AWS Certifed Fabricator – Program

This prestigious Certification program guarantees respect for your organization and gets you high value and critical orders from abroad. If your organization is into welding fabrication and eyes to get into the High Quality High Value Fabrication job. AWS Certified Fabricator would be ideal for your organization

The requirements for this program are set forth in an AWS QC17, Specification for AWS Accreditation of Certified Welding Fabricators and AWS B5.17Specification for the Qualification of Welding Fabricators. These standards define the requirement for a company's compliance with welding-related functions and assures, through third party assessment, that the welding fabricator has the personnel, organization, experience, procedures, knowledge, equipment, capability, and commitment to conduct proper weldments.

Benefits of AWS Certified Fabricator 

  • Use of the AWS Certified Welding Fabricator logo for your company’s promotional materials and business cards, giving you a competitive advantage in today’s market.
  • One-year AWS Affiliate Company Membership designed especially for independent welding and fabricating shops.
  • Increased productivity (fewer problems during fabrication).
  • Reduced costs.
  • Reduction of problems with outside inspectors.

ROADMAP for becoming a Certified Welding Fabricator ( AWS CWF)

  • Implement  a quality management system to meet the construction requirements specified in a selected AWS standard or standards.
  • Prepare a Quality Manual to document the system.
  • Prepare for an audit by completing an On-Site Audit Checklist.
  • Submit  an application, along with your Quality Manual and completed checklist.
  • Review of your Quality Manual by an Auditor( AWS approved) .
  • An On-Site Audit.
  • Notification of your company’s audit results.
  • Certification upon successful completion of all  requirements.

Specific Standards to be followed by AWS CWF -

  • Qualification Standard – B5.17, Specification for the Qualification of Welding Fabricators.
  • Establishes minimum requirements for the welding quality program for welding fabricators.
  • Certification Standard – QC17, Specification for AWS Accreditation of Certified Welding Fabricators.
  • Establishes the procedure by which a welding fabricator achieves accreditation from AWS to participate in the CWF Program.
  • AWS Structural Welding Code(s) and/or AWS Specification(s).
  • Determines the rules for controlling the welding process, including weld acceptance at the facility (example AWS D1.1).

Mandatory /Recommended practices for Welding Quality Assurance program -

  1. Material Control:- 
    • Purchasing /Receiving/MTRs:  Released and traceable throughout manufacturing.
    • Welding Procedures: Must be to an AWS Welding Code to be Certified  Prequalified , Qualified, or Standard WPS.
    • WPS PQR Approval: Must be approved by an AWS CWI or fabricator designee and made available to welders performing welds.
    • Filler Metal: Determine how filler metals are controlled, purchased, received, stored and released.
  2. Inspection:- 
    • Weld Inspector Qualified – AWS CWI or ASNT SNT-TC-1A Level I or Level II.
    • NDE Inspector Qualifications – ASNT SNT-TC-1A Level I,  II, or III.
    • NDE Procedures – ASNT SNT-TC-1A   Level III.
    • Subcontractor – NDE Review Qualifications.