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April 2012 / Vol. 15 / No. 2

THE MAGAZINE FOR MATERIALS INSPECTION AND TESTING PERSONNEL

Inspection in the Power-Generation Industry

Cover April 2012_IT Spring 4/06 3/20/12 10:47 AM Page C1

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OMNISCAN Be truly in touch with phased array

The OmniScan MX2 offers a high acquisition rate and new powtable, modular instrument—to ef

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olympus ndt_FP_TEMP 3/16/12 3:36 PM Page C2

Vol. 15 / No. 2

Features

15 19 23

The Role of Ultrasonic Inspection in the Power-Generation Industryby Lionel Delannoy / Various technological advances, including time of

flight diffraction and phased array techniques for weld and pipe

combinations, are detailed / 15

Understanding Test Ring Specimensby Patrick Jenkins / The differences between the original Ketos ring and

AS5282 ring are clarified, along with specification features and proper

use / 19

Advice for Inspectors in the Energy Industryby John L. Mendoza / Being prepared, managing time efficiently, and using

strong character development skills are necessary for inspectors to succeed

in the power-generation field / 23

Ethics Alert: How to File an Ethics Violation Complaintby Joseph P. Kane / The author provides a guide to why a CWI complaint

would not be acted upon, what happens when a complaint is properly filed,

and his opinion on how to proceed if you are referred to a hearing panel / 26

DepartmentsEditor’s Note................................6

News Bulletins .............................8

Mail Bag ....................................12

Print and Product Showcase ......14

The Answer Is ............................29

Mark Your Calendar...................31

Certification Schedule................32

Just the Facts ..............................33

Technology Notes ......................35

Advertiser Index ........................36

Inspection Trends / Spring 2012 5

INSPECTION TRENDS (ISSN 1523-7168) is

published quarterly by the American Welding

Society. Editorial and advertising offices are located

at 550 NW LeJeune Rd., Miami, FL 33126;

telephone (305) 443-9353. Printed by R. R.

Donnelley & Sons Co., Senatobia, Miss.

Subscriptions $30.00 per year for noncertified,

nonmembers in the United States and its

possessions; $50.00 per year in foreign countries;

$20.00 per year for noncertified members and

students; $10.00 single issue for nonmembers and

$7.00 single issue for members. American Welding

Society is located at 550 NW LeJeune Rd., Miami,

FL 33126-5671; telephone (305) 443-9353.

Periodicals postage paid in Miami, Fla., and

additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

Inspection Trends c/o American Welding Society,

550 NW LeJeune Rd., Miami, FL 33126-5671.

Readers of Inspection Trends may make copies of

articles for personal, archival, educational, or

research purposes, and which are not for sale or

resale. Permission is granted to quote from articles,

provided customary acknowledgment of authors

and sources is made. Starred (*) items excluded from

copyright.

AWS MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the American Welding Society is to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied processesworldwide, including joining, brazing, soldering,cutting, and thermal spraying.

Today’s ultrasonic scanning equipment,such as this USM Vision from GE, fea-tures a menu-directed setup that allowsthe operating software to calculate theultrasonic parameters for each weld andpipe combination. (Photo courtesy ofFabricom, Brussels, Belgium.)

TOC Layout April 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:43 PM Page 5

Editor’s NoteBy Mary Ruth Johnsen

Dear Readers,

These days there’s a lot of talk

about the energy industry. Granted,

much of that talk centers on the

rising price of a gallon of gasoline,

but the industry as a whole is in the

news these days. There are

discussions on electric cars,

alternative forms of energy, and

whether we should tap into our oil

reserves or make better use of natural gas. Politicians and

environmentalists debate whether construction of the Keystone XL

pipeline is in the nation’s best interest. Announcements came in

November that three major oil refineries would be closing in the

Philadelphia, Pa., area, and another in January brought news of the

closing of one in the U.S. Virgin Islands that is one of the world’s ten

largest refineries. The March 16th, one-year anniversary of the

earthquake and tsunami in Japan reminded us of the stricken Fukushima

Daiichi nuclear power plant and reopened debate on whether we should

start construction of new nuclear plants in the United States. That

discussion, in turn, regenerates talk about our nation’s aging

infrastructure, including fossil-fuel- and natural-gas-fired power plants.

Two articles in this issue of Inspection Trends are related to power

generation; one focuses on the equipment used for inspections today and

the other on the role of inspectors in the industry. Both mention the age

of many of our power-generating facilities and the bane of the industry,

unscheduled outages. The articles bring up the expected shortages in the

number of skilled inspection personnel and the pressures brought on

inspectors to fudge on their professional ethics.

There’s a lot I don’t know about the energy industry, but I do know

that all the elements of the industry are related and that all of them affect

our lives and our bottom lines as consumers. If the industry’s costs go

up, those expenses are eventually passed to us, and if there’s an accident

somewhere, it’s the environment that we live in that’s harmed.

Therefore, I want the welders who build and maintain the elements of

our energy system to be the most highly skilled and most well equipped

welders around. I want the people who inspect those welds to be the

most knowledgeable, have access to the most up-to-date equipment, and

possess the highest integrity of any inspectors ever, and I want

Inspection Trends to help make them the best inspectors they can be.

PublisherAndrew [email protected]

EditorMary Ruth [email protected]

Associate EditorsHoward [email protected]

Kristin [email protected]

Production EditorZaida [email protected]

Senior Production CoordinatorBrenda [email protected]

National Sales DirectorRob [email protected]

Advertising Sales RepresentativeLea [email protected]

Senior Advertising Production ManagerFrank [email protected]

Subscriptions RepresentativeSylvia [email protected]

American Welding Society550 NW LeJeune Rd.Miami, FL 33126(800/305) 443-9353

Copyright

Copyright © 2012 by American Welding Society in bothprinted and electronic formats. The Society is not responsible for any statement made or opinion expressedherein. Data and information developed by the authors ofspecific articles are for informational purposes only andare not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of potential users.

Inspection Trends / April 20126

New Editors Note April 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:28 PM Page 6

member recruitment_FP_TEMP 3/19/12 10:02 AM Page 7

News Bulletins


Remote Visual Inspection Equipment HelpsUnlock Ancient Secrets

Specially adapted and standard remote visual inspection

equipment has been used to carry out an internal inspection

of a newly discovered tomb, dating from the first century.

The equipment, from the Inspection Technologies sector of

GE Measurement & Control, was used to provide high-

definition video images of ossuaries within the tomb to

enable archeological experts to read the inscriptions.

The tomb was revealed during building work in the town

of East Talpiot, just outside the old city of Jerusalem. Prof.

James D. Tabor, University of North Carolina (UNC), and

Prof. Rami Arav, University of Nebraska, were granted

exploration licenses as principal investigators under the

academic supervision of UNC. Religious groups and the

Israel Antiquities board stipulated that no one could enter the

tomb, nor remove or retrieve anything from it. It was recalled

that GE equipment had been used during a similar tomb

exploration in 2005 and so the company was contacted.Bill Tarant, GE’s Ontario sales manager, carried out the

2005 exploration and took part in the latest project. He

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A view of the inside of the tomb on the screen of the XLG3.

News Bulletins Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:10 PM Page 8


explained the problems faced: “In 2005, we gained entry to

the tomb through a sole pipe. With the current project, we

had to drill three 8-in. holes through 2 m of rock into the

tomb. The tomb was 1 m in height but any inspection

equipment needed to be able to extend over 3 m to obtain the

required coverage. We solved the problem by using a

mechanical/pneumatic arm, designed by Walter Klassen, who

is a well-known prop maker for feature films. This was fitted

to a GE CA-Zoom PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera, which was

used to obtain the images inside the tomb. A second CA-

Zoom PTZ was inserted in one of the other holes to monitor

the movement of the first camera.”

Although the first images were good, the researchers

asked if the definition could be improved so that the

inscriptions on the ossuaries could be read, not only on site,

but also by viewers of a film that was being made. This

required major development work, resulting in a customized

high-definition camera. To support the work of the cameras,

GE’s XLG3 video probe was also used to provide images of

extremely difficult-to-access areas within the tomb.

The discoveries in the tomb were revealed in a

documentary film and an accompanying book that was

launched February 28 at the Discovery Museum in New

York, N.Y.

Stork Technical Services Awarded Major WestAfrica Subsea Inspection Project

Stork Technical Services, Dyce, Aberdeen, UK, recently

received a contract valued at approximately $15.7 million for

subsea inspection activity with a major operator. The project

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The PTZ camera inside the tomb, illuminated by the XLG3.


is offshore West Africa, and it is the company’s first subsea

project in the region.

The project involves the complete underwater inspection

of a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel and

loading facilities’ subsea infrastructure to ensure integrity of

the hull and associated equipment. Approximately 60 Stork

employees will be involved with the project.

To service the contract and for other future projects, the

company has entered a 15-month charter of the specialized

dive support vessel, Adam’s Vision, which is equipped with

azimuth thrusters and a DPII dynamic positioning system.

X-Ray Industries Acquires Arcadia Aerospace

X-Ray Industries, Troy, Mich., recently acquired Arcadia

Aerospace Industries, LLC, Punta Gorda, Fla. Arcadia

provides Nadcap-certified inspection of composite airframe

components, as well as inspection system optimization

consulting, design, upgrading, and integrated system

manufacturing for the aerospace industry.

X-Ray Industries is a privately held group of companies

that includes X-R-I Testing, a provider of NDE services;

MobileX for onsite nondestructive inspection of parts using

digital X-ray imaging; CIS for nontraditional inspection of

composites with co-located capability; Test Equipment

Distributors, which serves the equipment and supply needs of

NDE professionals; PPI Aerospace, a Nadcap-accredited

chemical processing and surface engineering company; and

now Arcadia Aerospace.

ASQ Partners with The Manufacturing Instituteto Train Next Generation of Skilled Workers

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) is bringing its

expertise and certification offerings in quality to The

Manufacturing Institute’s Manufacturing Skills Certification

System, which is endorsed by the National Association of

Manufacturers. ASQ offers 17 certifications, including

Certified Quality Technician, Certified Calibration

Technician, Certified Quality Engineer, and Certified Quality

Inspector, all of which will be promoted within the Skills

Certification System.

In doing so, ASQ joins forces with The Manufacturing

Institute and 14 other organizations, including the American

Welding Society, in an effort to educate a workforce that is

needed to fill the gap caused by retiring workers and to help

companies compete in a global economy. The Skills

Certification System will also include ASQ’s full training

portfolio, which includes certification preparation training

and professional development for workers at any stage of

their careers.

“We’re excited about this new partnership with ASQ,”




said Emily Stover DeRocco, president of The Manufacturing

Institute. “As a global leader in quality, ASQ will train and

provide workers with the advanced skills manufacturers need

now and in the future.”

The Skills Certification System was developed to

directly address the deficits in manufacturing education and

training that are limiting the pool of qualified candidates for

high-quality manufacturing jobs. For more information about

ASQ and the other organizations offering skills certification

programs, visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org and click

on “Education and Workforce.”

TUV Rheinland Receives Nadcap Accreditationfor NDE Inspections

The Woodstock, Ala., office of TUV Rheinland

Industrial Solutions, Inc., recently received Nadcap

accreditation for nondestructive inspections. This

complements the mechanical testing accreditation previously

awarded to the Aliquippa, Pa., facility.

The company, a subsidiary of TUV Rheinland North

America, is a full-service inspection, testing, and certification

company that provides both field and laboratory inspection

services, including all NDE methods, QC/QA functions, and

materials testing. Nadcap was created in 1990 by SAE

International and is administered by the not-for-profit PRI.

More information about Nadcap is available at www.pri-network.org.

SGS Offering Ultrasonic TKY Weld JointInspection Training in China

The SGS NDT Training and Examination Center

recently acquired authorization from the British Institute of

Nondestructive Testing to provide PCN training and

examinations for the ultrasonic testing of nodes, nozzles, and

T welds, which are generally referred to as TKY weld joints,

in China. It is believed this will make SGS the first

organization in China to offer this type of training. The SGS

NDT Training and Examination Center is located in

Shanghai.

The Personnel Certification in NDT (PCN) categories for

these types of welds are indicated as (3.7/3.8/3.9) on PCN

certificates. SGS will offer three training programs. The first

is aimed at NDE personnel who already hold a valid PCN on

UT Level 2 in the welds sector, either in butt plate or butt

pipe. Another will be for inspection personnel who are

interested in improving their UT skills without taking the

final PCN exam; the third will be for non-NDE workers such

as sales, marketing, and management personnel to provide

basic knowledge of UT theory and practice.


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ASNT Helps You Achieve

With publications needed for nondestructive

testing information, the catalog shows ASNT’s

full-range of method handbooks, personnel

qualification, training materials, study guides,

journals and standard documents.

In the field, in the lab, in the shop, on the floor

or in the classroom, ASNT’s publications help

you achieve positve outcomes.

Shop online at ShopASNT at www.asnt.org/shopasntPhone (614) 274-6003, (800) 222-2768 forUS and Canada, FAX (614) 274-6899



Mail Bag


A Tip to Help Spot FraudulentlyUsed Stamps

I recently read the article titledVisual Inspection Tips from the Pros(Inspection Trends, Fall 2011) andfound Eugene Hornberger’s write-up,Beware of Unscrupulous Companiesand Individuals, interesting. Somethingyou may want to pass on as a tip tohelp in identifying this type ofunethical practice and to protect thoseaffected is something rather simple.

Each time CWIs use their stamp,they should always sign their namethrough the stamp. The stamp by itselfcan easily be copied and used manytimes, but if it is signed and dated(signature through the stamp), it ismuch more difficult to copy, especiallyon multiple documents on the same siteor project. With the signature throughthe stamp, it makes it very easy to seethat a stamp with a signature is being

used fraudulently. No one canrepeatedly sign their name exactly thesame way in the same location everytime. It’s no magic pill, but it doesmake it more difficult, and if found,makes it easy to detect.

Just some free advice I thoughtyou might like to pass on.

Bob BoyerCWI and Quality ManagerMikropul/Pneumafil LLC, IFDCharlotte, N.C.

Reader Comments on WelderQualification Tests

Ken Erickson did a nice job ofanswering the question on visualacceptance of Welder QualificationTests (The Answer Is, Winter 2012Inspection Trends).

I’m the guy who helps fabricationshops get in compliance with D1.1. I’m

always baffled by what I find. At oneshop I was taken aside and asked,“Now let’s be honest, you don’t alwaysrequire them to be visually acceptable,right?”

My favorite was a 3G up, limitedthickness test that had evolved (ordevolved) to the following: The weldercomplete three test plates, then he andthe inspector agree on which is theirfavorite, then they bend test that plate.It was explained to me as being “thesame as a test and a retest being takenall at once.”

Took a long time to fix that shop. This is good work if you can get it,

and even in this economy, work seemsplentiful.

Paul W. CameronCWI and Senior Welding EngineerMcNeilus, An Oshkosh Corp.CompanyDodge Center, Minn.

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Mailbag Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:40 PM Page 12

certification (cwf)_FP_TEMP 3/19/12 10:27 AM Page 13

Print and Product Showcase


Video Probe Offers ManyNew Features

The XL Go+ portable VideoProbefeatures the XpertSuite™ of features toprovide increased efficiency andreliability in a range of inspection tasksin confined, hard-to-reach locations.The features include XpertVision™, abattery-powered monitor that connectseasily for remote observation oradditional viewing by a secondinspector; XpertLight™ probe, whichoffers a 60% increase in light output;XpertBright™ readable LCDs designedfor maximum readability; andXpertSteer™ probe articluation, whichallows precise probe navigation insmall increments. The unit has beendeveloped to help ensure that thechances of missing a defect or an out-of-place artifact are greatly reduced.

GE Energy, Measurement & ControlSolutions(866) 243-2638www.ge-mcs.com

Microscope Camera FeaturesUltrahigh Resolution

The DP73digital colormicroscopecamera delivers acombination ofbit depth (14-bit)and pixelresolution (17.28mb) for ultrahigh

resolution and color quality. It isdesigned for use in industrial research,development, engineering, qualitycontrol, and manufacturing settings.The camera features enhanced pixel-

shifting optical technology and a finedetail function that identifies edges andintuitively applies the appropriate filterto reduce pseudo-color and moireartifacts for sharp, clear, corner-to-corner imaging. Adobe® RGB colorspace is used to improve color qualityand displays on RGB monitors. It isoptimized to work with the Windows7® 64-bit operating system.

Olympus America, Inc.(484) 896-5792www.olympus-ims.com

Crawler Inspects LargerRange of Pipe Sizes

The ROVVER X features a bolt-on carriage that raises the crawler andexpands its wheelbase, which gives itgreater ground clearance. This allowsthe crawler to inspect a wider range ofpipe sizes. The carriage attachesquickly, and accepts all ROVVERwheels, as well as two new pneumaticwheel options. When used in tandemwith the system’s remote camera liftaccessory, the carriage gives thecrawler an overall inspection capabilityof 6 to 72 in. plus the ability forcentered viewing in most common pipesizes 24 in. and larger.

Envirosight LLC(866) 936-8476www.envirosight.com

XRF Analyzer ProvidesAnalysis of Light Elements

The X-MET7500 hand-held XRFanalyzer delivers fast, accurateanalyses of a wide variety of materials,

including trace elements and lightelements (from magnesium), withoutthe need for helium purge or vacuumpump. Applications include positivematerial identification, scrap sorting,gold and precious metals verification,environmental screening, and drywallanalysis.

Oxford Instruments IndustrialProducts, Ltd.44-1494-479278www.oxford-instruments.com

Meter Offers FastConductivity Measurements

The SigmaCheck eddy currentconductivity meter offers fast, accuratemeasurements. The meter meets therequirements for use in the aircraftmanufacture and maintenance fieldswhere conductivity measurements areused to verify proper alloy/temper or todetect heat-damaged components. Theinstrument is also useful fordetermining the purity of preciousmetals. The meter weighs 3⁄4 lb andmeasures 61⁄2 in. tall × 31⁄4 in. wide and 1in. thick. It has a standard operatingfrequency of 60 kHz and auxiliaryfrequencies of 120, 240, 480, and 960kHz can be selected for testing thinmaterials with the standard probe. Itcomes with a carry case, a dualcalibration block, probe cable, charger,USB lead, removable desk stand, anduser manual.

ETher NDE, Ltd.44-1582-767-912www.ethernde.com

Print & Product Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:27 PM Page 14

FeatureBy Lionel Delannoy

Nondestructive examination

(NDE) is a vital activity in the power-

generation sector, not only for safety

reasons, but to ensure optimum

generating efficiency is achieved and

maximum operating life is obtained

from aging plants. These

considerations apply right across the

power-generating spectrum, from wind

farms to fossil-fuel-fired stations to

nuclear power plants. A range of NDE

equipment is applied in the power-

generation sector. This article looks at

recent advances in inspection

technology, particularly in the area of

weld inspection and the ways in which

smart technologies are improving

inspection productivity and, at the

same time, meeting the challenges

created by the growing shortage of

highly qualified inspection technicians.

Repairing Aging Infrastructure

Maintenance, repair, and

operations (MRO) budgets apply to all

power plants, and MRO costs can

typically amount to 30% of the

operating costs. In the nuclear sector,

this percentage can rise to more than

70%. This is partly due to the nature of

the plants and partly because of aging

infrastructure. Thirty-five percent of

plants in the United States are more

than 30 years old, and this is a pattern

that is repeated in most developed

countries. A significant portion of

failures is due to aging infrastructure,

and when it is realized that the cost of

unplanned shutdowns can range from

hundreds of thousands to millions of

dollars per day, then some idea of the

considerable savings to be made from

comprehensive asset management can

be gauged.

The Role of Ultrasonic Inspection in thePower-Generation Industry

Fig. 1 — The latest ultrasonic scanningequipment, such as the USM Vision,operates in phased array and TOFDmodes and features a menu-directedsetup that allows the operatingsoftware to calulate the ultrasonicparameters for each weld and pipecombination. (Photo courtesy ofFabricom, Brussels, Belgium.)

Recent equipment developments are helping the industry to improveproductivity and meet the challenges of skilled worker shortages

Delannoy Feature IT Spring 2012_Layout 1 3/20/12 10:49 AM Page 15

However, it is not only by

improving in-service inspection that

savings can be made. It is also

important to look at manufacturing

processes to ensure that equipment

quality on installation is sufficient to

meet many years of rigorous service.

Inspection during Manufacture

It goes without saying that any

component, pipe, tube, pressure vessel,

or structure supplied for operation in

power generation should be fit for its

purpose. Base materials are subject to

rigorous quality control, but one of the

major areas of in-production inspection

is weld inspection. Welding is used for

joining components from boiler tubes

to wind turbine towers and each

application presents different

inspection challenges.

Current Inspection Methods

Boiler Tubes

Boiler tubes are welded and, of

course, these welds need to be

inspected. A boiler contains a large

number of tubes, and this necessitates a

large number of inspections. Various

techniques are used to examine boiler

tube welds. For example, butt-joint

welds are inspected right after the

welding station and a 600-MW boiler

typically has about 8500 in-line welds.

This means that around 1,500,000

welds in butt joints are inspected every

year. These have long been inspected

radiographically using a charge-

coupled device (CCD) camera and an

image intensifier, but the current trend

is toward more compact, flat X-ray

detector panels.

Another common weld in boiler

tubes is the cut-out weld where the

tubes are cut and bent and welded to

leave an opening in the tube wall. This

is an operation usually carried out at

the end of the manufacturing stage, and

welds are currently inspected using

radiography, often using wet film.

Other boiler tube welds currently

inspected by radiography include tube-

on-tube headers and girth weld header

assemblies.

General Pipework

Every power-generation plant has

miles of pipework, much of which

carries fluids under pressure. Most of

this is straight pipe, and the

conventional practice calls for use of

radiography to inspect joints in butt

welds.

Wind Turbine Towers

Wind turbine towers are at the

other end of the size scale from boiler

tubes. These fabricated structures must

be welded along their length. Again,

radiography has been used, but this

involves either moving a very heavy

subassembly to a restricted area where

radiography can be safely carried out

or even shutting down the assembly

line to allow the radiographers to do

their work.

The Move to UltrasonicInspection in Manufacturing

Radiography has long been the

inspection technology of choice in the

manufacture of pipes, tubes, and

components for the power-generation

sector, mainly because all standards

and inspection procedures specified

radiography when originally written.


Fig. 2 — This screen shot showsultrasonic, digital radiography,and visual NDE data displayedon the same screen for analysis.The software platform allowsinspection data to be reviewedand shared, reports generated,and results archived for trackingor further analysis.

Delannoy Feature IT Spring 2012_Layout 1 3/20/12 10:36 AM Page 16

However, radiography has some

limitations and restrictions such as

extended film processing times and

disposal of waste chemicals. Radiation

screening is also essential; this can

involve screening online or moving the

item to be inspected to a dedicated

screening area.

Meanwhile, ultrasonics technology

has made significant advances over

recent years with the development of

techniques such as time of flight

diffraction (TOFD) and phased array.

As a result, ultrasonic procedures are

now specified for volumetric weld

inspection and can be applied with

confidence. Unfortunately, ultrasonic

inspection data are generally not as

transparent as radiographic data. Most

radiographs, whether they be wet film

or digital, can be readily understood

even by nonspecialist personnel.

Ultrasonic data need to be

reviewed and analyzed by a qualified

technician. Consequently, this can

cause staffing, availability, and cost

problems in labor-intensive inspections

where a number of inspectors need to

be deployed. Moreover, the problems

are magnified because of a growing

shortage of suitably qualified

ultrasonics inspectors.

A Solution

Recent developments have

provided a solution to problems faced

in the application of ultrasonic

inspection. For example, USM Vision

is an ultrasonic testing (UT) weld

inspection system from GE’s

Inspection Technologies business. Its

intuitive, 100% guided operation

allows lower-level UT technicians to

gather reliable and accurate pipe weld

inspection data from one or more

systems for subsequent or simultaneous

remote assessment by a qualified

ultrasonics expert. This permits

ultrasonic inspection to be used in

situations that previously required

radiography and removes the

constraints associated with

radiography. As a result, it facilitates

the migration of skills from

radiography to UT, reducing the

possibility of bottlenecks, providing

significant increases in productivity,

and improving operational health and

safety, as well as making best use of

the expertise of the limited numbers of

qualified ultrasonics inspection

personnel.

This inspection solution can

operate in phased array and TOFD

mode (Fig. 1) and is supplied with its

operating software and the company’s

Rhythm analysis software (Fig. 2), as

well as the probes and wedges

necessary to suit the selected codes and

pipe ranges. Setup is menu-directed,

allowing the operating software to

calculate the ultrasonic parameters for

each weld and pipe combination and

create an easy-to-follow inspection

plan. The operator can then scan the

weld, with an encoded scanner, using

TOFD or phased array. Inspection data

is transmitted to a review station in the

industry-accepted DICONDE protocol,

allowing advanced analysis tools, such

as real-time, volume-corrected

imaging, to allow easier and more

reliable image interpretation. By using

the software platform, inspection data

can be reviewed and shared, reports

generated, and inspection results

archived for tracking or further

analysis. The latest equipment features

include parallel scanning, linear

scanning, and the ability to incorporate

phased array probes with up to 128

elements. As a result, it offers

increased productivity and greater

functionality and can be used on

thicker pipes, while satisfying a wider

range of inspection codes.

Traceability is an important

parameter allowed by today’s new

technology. This is important in in-

service inspection as well as in

manufacture. The new technology is

also applicable to the wide range of

components manufactured. Special

manipulators, which can be used on

pipes as small as 0.5 in. in diameter,

are ideal for boiler tube inspection.

Larger manipulators assist weld

inspection on large-diameter pipes and

wind turbine towers.

In-Service Inspection

In-service inspection is vitally

important to ensure operating

efficiency and extend service life.

Some inspection is carried out at

regular set intervals, but most

inspection takes place during planned

outages. A wide variety of inspection

equipment can be deployed. For

example, eddy current can be used to

check for boiler tube cracking, and

remote visual inspection can be used to

view the results of corrosion; however,

the most versatile technology is

ultrasonics.


Fig. 3 — Thickness gauges suchas this DMS Go handle

corrosion measuring tasks inpower plants.

Delannoy Feature IT Spring 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:37 PM Page 17

Manual Ultrasonic Inspection

Manual ultrasonic inspection is

extensively used throughout power

plants. Thichness gauges are used for

corrosion measurement — Fig. 3.

Portable phased array flaw detectors

are used for weld inspection in

difficult-to-access areas. Unlike

radiography, manual ultrasonic

inspection needs access from just one

side and, in nuclear plants, it is

unaffected by background radiation.

Portable UT equipment has been used

to size intergranular stress-corrosion

cracking in boiling water reactors

(BWRs) in nuclear plants as well as to

inspect complex geometry feedwater

nozzles in BWRs.

One model of portable UT

equipment, the Phasor XS, is part of an

Electric Research Power Institute

(EPRI) Performance Demonstration

Initiative, which aims to validate test

methods, NDE equipment, and NDE

technicians to specific tasks within a

plant. This initiative is yet another

attempt to work around the current and

growing skills shortage. The equipment

has been shown to improve probability

of detection, reduce operator training

times, and reduce inspection times.

Other inspection systems apply

smart technology to improve

productivity and optimize the use of

qualified inspectors. This is especially

the case in boiler tube removal and

inspection during planned outages. It

has been shown that ultrasonic

inspection using the newest technology

can save up to a week when compared

with conventional radiography. This

offers the asset owner significant

advantages: If the outage period is

fixed, the owner can inspect more

tubes and, in fact, asset owners are

continuously increasing the number of

tubes for which they require

inspections during shutdowns. With the

newest technology, companies can

inspect the same number of tubes but

free up their inspection teams to carry

out other inspection tasks, or,

alternatively, they can reduce the

length of outages and gain more plant

uptime.

Conclusions

Inspection is a necessary activity

in the power-generating sector, whether

that inspection is in manufacture or in

service. Inspection always needs to be

accurate, reliable, and efficient. It

should also be traceable and code-

compliant. As we continue to struggle

with the problem of reduced numbers

of skilled inspectors, it is even more

vital that our inspection technology

gets smarter and more versatile.


LIONEL DELANNOY([email protected]) is power

generation sector leader, GEMeasurement & Controls Inspection

Technologies, France.

Delannoy Feature IT Spring 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:38 PM Page 18

FeatureBy Patrick Jenkins

If you’re involved with magnetic

particle testing, then you’re familiar

with the term “Ketos ring,” but do you

know where the word Ketos comes

from? Ketos® is actually Crucible

Steel’s registered trade name for the

industry-standard, oil-hardening tool

steel (AISI-O1). However, the term

Ketos ring has been used in our

industry so long that it has become

synonymous with the test ring

specimen that we currently use as an

overall system performance indicator

in the magnetic particle inspection

(MPI) process — Fig. 1.

Most people who are familiar with

the MPI process are aware of the

current usage of this ring; however, not

everyone is aware that this ring

actually started life as a gauge intended

to be used for quantifying the

sensitivity of magnetic particles.

William E. Hoke has been credited

with being the first to understand and

describe magnetic particle testing

sometime after World War I. Later,

Alfred V. de Forest reviewed Hoke’s

work and became the first to use high-

current electric fields to develop the

required magnetic fields necessary for

Understanding Test Ring Specimens

Here’s help on knowing what test ring specimens areintended to do and how to use them

Fig. 1 — An example of a Ketos ring. Therings are used in magnetic particle inspectionas an overall system-performance indicator.

Jenkins Feature Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/20/12 10:49 AM Page 19

magnetic particle inspection. He

applied for the patent for this work on

July 5, 1929. Between 1934 and 1935,

de Forest applied for patents covering

the particles used in the MPI process,

and in 1935, C. E. Betz began

improving the particles and pastes used

in the wet method. Soon, a

methodology was needed to be able to

grade the overall sensitivity of the

magnetic particles used in the MPI

process and the Ketos ring — first

known as the Betz ring — was born.

As time moved forward, the ring

moved out of the lab and onto the

production room floor where it was

used as a comparative reference

standard. With this development,

demand for the rings went up. As

demand increased, so did the number

of different ring suppliers.

This is where some of the

problems started: Not all suppliers

produced the rings exactly the same

way, and the results turned out to be

much like having multiple suppliers all

producing micrometers with randomly

oriented numbering on the thimbles.

As you might expect, when used

as a gauge for grading the sensitivity of

magnetic particles, it is highly critical

that all of these rings perform in

exactly the same way, otherwise there

would be no perceived consistency in

the particle performance even if the

particles actually did perform

consistently.

Ring Differences

There continues to be confusion

regarding the differences between the

rings in use today, so let’s start by

discussing exactly what these

differences are.

Both the original Ketos ring and

the AS5282 ring are manufactured

from the same AISI-O1 tool steel. They

are dimensionally equivalent, with the

exception of the optional removal of

the few deepest holes in the AS5282

and ASME versions, as well as the GE

version specified in P3TF48.

The intended heat treatment is the

same for both specimens; however,

SAE AS5282 does go on to further

clarify the details of the heat treatment

methodology in a manner much better

than most of the other previous

documents.

The tool steel that these rings are

made from is generally supplied in the

annealed state (technically, a

normalized state) when it is sold;

otherwise, the end users would not be

able to machine it. It is important to

remember that it is not the steel

producer’s goal to put the steel in a

magnetically homogeneous state, only

to make it easy and uniform for the

customer to machine. This as-supplied

hardness generally runs approximately

91–92 RHB. The goal of the first step

in the heat treat cycle, as specified in

SAE AS 5282 section 3.3, is to put the

steel in a machinable state. The steel

supplier almost always performs this

step prior to shipment of the product; if

it has not been done, the OEM must do

so. The procedure is as follows:

After receipt of the normalized bar

stock from the steel house, the first step

is to saw cut the material into ring

blanks, then all of the other secondary

machining operations are performed on

the ring. After completion of all the

secondary operations, the ring goes

through the final heat treatment

operation, which is intended to put the

ring into a magnetically homogeneous

state. The RHB hardness number

generally does not vary more than

about one point from the time the steel

is delivered from the supplier in the

normalized state, to the final fully

annealed state, postmachining. Other

than dimensional gauging, a hardness

check was the only required NDE test

for the first generation of test rings

(Ketos rings). Since the hardness value

does not change much (generally <1

point), the customer cannot easily

detect if this required final annealing

operation has ever been performed.

This final full-anneal operation is

detailed in SAE AS 5282 section 3.4.

This portion of the required heat

treatment is essentially no different

than it was 60 years ago; the verbiage

has just been clarified a bit in the AS

spec so as to eliminate as much

confusion as possible. The time and

temperature requirements are actually

based off of the steel manufacturer’s

recommendations for this alloy, which

is true for both versions of the rings.

Slight variations in the time and

temperature values can be seen

between Crucible Steel’s

recommendations for annealing and the

listed NDE specs; however, these

differences are no more than what can

be found between the different brands

of O-1 tool steel manufactured. The

requirements listed in the NDE specs

do tend to be a bit more conservative

comparatively.

Specification Differences

The main difference between full

annealing and normalizing is that fully

annealed parts are uniform in softness

(and machinablilty) throughout the


Fig. 2 — Typical plot showing goodmagnetic field leakage. (Note: The twoindications seen on the tail end of this

plot are from a milled pocket thatcontains the name and serial number

and is not relevant.)

Jenkins Feature Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 2:16 PM Page 20

entire part, since the entire part is

exposed to the controlled furnace

cooling. In the case of the normalized

part, depending on the part geometry,

the cooling is nonuniform resulting in

nonuniform material properties across

the part. This may not be desirable if

further machining is desired, since it

makes the machining job somewhat

unpredictable. In such a case, it is

better to do full annealing. (For

additonal information, search for

annealing normalizing at

wiki.answers.com.)

SAE AS-5282 came into existence

as a corrective action to combat the

tremendous variations in the

performance of rings that have been

produced and sold over the past 60 or so

years. Unfortunately, these variations

were further amplified when ASTM

E1444-94a changed the requirement for

the most critical final heat treatment

from a “shall,” to a “may” condition.

Shall was the intended operation to have

been performed on all of these rings, but

some NDE documents continue to use

the words “may” and “should” instead of

“shall.” The next revision, ASTM

E1444-01, actually eliminated the final

heat treat requirement altogether.

Elimination of that step did save the ring

manufacturers money; however, the final

result of this action spoke for itself.

This deviation from the original

intent of the documents could have

been a typographical error in E1444-

94a, which then was copied from

document to document, just like the

words “ANSI 0-I Tool Steel,” instead

of the correct AISI O-1 Tool Steel, but

reviewing the history of changes, it

appears that this was an intended

change at the time, probably because of

the lack of understanding for the reason

behind the final annealing step. (A

detailed discussion of the specifications

can be found at www.magwerks.com/filedrop/documents/test_rings_aws.pdf.)

Why is the question of the

wording important? First of all, the

various prime manufacturers such as

Boeing, GE, and Airbus, have modeled

their own standards after ASTM

E1444, and they have passed-on the

various mistakes from each different

revision of that document. Also, do you

want to be using rings that were

manufactured with a “may” or a

“should,” instead of a “shall” and then

trying to achieve comparative test

results? Furthermore, do you want your

AS/SAE particle supplier grading

particles using a ring that was

manufactured with a may or a should,

instead of a shall?

Prior to the introduction of AS-

5282, there was no “magnetic”

qualification test requirement on any

ring to ensure that it was in fact

produced in a magnetically

homogeneous state. Two of the main

goals of AS5282 were 1) to introduce a

methodology to magnetically qualify

and quantify the test ring, and 2) make

the ring individually traceable to the

plotted results. The shortcomings in

ASTM E1444 were never addressed by

SAE.

In any magnetically homogeneous

material, you should expect to see a

direct relationship between the field

strength and the measurement distance;

in this case, it would be the increasing

distance from the outer periphery to the

holes. The inverse square would result

in air when doubling the distance and,

in any magnetically homogeneous

material, you should expect something

approaching this same relationship. On

a good ring, regardless of the version,

the results should show this type of

relationship when mapped. For

examples of this, see Figs. 2–4.

With a qualified magnetizing

power supply (not a MPI machine) and

proper magnetic data logging

equipment, an individualized field

leakage plot of the ring may be

obtained in order to quantify and

qualify this variable for the finished

ring.


Fig. 3A (top), B (bottom) — Plotsshowing typical failures of magneticfield leakage.

Jenkins Feature Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 2:16 PM Page 21

Using the Rings

People still get confused over the

proper use of the Ketos test ring, so

these next few paragraphs aim to

clarify their use.

These rings are generally

considered a quick and easy “gauge” to

determine the machine’s overall system

condition prior to inspection of parts.

They are to be used as one of the daily

systems tests that are to be logged for

each machine in use. So, you use the

ring to check the system, not the

system to check the ring. “Certifying”

the test ring with a mag machine is

working backward and although this

may seem obvious, it is still done.

As most people are already aware,

either version of the test ring is

intended to be used on machines with a

DC output waveform. That could be

either half-wave direct current

(HWDC) or full-wave direct current

(FWDC), in a single-phase or three-

phase configuration. Any one of these

DC waveforms should give similar, but

not exactly the same, results on the test

ring, assuming the ammeters are

properly scaled and calibrated. Due to

the pulsating nature of the HWDC

waveform, HW generally has a

tendency to show more lines than FW

does at a particular given amperage. It

is also interesting to note that not all

ammeters that claim to be scaled to

properly read HWDC actually are,

which can be another major source of

consternation when using the test ring.

With all of this being said, the

number of lines you get on a qualified

AS5282 ring or Ketos ring should not

be a variable of the ring itself, but

some other combination of the

variables of the entire inspection

system. If you have a good ring and

are having problems developing an

adequate number of lines at a given

amperage, it would indicate some type

of problem within the system that

would need to be corrected prior to

performing any actual inspection work.

However, when problems do come up,

it is always good practice to look at the

ring’s pedigree; any ring without an

individual serialized field plot should

be suspect right away. Make sure you

have a gauge prior to trying to perform

a measurement, without one it simply

cannot be done.

There are many system variables

that can affect how many lines you

might see on the ring, but once you

have a known good standard, you can

then make meaningful tests.


Fig. 4 — A plot of an atypical failure ofmagnetic field leaks. This plot fromNIST RING SN124 is so bad that it

broke the peak counting and identifyingalgorithm in the software.

PATRICK JENKINS([email protected]) is president,

Magwerks Corp., Danville, Ind.

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CAN WE TALK?The Inspection Trends staff encourages an exchange of ideas with you, our readers. If you’d like to ask a question, share an idea or voice

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Jenkins Feature Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/20/12 10:51 AM Page 22

FeatureBy John L. Mendoza

Weld inspectors in the energy

industry face challenges that are

common to those found in other

industries. For example, they will not

always encounter the most ideal work

conditions. Their work will be

performed in inclement weather, in

confined spaces, and at elevations

ranging from deep excavated trenches

to extreme heights.

Further, if the inspector is working

at a power plant that is fired by fossil

fuel, he or she will battle dirty work

conditions involving coal dust and fly

ash. Work environments with elevated

noise levels will be an everyday

occurrence. As you can see, the energy

industry demands inspectors who are

able to perform physically strenuous

activities.

In addition to its hazardous work

conditions, there is another ominous

factor inherit to the energy industry

that presents special challenges to the

weld inspector, and that is the stress an

unplanned outage creates.

It is universally agreed upon that

unplanned outages are a source of

angst to the energy industry. Each hour

that a power plant is not generating

electricity is costly in terms of lost

revenue. Crippled power plants can

even jeopardize public safety. Although

human error may cause an outage,

many are the result of equipment

failure. Some of the most common

causes of outages and lost capacity in

power plants are boiler-related

problems such as boiler tube leaks.

With older power plants becoming the

norm in the United States and

elsewhere, equipment failure such as

this will continue to plague the

industry. Each time a forced outage

occurs, quick and efficient plant

restoration is paramount.

This unpredictable aspect of the

energy industry challenges the weld

inspector on two distinct planes. First,

because plant restoration in the shortest

amount of time is key, the inspector’s

personal planning and project

management skills will be tested.

Second, heavy workloads with fast-

approaching deadlines will challenge

the inspector’s core ethics. Inspectors

who do not fully understand these

assaults on their skills may not be

successful in this industry. Therefore,

thorough preparation, effective time

management, and strong character

development will help inspectors thrive

under the adverse conditions found in

the field of power generation.

Planning and TimeManagement

For inspectors to perform their

duties efficiently, they must be

thoroughly familiar with all the

documents related to welding. These

include the full scope of contract

documents, welder qualifications, and

welding procedure specifications

(WPSs). During the planning stages of

an inspection project, each of these


Advice for Inspectors in the Energy Industry

A seasoned CWI offers tips on the challenges inspectorswho work in the power generation sector face

Mendoza Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:30 PM Page 23

documents plays a significant role in

the time management decisions the

CWI makes.

Of special note, the function that a

WPS plays in the CWI’s preparation

process cannot be overemphasized.

Because each WPS is unique, it is

absolutely essential for the CWI to

fully comprehend the instructions

contained in the document. A CWI who

cannot interpret a WPS is comparable

to a chef who cannot read a recipe.

Going beyond the mere mechanics

of reading a WPS, there is another

singular skill that is characteristic of

successful CWIs in the energy

industry: CWIs who understand the

subtle nuances of the various welding

processes will be better empowered to

make wise time management decisions.

Knowledge of the unique details

associated with welding processes —

such as the time required to perform

each — provides inspectors with a

valuable perspective. Their insight into

this science allows them to plan their

activities so that inspections will be

performed in a timely manner. The

benefit of this knowledge becomes

apparent when CWIs have many welds

to be inspected in a limited amount of

time. An inspector who truly has a

knack for this aspect of welding can

reasonably anticipate the correct time

when his or her services will be

required. In an industry that depends

on quick turnarounds, this skill

definitely contributes to the corporate

bottom line. And, for an experienced

inspector, this ability serves to spare

him or her undue stress and grief. In

this regard, the adage that states that

“former welders make good

inspectors” merits consideration.

Another crucial step in the WPS

that inspectors should take special note

of is the inspection “hold points.” Each

hold point requires the CWI to be

physically present at the site where the

welding is done. Therefore, inspection

hold points are key factors in the

inspector’s overall planning process.

During the planning stages of a

project, CWIs should ask themselves

questions such as the following:

It is obvious that welders waiting

for an inspector who planned poorly is

not a situation that sheds a positive

light on the CWI.

Another factor that a wise

inspector will consider during

the planning stage is the plant’s

unique geographical layout.

While each facility is different,

it is not uncommon for a power

plant to be many square miles in

size.

Now, you may be asking

why this should be of concern to

inspectors. The answer is that

during a forced outage, plant

management often takes the

opportunity to make overdue

repairs on structural and piping

components. These unforeseen

activities are then placed on the

CWI’s list of inspections. Due

to the vast size of some

facilities, CWIs may find

themselves performing

inspections at locations that are miles

apart. Inspectors are then further

challenged to make prudent time-

management decisions as they

incorporate these duties into their

scope of work. For this reason, advance

knowledge of the plant’s geographical

layout will work in an inspector’s

favor.

It has already been noted that

inspectors should be thoroughly

familiar with all the documents related

to welding. In addition to those already

cited, there is one more than deserves

mention.

As a means to identify standard

operating procedures, many facilities

have developed what is referred to as a

quality control (QC) or quality

assurance (QA) manual. At first glance,

this document may seem to have a

peripheral function in the overall

inspection process but, in reality, it

plays a significant role.

Generally, a plant’s QA/QC

manual details the repair processes and

procedures that are unique to that

facility. This reason alone should be

enough motivation to pique an

inspector’s interest. But, there’s more:

This document also identifies

personnel roles and distinct levels of

responsibility within the plant’s

organization. In certain situations, this

information can be of great benefit to

an inspector in the energy industry.


• How many inspection points are

there?

• When are they to be performed?

• What kind of inspection is required?

• What NDE process(es) are required?

• Will NDE personnel be required to

perform their duties before the

inspectors can continue their

inspections?


Let me illustrate this point. During

a forced outage, when plant personnel

are under extreme pressure to bring a

power station back on line, some

individuals take liberties with their

authority. In an effort to expedite

repairs, well-intentioned plant

representatives sometimes take it upon

themselves to assume more authority

than they actually have. As a result —

in the heat of the moment — these

unauthorized personnel may request

actions from others that violate safety

practices and procedures. In the case of

a CWI, he or she may be pressured to

perform tasks that ultimately

compromise the inspection process.

For the inspector’s protection — if

not for his or her peace of mind — it

does not hurt to know the true

hierarchy in each plant’s organization.

This knowledge will enable the

inspector to ask informed questions

when being pressured to perform tasks

that undermine the integrity of the

inspection process.

Ethics

So far, it’s been established that

unpredictable workloads with

seemingly unattainable deadlines are a

way of life for CWIs in the power

industry. Forced outages will continue

to challenge inspectors on their

intellectual and professional skill

levels. As if these were not enough,

these aspects of the industry produce a

secondary assault on inspectors. This

challenge deals with ethics.

Experienced CWIs will attest that

relentless pressures to meet changing

management-dictated deadlines can

present a challenge to their core values.

Among the principles that an AWS

Certified Welding Inspector is bound to

uphold are honesty, integrity, and

responsibility to the public. Wise

inspectors understand that the AWS

Code of Ethics serves to eliminate

professional corruption and ensure

public safety.

However, remaining true to these

principles can be difficult when plant

restoration is of the essence. Even the

most principled inspector can be

tempted to expedite the repair process.

Stressed-out CWIs may be tempted to

perform tasks they are not qualified to

execute. Or they may sign off on

inspection documents that state they

have personally witnessed certain

activities when in reality they have not.

Principled inspectors will never

compromise ethical standards for the

sake of meeting a deadline. It has been

said that character can be defined as

“what you do when no one is looking.”

AWS Certified Welding Inspectors

have a moral and a legal obligation to

stay true to the professional code of

ethics they have agreed to uphold.

Conclusion

Inspectors must accept the

daunting fact that unpredictable

workloads and moving deadlines are a

way of life in the energy industry. New

plant construction in the United States

has been slow during the last couple of

decades, which means that existing —

and aging — power plants will

continue to require extensive

maintenance. For inspectors, this fact

paints a rosy picture for future job

security.

However, to be a serious player in

this environment, CWIs must continue

to sharpen their project management

skills. They must learn to strategically

incorporate the information available to

them in the project documents when

making critical time-management

decisions.

Finally, successful CWIs will

never allow external forces or even

their own personal inclinations to move

them to even consider violating the

Code of Ethics. If inspectors adhere to

these principles, they will not merely

survive but will flourish in the energy

industry.


JOHN L. MENDOZA ([email protected]) is with Lone Star

Welding, San Antonio, Tex. He is a pastpresident of the American Welding Society

and an AWS CWI and CWE. He retiredfollowing 35 years of experience at CPS

Energy, San Antonio, Tex.

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FeatureBy Joseph P. Kane


Last year, the AWS Certification

Subcommittee on Ethics reviewed and

evaluated several interesting

complaints regarding the Code of

Ethics, Rules of Conduct, and Practice

found in AWS QC-1: 2007, Standardfor AWS Certification of WeldingInspectors. These complaints were

filed, then seemingly went nowhere.

There were many reasons for this. In

order to be acted upon, an ethics

violation complaint has to be filed in

writing, and in a certain format that is

found in AWS QC-9, AdministrativeProcedures for Alleged Violations ofAWS Certification Programs. In no

cases are telephoned or oral complaints

accepted. AWS QC9-98 can be

downloaded free of charge from the

AWS Web site at www.aws.org/certification. You’ll find it in the

general forms area of the Certification

Documents section.

Why Wouldn’t Complaints BeActed Upon?

Many complaints do not get acted

on simply because the paperwork was

not properly filled out or signed.

Following are a few other reasons why

a complaint would not be acted upon:

1. There is no evidence filed with

the complaint that establishes or

points to an actual violation of any

article of AWS QC-1, Section 11,

Code of Ethics, Rules of Conduct,

and Practice. “We just didn’t like

him,” “he was too tough,” “he charged

us too much,” or “another inspector

said he was wrong,” does not constitute

a violation of any article of the Code of

Ethics.

2. The alleged offender is not a

CWI, SCWI, or other AWS-certified

person subject to an AWS Code of

Ethics. The offender may falsely claim

to be an AWS-certified person, but in

fact is not, never was, or is no longer

certified. While the offender is often

sent a “cease and desist” letter from the

AWS attorney, the American Welding

Society will usually need more

examples of continued unlawful

practice in order to take the person to

court or refer him/her to a district

attorney for prosecution. The AWS

CWI Certification program is

incorporated by reference in many

legal requirements around the world,

and in those instances has the full legal

weight and authority of that particular

jurisdiction. The AWS is not a

constituted legal body with the power

to enact and enforce laws. The AWS

only has the legal protection afforded

to it by law, as does any other similar

corporation. Because participation in

our program is voluntary, our

enforcement is limited to our internal

administrative rules, procedures, and

sanctions.

AWS cannot apply administrative

sanctions to a person who is not a

participant in our program in some

way. (Remember, as a CWI, you are a

voluntary participant and, as such,

voluntarily make yourself responsible

to the QC-1 rules.) I have heard of at

least two other entities that claim to

award Certified Welding Inspector

certifications, but they are not affiliated

with the American Welding Society,

and do not represent themselves or

their certification as an AWS product.

3. The person who files the

complaint (“Complainant” or

“Complaining Witness”) does not

follow up with more detail or

additional evidence. Sometimes, the

complainant just stops communicating

with the AWS.

4. There may be conflicting

evidence. There may be different facts

in the supporting statements that seem

to contradict the allegation made in the

complaint or that make the complaint

seem to be untrue.

5. The complaint or the evidence

is vague or imprecise.

6. The complaint refers to

mistakes (errors) made by a CWI in

the performance of an inspection.

Making a true mistake, even an

egregious one, is not a violation of the

Code of Ethics.

What Happens When aComplaint Is Properly Filed?

As with most legal and

administrative complaint proceedings,

there must be a “complaint” and

enough “evidence” to show that a

prima facie case exists, after which

Ethics Alert: How to File an Ethics Violation Complaint

These suggestions will help you understand the complaintprocess and what to do when you want to file a complaint or

if you become the subject of a complaint

This article is the second in afour-part series related to the Codeof Ethics found in AWS QC-1: 2007,Standard for AWS Certification of

Welding Inspectors.

Kane Feature Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/20/12 4:30 PM Page 26


proceedings may then commence to

test it and create a ruling. In the AWS,

the complaint is filed in writing by a

“complaining witness” and sent to the

AWS Executive Director for review.

[The AWS Executive Director is the

chief executive officer (compensated

staff member) of the AWS and the

person responsible for the day-to-day

administrative affairs of the Society.]

If the AWS Executive Director

believes there is enough evidence that a

reasonable case of a violation of the

Code of Ethics, Rules of Conduct, and

Practice is presented in the written

complaint, he will send the complaint

and the evidence presented to support

that complaint, to the Certification

Subcommittee on Ethics with a

“written ballot.” The members of the

Certification Subcommittee on Ethics

then review the complaint and

supporting documents. The person who

filed the complaint (the complaining

witness), may be contacted, as may be

the persons mentioned in the complaint

or in the evidence. The members of the

subcommittee then decide whether they

believe one or more of the articles of

AWS QC-1, Code of Ethics, Rules ofConduct, and Practice, has been

violated, and vote whether or not to

recommend that a hearing panel be

convened. There may be comments

submitted with the ballots supporting

the position and rationale of the

particular vote. At this point, the

function of the Certification

Subcommittee on Ethics is complete.

If the Subcommittee decides there

is not reasonable evidence of a

violation, the Executive Director

notifies the complaining witness of the

decision of the Certification

Subcommittee on Ethics that there was

no violation of AWS QC-1, Section 11,

Code of Ethics, Rules of Conduct, andPractice, presented in the complaint.

The Executive Director will also tell

the complaining witness that he or she

has the right to appeal the decision.

The procedure and time limit for the

appeal is found in QC-9. The

complaining witness may see the

shortcomings of the original complaint,

then gather more evidence and refile

the complaint. If he or she does so, the

process may start all over.

The AWS President appoints the

hearing panel. (The AWS President is

the senior uncompensated volunteer

member of the AWS, who in

conjunction with the AWS Board of

Directors’ policies, gives directions to

the AWS Executive Director.) No

member of the AWS Executive Board,

AWS Certification Committee, or

Certification Subcommittee on Ethics

may be a member of the hearing panel.

Another requirement is that at least one

member of the hearing panel has the

same certification as the “Respondent,”

the person against whom the complaint

is filed.

Before the hearing panel convenes,

the AWS Executive Director may

attempt to contact the respondent in an

attempt to “resolve the complaint by

stipulation.” This is something like the

plea bargains you hear about on crime

shows on television or in the movies.

The Executive Director talks to the

respondent and proposes a resolution

(usually a penalty short of complete

revocation and future disbarment). If

the respondent accepts the stipulations,

the Executive Director prepares a

“Stipulation Document” and sends it to

the hearing panel for review and

approval. If the hearing panel approves

the stipulation, the Executive Director

issues a ruling and sends it to the

complaining witness and the

Certification Committee chair. That

“stipulation agreement” becomes the

last word on the complaint.

If there is no stipulation

agreement, the matter proceeds to the

hearing panel, which conducts its

business in accordance with the

provisions of AWS QC-9. The hearing

panel hears the case presented by the

complaining witness, evaluates the

evidence, and “…issues a written

ruling, including its findings and

conclusions (Final Ruling), at the

conclusion of the Hearing or as soon

thereafter as practicable, but in no

event more than 60 days after the date

of the Hearing. The ‘Final Ruling’ shall

find the Respondent guilty or not guilty

of the violation(s) charged and shall

either impose sanctions or dismiss the

Complaint.”

The respondent then has 30 days

to appeal the final ruling to the AWS

Executive Committee. Again, there are

rules and time schedules that are

addressed in AWS QC-9.

At this point, it is important that

the respondent be reminded that he or

she is subject to Paragraph 11.1 of

AWS QC-1 2007, Standard for theCertification of Welding Inspectors,

and as such must be “forthright and

candid to their employer, the regulator

or employer’s customer, and with the

Committee or its representatives, on

matters pertaining to this standard.” It

is not like in the movies, where you

have a “right to remain silent…” This

may seem un-American or

unconstitutional, but remember this is

an administrative process, not a

criminal or civil court process. In the

AWS administrative system, which you

signed up for voluntarily when you

became an AWS CWI, if you are the

“Respondent,” you must truthfully

answer the questions put to you.

Failure to do so is also a violation that

in itself can very well result in loss of

certification and the banning from

future certification.

What Should You Do If YouAre Referred to a HearingPanel as a Respondent?

If you are called as a respondent

before a hearing panel, the following is

AWS QC998, Administrative Proceduresfor Alleged Violations of AWS CertificationPrograms, can be downloaded for free atwww.aws.org/certification.



what I believe you should do. Keep in

mind that this is strictly my personal

opinion.

First, I would always advise the

respondent to hire a lawyer, if he or she

can afford one.

Second, consider the nature and

facts of the complaint and be truthful to

yourself.

Third, give serious consideration

to the offer of “…resolution by

stipulation” (plea bargain offer) if you

think you may be found guilty.

Fourth, consider an appeal if you

go through the hearing panel process

and are sanctioned in the final ruling.

The following is an example from

an ethics violation case from more than

20 years ago: A Certified Associate

Welding Inspector (CAWI) worked in a

government project where a CWI

certification was required. This person

altered his CAWI certificate and stamp,

and worked as if he was a legitimate

CWI. Long after the job was

completed, a government auditor

discovered the fraud, and ethics

violation charges were filed against

him. In the intervening period, the

CAWI had taken and passed the CWI

exam, and was working as a “real”

CWI.

Reportedly, the nature of this

man’s offense had very severe

repercussions on the efforts of AWS

volunteers to get the CWI program

mandated in some types of government

contracts.

The Hearing Panel found him

guilty, and voted to strip him of his

CWI status and ban him from

becoming a CWI again; in other words

the “death sentence.” The man

appealed to the Executive Committee

of the AWS Board of Directors, citing

hardship and his need to support his

family, and the ruling was changed to

allow the man a chance to retest and

become a legitimte CWI again. By

appealing, he dodged the death

sentence.

Another reason to appeal is if you

may actually have committed the

offense, but legitimately believed that

you were not in violation of the Code

of Ethics, Rules of Conduct, and

Practice, or did not intend to be. Now,

this type of appeal should only be

considered if there was something

vague or ambiguous in the conduct that

brought you before the hearing panel in

the first place. Obvious violations, such

as bribes, fraud, or forgeries of reports,

would probably just be insulting to the

Executive Committee members.

JOSEPH P. KANE([email protected]) is with

Pennoni Associates, King of Prussia, Pa.He is an advisor to the AWS Certification

Committee and a member of the Subcommittee on the Code of Ethics, and

chair of the Structural Inspection Subcommittee. He is also an AWS Senior

Certified Welding Inspector.

AWS agreement with ASNT offers ACCP toqualified CWIs & SCWIs.

Do you need visual testing certification which meets the guidelines for Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-1A as required by somesections of the ASME Code? Through this agreement, qualified SCWIs and CWIs can obtain ACCP Level II VT certification without examination.

Enhance your credentials and satisfy work requirements with the addition of an ACCP credential.

To apply and for more details visitwww.asnt.org or call 614.274.6003 or 800.222.2768 US/Canada.

Opportunity Knocks.

Image © Longview Inspection



The Answer IsBy K. Erickson and A. Moore

Q: Is it a generally accepted practice

to have multiple welders complete a

welded joint?

A (from K. Erickson): In some cases,

yes. In fact, in some instances, there

may be no other choice. An example

would be joints that contain some

higher percentages of chrome may

require maintaining a minimum

interpass throughout the welding

process as well as postweld heat

treatment. For these joints, welding

would be performed continually until

completion with a “hands on” change

between welders or welding crews.

Another example would be for

joints that utilize combination welding

processes such as gas tungsten arc

(GTA) and shielded metal arc (SMA)

welding. The GTA welder may

complete the root and hot pass (when

required) and the SMA welder would

then complete the weld out.

It is important for the CWI to

acknowledge that each welder is

certified for the position, method, and

thickness of the weld for which he or

she will be responsible. In addition, the

CWI should document the thickness

portions and location for each welder

who has deposited filler metal because,

as deemed by each company, any

rejectable welds by volumetric

inspection including radiography or

ultrasonic could result in unfavorable

terms regarding continued

employment, etc.

When required, each welder

should also place his or her stamp next

to the weld, which should also

correspond to the welder qualification

report or a company-produced welder

identification matrix.

Q: What does Nadcap apply to?

A (from K. Erickson): Nadcap is the

Performance Review Institute’s brand

name for the industry-managed world-

class program(s) for special processes

relative to the international aerospace

and automotive industries. Companies

can receive a Nadcap accreditation

through audit for processes (i.e., liquid

penetrant testing) and then will meet

potential customer vendor

requirements for bidding potentials and

“approved vendor” qualification status.

Q: How can fillet welds be inspected

or tested?

A (from A. Moore): I have read

somewhere that fillet welds account for

75% of all the welds made. That

number may be high or low, but there

is no doubt fillet welds are very

popular. There are several reasons for

the fillet welds’ popularity. First, there

is little preparation required other than

to clean the surfaces to be welded.

Prior to welding, dross, oxides,

hydrocarbons, and other coatings that

could interfere with depositing a sound

weld must be removed. Second, fillet

welds are “easy” to detail and deposit.

There are several types of

discontinuities associated with fillet

welds. These include both surface

breaking and subsurface

discontinuities. Overlap, undercut,

cracks, slag inclusions, and porosity

are some of the discontinuities that can

be considered surface breaking.

Incomplete fusion at the root,

subsurface porosity, root cracks that

have not propagated to the surface, and

hydrogen-assisted cracks in the early

stages of incubation are just a few of

the discontinuities that may be

subsurface.

Fillet welds can be a challenge to

inspect. They do not lend themselves to

volumetric examination, and other

nondestructive examination (NDE)

methods are largely limited to

discontinuities that are open to the

surface.

Let us review the four NDE

methods that, in addition to visual

testing (VT), are commonly used to

examine welds. These are penetrant

testing (PT), magnetic particle testing

(MT), ultrasonic testing (UT), and

radiographic testing (RT).

Radiographic testing. RT requires

access to both sides of the joint. One

side is known as the film side, and the

other the source side. The radiographic

film or the detector (in the case of

digital radiography) must be placed on

the side opposite the source of ionizing

radiation. The film or the detector

measures the amount of ionizing

radiation passing through the test piece.

Defects oriented parallel to the beam of

ionizing radiation are more easily

detected than those oriented

perpendicular to the beam. To produce

an indication with the least geometric

unsharpness (fuzziness), the film must

be in direct contact with the test piece.

Digital radiography has the advantage

that it can be manipulated by

computations to produce sharp images

with good contrast; however, the cost is

much greater. Radiographic testing can

be used effectively to verify the weld is

not compromised by excessive root

openings or to verify unauthorized

“backing,” i.e., slugging, has not been


The Society is not responsible for any statements made or opinion expressed herein. Data andinformation developed by the authors are for specific informational purposes only and are notintended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the part of potential users.

The Answer Is Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/20/12 10:40 AM Page 29

used to close excessive root openings.

Ultrasonic testing. UT only

requires access to one surface,

providing an advantage over RT. Better

results can be obtained if the weld is

examined from more than one surface.

The typical pulse echo UT technique is

a fine tool for examining complete-

joint-penetration groove welds and

T-joints; however, it is not the best test

method for examining the fillet welds

typically found in structural

applications. Ultrasonic testing may be

useful when examining very large fillet

welds for which some information is

better than none at all. Like RT, the

orientation and nature of the

discontinuity will influence the

probability of detection.

Magnetic particle testing. MT is

limited to the detection of surface and

near-surface discontinuities in

ferromagnetic base metals that are

oriented nearly perpendicular to the

lines of magnetic flux. Two separate

magnetic particle tests, each producing

a magnetic field nearly perpendicular

to the previous test, are required. This

technique provides the greatest

probability of detecting crack-like

discontinuities that are considered to be

the most detrimental.

Penetrant testing. PT is most

appropriate for testing nonferrous

metals when surface-breaking

discontinuities are a concern. Penetrant

test results can be misleading if there is

water, oil, grease, paint, or other

contaminants in the discontinuity or

“sealing” the opening of the

discontinuity. Power brushing,

scrubbing with solvents, etc., may not

be sufficient to remove contaminants

from the discontinuities. The

penetrating fluid must be drawn into

the discontinuity by capillary action in

order for the penetrant to detect the

discontinuity.

One of the most perplexing defects

to detect is incomplete fusion at the

root of the fillet weld. Earlier editions

of AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code— Steel, included several sketches

depicting acceptable and unacceptable

fillet weld profiles. The current edition,

D1.1/D1.1M:2010, does not include

those sketches, but incomplete fusion

to the root is still a defect in other

welding standards. It is largely

subsurface, so VT, MT, and PT are not

viable test methods unless the inspector

is able to grind the ends of the fillets to

“see” the root condition. Ultrasonics

and radiography are poor candidates to

detect the defect because the geometry

of the T-joint and corner joint are not

easily examined with either method.

By its very nature, the separation

(joint root) between the two members

joined by a fillet weld is an inherent

discontinuity of the fillet weld. Like

incomplete fusion at the root of the

fillet weld, the joint root is subsurface

once the joint is welded and difficult to

assess with VT, MT, or PT. If

intermittent fillet welds are used, or if

the joint is only welded on one side,

the inspector can see the root condition

to verify the proper fitup was

maintained. Radiography or ultrasonic

testing may be used if the conditions

are favorable to either test method, but

such cases are exceptions rather than

the norm. Even under ideal conditions,

RT and UT may yield questionable

results.

The best inspection method for

assessing the quality of a fillet weld is

visual examination. However, the

visual examination must be an on-

going process that complies with the

mantra of “before, during, and after

welding.” The visual appearance of the

completed fillet welds means little if

the following occurs:

• The wrong base metals or filler metal

is used.

• The size of the root opening was not

checked before the first weld bead

was deposited.

• The welder has not demonstrated the

skills necessary to deposit a fillet

weld that has fusion to the root.

• The proper welding procedure

specification (WPS) was not used.

Properly executed, ongoing visual

examination programs supplemented

by MT or PT are good methods for

ensuring the fillet welds meet the

designer’s expectations and the

welding standards. Ferrous metals

susceptible to hydrogen-assisted

cracking, also known as delayed cold

cracks or underbead cracking, can be

supplemented by either MT or PT to

detect cracks in the early stages of

incubation when they are too small to

be easily detected by VT alone. Still, to

be detected by VT, MT, or PT, the

small cracks must break the surface of

the base metal. Volumetric

examinations will not easily

discriminate this type of crack in the

early stages of development.

If you want to know more, here

are some suggests for further reading:

1. Welding Technology Institute of

Australia. May 31, 2006. A guide for

the welding, assessment and inspection

of fillet and tee butt welds. TGN-RT-

5/, www.wtia.com.au/pdf/TGN-RT-05%20%20Guide%20to%20Fillet%20Welding.pdf.

2. Hayes, Robert. 1997. ABC’s of

nondestructive testing. WeldingJournal, May 1997 www.ndt.net/article/0698/hayes/hayes.htm#author.

3. Miller, Duane. Ensuring WeldQuality in Structural Applications.James F. Lincoln Foundation,

www.jflf.org/pdfs/papers/quality.pdf.4. Bosworth, Brad. July 2010. Visual

‘after the fact’ welding inspection.

Inspection Trends, American Welding

Society, Miami, Fla. www.aws.org/itrends/ 2010/07/IT_July_2010/index.html#/24/.


Inspection Trends encouragesquestion and answer submissions. Pleasemail to the editor ([email protected]).

KENNETH ERICKSONis manager of quality at National Inspection& Consultants, Inc., Ft. Myers, Fla. He is

an AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector,an ASNT National NDT Level III Inspectorin four methods, and provides expert wit-

ness review and analysis for legal considerations.

ALBERT J. MOORE JR.is vice president, Marion Testing &

Inspection, Canton, Conn. He is an AWSSenior Certified Welding Inspector and anASNT ACCP NDT Level III. He is also a

member of the AWS CertificationCommittee and the Committee onMethods of Inspection of Welds.

The Answer Is Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:04 PM Page 30


Mark Your CalendarWorld Conference on Quality and Improvement. May

21–23, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif. Contact

American Society for Quality (ASQ), (800) 248-1946 or

www.asq.org.

65th Annual Assembly of the International Institute of

Welding. July 8–13, Hyatt Regency Hotel Denver and

Colorado Convention Center. Sponsored by the American

Welding Society, Edison Welding Institute, and Welding

Research Council. Visit www.iiw2012.com.

Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive

Evaluation (QNDE). July 15–20, Hyatt Regency Tech

Center, Denver, Colo. Contact [email protected] or

www.qndeprograms.org.

ASNT Digital Imaging XV Conference. July 16–18,

Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Conn. Contact American

Society for Nondestructive Testing, (800) 222-2768 or

www.asnt.org.

ASNT Fall Conference and Quality Testing Show. Oct.

29–Nov. 2, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Fla.

Contact American Society for Nondestructive Testing, (800)

222-2768 or www.asnt.org.

20th National Quality Education Conference. Nov. 11, 12,

Hyatt Regency Louisville, Louisville, Ky. Contact American

Society for Quality (ASQ), (800) 248-1946 or www.asq.org.

FABTECH 2012. Nov. 12–14, Las Vegas Convention Center,

Las Vegas, Nev. Sponsored by the Amerian Welding Society,

Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and Fabricators &

Manufacturers Association, Int’l. Visit www.fabtechexpo.com.

Educational Opportunities

NDE Classes. Moraine Valley Community College, Palos

Hills, Ill., offers NDE classes in PT, MT, UT, RT, Radiation

Safety, and Eddy Current, as well as API 510 exam prep and

weld inspection. For more information, contact (708) 974-

5735; [email protected]; morainevalley.edu/NDE.

CWI Prep Course and AWS CWI Seminar and Exam.

The Prep Courses prepares candidates for the AWS Certified

Welding Inspector (CWI) seminar and examination. Offered

July 16–20 and October 15–19. The CWI seminar covers

how to reference AWS codes, examine welds, and prepare for

the CWI exam on that following Saturday (proctored by

AWS). Offered July 22–28 and October 21–27. Contact

Lincoln Electric’s Welding School at (216) 383-8325 or visit

www.lincolnelectric.com.

EPRI NDE Training Seminars. EPRI offers NDE technical

skills training in visual examination, ultrasonic examination,

ASME Section XI, UT operator training, etc. Contact Sherryl

Stogner, (704) 547-6174, e-mail: [email protected].

Nondestructive Examination Courses. For course

schedules and locations, contact Hellier, www.hellierndt.com,

call toll-free (888) 282-3887.

NDE Training Courses. GE Inspection Technologies offers

training on topics such as eddy current, digital radiography,

and remote visual inspection. For the complete schedule,

contact (866) 243-2638; [email protected];www.ge.com/inspectiontechnologies.

Positive Material Identification Seminars. Topics covered

will include basics of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis,

APRI RP 578, and recommended PMI procedures. For more

information or to register, contact Thermo Fisher Scientific,

Inc., at www.niton.com/News-and-Events.

Preparatory and Visual Weld Inspection Courses. One-

and two-week courses presented in Pascagoula, Miss.,

Houston, Tex., and Houma and Sulphur, La. Contact Real

Educational Services, Inc., (800) 489-2890;

[email protected].

CWI/CWE Course and Exam. A ten-day program presented

in Troy, Ohio. Contact Hobart Institute of Welding Technology

(800) 332-9448; www.welding.org; [email protected].

T.E.S.T. NDT, Inc., Courses. CWI preparation, NDE

courses, including ultrasonic thickness testing and advanced

phased array. On-site training available. T.E.S.T. NDT, Inc.,

193 Viking Ave., Brea, CA 92821; (714) 255-1500; FAX

(714) 255-1580; [email protected]; www.testndt.com.

NDE Training. NDE training at the company’s St. Louis-area

facility or on-site. Level III services available. For a schedule

of upcoming courses, contact Quality Testing Services, Inc.,

2305 Millpark Dr., Maryland Heights, MO 63043; (888) 770-

0103; [email protected]; www.qualitytesting.net.

CWI/CWE Prep Course and Exam and NDT Inspector

Training Courses. An AWS Accredited Testing Facility.

Courses held year-round in Allentown, Pa., and at customers’

facilities. Contact: Welder Training & Testing Institute (WTTI).

Call (800) 223-9884, [email protected], or visit www.wtti.edu.

Welding Inspection, INTEG, Welding Health and Safety,

and Welding Supervisor Courses. Contact the Canadian

Welding Bureau for schedule at (800) 844-6790, or visit

www.cwbgroup.org.

Mark Your Calendar IT pring 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:43 PM Page 31


Certification ScheduleCertified Welding Inspector (CWI)LOCATION SEMINAR DATES EXAM DATE

Baltimore, MD May 6–11 May 12Detroit, MI May 6–11 May 12Albuquerque, NM May 6–11 May 12Corpus Christi, TX May 6–11 May 12Miami, FL May 6–11 May 12Miami, FL Exam only May 19Long Beach, CA Exam only May 26Spokane, WA June 3–8 June 9Oklahoma City, OK June 3–8 June 9Birmingham, AL June 3–8 June 9Hartford, CT June 10–15 June 16Pittsburgh, PA June 10–15 June 16Beaumont, TX June 10–15 June 16Corpus Christi, TX Exam only July 7New Orleans, LA July 8–13 July 14Phoenix, AZ July 8–13 July 14Memphis, TN July 8–13 July 14Miami, FL July 8–13 July 14Orlando, FL July 15–20 July 21Milwaukee, WI July 15–20 July 21Los Angeles, CA July 15–20 July 21Sacramento, CA July 15–20 July 21Louisville, KY July 15–20 July 21Kansas City, MO July 22–27 July 28Cleveland, OH July 22–27 July 28Denver, CO July 29–Aug. 3 Aug. 4Philadelphia, PA July 29–Aug. 3 Aug. 4San Diego, CA Aug. 5–10 Aug. 11Chicago, IL Aug. 5–10 Aug. 11Miami, FL Aug. 5–10 Aug. 11Baton Rouge, LA Aug. 5–10 Aug. 11Bakersfield, CA Aug. 12–17 Aug. 18Charlotte, NC Aug. 12–17 Aug. 18Rochester, NY Exam only Aug. 18San Antonio, TX Aug. 12–17 Aug. 18Miami, FL Exam only Aug. 18Portland, ME Aug. 19–24 Aug. 25Minneapolis, MN Aug. 19–24 Aug. 25Salt Lake City, UT Aug. 19–24 Aug. 25Pittsburgh, PA Aug. 19–24 Aug. 25Seattle, WA Aug. 19–24 Aug. 25Corpus Christi, TX Exam only Sept. 8Houston, TX Sept. 9–14 Sept. 15St. Louis, MO Sept. 9–14 Sept. 15New Orleans, LA Sept. 9–14 Sept. 15Miami, FL Sept. 9–14 Sept. 15Anchorage, AK Exam only Sept. 22

Advanced Visual Inspection WorkshopLOCATION SEMINAR DATES EXAM DATE

Miami, FL May 17-18 May 19Miami, FL Aug. 16-17 Aug. 18

International CWI Courses and Exams SchedulesPlease visit www.aws.org/certification/inter_contact.html.

9–Year Recertification Seminar for CWI/SCWI

For current CWIs and SCWIs needing to meet education require-ments without taking the exam. The exam can be taken at any sitelisted under Certified Welding Inspector.

LOCATION SEMINAR DATES EXAM DATE

Miami, FL Apr. 16–21 No examSacramento, CA Apr. 30–May 5 No examPittsburgh, PA June 4–9 No examSan Diego, CA July 9–14 No examMiami, FL July 16–21 No examOrlando, FL Aug. 20–25 No examDenver, CO Sept. 10–15 No exam

Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS)LOCATION SEMINAR DATES EXAM DATE

New Orleans, LA Apr. 16–20 Apr. 21Minneapolis, MN July 16–20 July 21Miami, FL Sept. 10–14 Sept. 15CWS exams are also given at all CWI exam sites.

Certified Radiographic Interpreter (CRI)LOCATION SEMINAR DATES EXAM DATE

Houston, TX Apr. 16–20 Apr. 21Las Vegas, NV May 7–11 May 12Miami, FL June 4–8 June 9Dallas, TX July 16–20 July 21Chicago, IL Sept. 10–14 Sept. 15Pittsburgh, PA Oct. 15–19 Oct. 20The CRI certification can be a stand-alone credential or can exemptyou from your next 9-Year Recertification.

Certified Welding Sales Representative (CWSR)CWSR exams will be given at CWI exam sites.

Certified Welding Educator (CWE)Seminar and exam are given at all sites listed under Certified Weld-ing Inspector. Seminar attendees will not attend the Code Clinic por-tion of the seminar (usually the first two days).

Certified Robotic Arc Welding (CRAW)WEEKS OF, FOLLOWED BY LOCATION AND PHONE NUMBER

May 11, Aug. 10, Nov. 9 atABB, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI; (248) 391–8421

May 21, Aug. 20, Dec. 3 atGenesis-Systems Group, Davenport, IA; (563) 445-5688

Oct. 22, Oct. 26 at Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, OH; (216) 383-8542

Apr. 23, July 9, Oct. 15 atOTC Daihen, Inc., Tipp City, OH; (937) 667-0800

May 7, July 9, Sept. 10, Nov. 5 atWolf Robotics, Fort Collins, CO; (970) 225-7736

On request at: MATC, Milwaukee, WI; (414) 297-6996

Certified Welding Engineer (CWEng) and Senior CertifiedWelding Inspector (SCWI)Exams can be taken at any site listed under Certified Welding Inspector. No preparatory seminar is offered.

IMPORTANT: This schedule is subject to change without notice. Applications are to be received at least six weeks prior to the seminar/exam

or exam. Applications received after that time will be assessed a $250 Fast Track fee. Please verify application deadline dates by visiting our

Web site www.aws.org/certification/docs/schedules.html. Verify your event dates with the Certification Dept. to confirm your course status

before making travel plans. For information on AWS seminars and certification programs, visit www.aws.org/certification or call (800/305)

443-9353, ext. 273, for Certification; or ext. 455 for Seminars. Apply early to avoid paying the $250 Fast Track fee.

Certification Schedule Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:29 PM Page 32

Just the FactsBy Lyndsey Deckard

I was recently asked to participate

in an investigation of wholesale failure

of castings supplied by a foreign

foundry. These castings were to be

welded to other larger castings in the

production process. The controlling

specification required a maximum

Carbon Equivalent (CE) of 0.42. The

CE of the materials, as stated by the

foundry, indicated all to be within the

acceptable range. Our independent

analysis of the steels involved proved

the steels to be much higher. The steels

were above the maximum allowable

CE by as much as 26%. The concern in

this case was the weldability of the

materials being joined and the resultant

hardness of the weld and heat-affected

zone (HAZ). The hardness of the weld

and HAZ, combined with the stresses

caused by the heat from the welding,

have a tendency to result in hydrogen-

induced cracking (HIC) either within

the weld or under the bead.

The AWS Welding Handbook,

Volume 4, ninth edition, explains the

importance of CE and the method by

which it is determined by the American

Welding Society. While there is more

than one formula used to determine

CE, the one accepted and used by AWS

is shown in the following quote from

the Welding Handbook.

Carbon Equivalent. The heat ofwelding, thermal cutting, and brazingcauses changes in the microstructureand mechanical properties in a regionof the heated steel that is referred to asthe heat-affected zone (HAZ). Thewidth of this region and themicrostructure(s) it contains depend onthe composition and priormicrostructure of the steel, the peaktemperature reached, and the rates ofheating and cooling. This heating-cooling thermal cycle may result in theformation of martensite in the weldmetal or HAZ, or both. The amount ofmartensite formed and the resulting

hardness of these areas depend on thecarbon and alloy content, the length oftime at elevated temperatures, and thesubsequent cooling rate through acritical temperature range. This rangeis usually considered to be 800°C to500°C (1470°F to 930°F), and thecooling rate through the HAZ is oftenstated in terms of the length of timewithin the range, designated Δt8–5.

The overall alloy content of a typeof steel determines its hardenability(the minimum cooling rate necessary toproduce martensite). However, carboncontent alone determines the maximumattainable hardness of any martensitethat does form. Figure 1.7 shows thisrelationship for steels that are 50% and100% martensite after quenching. Highhardness levels increase susceptibilityto hydrogen cracking in the weld orHAZ, thus the degree of hardening isan important consideration inassessing the weldability of a carbonor low-alloy steel. The weldability of

steels, particularly resistance tohydrogen cracking, generallydecreases with increasing carbon ormartensite in the weld metal or HAZ,or both.

Although carbon is the mostsignificant alloying element affectingweldability of steels, the effects of otherelements can be estimated by equatingthem to an equivalent amount ofcarbon. Thus, the effect of total alloycontent can be expressed in terms of acarbon equivalent (CE). An empiricalformula that may be used for judgingthe risk of underbead cracking incarbon steels is the following:

Figure 1.8 shows the generalrelationship between carbon steel

CE CMn Si Cr Mo V Ni Cu

= ++( )

++ +( )

++( )

6 5 15


Weldability

Fig. 1.7 — Relationship between carbon content and maximum hardness of steelswith microstructures of 50% and 100% martensite.

Just the Facts Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:06 PM Page 33

composition (the carbon equivalent)and hardness, underbead crackingsensitivity, or weldability based on theslow-bend capacity of notched weld-bead test bars. Generally, steels withlow CE values (e.g., 0.2 to 0.3) haveexcellent weldability; however, thesusceptibility to underbead crackingfrom hydrogen increases when the CEexceeds 0.40. A steel with only 0.20%C and 1.60% Mn will have a CE of0.60, indicating relatively highsensitivity to cracking.


Fig. 1.8 — Relationship between composition and underbead hardness, cracksensitivity, and notched-weld-bead bend angle for 25-mm- (1-in.-) thick C-Mnsteel plate welded with E6010 covered electrodes.

LYNDSEY DECKARD ([email protected]) is quality manager of the Vehicle Division of

Parsons Brinckerhoff Transit & Rail Systems, Inc. He is an AWS Senior

Certified Welding Inspector, an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor, and a member

of the AWS Certification Committee, Examination Question Bank

Subcommittee, and Ethics Subcommittee.

Just the Facts Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:06 PM Page 34

Technology Notes


Interpretations: D1.6, Structural Welding Code — Stainless Steel

Subject: Torque test for threaded studs below

50°F

Code Edition: D1.6:2007

Code Provision: 7.7.1.4

AWS Log: D1.6-07-I05

Inquiry: Is the requirement of AWSD1.6/D1.6M:2007 subclause 7.7.1.4 fortorque testing of threaded studs related or re-stricted to temperatures below 50°F?

Response: No.

Subject: Torque test for threaded studs in

preproduction


Code Provisions: Figure 7.4, Tables 7.3 and

7.4, and clause 7.7.1.4


Inquiry: Is it intended in AWS D1.6:2007that preproduction testing of threaded studsin 7.7.1.4 be performed by a torque test to val-ues in Tables 7.3 or 7.4 instead of torqued todestruction?

Response: Yes.

Subject: Torque test for threaded studs and

welding operator


Code Provisions: 7.7.1.4 and 7.7.4


Inquiry: Is it intended in AWS D1.6:2007that the torque test for preproduction testingof threaded studs in subclause 7.7.1.4 also beused for operator qualification in subclause7.7.4?

Response: Yes.

Two Official InterpretationsD15.1/D15.1M:2007

Railroad Welding Specification for Cars and Locomotives

Subject: Weld position

Provisions: Subclause 10.1.6.5, p. 75; and

Table 10.4, p. 85.

Inquiry: Within the context of AWS

D15.1/D15.1M:2007, what impact does sub-

clause 10.1.6.5 have on Table 10.4 – Proce-

dure Qualification Type and Position Limita-

tions?

Response: Clarification of clause

10.1.6.5 vs. Table 10.4: As stated in the first

sentence of subclause 10.1.6, it pertains only

to the Charpy impact tests when notch tough-

ness is a factor. It does not supersede the re-

quired tests for positions as delineated in the

other clauses. The next (5th) edition of AWS

D15.1/D15.1M will change many of these re-

quirements and tabularize.

Subject: Class 1 welds

Provision: Subclause 5.4.1.4, p. 5

Inquiry: Within the context of AWS

D15.1/D15.1M:2007, where and what is the

proper definition of a Class 1 weld?

Response: A Class 1 weld is defined as a

structural weld requiring the most stringent

level of inspection. The determination of a

Class 1 weld is the responsibility of the de-

signer and shall be noted on the manufactur-

ing drawings. D15.1 provides the acceptance

criteria only. Reference Table 17.1 in AWS

D15.1/D15.1M:2007.

Errata D14.3D14.3/D14.3M:2010

Specification for Welding Earthmoving,Construction, and Agricultural

Equipment

The following errata have been identifiedand will be incorporated into the next reprint-ing of this document.

Pages 2, 3. Format change. Indent“groove welds,” “fillet welds,” and “plugand slot welds.”

Page 7, 7.1.1. Incorrect reference.Change reference from “7.2.1” to “7.1.3”.

Page 8, 7.1.3. Incorrect reference.Change reference from “7.1.3” to “7.1.2”.

Page 13, 7.5.2(1). Incorrect reference.“Steels listed in Table 2 or defined in Table3…” should read “Steels listed in Table 4 ordefined in Table 5...”

Page 19, 7.5.8. Add 7.5.8.2 and 7.5.8.3after 7.5.8.1 as follows:

“7.5.8.2 The following requirements areessential when using the gas metal arcprocess for solid and metal cored wires forprequalified procedures that are exempt fromqualification testing:

(1) The maximum electrode diametershall be 1⁄16 in. [1.6 mm].

(2) The maximum size fillet weld made inone pass shall be 3⁄8 in. [10 mm] for the flatposition and 5⁄16 in. [8 mm] for the horizontalposition.

(3) The thickness of weld layers, exceptthe root, shall not exceed 1⁄4 in. [6 mm]. Amultiple-pass split-layer technique shall beused when the root opening of a groove weldis greater than 3⁄8 in. [10 mm]. The split-layertechnique shall also be used in making allmultiple-pass welds (fillet or groove) whenthe width of the preceding layer exceeds 1⁄2 in.[13 mm].

7.5.8.3 The following requirements areessential when using the flux cored arcprocess for prequalified procedures that areexempt from qualification testing:

(1) The maximum electrode diametershall be 7⁄64 in. [2.8 mm].

(2) The maximum size of a fillet weldmade in one pass shall be 1⁄2 in. [13 mm] forthe flat position and 5⁄16 in. [8 mm] for the hor-izontal position.

(3) The thickness of weld layers, exceptthe root, shall not exceed 1⁄4 in. [6 mm]. Amultiple-pass split-layer technique shall beused when the root opening of a groove weldis greater than 3⁄8 in. [10 mm]. The split-layertechnique shall also be used in making allmultiple-pass welds when the width of thepreceding layer exceeds 5⁄8 in. [16 mm].”

Errata D17.2AWS D17.2/D17.2M:2007

Specification for Resistance Welding forAerospace Applications

The following erratum, in addition to pre-

viously announced corrections (see

www.aws.org), has been identified and will

be incorporated into the next reprint.

Page 2—Terms and Definitions, Foil.

Correct “[0.02 mm]” to “[0.2 mm]”

Interpretations D1.1Structural Welding Code — Steel

Subject: Welder qualification acceptance

under other codes


Code Provision: 4.21


Inquiry 1: Is the intent of AWS D1.1,

Clause 4.21, to prohibit use of a WPS quali-

fied to other codes when qualifying welders

to D1.1, Clause 4, Part C?

Response: No.

Inquiry 2: Is it permissible to use a WPS

qualified to a code other than AWS D1.1, for

example (ASME Section IX), to qualify

welder performance in accordance with D1.1

as long as all of the requirements of Clause 4

Part C are applied?

Response: Yes.

Technology Notes Spring IT 2012_Layout 1 3/19/12 1:30 PM Page 35

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APR 2012 it classified index_Layout 1 3/20/12 9:32 AM Page 36

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Welding Fundamentals

AWS’s American Welding Online is introducing a self-paced online seminar designed to provide technical knowledge and insight to non-welders who work in the welding and fabricating industry.

Welding Fundamentals is an approximately 15-hour course that can be taken at your own speed and convenience. The course provides a fundamental overview of welding, focusing on the most widely used welding processes. Fundamental instruction is presented on welding theory, equipment, safety, weld design, metallurgy, welding inspection, and quality control.

Professional Development Hours and a certificate of completion will be provided upon completion.

For more information, visit American Welding Online at

awo.aws.org

New online course

education (awo)_FP_TEMP 3/19/12 10:20 AM Page C4