I have started developing welding procedures for the company I work for. In the past, our expediting engineer would develop these procedures charging upwards of $100 a piece. We have found other sources willing to produce for $35 apiece. With that said, I have a question for the people of the forum. Please throw any comments my way, I need to gain some sort of baseline to justify asking for more money... I can’t be doing this for nothing… I need to be compensated in some way…
Background:
Me - New CWI, Young, Current position in company = Assistant Project Manager/OB (office b*tch)
Company - Major construction corporation NYC, Specialized in Roofing, Exterior Masonry, Curtin wall. 20-30 Public works projects a year for NYC School construction Authority. Average 3-6 separate WPS per job.
Questions:
1. In your opinion, what is the fiscal value of development of WPS?
Considerations:
-Typical scope of work in my particular situation.
-For the company, quick development / turnaround
2. Instead of financial compensation, Pay for my PD hours to maintain my CWI
Considerations:
-Depending on responses to above, could have more value than a “per-procedure” deal
Let me know what you all think about this… All for one, and one for all. Us younger new CWI’s need your senior’s expertise so we don’t get taken advantage of!
Thanks,
JD
AWS SPWS's cost just under $200 for members. Should I charge any less for one of a kind custom WPS's for a client to use?
There is the actual time, the education and training time, the cost of materials to make sure you have all the correct information in the correct spaces- essential variables and all, and experience.
Now, it is true, even the janitor (as Al loves to say) of the company can write a WPS. The question is rather it is a correct WPS? They are not that simple, the point is that there are no restrictions on who may do it (other than those imposed on the CAWI because of the Code of Ethics and his relationship to AWS).
There can be many other factors involved as well. You have stated some conditions that come into play when deciding what to charge. It isn't a simple answer. Only you can decide what your time, training, experience and resources are worth.
Have a Great Day, Brent
About 6 years ago my wife twisted my arm into doing outside consulting work. People had been calling for years and and asking me to visit plants or do procedures for them, I always politely said no.
In order to satisfy the Mrs. and still have my weekends and holidays free I adopted the notion of pricing myself out of range so that I could go fishing with a semi-clear mind.
So for anything that wasn't basic welder entry level training I started by demanding $250 an hour plus expenses... Nobody ever batted an eye.... The higher I rraised my rate.. The more work came.
I was teaching at the time so it was intended as a part time gig to satisfy my need to do high level stuff and work outside of the college district... But the offers came pretty regularly anyhow...
Making WPS's or "certifying welders" for most places where I lived at the time (midwest) typically turned into consulting to build them a quality system, a new concept to most folks in the midwest and rustbelt.
Anyhow.. The moral if this story is that (as Brent said).. Making WPS's is no small matter.. To do them correctly and *effectively* effective meaning not only compliant to an auditor, but actually building a procedure that the welders can use and improve quality and productivity.
Now.... Are you married to your job? I would not be in love with somebody that thought WPS's were worth $35.... So maybe you do it for a season... Learn well how to craft procedures, get mentoring and when the time is right, take your excellence and experience where it can leverage you what your worth.
Your time and work are worth exactly what you charge. If you charge $10.00, $100.00, or $1000.00 for a WPS, that is exactly what your time and knowledge is worth to your client.
A typical prequalified WPS or even a preliminary WPS is going to take time to research and develop. The sloppy, thrown together WPSs that I see submitted for review by various contractors are typically worth less than the paper they are printed on because the individual that wrote it did not do his or her home work first. In which case, $10/WPS is too much.
These are legal documents. Should something go wrong at a future time and date, rest assured the individual responsible for developing the WPS and/or qualifying the welders will be one of many defendants in the legal proceeding.
Best regards - Al
Al and Lawrence make a couple of good points.
Besides all the other things that go into the preparation of a proper WPS is all the time and questions you need to ask of the client. You better have a list and a good list only comes from experience and training.
Even Pre-Qualified WPS's for common processes and applications take more than 5 or even 15 minutes. There is no such thing as a cookie cutter WPS. Not if it is done correctly.
Have a Great Day, Brent
I try to encourage companies to learn how to develop their own documentation. I will keep in mind what my hourly time is worth and usually price them from their. There is nothing magical about prequalified WPS development or this qualified by testing. Keep in mind your time is more than just the data entry.
I can prepare a prequalified SMAW WPS IAW AWS D1.1 in just a matter of a few minutes. I then spend another hour or more going through each variable in the code, making sure it applies to what the customer has told me, verifying compliance, and checking for typos.
Though the typing portion only took a few minutes. Going back, reviewing it, going over it with the customer all take time.
If you are one their clock, why are you charging them? I assume that because of the statement "...company I work for."
Why so many WPS's per job. Can they not use the same ones over ?
Gerald Austin
Iuka, MS
I asked the same question. Why would you need to create more than one WPS for a given joint detail that does not stray from the essential Variables of the WPS. Well, this is still unclear too me. This policy seams redundant, the only thing that is changing is the welded assembly not the technical "Joint detail". For example, a separate WPS is developed for a lintel to beam connection and a field welded stair stringer connection. No essential variables changed...but new NPW needed. Redundant yes, but if I’m get paid per WPS, I’m not arguing/complaining.
I worked for a guy who paid me my regular hourly rate as a welder, then when he needed a WPS I would write it on my own time at home and charge him $150 plus the 2 hours it took to make. but I have also done PQR's that ranged from $600- $1800 just depends on the time invested. Dont be too cheap. Like the other guys say its a legal document and all aspects have to be considered. You dont want to be on the wrong end in court.
Jordan
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