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Up Topic American Welding Society Services / Certifications / Anyone ever dealt with the CSA W47.1?
- - By sriley77 (*) Date 08-06-2012 14:33
I'm in the middle of a job and my WPS and WPQR's got sent back. In big red letters it said, Qualified to AWS, not CSA or CWB. We called the company up and sure enough it's for a job in Canada. They also sent us their company standard which referred me to the CSA W59 and W47.1. I can't tell if they recognize my CWI or if we need to retest or what the h3ll is going on. If any of you out there have ever run into this I would appreciate any help you could offer.

Thank you,

Scott
Parent - - By Solluz (*) Date 08-06-2012 18:14
Scott,   Maybe the comparison info in the link might help make an argument.

http://www.drsteelfab.com/cerfification/AWS%20vs%20CSA.pdf
Parent - - By 803056 (*****) Date 08-06-2012 18:33
The major hurdle is the requirement for the independent witness provided by the CWB.

You will most likely have to requalify as a welder and requalify your WPSs. That will require you to pay for someone from CWB to witness the welding.

If I remember correctly, the CWB requires the fabricator to be "Certified" by the CWB. To meet that hurdle the designer must be "certified" to CWB requirements. The welding supervisor must be "certified" to CWB requirements. I don't remember if the foreman has to be "certified", but the welder has to be "certified" by CWB.

If the purchase order or the project specifications didn't specify CWB was a requirement, you may be able to back charge the customer or back out of the contract as gracefully as you can.

I hope you had all the children you want, because when the CWB gets done with you, you'll be a eunuch.

Good luck my friend.

Best regards - Al
Parent - - By sriley77 (*) Date 08-06-2012 19:35
Thanks guys,

Yeah this seems to more trouble than its worth, but now we're being told it could be alot more work coming our way. Probably because nobody else wants to go through the trouble of getting "certified".

Scott
Parent - - By 803056 (*****) Date 08-06-2012 19:46
Find out what is required to get certified. As noted, it may not be a simple matter of getting the welder certified.

Contact CWB and ask for Marc Stone. The telephone number for CWB is 905-542-1312.

Al
Parent - By Bill M (***) Date 08-09-2012 13:23
What did your original contract docs specify?  If compliance to CSA W17.1 was in the customer purchase order or other contract verbage,  you are $%^&*/!

If such compliance to CSA W47.1 wasn't specified in the original contract requirements or purchase orders, you might have an avenue to say, "we can comply, but at your cost!"
Parent - By qcrobert (***) Date 08-09-2012 19:32
We fabricate tanks (not pressure vessels) that are built in USA and go to Canada however only with the contract recognizing AWS standards for design and welding. 

We have language in our final contract that the EOR must state AWS acceptable.

Hopefully your contract did not stipulate strictly CSA or CWB.

QCRobert
Parent - By Richard Cook (**) Date 08-10-2012 13:42
I just got my shop certified CWB, one big issue is that you will need a "Welding Engineer" to sign off on the procedures. The CWB has a unique format for procedures. No your CWI is not recognized, but gives Credit for it in the exam process. Casll me at 801-280-4932.

Marc Stone is no longer with the CWB, went private industry.
Parent - - By Richard Cook (**) Date 08-10-2012 13:49
There is a lot more also, welders will have to be qualified by CWB, and the WElding Supervisor have to also (four part exam) they do not require a Certifird Inspector in the shop, thedir emphasis is on the Supervision. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Parent - - By sriley77 (*) Date 08-10-2012 14:15
Yeah  guys thanks again,

I got in contact with both the CWB and the customer. It would be very expensive to certify our company, and we sent a variance to the customer it see if we can use our AWS standards. We do have an engineer that could qualify to be certified under CWB and I found out that my CWI does hold some credit but I'd have to test to be CWB certified, and it would be easier for me to be labled the weld supervisor. Our supervisor doesn't really like that idea, haha but I don't think he could do that 4 part exam. Oh and the standards being called out is for W59 and W47.1 so that hurts a little.

But again, Thank you,

Scott
Parent - By Richard Cook (**) Date 08-15-2012 20:05
Lots of luck, we tried that for our projects going into Canada and they wouldn't waiver. Yea it is expensive, and I had to have my Inspectors take the supervisors exams and qualify because the supervisors wouldn't be able to cut it. You pay CWB to come in and monitor your testing of welders in each position and process. If the welder takes 1G and 2G and fails the 1G and passes the 2G he gets no certification because it is a progressive testing process. Must pass the lesser to move up.

The Engineer has to be a Licensed Professional Engineer approved by the CWB, on stff or on retainer for Division 2 work, Division 1 requires on staff, where Divsion 3 requires none.
Up Topic American Welding Society Services / Certifications / Anyone ever dealt with the CSA W47.1?

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