40 Important Interview Questions You Should Ask Your Welder Candidates

Consider those welder interview questions to proceed the interview as seamlessly and effectively.

Other useful interview questions for those who are concerned about:
20 Interview Questions You Should Ask Your Welding Engineering Candidates

You are seeking for competent welders for the company? You are wondering how to ask the candidates so that you can see well how skilled they are and what are their attributes? If so, you have better to make strategic preparation for the questions to ask. They should be designed in ways that you can get what information you want from candidates,  avoid long-winded interviews and save your time and efforts, and your candidate’s .

Specified below are 40 welder interview questions that you can refer and apply flexibly to different skill levels you are looking for.

1. Can you work well under pressure?

2. Whose accountability is safety?

3. Can you please tell me about a time you disagreed with one decision made at work?

4. Can you please tell me about a challenge/ conflict you confronted at work, and how you handled it?

5. What is the most recent skill you have learned from previous jobs?

6. Why did you leave the last job?

7. What are your career goals as a welder? How do you plan to attain those goals?

8. Why do you want this position?

9. What do you about my company?

10. Why should I hire you?

11. What is your dream job?

12. What other enterprises are you interviewing with?

13. What have you done to enhance your welder knowledge last year?

14. How do you practise safety on the job?

15. Have you ever take action when seeing an unsafe act?

16. What is your biggest strength, and how does it help as a welder?

17. Can you describe in detail some of your welding work?

18. Do you get any technical experience (ex. working with computers or ipads)?

20. Metal won’t stay together after welding, why?

21. Do arc welders have to warm up?

22. Why does sometimes welding rod stick to metal?

23. Do you like building things, working with your hands?

24. Are you proud of your work and able to address high standards?

25. What is the thickest level of shielding metal you have used when arc welding?

26. What was your greatest achievement as a welder?

27. What was your biggest disappointment as a welder?

28. What do you consider functions of welding? What tasks would implement each of those functions?

29. How to do each welding function/ welding task?

30. How to measure each welding function/ welding task?

31. How to control each welding function/ welding task?

32. What are key welding tasks?

33. What are top 3 skills/ knowledge for welding?

34. What is appropriate procedure of cleaning the base metal?

35. How do I deal with high-frequency interference issues?

36. What are cause and solution to arc rectification?

37. How do I prevent tungsten from being contaminated or discoloured?

38. What causes unstable arc? How can I fix it?

39. What causes porosity of the TIG weld bead? How can I prevent it?

40. Should I employ a water-cooled or an air-cooled torch?

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6 Sure-Fire Ways of Motivating Your Unskilled Welders

Lack of skilled welders can hurt welding business. One of effective solutions is to motivate and better unskilled welders so that they can, in a long run, become the backbone of the operation. 

You may also want to have a look at:

How to Retain Your Experienced Welders

Developing Effective Welding Workforce: Learn from a Successful Model

Amid skill shortages, you find it hard to look out the experienced and skilled workers. You are truly in need of workforce, that is why you take the plunge to hire the novice welders with enthusiasm and eagerness to learning skills. Whatever they are already motivated to learning and working or not, you should put fire in their heart and mind so that they can accomplish their training and do greatly their jobs. Below gives in-sights into how to uplift unskilled welders, and how to motivate welders to continue developing their skills. Hope they help out a lot!

What are considered skilled and unskilled welders?

Skilled welders seize how to read blueprints and comply with particular technical directions. They also grasp physical and chemical characteristics of different metals, how about their bonding in heat and their properties when cooling. Some skilled welders can use computer controlled welding machines, or even robotics.

Meanwhile unskilled welders understand welding essentials. They know how to fuse metals, but have a limited understanding of the science behind this process. Unskilled and semi-skilled welders are hired in many fields, commonly in an environment in need of the repetitively same weld. Unskilled welders often work in construction sites, manufacturing facilities and shipyards.

How to motivate skilled welders

You can set their hearts on fire with factors of responsibility, personal growth, career advancement, appraisal and recognition, work-life balance, targets being achieved, safety needs, bonuses and other fringe benefits. Once they are satisfied with those factors, they will be utterly motivated.

How to motivate unskilled welders

Skilled welders seek responsibility, are more self-directive, expect safety working environment and work advancement. They look for self-actualization, esteems, love and belonging. Meanwhile, unskilled welders tend to be content about:

1. Pay

Whatever welders are skilled or unskilled welders, a large majority would prefer a workplace with secure pay. With sustainable wages, welders will be more satisfied with their work and do a lot for the company. Simply, they often weld for money. They have to care about cost of living, fend for themselves and family. The reasonable pay will, of course, push them up with their hard work.

The pay often varies by level of skills though, you have better to pay your unskilled welders above the minimum wage. While the minimum wage just allows those welders to handle their minimum expenses, those paid higher can afford more and have more peace of mind striving for work productivity, skill-up and a worthy pay rise. Specially, the unskilled welders that show good work attitude and improved work performance deserve such a pay.

Another way is to investigate other companies’ pays in the same industry and the company size, and consider a competitive pay. 

2. Essential physiological/ survival needs 

As per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the unskilled will be satisfied with physiological or survival needs aside from safety needs. This applies to welding workforce, too. The unskilled welders are often content if their basic needs are meet – for example, water, food.

3. Safety needs

Safety needs should be addressed; also, create a working environment in which they are comfortable.

4. Work-life balance

They are human; that’s why they need make friends and socialize. You can require their diligence, targets met and minimized defects. At the same time, facilitate their socialization. For example, sometimes hold a party with involvement of your employees to cement their relationship and refresh them after tedious work time. Overtime is necessary. Just about every workshop takes overtime hours. Whether it’s voluntary to work overtime or not, unskilled welders often choose to work more normal working hours for added earnings besides keeping their work. Commonly, they are afraid that the employer thinks them as being idle without accepting overtime work or the like, and ends up firing them.

5. Workforce benefits and privileges

Ensure basic benefits for the unskilled

Such benefits as health insurance, holidays should be ensured. A working environment with good benefit offer will sure motivate unskilled welders. They would be truly appreciated and move on with their hard work.

6. Quality of supervision

Quality of supervision contributes to unskilled welder's motivation

As they are unskilled, they need good supervision for their work quality guarantee. That way will avoid redoing welds and their being reprimanded and even losing the job. To say nothing about the fact that a close supervision will help them with skill improvement and, accordingly, better pay.

All in all, unskilled welders would be satisfied and motivated at work if hygiene factors are ensured at workplace. Those are, company policies, quality of supervision, personal life, relations with others, rate of pay, job security and working conditions. Make sure you address those factors, and your workforce motivation will work out a lot.

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Repair by welding: 5 Crucial Questions Management Should Ask Beforehand

To ensure successful welding repair at the first attempt, management should have those key questions answered.

Very often, components crucial to plant operations are repaired by welding. That said, at times, those repairs fail to work, or even much worsened. To avoid repeated uh-oh welding repairs, plant supervisors should ask those in charge of repairing those key questions. Rather, those questions are raised to make certain whether the repair can be successfully done right the first time.

Question 1: 

If the component was produced by welding, it can be repaired by welding. Still, possibly, the heat treat is applied after welding to gain the required properties; or special techniques, welding electrodes or processes were applied in the original construction.

So supervisors should know which the material is prior to welding it. To do so, just examine construction drawings, consult the maintenance handbook, contact the manufacturer, or find for a SAE, AISI, ASTM, or other material specifications that define the material on the part. Collect any other information about how the part was fabricated. As the last choice, you can cut the part’s small wedge and have it examined in a laboratory.

Geared up with this information, you can contact a reliable resource like a welding engineering consultant or welding consumables manufacturer for guidance. Pass ahead of your regular welding supply salespersons unless you know they they have a technically competent consultant. At a minimum, follow what said below:

• The proper welding process(es) to be used

• Welding filler metals or electrodes to be used

• Requirements of pre-heating and post-weld heat treatment

• Such special requirements as heat input control, peening. The requirements are unique to the material and may enhance its weldability

• When appropriate, a way to get rid of defects, and a requirement to confirm that they have been removed prior to welding.

• Such in-process inspection points as verification that appropriate materials are being employed, the fit-up and tack welding are correct, the root pass is good, the welder cleaned and contoured properly the weld beads between passes.

• Final inspections and non-destructive examination (ex. ultrasonic or X-ray) where appropriate.

Question 2:

Is the material safe? Once your staff has realized how to weld the component, ensure that it is safe to weld on the component and the environment is safe.

Parts that may have included combustible materials need thoroughly cleaning and venting. Any connections that may provide combustible gas or liquid for the component in process should be disconnected where possible. Take special preventive measures when dust can arrive at explosive concentrations. Clearly, if a welder has to come in a confined space to repair the component, whether the air in that space is suitable should be verified, and the proper confined space entry practices must be conform to.

To-be-welded parts should be clean and free of oil, rust, grease, moisture, paint and any other contaminants. 

The welding environment should have nothing related to combustible materials. Commonly, any combustibles within 35 feet in which the repair to be made should be removed or covered with fire resistant fabric for ignition prevention. 

Question 3: 

Are there any jurisdictional rules or codes that have to be complied with? 

Formal welding procedures are often a must in AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code – Steel when welding on structures or building, and in the ASME B31 Code for Pressure Piping or the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code when welding on such pressure parts as pumps, piping, vessels or boilers. 

When formal welding procedures are not required, get guidance from the filler metal or welding electrode manufacturer, and make it a concise form  for the welder in charge of repair work to obey.

That formal welding procedures are required also means that formal qualifications of the welder is required. Probably, the welding worker with a previous history of attempted welding in your facilitty with the filler metal type and welding process to be used for repair work is sufficiently skilled.

For welders with unknown skill, or if the materials bring up a new experience, the successful welder for the repair work can show off the skill at minimum cost to you. Namely, he will fillet weld together 2 plates of a material just the same as that to be repaired, to create a ‘T’. 

The welder welds in the shown location.  The portions named as ‘discard’ are saw cut-off. The remaining portion is bent for the weld root to be put in tension. The weld is good if the plate bends on itself. If the weld fractures, the fracture surface is inspected for excessive defects.

Question 4: 

Is it necessary for preheating or post-weld heat treatment. Suggested practices from welding consumables suppliers should refer to preheating regarding the base metal to be welded. For such typical structural steels as A-500, A-36, preheating the parts above ambient isn’t often required, given that low hydrogen processes like GMAW, GTAW, or low hydrogen electrodes like E8018 or E7018 are employed.

When welding those materials and the component thickness surpasses ¾ inch, it is good practice to preheat steel to 200°F. Such other materials as 4130 and same low-alloy steels employed for gears and shafts normally need preheating, and you should follow the recommendations from the welding consumable manufacturer. Post-weld heat treatment is required for some materials to restore toughness and ductility, so capable technical assistance plays a more important role when the materials being welded become more sophisticated.

Question 5: 

Are you fixed this before? When something requires multiple repairs, it’s time to make a failure analysis. This may be as simple as having a capable engineer look at what is going on and define the root cause, or as cloudy as examining the fracture surfaces in the scanning electron microscope and carrying out other metallurgical tests and examinations.

(The said advice is given by Walter J. Sperko, President of Sperko Engineering (Greensboro, N.C).)

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Top 13 Things to Teach Your Novice Welders (Part 2)

Learning to weld is not easy. Just like a solider, one needs steadfast spirit, patience to learn. It also takes practice and firm foundation of knowledge. Following are 13 important things that companies can consider to teach their novice welders. Ensure they grasp those things for skilling up, gaining confidence needed to increase proficiency, and staying safe in the process.

See also:

Top 13 Things to Teach Your Novice Welders (Part 1)

7. Know material properties

Different materials have different chemical and mechanical properties. One of key components of training is to help new welders see the difference between materials, specifically how they respond to heating and cooling. For instance, austenitic stainless steel carries heat at about half the rate of mild steel though, it, when being welded, has much higher rate of thermal expansion. Not all, it comes with more localized heat affected zone(HAZ), which can induce buckling as the weld cools. Welders with awareness of those properties can take such precautions as clamping for distortion prevention. 

Likewise, many materials ask for pre and post weld heat treatments for the cooling rate control and cracking prevention. When welders familiarize themselves with such material attributes, they are better ready to make needed adjustments during welding process.

8. Inspect the welds with visualization

Visually inspect welds

The first step of quality control is to know how to make an accurate visual inspection of the completed weld. This is also the quickest and least costly method of inspection. Novice welders should learn how to define weld defects – for example, porosity, lack of penetration, excessive penetration, undercutting, weld cracks. Early identification of defects will help prevent time and cost poured into other testing methods, including non-destructive testing or x-ray inspections. 

9. Learn troubleshooting skills

One of key skills new welders should learn is the ability to define and rectify welding problems quickly. Downtime reduction, weld quality and productivity are associated with troubleshooting skills. Such skills also can help lower rework related costs. 

Novice welders can be benefited from learning to properly adjust the gas flow rate and/ or define gas leaks for solving instances of porosity. They should also know to adjust voltage and amperage settings if they face such issues as excessive conductivity, lacking penetration, undercutting. Defining welding problems related to worn consumables is also significant as poor conductivity can lead to an unstable arc and various weld defects.

10. Be familiar with maintenance

Each and every part of the welding system, from electric source to GTAW torch or GMAW gun and consumables, requires maintenance to keep its efficient and effective operation. New welders should familiarize with appropriate maintenance procedures, preferably the preventive ones, to be active in the continuing upkeep of the whole welding system.

11. Get the sense of proper travel speed

The most typical challenge facing welding instructors is training their students the right travel speed. It is difficult to know how slow or fast to move so as to generate the best possible weld. As the experienced, you may know how it feels for a proper travel speed though, it may be hard to tell someone how to do it.

Arc travel speed faults

Still, you can conquer this challenge by first letting your students watch you weld some practice beads. Newcomers can imitate you when you weld for getting the sense of how quick they need move. 

12. Know how to see the puddle

Teach your students about stick welding since it is easier to see the puddle. Yet, if you do start with Mig, you will need spend some time helping the new welders find out the right angle and positioning to see the puddle. When moving their heads to the side so as to see the puddle, beginners often move off the welding joint.

13. Know how to weld straight

Beginners needn’t learn how to weld uphill or in various positions. It may be the best just to start with a flat piece of metal that you draw 2 lines on and weld down the mid of it. Straight stringers are considered the best way to go with novice welders who need more focus on travel speed than the torch weaving or whipping when they work.

Teaching a new welder doesn’t just mean showing him/ her how to set the electric source or hold the torch or gun at the right angle. The best training approach is to integrate good habits which will keep welders safe and comfy, and equip them with the knowledge and tips to handle everything from materials to maintenance. Of course, the required time to shift a novice welder to the skilled will take long. Yet, the long term benefits are worth it.

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Top 13 Things to Teach Your Novice Welders (Part 1)

Learning to weld is not easy. Just like a solider, one needs steadfast spirit, patience to learn. It also takes practice and firm foundation of knowledge. Following are 13 important things that companies can consider to teach their novice welders. Ensure they grasp those things for skilling up, gaining confidence needed to increase proficiency, and staying safe in the process.

See also:
Top 13 Things to Teach Your Novice Welders (Part 2)

 1. Put safety first

Teach welders to wear proper personal protective equipment

Importantly, welders keep themselves safe from electricity and heat generated from the welding process. As beautiful-like-firework as it is, the arc does harm to both eyes and skin. That’s why welders need wear appropriate personal protective equipment at all times. Those items include safety glasses, a welding helmet, flame-resistant gloves, a long sleeved welding jacket. Steel toed shoes and flame resistant clothing are also recommended. 

Aside from PPE, welders importantly employ enough local exhaust, ventilation at the arc, or use both to maintain the gases and fumes below Threshold Limit Value (TLV)/ Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)/ Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) in the general area and their breathing zone. 

Train novice welders to keep their heads out of fumes. 

Plus, explain to novice welders about how important it is for reading and comprehending the manufacturer’s equipment instructions, the workplace’s safety practices, safety instructions on the label, material safety data sheet for filler metals being employed. Overall, remind new welding workers of all needed precautions for their own and others protection.

From time to time, check for standing on a dry rubber mat (indoors) or a dry board (outdoors), and ground connections. That way also can mitigate the possibility of electric shock, further protecting welders.

 2. Properly install consumables

One important factor in attaining good weld quality is good conductivity (also, the ability for the electric current to run along the welding circuit). At all times, new welders should install their consumables like nozzles, diffusers, contact tips, etc. aligned with the manufacturer’s recommendation, ensuring each component is tightened securely. For instance, in the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) operation, with the secure connection between the GMAW gun neck and diffuser, shielding gas leaks would be prevented. Not all, such secure connections will give out the surface area necessary to carry the electric current through the GMAW gun and create a stable arc. They also help limit weld defects, help with consistent productivity and lower the risk of overheating related premature consumable failure.

3. Cleanliness is significant

Teach welders about proper cleaning procedure for particular base material being welded

It is definitely important to clean the base material before welding, and as necessary between weld passes. Oil, grease, dirt and other debris can enter the weld pool, inducing contamination. That will lead to bad weld quality and expensive rework. New welders need be taught as to the appropriate cleaning procedure for the specific base material being welded. 

In some cases, it is sufficient to wipe the base material using a dry, clean cloth. Still, more precautions need be taken when welding on aluminium, for instance. The welder will need use the stainless steel wire brush specified for aluminium to wipe out the joint prior to welding. That way will get rid of dirt and any oxide still residing on the aluminium's surface.

No matter what material, it is critical to properly instruct welders about cleaning before welding starts.

4. Always abide by welding procedures

Follow weld procedures

Like a recipe that makes a meal, welding procedures are needed to make consistent welds. Not just new welders but the experienced need grasp the importance of those procedures and always follow them.

The procedures for a certain application have been meticulously decided and qualified by the experts to guarantee that the recommended parameters can give out the desired results. 

Weld procedures cover such details as suggested gas flow rate, shielding gas mixture, voltage and current ranges. Those procedures also give information on type and diamter of filler metal to apply, and the appropriate wire feed speed in case of GMAW or flux cored arc welding (FCAW) application. 

5. Seize the importance of filler metal

Filler metals are consider a specially important but sometimes confusing component of welding system. It will be good for new welders if they familiarize themselves with attributes of different types of wires, inclusive of flux cored and metal cored wires, along with respective welding techniques. For example, those welding workers should learn whether their specific filler metal asks for a ‘push’ or ‘pull’ technique. Going by such old adages as “If there is slag, you drag” may help; it shows that flux cored wires that produce slag should be handled using the ‘pull’ technique. Also, new welders should form the habit of consulting the manufacturer’s spec sheet for more operating recommendations.

Also, learning to properly handle and store filler metals is important for new welders. They should put on clean gloves whenever handling the filler metals, and if they are in charge of storing them, they should do so in the clean and dry environment.

6. Keep comfortable

Staying cool and comfortable during welding process can help welders with lessened injuries and repetitive movement and reduced overall fatigue. If possible, they should learn to minimize their total strength moves or constant motion. Plus, the welders should employ a GTAW torch or GMAW gun with a comfy handle and cable style because those factors both make up the equipment’s manoeuvrability and weight.

Plus, new welders should be motivated to involve in raising efficiency of their welding workspace. Commonly, the more engaged a welder is in offering input about the work, the more satisfied he/ she will be. Also, such engagement can help guarantee better safety compliance and reduced welders’ compensation cost for injuries.

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19 Important Skills for Welding Occupation (Part 2)

With those skills, welders can be confident with their job achievement and employability!

Welding is a hard work; it requires the following skills to perfect the end products, accomplishing the job and earning handsome pays as a result. The employers will figure they are having a talent among their hires when they find out those skills that welder obtains:

11. Knowledge of Welding Tools and Equipment: An experienced welder with various welding tools and equipment will know how to use the tool most effectively for quickly having the job done in a safe fashion.

12. Manual Dexterity:  A great welder is always proud of their amazing manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination for performing complicated physical tasks required of a welding career.

13. Comprehensive Knowledge of Different Welding Techniques:  A great welder would work to show you what a comprehensive knowledge of various techniques they have accumulated – for example, metal art, flux core arc, oxy fuel, and gas tungsten arc welding.

14. Writing: As an all-around welder, he should be good at writing reports or invoices from employers about his tasks completed, materials used, hours worked and how much to cost customers; writing safety guidelines to describe how to operate company equipment properly; to name some.

15. Reading: Good reading skills allow welders to grasp company policies, procedures like time-off request, understand codes and specifications for well leading up to welding projects. They also can read equipment and safety manuals that demonstrate safe operation procedures; read and follow specific welding procedures that governing bodies develop.

16. Document use: An ability of document use facilitates examining lines and colors of pipes at workplace to decide their contents – for instance, the type of gas they contain. Welders also use checklists to learn, follow appropriate work procedures, safety guidelines. Document use will help them with comparing color coding on metals to the color code chart for identifying its grade and alloy. Not all, they would review notes on the blueprints from the engineering department about materials, procedures; understand diagrams, tables on the blueprints for determining engineering requirements.

17. Computer use: The computer use skill helps out operating plasma cutting machines, orbital welders and other computer controlled equipment.

18.  Eye for the arc: This is the skill of bead placement, torch/electrode angles, and the ‘tricks of the trade’ that is needed to make an x-ray quality weld in any arc welding process.

19. Positive attitude and work ethic: As reported by many employers, ‘can-do’ attitude is becoming rare in the workforce those days. Some workers fail to learn the work ethic towards becoming a skilled welder. That way may result in a negative attitude about welding. Necessarily, positive working ethic and attitude are addressed early in the training centers because it is simply as important as the welding skills.

To add it up, welding is not as simple as thought. To earn a buck, the welders should ensure they grasp those skills, both technical and behavioral. Not few welders have complained about their pays. They have heard of this job’s very attractive wages, but it turns out to otherwise when they are working as a welder. This may be reasoned that they are not addressing some key skills among above listed, or pursuit an easy-to-do weld type occupation. After all, with the zeal for welding, hard work, commitment, and persistent improvement, they sure enjoy happy ending with this occupation. 

Also have a look at other important skills for welding occupation:

19 Important Skills for Welding Occupation (Part 1)

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19 Important Skills for Welding Occupation (Part 1)

With those skills, welders can be confident with their job achievement and employability!

Welding is a hard work; it requires the following skills to perfect the end products, accomplishing the job and earning handsome pays as a result. The employers will figure they are having a talent among their hires when they find out those skills that welder obtains:

1. Ability to Read Blueprints: What makes a great welder is the ability to quickly and easily read blueprints and grasp how the information presented is associated with a project.

2. Awareness of Safety Standards:  A great welder has a good grip of safety standards in the industry for protecting themselves and others.

3. Concentration: A successful welder definitely is immersed into their job. Rather, they pay full attention to a project in a long period of time. They are able to be wholeheartedly dedicated to their work, and make sure all aspects are correctly completed.

4. Problem-solving: Just like other workers in the skilled trades, welders are required to be great problem solvers who care for details. They have to discover flaws with designs and materials, deal with broken areas, and know how to repair worn part or/ and equipment.

5. Math and science: Similarly to plumbers and other tradespersons, welders persistently apply their knowledge of basic science and math while working. They would estimate costs, make calculations, decide which metals to use with what chemicals and/ or fuels, track their own hours, etc.

6. Interpersonal: Welders usually spend lots of time on their own though, they often have to interact with employers, clients, other tradespeople. In construction, the welders, from time to time, work with other welders and tradespersons to guarantee projects are finished seamlessly.

7. Customer Service Skills: They can cater to clients’ needs and work effectively with other staff.

8. Detail Orientation:  A great welding worker will be very detail oriented. They are meticulous and thorough in the work.

9. Good Eyesight: While a historian need a photographic memory, an actor will shine out with exceptional acting skills and good looking face, a great welder with sharp vision will be able to see very complicated details in the work area.

10. Metallurgical Knowledge:  A great welder is simply familiar with different type of metals, their properties and how to work with them.

Find more of important welding skills here:

19 Important Skills for Welding Occupation (Part 2)

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How to Train Welders about Quality Welds

Welders act as the first line defense against any defect, then it is important to involve them in proper training on how to ensure quality welds.

Though there is an official title of quality control welding inspector, he shouldn’t be the only one that worries about weld quality. Welders should share the responsibility for ensuring quality welds.  Each person take his/ her own accountability in the welding operation – those are, design, materials, processes, compliance. If there occurs any weakness in any of those functions, welders are often pointed at for a bad weld. They are really under such tremendous pressure. And good welders would learn to become inspectors who check their own creations. That means added responsibility but more guarantee of successful welding operation. Welders are the ones with the best read on their welds’ quality as they watch these welds being produced. Once the welders understand how it is critical for them to inspect and evaluate the weld quality and ensure it, they will have more peace of mind of the weld accept possibility and have a job with reduced stress. Management must supply welders with accurate drawing, a copy of updated welding code, customer approved specification along with training required to seize instructions about the expected type of weld.

Specifically,…

1. Clear instructions to welders include the company’s commitment to the customer. The welder’s products are expected to be aligned with the designer’s intent and expectations of the customer. Those topics are just essential for the welder to create quality welds. Welders are none other than the first line defense against weld defects.

2. A quality weld is defined as the one that satisfies the designer’s intent. What is problematic in the production area is that the history of extraordinarily perfect weld quality or accepting  less-than-code quality welds sometimes influences the current welds and causes issues about what is required. Importantly, every weld addresses the code/ drawing requirements and doesn’t go beyond the weld size or fail to reach the required quality. Still, by deciding to always offer only minimum sized welds which just meet the code, welds might be rejected by other inspectors in next manufacturing processes or as warranty problems arise.

3. Welder performance certification should be a must before any welding worker starts work on the production parts. From the first day of employment, every welder is required to show proficiency and ability to weld as required for the particular assignment.

4. Welding procedure specifications (WPSs) contribute a great deal to effectively managed and arranged welding operations. WPSs help smooth communication among all persons connected with the welding operations as related to what is expected for a weld. Those specifications include procedural documentation regarding the design of weld joint, base material kind and grade, welding process, consumables and equipment, essential variable ranges – ex. volts, travel speed, amperes. All the departments (i.e. design, purchasing, operation, quality) engaged in welding need access and understand WPSs. They all are required to know what to expect in the finished welds. To grasp tight this welding knowledge is the essence of success.

5. To shed light on the importance of welding, management should ensure welding workers do the following listed:

• Understand the most current revision of print and welding symbols.
• Seize the code, specification, essential variables, acceptance criteria.
• Know what is the correct time of welding inspections or QC inspection hold points.
• Always keep the working place safe, aired out, well lighted and properly clean.
• Wear protective clothing, ensure hold, lenses are in good repair.
• Put on clean and neat clothes, safety boot. Dress just like a professional welder.
• Watch out the equipment condition and operation. Prepare extra cups, tips, liners, etc.
• Wear prescription safety glasses, or welding helmet magnifying lenses when welding.
• Make hand tools – ex. pliers, wire-cutters, screwdrivers, etc. readily available.
• Keep sufficient consumables accessible and stored safely.
• Know typical weld joint designs.
• Keep parts at the working station and be provided by assigned material handlers.
• Keep the filler metal, consumables like gas, backing, inserts, etc. available.
• Keep an eye on essential variables in WPSs (volts, amperes, travel speed).
• Know the preheat and post-heat treatment requirements and employ a temp stick.
• Apply the preferred technique – weave or string the weld for the product consistency.
• Know welding code requirements and planned non-destructive testing.
• Include a set of fillet weld gauges, measuring tape, metal ruler, mechanical devices for measuring correct root openings and weld sizes.

6. Encourage welders to utilize in-plant made visual samples that help remember what acceptable welds and rejected welds look. Make a proper wall fixed board to, for all time, keep those reminders available for effortless reference to all the welders. The welder also must bear in mind that as the first and foremost inspector of welds, they should make the accept/ reject decision whilst the hood is down and the arc is on. It is just the welder that can, indeed, see the puddle of the crucial root pass and figure the defect in the mist of the root weld pass or whilst the puddle is molten.

7. Visual inspection should happen throughout welding. Talented welders with high responsibility, pride in expertise will do their utmost to smooth the whole welding operation without minute defects and make inspectors of final welds less sweating. The non-destructive testing tools help welders with well-timed weld inspection along the process. Apart from visual inspection criteria, a welder can conduct liquid penetrant inspection, or magnetic particle tests on welds during the process or when welds are finished, before the official QC inspection. Welders without successful efforts of personal inspections can drain their company’s finances.

8. Accountability by all the weld team members would improve weld quality. Every involver from designer, purchasing, operation to quality need let the welding supervisor know their contact number to give timely responses to welding issues on the shop-floor as shortly, day, night or weekends. Bear in mind that in-process welding is the real time operation that awaits no one.

Also, the inspectors of final welds, after their checks, should find specific countermeasures to problem detected, and help welders take lessons and avoid the same defect(s) later on.

9. Individual welders must keep work ethic and always tell the truth. If they need new tools, get them. If they have problems with vision, get portable lights, or glasses. If there cannot access the weld, then stop to change the design or create a subassembly. Nobody can inspect ‘quality’ into a welded part. The term ‘quality’ is relative, meaning compliance with the code and the designer’s intent.

Above are helpful pieces of advice by Dr. Grantham, a Forensic Welding Expert. Throughout his life, he worked as welder, welding supervisor, welding engineer, and welding inspector in various industries. What he has shared is from his experiences and precious lessons drawn along the way.

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