1.0 VISUAL INSPECTION AND TYPICAL DUTIES OF WELDING INSPECTORS 1.4 GENERAL Welding Inspectors are employed to assist with the quality control (ec) activities that are necessary to ensure that welded items will meat specified Taquirements and be fit for their application. For employers to have confidence in thelr work, Welding Inspectors need to have the ability to understand/interpret the various QC procedures and also have sound knowledge of welding technology. Visual inspection is ona of the Non-Destructive Examination disciplines and for ‘some applications may be the only form of NDE. For more demanding service conditions, vieual inspection ie usually followed by ‘one or more of the other NDT techniques - surface crack detection and volumetric inspection of butt welds. Application Standarde/Cades usually specify (or refer to other standards) the acceptance criteria for weld Inspection and may be very epacific about the particular techniques to ba used for surface crack detection and volumatric inapaction, thay do ot ueually give any guidance about basic requirements for viaual inspection. Guidance and basic requirements for vieuat inspection are given by: BS EN 970 (Non-destructive Examination of Fusion Welds - Vieval Examination) 1.2 BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION (to BS EN 979) BS EN 970 provides the following: J faquiraments for welding inspection personne! 2 recommendations about conditions suitable for visual examination © the use of gauges/inspection aids that may be needad/helpful for inspection @ guidance about when inspection may be required during the stages of fabrication 2 guidance about information that may nesd to be included in the Inspection Tacords,A summary of each of these topics is given in the folowing sub-sections. 1.3 WELDING INSPECTION PERSONNEL Bofore starting work on a particular contract, BS 970 states that Welding Inspectors should: a be familiar with retevant standards ‘, rules and specifications for the fabrication work that Is to be undertaken =. {* standards may be National or Client) 2 be informed about the welding procedure(s) to be used 2 Rave good vision — in accordance with EN 473 & should be checked evary 12 ‘months BS EN 970 does not give make any recommendation about a formel Qualification for vieual inspection of welds, However, it has become industry practice for inspectors to have practical experience of welding inspection together with @ recognised qualification in Welding Inspection — such as a CSWIP Qualification. 1.4 CONDITIONS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION IHumination . BS EN 970 states that the minimum illumination shail be 350 lux but recommends 4 minimum of 500 lux*. * norma! shop or office jighting Access ‘Access to the surface, for direct inspection, should enable the eye:- a to be within 600mm of the surface being inspected @ tobe in a position to give a viewing angle of not eas than 30° 600mm (max.' 30° (min.}1.5 AIDS TO VISUAL INSPECTION Where access is restricted for direct visual inspection, the use of a mirrored boroscope, or @ fibre optic viewing system, are options that may be used - usually by agreement between the contracting parties. it may also be neceseary to provide auxilary fighting to give suitable contrast and relief effect batween surfaca imperfections and the background. Other items of equipment that may be appropriate, to faciltate visual examination, are: co Welding gauges. for ghecking bevel angles and watt prof, Met sci, messuriag underok depth) 2 dedicated weld-gap gauges and linear misalignment (high-low) gauges o ‘straight edges and measuring tapes © magnifying tene (df magnification lens usad to aid visual examination it should be X2 to X5) BS 970 hes schamatics of a range of welding gauges together with details of what they can be used for and the precision of the meacurements that can be made. 1.6 STAGES WHEN INSPECTION MAY BE REQUIRED BS EN 970 stetes that examination ia normally performed on welds in the as: walded condition. This means that visual inspection of the finished weld is. a minimum requirement. However, 8S EN 870 goes on to say that the extent of examination, and the stages when some inspection activity ls required, should be specified by the Application Standard or by agreement between Cliant and fabricator. For fabricated items that must have high ‘integrity, auch sa pressure vessels and piping or farge structures inepection activity wil uaually be required throughout the fabrication procass, namely: 2 before welding 2 during welding. a after welding Inspection ‘activities’ at each of these stages of fabrication can be considered to be the ‘duties of the welding Inspector’ and typical inspection checks that may be required are described in the following section.1.7 TYPICAL DUTIES OF A WELDING INSPECTOR The’ relevant standards, rules and specifications that a Welding Inspector should be ferntiar with at the start of a new contract are all the documents he will need to refer to during the fabrication sequence in order to make judgements about particular details, Typical documents that may need to be referred to are: 2 the Application Standavd (or Code) flor visual soveptance criteria - see noie below") @ quality pians or inspection check lists (lor the type & extent of mspection) 0 drawir (for assembiyMt-up details and dimensional requiraments) 9 QC procedures (Company QC/QA Procedures such as those for— document control, materia! handing, electrode storage and issue, WPSs etc) Note: Athough most of the requirements for the fabricated item should be specied by Netianel Standards, Ciant Standards or various OG Procedures, some features avo not say to define precisely and the requirement may be given as 1p o00d workmanship standard’ Sxemplos OF requirements that are diffeul fo define precisely are some shape folerincas, surface damage or he amount of weld spatter, ‘Good workmanship’ is the standard that a competent worker should be able to achieve without aifficuity when using the correct foots in @ particutar working envionment. in practice te application ofthe fabricated tom wil be ths main factor that inusncoe what fs Judged to be good workmanship as wel as the sianderd that @ pariculer fabricator has ‘became used to satisly particular Chent ‘Reference’ samples are spmotimes needed fo give guidance about the acceptance standart ‘for details such 98 waid surface finish & foe blend, weld root profile and finish required for welds that need lo be dressed - by grinding or finishing. ‘A Welding Inepector should also ensure that any inspection aids that will be needed are: a in good condition © calibrated - aa aporopriaiefas specified by QC Procedures fSafety ‘consclousnass' is a duty of all employees and a Welding inspector shoutd: a be aware of all safely regulations for the workplace a enaure that safety equipment that will be needed is available and in suitable condition Duties Before Welding Check Material WPs's Welding Equipment Weld Preparations Welder Qualifications Welding Consumables Joint Fit-ups Weld Faces Preheat (if required) ‘Duties During Welding Cheek Stemfiald Weldirig Welding Process Prehaat (if required) Inter-pass Temp. Action is In accordance with drawing WPS: is identified & can be traced to a test certificate is In suitable condition (free from damage & contamination} have been approved and are svailable to welders (& inspectors) ip in suitable condition and calibrated as appropriate ara in accordanca with WPS {and/or drawings) {dentification of welders qualified for each WPS to be used all welder qualification certificates ara valid (in-date') those to be used are as spacified by the WPSs ara being stored/controlled as specified by the'QC Procedure are in accordance with WPS / Drawings tack welds are to good workmanship standard & to CodeWPS are free from defects, contamination and damage min. temperature is In accordance with WPS: Action ‘ensure weather conditions are sultable/comply with Code (conattions will not affact welding) is in accordance with WPS min. temp. ig being maintained in accordance with WPS t max, temp. is in accordance with WPSWelding Consumables Welding Parameters Root Run Gouging (Grinding inter-run Cleaning Welder Duties After Welding Check ‘Weld Identification Weld Appearanca Dimensional Survey Drawings NoT Repairs PWHT (frequired) Preasura/Load Test required) Documentation Records are in accordance with WPS & being conrolled as | Procedure current, volts, travel speed, ara in accordance with WPS Is visually acceptable to Code (before filling the joint) (for single sided welds) is by an spproved mathod & fo good workmanship standard is to good workmanship standard is on the approval regiateriqualified for the WPS being used Action weld is marked with the welders identification each weld is Identified in accordance with drawinghweld map neue welds are suitable for all NDT (profile, cleanness etc) visually inspect welds and sentence in accordance with Code check dimensions are in accordance with Drawing/Cade ensure any modifications are included on ‘as-built! drawings ‘ensure all NOT is complete & reports are available for records: monitor in accordance with the Procadure manitor for compliance with Procedure (chack chart record) ensure test equipment is calibrated mani tet to ensure camplanca wth Procedure/Gode ensure reports/records are a1 ensure all reporis/racords ate completed & cotlated 28 required1.8 EXAMINATION RECORDS The requirement for examination records/inspection reports wilt vary according to contract and type of fabrication and there Is ‘requentty no requirement for a formal tecord, ‘When an inspection record is required it may be necessary to show that items have been checked af the specified stages ‘that they have satisfied the acceptance criteria. ‘The form of this record wil vary - possibly a signature against an activity on.en Inspection Checklist or on @ Quaiity Plan, or it may bs an individual inspection report for each item, For individual inspection reports, BS EN 870 lists typical details for inciusion such as: name of manutacturertabricator identification of itsm examined material type & thickness type of joint acceptance standardiacceptance criteria Jocationa and typas of all imperfections not acoaptable (when specified, it may ba necessary to include an accurate sketch or photo.) name of examinerinspector and date of examination oovocceQuestions Responsibilities and duties of a welding inapector Liat 4 areas chat would generally be covered by a non-destructive examination (NDE) inspection atandard for wolde? List desirable characteristics that all welding inspectors should posseaa? List 5 areas of knowledge with which a proficient welding Inspector should be famiilar with? Give elx main dutic doring welding and of a welding inspector before welding, ‘waiding.