Welding Qualifications

Welding qualifications refers to the welder’s ability to demonstrate aptitude at performing specific skills at welding a specific type of weld on a specific type of material. When people say that they are a certified welder, it doesn’t mean much!  In actuality, it proves that they don’t really know what they are talking about. What they should say is that they have passed a welder qualification test (in accordance with a specific welding code or standard, for a specific welding process, on a specific type of base metal, in a specific welding position.)

There are some very difficult welding tests that can readily prove a welders ability.  Our staff has taken and passed these tests for structural steel in accordance with the Structural Welding Code (AWS D1.1) with shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, and flux-cored arc welding.  Because there is such an infinite amount of variables and a variety of welding codes and standards, it would be impossible for someone to be qualified to weld everything.

 

For any given welding qualification test, there are quite a variety of variables such as:

·Welding process:

MIG, TIG, Stick, Flux-cored, Submerged arc

·Base metal:

Steel, Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper…etc

·Base metal shape and thickness:

Sheet, Plate, Pipe or Square/Rectangular Tube

3/8”, ½”, ¾”, 1” thick material

·Welding position:

                                Flat, Horizontal, Vertical (up or down), Overhead

·Filler metal type and diameter:

                                6010, 7018, 71T-1, 70S-6, 71T-8

                                .035” diameter, .045”, .072”, 3/32”, 5/32”

 

These are just some of the “essential variables” as they are defined by the American Welding Society. Usually, a change in any one of these variables will require the welder to take a new test to demonstrate their ability to perform the required work. There are also different welding codes for different applications. There are codes for military work (called military standards). Codes for cross country piping (such as oil and gas pipelines). Codes for boilers and pressure vessels (such as steam fittings in a power plant or piping in a oil refinery). And there are codes for steel structures (buildings / sky scrapers), bridges & highways, boats and more. Most of these codes are not interchangeable with one another. If someone has passed a qualification test for one code, it does not make them qualified for the exact same thing in another code.