The Welding Inspector Certification Training
Welding is a field with numerous code requirements and quality control specifications. Welding inspectors make sure that all welds are inspected and tested to comply with these engineering requirements. To do this, welders need to be trained and certified in inspection and testing techniques. A certification exam to test skills and knowledge is often required for employment. Payscale.com states that experienced certified welding inspectors earn between $20 and $35 per hour.
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Employment as a Certified Welding Inspector
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Certified welding inspectors are required for technical industries where high-quality welds are crucial for safety. Aerospace, nuclear technologies, water technologies, close tolerance manufacturing and the oil and gas industries all require ongoing inspection and testing of welds used to fabricate products and maintain equipment. Certification assures that proper techniques and procedures are followed.
Prerequisites
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Though it is not required to be a high school graduate or have completed GED requirements, this academic level will make it easier to quickly complete the required coursework. Those who do not have this level of academic achievement can still take courses and become certified, but 4 years of work experience in welding will be required for those with an 8th grade education and 6 years for those with less than an 8th grade education.
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Where to Get Training
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The American Welding Society is the premier organization for the welding industry. It offers courses and seminars that lead to certification and employment as an Associate Welding Inspector and Senior Welding Inspector. The Hobart Institute of Welding Technology in Troy, Ohio, in conjunction with the American Welding Society, also offers training that leads to certification as a welding inspector. SGS, an inspection, verification and certification company that trains personnel around the world, also offers certification training and examination.
Coursework for Certification
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Inspection training that leads to certification includes inspection codes, visual inspection, metal joining and cutting processes, documents governing welding inspection, weld and metal discontinuities, welding metallurgy, nondestructive and destructive testing. Courses are approximately 80 percent lecture and discussion and 20 percent laboratory demonstration.
Certification Exam
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Coursework and seminars are designed to prepare applicants to complete the welding inspection certification exam. Photo ID is required at the time of sign-in on the day of the exam. Exam questions are multiple choice and the test runs 6 hours long. Two hours are devoted to the fundamentals, approximately 150 questions. The second part is practical application testing of 46 questions. The third section of the exam is an open-book test with 46 questions on code requirements. Certification is good for 9 years, after which you must be recertified. You must score at least 72 percent on all three sections of the exam. If you fail to achieve this, you will be required to go through a minimum of 40 more hours of training before you can take the test again.
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References
- Photo Credit welding image by Kaarel from Fotolia.com
