Certified Welding Fabricator (CWF)

Program Information

(The enclosed documents provide information about the

AWS Certified Welding Fabricator Program.)

General Program Information

Program Requirements
Getting Started and the Application Process
Initial On-Site Audit Application
Audit Process Overview
Quality Manual & Audit Checklist
Fee Schedule

Technical Documents:
QC17: 2008, Specification for AWS Accreditation of Certified
Welding Fabricators
B5.17:2008, Specification for the Qualification of Welding
Fabricators

AWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator

GeneralProgramInformation

Anappropriateweldingqualitysystemisthefoundationofdeliveringaqualityweldedproduct
orservice.Whendesignedfortheweldingfabricator'suniqueproductsandsuitablycommitted
topaperandpractice,thedailymanufacturingoperationsoftheweldingfabricatoraremore
consistentandtraceablewhenproblemsarise.Itisanincreasingtrendthatcustomerswantto
seethataweldingqualityassurancesystemisdocumentedanddemonstrated.Theyare
concernedthattheweldingfabricatorandthatfabricator'ssubcontractorsarecapableof
weldingproductsthatmeetspecifications.

Thecoreofaweldingqualitysystemisaqualitymanualthatidentifiesthedutiesand
responsibilitiesofmanagement,supervisors,andwelders,andwillprovidethecustomerwith
betterinformationaboutwhoisresponsibletoensurethattheweldingmeetstheapplicable
specifications.Companiesofallsizescanbenefitsubstantiallythroughthesystematic
improvementsencouragedbystateoftheartqualitysystems.

ProgramRequirements

Respondingtoindustrydemand,AWSprovidesthisweldingcertificationprogramfor
companiesthatuseweldingasajoiningprocess.Therequirementsforthisprogramareset
forthinanAmericanNationalStandard,AWSB5.17,SpecificationfortheQualificationof
WeldingFabricators.Thisspecificationdefinestherequirementforacompany'scompliance
withweldingrelatedfunctionsandassures,throughthirdpartyassessment,thattheWelding
Fabricatorhasthepersonnel,organization,experience,procedures,knowledge,equipment,
capability,andcommitmenttoconductproperweldments.Thisstandardwasdeveloped
throughanANSIaccreditedconsensusprocessbytheAWSB5CommitteeonQualification.The
B5Committeeiscomposedofrepresentativesthroughoutindustryandacademiawhohave
interestsandexperienceinthequalificationofweldingpersonnelandfacilities.

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AWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator

GettingStartedandtheApplicationProcess
InordertoapplytotheAWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator(CWF)programyoushouldcarefully
reviewalldocumentsincludedintheCWFpacket.ThenextstepistowriteaQualityManualfor
thefabricatorshopthatisinaccordancewiththeAWSstandards:QC17:2008,Specificationfor
AWSAccreditationofCertifiedWeldingFabricatorsandB5.17:2008,Specificationforthe
QualificationofWeldingFabricators.

OncetheQualityManualisready,youwillneedtoimplementitintoyourweldingoperationsat
thefabricatorshoptobeaudited.Pleasefollowthesestepstocompletetheapplicationand
checklists:

ImplementtheactivitiesofyourfabricatorweldingoperationstoyourQualityManual
(Tobeverifiedduringtheonsiteaudit.)
FillouttheInitialOnsiteAuditApplication
CompletetheQualityManual&AuditChecklist
Submitalltherequireddocumentsforreviewto:

AmericanWeldingSociety
Attn:CertificationDept.
8669NW36Street,#130
Miami,Florida331666672

Aftertheapplication,checklistandQualityManualarereceivedbytheCertification
Department,andfollowingasatisfactoryreviewandthedocumentapproval,AWSwillschedule
anonsiteauditofyourfacilitybyathirdpartyauditor.

Iftheresultsoftheauditaresatisfactory,acertificateofconformancewillbeissuedbyAWS.
Thecertificateverifiesyourfacilitymeetstherequirementstooperateinaccordancewiththe
AWSQC17:2008,SpecificationforAWSAccreditationofCertifiedWeldingFabricatorsforthe
AWSCertifiedWeldingFabricatorProgram.

AWS-CWF Genl Prog Info Requirements and Appl Instr 07-29-13

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AWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator

AuditProcessOverview
ThisshortoverviewonhowAWSwillconducttheauditleadingtotheAWSCertifiedWelding
Fabricatordesignationisdesignedtoassistthefabricationcompanyinpreparingforsuchan
audit.

Auditsareanimportanttoolformonitoringandverifyingtheimplementationofawelding
qualitysystemand,assuch,shouldbeultimatelyviewedasamanagementtool.Theaudit
processcanserveasanimportanttooltouncoverstrengthsandweaknessesinthe
manufacturingprocess,lessonsthatcanbeimmediatelyutilizedortransferredtoother
divisionsofthecompanytocontributetotheprocessofcontinuousimprovement.

TheAWSCertifiedWeldingFabricatorprogramisintendedonlytoaddressweldingactivities
andmayrepresentacompany'sfirstimplementationofaqualitysystem.Theprogramis
intendedtobeusedregardlessoftheweldingprocessesormaterialsused.Theprogramisnot
intendedtocertifythatacompany'squalitysystemissuitableforspecificapplications,suchas
pressurevessels,structuralsteelbuildingsorbridges.

Theauditwillconsistofseveralwelldefinedsteps.UponapplicationtoAWS,acompanywill
submitaweldingqualityassurancemanualthatitbelievestomeettheauditrequirementsas
statedinAWSB5.17:2008,SpecificationfortheQualificationofWeldingFabricators.AWSwill
chooseanauditorwhowillbeinchargeoftheentireauditprocess,startingwithadocument
reviewoftheweldingqualityassurancemanual.

Thepurposeofthedocumentreviewistodeterminewhethertherelevantauditrequirements
asstatedintheB5.17standardareaddressedintheweldingqualityassurancemanual.The
auditormayrequestadditionaldocumentsfromthecompanyatthispoint,iftheyarerelevant
tothedocumentreview.TheLeadAuditorwillbeincommunicationwiththeresponsible
person(managementrepresentative)atthecompanytoresolveanyconcernsnotedinthe
documentreview.Atthispoint,itwillbenotedthattherewillbelittleattentionpaidtoany
detailedreferencesinthequalitymanualtononweldingfabricationactivities(painting,bolting,
etc.).Companiesthatrequirefullqualitysystemaudits,includingtheprocessesofdetailing,
bolting,nonweldingmaterialcontrol,painting,etc.forthepurposeofcode,control
requirementsandqualityimprovementshouldinvestigateotherthirdpartycertification
programs(i.e.AmericanInstituteofSteelConstruction,AmericanSocietyofMechanical
Engineers).

Whentheauditorhascometoanagreementwiththecompanywithregardstohowthe
weldingqualitymanualaddressesweldingperformedbythecompany,itwillbetimeto
scheduleanonsiteaudit.Thecompanyandauditorwillagreeonadateandtimeforthisevent
intheauditprocess.

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AWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator
AuditProcessOverview(continued)
Theonsiteauditwillstartoffwithanopeningmeeting.Theauditorwillreviewhis/herplanfor
conductingtheauditandhowhe/shewillcollecttheneededinformation.Atthispoint,the
auditorshoulddescribewhointhecompanywillbeinterviewed,andapproximatelyhowlong
willberequiredtoconducttheinterviews.Anyrequiredsafetybriefingsorrequirementswillbe
presentedbythecompany,anditissuggestedthatacompanyrepresentativebeassignedto
accompanytheauditor(s)onthecompanypropertytoactasaguide,tointroducethe
auditor(s)tocompanypersonnelandtogainaccesstorestrictedareas.Duringtheopening
meeting,thecompanyisencouragedtoaskanyquestionsabouttheconductoftheaudit.

Duringtheaudit,thegoaloftheauditoristocollectinformationtoverifythataweldingquality
systemisadequatelydescribedbythecompany'squalityassurancemanualandisbeing
implemented.Thisinformationcanbederivedfrompersonnelinterviews,observationsof
currentactivities,documents(writtenpolicies,procedures,instructions,contracts),records
(inspectionreports,welderandprocedurequalificationrecords,meetingminutes),orother
reportsanddatasummaries.Interviewsareoneofthemostimportanttoolsforinformation
collection,andtheauditor(s)willasktospeaktoemployeesateveryleveloftheorganizationas
theyattempttodeterminetheinformationflowwithinthecompanywithregardstowelding
fabrication.

Oncetheauditor(s)havedeterminedthattheyhaveadequatelycollectedenoughinformation
andverifiedthisinformationagainsttheauditcriteria(asstatedinthecompany'squality
manual),alistofauditfindingswillbecompiledtobepresentedtothecompany'smanagement
intheclosingmeeting.Bearinmind,thattheobjectofanauditisnottoexamineeverylast
procedureoractivitythatisrelevanttoweldingfabrication.Usuallyonlyasampleofthe
company'sweldingactivitieswillbeexamined,andasuccessfulauditdoesnotmeanthatthe
companyisdoingeverything100%correct.Butasuccessfulauditdoesindicateahigherlevelof
confidencethatthingsarebeingdoneright.

Thefindingsoftheauditmaytakeseveralforms.Afindingcanindicatethatthecompanyis
conformingtoitsqualitysystemoritcanindicatethatanonconformancewasnoted.Amajor
nonconformancemayindicatethatthereisreasontodoubttheabilityofthequalitysystemto
affectthedesiredqualityoftheweldedproducts;aminornonconformancemayindicatean
easilycorrectableglitchinthesystem.Findingscanalsotaketheformofasuggestionfora
furtherimprovementtothesystem.

Ifafindingrequiresthatthecompanytakecertainstepstocorrectasituation,aNon
conformanceReport(NCR)willbeissuedbytheauditor.TheNCRshoulddescribewhatwas
observed,andhowthatobservationsupportsafindingthattheauditcriteria,asstatedinthe
companysqualitymanual,werenotmet.Theauditorandthecompanyrepresentativewill
agreeonlyatthispointthattheobservationwasmade,andonadeadlinedateforresolvingthe
NCR.AgreementatthispointdoesnothaveanyrelevancetotheactualresolutionoftheNCR,
onlyonitsissuance.ThisisdoneforeachNCRthatmaybeissuedbytheauditor.
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AWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator
AuditProcessOverview(continued)
ThediscussionoftheNCRs,ifany,isoneofthemajoractivitiesthattakeplaceduringthe
closingmeeting.Thepurposeofaclosingmeetingistopresentinformationtothecompanyon
whatconclusionsweredrawnfromtheauditandtomakesurethatalloftheissuesare
understoodbyallparties.Discussionmaytakeplacewheretherearedivergingopinions
betweentheauditorandthecompany.Anyunresolveditemsshouldberecordedbythe
auditor.

ThecompanyandtheauditorwillagreeonadatebywhicheachoftheoutstandingNCRswill
beresolved.ThefinalresolutionoftheNCRinthedaysfollowingtheonsiteauditwilltakethe
formofanagreementbetweentheauditorandthecompanyonthecorrectiveaction(s)that
willbetakentoaddresseachsituation;theprocesswillbedocumentedontheNCRformitself.

Aftertheauditorleaves,andbeforetheagreeduponresolutiondates,thecompanyshould
carefullyconsidereachfindingthatwaspresentedbytheauditor(s).Asystematicconsideration
ofthesefindingsistheenginebehindcontinuousimprovementoftheweldingfabrication
processesinuseatthatlocation.ThosefindingsthatresultintheissuanceofNCRsshould
receivespecialconsideration,inlightofthefactthattheyrepresentdeviationsfromthedesired
auditcriteriaintheAWSstandard.Thecompanyshouldendeavortodiscovertherootcause(s)
thatledtotheobservationsandtakestepstoaddresstherootcauses,andnotjustthe
symptomsthemselves.Wherecorrectiveaction(s)leadtochangesinthecompany'squality
documentation,stepsmustbetakentomakesurethatallaffectedpersonnelreceivethe
updateddocumentationandanytrainingororientationnecessarytoimplementthenew
procedures.

Uponagreementbetweentheauditorandthecompanyontheresolutionoftheoutstanding
NCRs,theauditorwillfilehis/herrecommendationoncertificationwiththeAWSCertification
Departmentand,ifrecommended,acertificatewillbeissuedattestingthatthefabricatoris
certifiedasanAWSCertifiedWeldingFabricator,meetingtheauditrequirementsasstatedin
theAWSB5.17standard.Maintenanceofcertificationwillconsistofannualinternalselfaudits
foryearstwoandthree;afterthreeyears,recertificationwilloccurbyanotherdocument
reviewandonsiteaudit.

Ifthecompanyandtheauditordonotagreeonafindingthatissignificanttothecertification
statusofthecompany,thecompanymayappealtheissuetotheAWSCertificationCommittee
foraresolutionofthedisputedissue.Anyproprietaryinformationpresentedbythecompany
duringthecourseoftheauditprocessfortheAWSCertifiedWeldingFabricatorprogramwill
remainasconfidentialandwillnotbedisseminatedforanyreason.NCRsandinformation
relatedtothedocumentreviewandonsiteauditwillremainsecuredinAWSfilesandmaybe
reviewedforsubsequentaudits.

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CertifiedWeldingFabricator
InitialOnsiteAuditApplication

AmericanWeldingSociety
8669NW36Street,#130
Miami,Florida331666672
(800or305)4439353,Ext448
Fax(305)4436445

WerequesttheAmericanWeldingSociety(AWS)accreditthefollowingfacilityasa
participantintheAWSCertifiedWeldingFabricatorPrograminaccordancewith
provisionsoftheAWSB5.17andQC17StandardsforthequalificationandCertification
ofAWSWeldingFabricators.

NameofFacility:

StreetAddress:

City

State

PhoneNo:

FaxNo:

Contactpersonsemailaddress:

____ InitialOnsiteAudit(NorthAmericanFeeSchedule)*

Zip:

Fee:

$2,760USD**

*RequiresQAMand,acompletedCWFQualityManual&AuditChecklist.
**Auditorstravel,lodgingandmealexpenseswillbeinvoicedtotheCWFaftertheaudit

____

InitialOnsiteAudit(InternationalFeeSchedule)*

Fee:

$1,560USD**

*RequiresQAMand,acompletedCWFQualityManual&AuditChecklist.
**Auditorsfeesandtravel,lodgingandmealexpenseswillbeinvoicedtotheCWFaftertheaudit.

QualityAssuranceManual:

Enclosed

CWFQualityManual&AuditChecklist:

Pleaseallow68weeksforOnSiteAuditscheduling.

PreferredAuditDates:(1)

Listthosecode(s)usedbythefabricator:

Listanypastorpresentcertifications:

ContactName(Print):

Signature:

Enclosed

AWSCWFInitialOnSiteApplication072913

(2)

Date:
Title:

Certified Welding Fabricator Program

Quality Manual & Audit Checklist
Company Name:
Company Address:
City:

State

Phone Number:

Zip:

Fax Number:

Email Address:
Facility Representative:

Title:

Types of products welded:

List code(s) for which welding complies:

Auditors recommendations:
Approve for Certification
Submit corrections to auditor
Re - Audit
Auditor

CWF Quality Manual & Audit Checklist 06-07-10

Date

Page 1 of 2

Quality Manual & Audit Checklist

A copy of this complete report shall be provided to the fabricator, by the auditor.

B5.17

6.1
6.2.1
6.2.1
6.2.3
6.2.4
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.4.1
6.4.2
6.4.3
6.4.4
6.4.5
6.5.1
6.5.2
6.5.3
6.5.4
6.5.5
6.6.1
6.6.2
6.6.3
6.7.1
6.7.2
6.7.3
6.7.4
6.7.5
6.8.1
6.9.1
6.9.2
6.9.3
6.10
6.11
7.0

Topic

Q.A.M.
Index

Auditor Review
of Manual

Auditor
Confirmation of
Implementation

Section #

Satisfactory

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Cover Page
Management Support, Identify AWS Welding Code
Management Support, Support of Management
Management Support, Quality Authority
Management Signed & Dated Quality Manual
Organization Chart
Delegation of Authority
Document Control, Quality Manual
Document Control, Contract Documents
Document Control, Drawings
Document Control, Quality Records
Document Control, Record Retention
Material Control, Purchasing
Material Control, Receiving Inspection
Material Control, Identification & Traceability
Material Control, Material Test Reports
Material Control, Filler Materials
Welding, Welding Procedure Specifications
Welding, Welder Performance Qualification
Welding, Filler Metal Controls
Inspection, Weld Inspection
Inspection, Inspector Qualification
Inspection, NDE Inspector Qualification
Inspection, NDE Procedures
Subcontractors NDE Personnel Qualifications
Nonconformance System
Calibration
Calibration Identification
Calibration Records
Internal Quality Audits
Sample Forms
Library

During the manual review or implementation review, place a check mark in the satisfactory block for items found acceptable. Any items found
unacceptable, place a check mark in the unsatisfactory block. Items found to be unsatisfactory shall be listed on page three of this checklist,
including those items open or closed.

CWF Quality Manual & Audit Checklist 06-07-10

Page 2 of 2

Certified Welding Fabricator (CWF) Price Schedule*

North American Price Schedule
Initial Audit Fees
Document review
Initial On-site Audit**
Total
Additional Facilities
Document review
Initial On-site Audit**
Total

AWS Price
$720
$2,040
$2,760

$600
$1,800
$2,400

Auditor Fee
Included in
AWS Price?
Yes

Yes

International Price Schedule

Initial Audit Fees
Document review
Initial On-site Audit**
Total

AWS Price
$720
$840
$1,560

Additional Facilities
Document review
Initial On-site Audit**
Total

$600
$600
$1,200

3rd Year Recertification Audit Fee

3rd Year Recertification Audit Fee

Document review
On-site Audit**
Total

Document review
On-site Audit**
Total

$600
$1,800
$2,400

Yes

$600
$600
$1,200

Auditor Fee
Included in
AWS Price?
No***

No***

No***

AWS Certification for AISC Accredited Fabricators

AWS Certification for AISC Accredited Fabricators

Initial Application
Renewal Application

Initial Application
Renewal Application

$420
$120 (paid annually)

$480
$180 (paid annually)

*Fees are subject to change due to individual circumstances for each facility.
**Applicants are directly responsible for the auditor's travel expenses.
***Auditor fees for international CWFs are as follows:
Each Travel Day
$400
On-site Audit Fee
$800
Total Fee (dependent on # of audit and travel days required)

Certification - Rev. 3/8/2012