Thanks Marshall
I do the same for inhouse but got a call an hour or so back needing a welder qualified, 3/8 groove one position and i furnish materials, i was thinking 100 bucks but just kind of wonted to get a fill for the going rate.
Thanks
Strat
Not sure what you guys are putting into a test for those rates, BUT when I factor in my time to pull material, cut three pieces- two with bevel edge, monitor their set up, welding, and cleaning, examine the welds per Table 6.1, then cut the coupons, bend the coupons, examine the coupons, write up the report/qualification/certification papers, not to mention any travel time and the cost of the materials; I don't think you can even meet expenses and pay yourself minimum wage for $100 per plate. And if they come to my shop, I may not have travel but now they are using my equipment. Have to charge for that.
Are they providing the WPS that they are taking the test to so you actually have something to set as a base standard for running the test? If they want something to actually give more credibility to the weld test, a WPS costs more.
Now if you are figuring your rates based upon what an employer would be paying you per hour you can charge less, but those who work for themselves on a full time basis with all the licenses, insurances, office overhead-computers, fax machine, phone, advertising, etc need to consider that they can't make expenses if they only make $10-15/hr. Even if it is a side job in the evening or on a weekend, do all of us a favor and make sure you charge enough to actually make a living. Otherwise you are only hurting....ALL OF US!!
If they come to me-with a portable welder so are using their own equipment, and provide a WPS to work from, I charge $150 per plate. If I go to them or they use my equipment I start at $200. Do they need a WPS, especially if they work for themselves and will need it anyway to show customers who truly want them to meet some code, another $150-200 per WPS (Look at what AWS charges for their generic ones).
If they want to be part of this profession they need to be willing to pay the entrance fees. Prove they are capable of doing the job. And we need to make a living for providing services with our experience, skills, resources-(hundreds of dollars worth of books, codes, tests, years of experience), and overhead.
My time is worth more than minimum wage. But hopefully when they finish they actually have something that means something, both to them and to either a future customer or employer. (even though most employers will have to retest them anyway)
Maybe I put too much of my time into a test, but when they have finished and the paperwork is done... I am comfortable that the results are very documented, accurate, and applicable to their needs.
Have a Great Day, Brent
Brent, you hit the nail on the head. Some of us make our living providing CWI services to our clients. Some CWI's test welders as a sideline to their full time job. Some people test welders and use their employer's equipment and test welders on their employer's time. Each case is different and in each case a different level of expertise is provided.
In my case I charge by the day. When you consider all the time involved in giving a welder a test, there is considerably more time involved than an hour or two, more than likely, between witnessing the welder set-up and weld the test is going to take several hours. I can test several welders in nearly the same time it takes to test one welder. I've never met a welder that took a test that didn't want to chew the fat for an hour before getting down to business welding. Then, before the actual test, there are ground rules that have to be reviewed so there are no unexpected problems like, "What do you mean the test plate has to be vertical for the vertical test? My high school teacher let us position it at a 45 degree angle!" or "Why can't I use a grinder on every pass?"
Once the plate or pipe is welder it has to be prepared for the guided bend tests or maybe it will be radiographed. I tend not to have them radiographed because of the time and cost involved. An hour to drive over to the lab and an hour back, another two hours to pick the test plates or pipe up when the testing is completed, then there is the $150 to $250 charge for the radiograph, and then there is still the paperwork to be completed.
I gave up charging by the test about ten years ago. Actually, I find that testing welders is a lost leader. Rather than working for $10/hr testing a single welder that is going to ***** about the price regardless of what it is, I send them to the competion. I'd rather let them test the welder and lose money on the effort.
And then there is the whole ATF thing that AWS is pushing. A serious SNAFU if I ever saw one. Gone will be the individual CWI that qualifies welders from begining to end. Gone will be the CWI provides some skills training and welder qualification.
Best regards - Al
More and more, I'm seeing Structural Drawing Notes requiring "AWS Certified Welders"... anyone know what that is???
I assume it to mean the welder has to be qualified and certified in accordance with the applicable AWS welding code, i.e., D1.1, D1.2, etc.
Best regards - Al
Duke
It may mean that the welder has to have a current AWS national Welder certification card. You should check with the Engineer.
Joe Kane
Drive 4 hours ? UPS ground runs me around $10-15 each way, and is next day in Chicagoland; RT @$150-250 ????. Try and use someone wih digital RT - 3 plates can be less than $100 and a 24 hour turn around if you have any volume.
I charge an hourly rate for all travel and for all witness/direction. Lab rates are generally at cost, but cert. and WPS are extra, depending on number of welders tested.
Jerry,
I have not run in to this problem, but I have had more than a couple of CWI's tell of lost plates in shipping and/or mixed up at the labs. Many now only hand deliver and make sure of ID marking and some set appointments and will not leave a test coupon with a lab unattended. Also, if doing PQR they monitor all tests for accurate administering. Tensile, yield, etc. Are you sure they are doing them right? I know some who have caught labs not following proper procedures. Again, not me. Just passing on info. One of my sources is well known by many here and is not one I would question as to passing on something that was not so.
Not my idea, just stating procedures of some I know. Just a thought. May be good reason to them for hand delivering.
Have a Great Day, Brent
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