Being a CWI requires a remarkable amount of knowledge and experience, and the challenging and comprehensive nature of the CWI exam reflects this. To have a better shot at making the cut, most CWI hopefuls opt to take part in a five-day seminar that allows them to receive guidance and exam preparation from Cutech-vetted instructors. 

The CWI Pre-Seminar cover the fundamental welding concepts and principles that every CWI needs to know. As its name implies, the Pre-Seminar is designed to bolster and solidify the knowledge base of prospective welding inspectors in preparation for the instructor-led seminar, and, ultimately, the CWI examination.

Who Should Attend?

All personnel responsible for making decisions, exercising judgments applicable to welding operations in power generation, petrochemical, oil and gas, fertilizer, shipbuilding and maintenance, structural fabrication, offshore & onshore structure fabrication…etc.

• Welding Engineers & Inspectors
• Quality Control Engineers & Supervisors
• Quality Assurance Engineers & Supervisors
• Technical Services Engineers & Supervisors
• Erection, construction Engineers & Supervisors Examination and Certification

The AWS-CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) is a well-known certification, equally at the national & international level, and top companies always depend on this AWS-CWI certification when ensuring the highest level of quality of employee.

With Cutech, you will find this career path lucrative and worthwhile. This AWS-CWI certification can take you to a career that is engaging and promising on all levels. If you require a steady career where you will thrive and reach your goal, then the AWS-CWI certification is for you.

AWS –CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) Preparatory Seminar consists of three parts:

Part A – Welding Inspection Technology (Two Days)

• Welding Inspection and Certification
• Safe Practices for welding Inspector
• Metal Joining Processes
  • Welding Processes
    • Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
    • Flux Cored Arc Welding(FCAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
    • Submerged Arc Welding (SAW), Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)
    • Electroslag Welding (ESW), Oxyacetelene Welding(OAW)
    • Stud Welding(SW), Laser Beam Welding (LBW)
    • Electron Beam Welding (EBW), Resistance Welding (RW)
  • Brazing Processes
    • Torch, Furnace, Induction Brazing
    • Resistance, Dip and Infrared Brazing
  • Cutting Processes
    • Oxyfuel Cutting
    • Arc Carbon Arc Cutting
    • Plasma Arc Cutting
    • Mechanical Cutting
• Weld Joining Geometry and Welding Symbols
• Documents Governing  Welding Inspection and Qualification
• Metal Properties and Destructive Testing
• Metric Practice for Welding Inspectors
• Welding Metallurgy
• Weld and Base metal discontinuities
• Visual Inspection and other NDE Methods and symbols.

Part B – Certified Welder Inspector Practical (Two Days)

• General Requirements for practical
• Workmanship Requirements and Visual Inspection Acceptance Criteria – Structural Steel
• Workmanship Requirements and Visual Inspection Acceptance Criteria – Pipeline
• Workmanship Requirements and Visual Inspection Acceptance Criteria – Pressure Piping
• Procedure Qualification Requirement Requirements (WPS, PQR)
• Performance Qualification Requirements

Part C – Welding of Pipeline and related facilities under API Standard 1104 (One Day)

• Specification of Equipment and Materials for welds containing filler metal additives
• Qualification of Welding Procedure
• Qualification of Welders
• Design and Preparation of a Joint for Production Welding
• Inspection and Testing of Production Welds
• Acceptance Standards for NDT
• Repair and Removal of Defects
• Procedure for NDT
• Mechanized Welding with filler metal additions
• Automatic Welding without filler metal additions

The candidate would be issued the seminar attendance sheet to enable him to appear him in the AWS CWI exam at a later date.

The AWS-CWI Examination consists of three parts:

1. Fundamentals – Part A

2. Practical – Part B

3. Code Book Examination – Part C

For candidates scoring 72% and above, AWS will award the certificate as “Certified Welding Inspector”. The candidates scoring less than 72% but more than 60%, will be issued certificate as “Certified Associate Welding Inspector”. For scoring less than 60%, no certificate is issued.

Candidates who intend to renew CWI certification after 9 years can appear for a 9 year re-certification practical examination, to get renewed AWS-CWI certificate. Re-Examination If you are taking the re-exam for CWI certification and the average of the three parts of your initial exam was less than 72%, you are required to retest all three parts.

If your average was ≥ 72% on your initial exam, you may retest only the parts on which you failed to achieve the CWI passing grade. Your first retest must occur within one year following the date of your initial exam; otherwise, you must provide evidence of 40 hours of additional training before being allowed to retest. If a second or third retest is required, you must provide evidence of 40 hours of additional training before being allowed to retest in each case. A maximum of three retests are permitted in the three-year period from your initial exam date.

9-year Recertification If you took the CWI Part B exam or an endorsement exam for 9-year recertification and failed the 72% minimum, you are permitted to retest only the same exam under the rules noted in the previous paragraph. You are not permitted to switch to another 9-year recertification option once you have committed to recertifying by examination.

CAWI to CWI Upgrading CAWI’s are not eligible for renewal. A CAWI may hold the CAWI certification for a three year period. CAWI shall reappear for the exams and score minimum of 72% in each part; Part A, Part B and Part C to upgrade to CWI before the third year of the CAWI certification. Regular Renewal Candidate must provide a renewal application, proof for current work and visual acuity record.

Education and Experience Requirements

Each applicant for certification as a Certified welding Inspector:

• Shall be a high school graduate.
• Shall have not less than five years experience in an occupational function that has a direct relationship to welded assemblies fabricated to national or international standards and be directly involved in one or more of the following:
• Design – preparation of plans and drawings for Weldments.
• Production – planning and control of welding materials, welding procedures and welding operations for Weldments.
• Construction – fabrication and/or erection of Weldments.
• Examination – detection and measurement of weld discontinuities and verification of fabrication requirements.
• Repair – repair of welds that are defective.
• A maximum of two years of post high school education may be substituted for an equal number of years of the required five years experience, provided studies are relevant to any of the functions as described.

Credit is given as follows:

1. Bachelor Degree: Two years maximum if the degree is in Engineering Technology, Engineering or Physical Science.
2. Engineering/ Technical School Courses: Two years maximum for having successfully passed a diploma that can be applied to i. above.
3. Trade/ Vocational Courses: One year maximum for successfully completed courses in a curriculum related to welding. Three years of teaching experience may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the five years experience requirement, provided that the teaching is full time in a trade or technical school, college or university, in the occupational skill of welding or subjects related to welding, its applications, control, materials and processes.

• For meeting the requirements of experience, the Employment Verification part in the AWS-CWI Examination Application Form shall be signed by the current or most recent employer with name, designation and company stamp.
• Shall be familiar with and understand fundamentals of the following processes: SMAW, GTAW, SW, SAW, FCAW, OFW, GMAW, ESW, EGW, RW, LBW, EBW, PAW, Thermal Cutting & Mechanical Cutting, Brazing, Soldering, and Thermal Spraying.
• Shall be familiar with and understand the following examination methods: VT, UT, RT, MT, PT, AET, LT and ET.
• Shall pass an eye examination to prove near vision acuity and color perception test.

Scientific Calculator
Safety Boots
Inspection Tools for Welding Inspection 

AWS CERTIFICATION:
Candidates MUST bring their AWS Wallet Card.
If you do not have a wallet card bring some other form of identification showing a photograph, i.e. IC or Passport or Photo Driving Licence or National ID.

All other equipment and relevant training materials are provided by Cutech.