Gabek,
WELCOME TO THE AWS WELDING FORUM!!
Sorry to hear about your results. As you have discovered, it is not an easy test. And, for good reason.
A couple of points, you may have gotten a different bank of questions which is PART of why you scored lower on the Part B. Threw you some new questions that you weren't prepared for. Part of the purpose, make sure you actually know the material and know where and how to find the answers. I need to look some things over to make sure before I answer your question as to what you will have to take now for a retest. Meantime, a few questions and comments:
Have you been previously involved in inspections work? How long?
Did you self study ahead of time and with what materials?
Where and when do you plan to retest?
Does your AWS section have regular meetings and do they do an exam prep seminar? Find a mentor if not.
*Remember, the seminar is not there to make inspectors out of anyone, it is to review and prepare for the exam with a broad range of info.
*Remember, the Bogus Book (Part B) is not D1.1. There are several and distinct differences on purpose to make sure you can inspect to different codes and do so properly.
*By now, you should know a fair amount about NDT to be able to answer the few and simple questions about different forms of NDT on the jobsite.
*You should have a handle on measuring and analyzing the tensile pull samples as well as the coupon bend samples.
*When using fillet weld gauges, be very careful, I'll bet the welds are not as large as you think they are. Most people do not properly measure fillets with the fillet weld gauges. They are a go/no go gauge. And it is a test. Things that would probably be accepted by many in the field are not a consideration on the test. Review your Acceptance/rejection criteria out of Part B carefully. Several differences between it and D1.1 Table 6.1 so don't let the D1.1 confuse you. That is not your code here.
*If you don't use a micrometer several times a day every day...leave it in the box. The time you waste trying to adjust it is time you could have answered half a dozen questions. There is nothing on that test that you can't handle with the caliper. For many, nothing you can't determine with the machinist rule. The questions are not that difficult and accurate if you have any experience in measuring machined items and doing the math quick to see that one answer will usually stand out as way wrong and one way right. Easy deduction.
*Don't try to 2nd guess equations. They should be given to you either in the text of the question or up front with tables and equations. Carbon equiv, temps, etc. Carbon equiv is used differently in different codes because it serves different purposes. If you go from memory you may use the wrong numbers when dividing.
That's all I can think of for now.
He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent
By gabek
Date 12-09-2014 17:33
Edited 12-09-2014 17:36
Thanks for the reply.
I've been involved in NDT for 14 years doing mainly tubing eddy current (nuclear steam generators), but I do have a good bit of MT, PT and UT under my belt. The scope of my inspection experience hasn't been entirely aligned with the responsibilities of a CWI, but it has been somewhat similar. I currently hold an ET IIA/QDA, MT II, PT II and UT II.
I self studied beforehand as much as I could while flying back and forth across the country working 12 hour days with no days off for weeks at a time. I studied most of the recommended materials for the class with a mistakenly heavy focus on the sample questions provided in the WIT, WIT workbook, 1104 workbook and various Part B materials I found online. During my AWS seminar, the material covered in the seminar was almost entirely identical to the sample questions. I'm very disappointed in my experience with the AWS seminar.
As far as retesting goes, I don't really have any idea. I have to take 40 hours of training before I can retest and it seems without significant training on Part B I cannot pass it. I've also heard from a coworker that is taking a 2 week course at Hobart that the Part B is going to be changed and made more difficult at some point next year.
If I'm required to retake all three parts, I'll give up on the idea of being a CWI and find something else to do. The monetary and time investments I've made so far, coupled with the frustration, have edged themselves into a territory that I'm no longer willing to continue into. At this point all I have is a large tax write-off.
I have no idea on the happenings of my section. I've not had time to explore any resources that could be gleaned from that route due to my heavy work schedule.
Please, don't take these comments as negatively generated but let me cover a couple of things based upon your responses to my earlier questions:
1) It is often harder for someone heavily involved in QC/QA for years to pass the exams, especially Part B, based upon many long used practices and sometimes misconceptions both of their own making and those of the employers they work for as well as fellow employees who have no more on idea than you do.
2) They have already changed the exams and they are set to do at least the Part B again. I won't go into why, it just is. Keeps the exam takers from being taught to pass a test without knowing how they got there. If results can not be reasonably repeated even with the change ups in the exams then more than likely the test takers did not really know their stuff.
3) There is a seminar, I believe it has been offered both as a two day and a one day course, 'Advanced Visual Inspections' that has been offered at FabTech and other locations. My son took it prior to taking his exams and said it helped in many ways. Especially some of the items we did not deal with day in and day out in our business. It was a 16 hour course when he took it but I thought someone told me it has been reduced to 8.
4) To emphasize my earlier statement: the seminar is mainly designed as a review for those already competent in inspections and codes as well as good general knowledge of the industry. It will give some study aids, test taking tips, answer seeking tips, so that you can best utilize the time in quickly finding the answers needed.
5) When taking the Part B one must totally set aside everything except the Bogus Book. It is designed to make sure you can inspect to any code, not hanging onto memories of another code or self preconceived ideas. It has served it's purpose pretty well over the years but is getting an upgrade due to all the changes since originally devised. Not to mention exam 'contamination' that is past due to be filtered out.
Well, just my two tin pennies worth. Good luck.
He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent
Brent, I can't say it any better than you did. Good job!
Al
