Need advice?

Date 10-01-2010 14:39

Few companies are going to hire you as a CAWI. As a CAWI you are not permitted to work without direct supervision (read QC1 carefully).

You may be in a better position to be hired if you get the required training in penetrant, magnetic particle, ultrasonic, or possibly radiography examination. Then you could become certified as a Level I or Level II after you accumulate the requisite hours of on the job experience (OJE). The required number of hours of OJE for PT or MT is not a major hurdle in comparison to the five years of relevant work experience required for the CWI.

Not to be overlooked is the possibility of becoming certified for visual examination in accordance with SNT-TC-1A or CP-189. The number of hours of classroom training and OJE are ridiculously few. I think it is something like 8 hours of classroom training and a few weeks of relevant OJE to become a Level II capable of checking welds, paint, finishes, whatever and capable of working independent of direct supervision.

There is no requirement that you be certified in accordance with QC1 to inspect welds in most welding codes or standards. SNT-TC-1A or CP-189 offer alternatives that are much less painful than certification per QC1.

That being said, I am biased toward certification to QC1 because it is a better assessment of the candidate’s abilities and requires much more training and OJE than SNT-TC-1A or CP-189. Not everyone is of the same opinion, for example, NAVSEA TP271 will not recognize the CWI, because NAVSEA TP271 requires certification to SNT-TC-1A. I’m sure that is based on political and monetary considerations. Why pay a third party, e.g. AWS, to certify your inspectors when SNT-TC-1A allows the employer to do everything “in-house” at much less cost, fewer hours of training, and less OJE?

Best regards - Al

By ShowDownZero Date 10-02-2010 04:45

Thank you very much again Al.

I have been thinking about taking a class and certifying for Visual and several other testing methods under SNT-TC-1a.
However i have not found any specific ANST cert for CWI which makes me think even if you were inspecting welds companies would label you something other than a CWI thus making the pay lower.

In the long run I would like to certify under QC-1 and AWS standards there seems to be more work if you certify under QC-1.
Does AWS recognize working as a NDT tech as relevant experience?

Some one once told me you have to have separate certs or take some kind of test to work under different codes for example even if you are a AWS CWI you cant inspect b31.3 if you are only qualified to work under D1.1 is that true?

I am sorry if my questions seem superfluous but working as a welder for 3 years I was never able to get to in depth with all the different codes this stuff to me all seems very abstruse for the most part possibly because misinformation other people have given me over the years or the lack of standardization with the qualification codes.

By 803056

Date 10-02-2010 05:48 Edited 10-02-2010 06:00

Those questions are addressed by QC1. You can download a free copy from the AWS Homepage.

This is the link: http://files.aws.org/certification/docs/QC1-2007.pdf

The download is a freebe.

You do not have to be a CWI to inspect welds, however, as a CAWI you are probably the only certified individual that is not allowed to work alone. Again, QC1 addresses this subject as well.

The CWI credential is recognized by many industrial sectors that perform welding as part of the fabrication/maufacturing/installation/erection process. However, the AWS is not the only organization that has certification programs for people that inspect welds as part of the job. I happen to believe the AWS program is the best in the industry, but that is only my opinion. The cost of obtaining and maintaining the AWS certification is one reason people look for alternatives to QC1. AWS has a golden goose, let's hope they don't kill it by pricing themselves out of the market.

Al