound.
As 3.2 stated the majority of our work is random NDT so we cannot be sure of the standard of those welds that are not tested.
If your company has qualified welding procedures, qualified welders and a good Quality System in place you have done everything humanly possible to ensure a quality product goes out the door.
Hope that helps,
Regards,
Shane

By paul prill (*)

Date 07-22-2009 13:53

I agree with the statement that your company has done everthing possiable to assure quality. Many jurisdictions require some type of responsablity on the companies part that the work will be of some measure of quality. Weather it be AWS or ASME. The welder and procedure in not certified until signed by the employer up until that point they are only qualified. (if everthing was done correctly in the first place). Sometimes being "certified" can be a drag on the company when bidding against a company that does not have a quality system in place. example the cost of qualifing procedures, welders, material control, inspection hold points, maybe a CWI on staff and NDE. A shop that does not have a QA system in place does not have those related costs. Why be certified, in my opinion you produce a better product and again you did everything required to assure quality.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 07-22-2009 14:06

Welcome to the forum Paul!

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 07-23-2009 00:27

Pretty good first post there Paul. WELCOME to the forum.

You're completely right. It can be a real discouragement when you have jumped through all the hoops to get a business license, contractors license, EIN #, TPT #, incorporate, insurance, bonding, and all the rest just to get started.

Then, you start looking at WPS's, welders certs, maintaining continuity, qc program, safety program, employee training, getting MTR's on all incoming materials, record keeping, more office staff than welders to keep up with all the nonsense.

Does it guarantee quality? NO!! Does it improve the odds that quality will be a higher priority than with the shop that doesn't go through all this? YES!!

And, at least in my area, it will get you jobs that others can't do when the local building authority finds out they don't have what it takes. It will also cost you less to play catch up when those same authorities start putting codes and the subsequent inspections into place because of insurance companies, banks, and other interests putting pressure on them because they are trying to protect 'their' (the banks and insurance companies) investments. You don't really think you own your house, business, etc do you? And they want it protected. That means from the moment it starts in engineering, then ground breaking, till done.

In many parts of this country the locals are so far behind. There are many things a company can do without all the high end, costly qc. But even if you work in one of those areas you can't get the good jobs, major contracts, without those qualifications.

Off my soapbox for now. Hope you enjoy this site.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Ke1thk

Date 07-23-2009 16:31

It doesn’t mean that you'll have perfect welds, no rejections, or anything magical.

It does mean that your people should have a better feeling about their job, your customers should have more confidence, and you should be able to receive better work. It has opened doors for me.

Why operate in the junk pile?

Good Luck,

Keith