Welder Qualification

Date 12-02-2000 01:19

A large mining equipment fabrication company in this area occasionally has a new welder that needs to be tested. If this companywrites a WPS for the test and the welder is working only for the fabrication company, can the weld test be administered by a welding instructor from an area community college? The instructor has been teaching for 10 years and has taken and passed an AWS welding qualification test. The weld test is administered at the company facility and consists of a guided root and face bend. The company is interested only in having all welders pass a standadized test. Any information would be appreciated.

By R. Johnson (**)

Date 12-02-2000 02:53

There is no problem with the welding instructor administering the test. The certification should be signed by someone in the company preferably the person who wrote the WPS.

By NDTIII

Date 12-02-2000 03:22

That is acceptable provided the instructor is an approved vendor (depending on your QA Program) and the WPS is supported by either a Pre-qualified Welding Procedure or you already have a qualifed PQR to support the WPS and the company who signs the welders qual is fully responsible for the welding. It is also dependent upon what the code you are working to requires.