Module 4: Fabrication, applications engineering
4.1 Introduction to quality assurance in welded fabrication
• Concept of quality assurance and quality control (including analysis, continuous Improvement)
• Weldability ISO/TR 581
• Testing and Inspection Plan (the goal, content and sources to develop it) Audit of plant.
• Personnel and Equipment
• Maintenance
• Inspection
• Activities of the welding engineer/technologist/specialist/practitioner in the different functions in
industry (ISO 14731) e.g. RWC
• Standards (ISO 9000, ISO 3834, national and international standards). Development of quality
plans - ISO 10005)
• Software (overview, availability, demonstration, use)
4.2 Quality control during manufacture
• Advantages to the quality of brazed and welded constructions
• Brazing and Welding sequence
• Welding coordination and inspection personnel; qualification tasks and responsibilities (ISO 14731,
ISO 9712, CEN and National standards)
• Brazer and Welder Approval /Qualification and Brazing and Welding Procedure Qualification -
Introduction/Overview
• Brazer and Welder Approval/Qualification (ISO 9606, CEN and National Standards)
• Brazing and Welding Procedure Specification – The goal, how to create and develop (ISO 15607
and 15609, CEN and National Standards)
• Brazing and Welding Procedure Qualification (ISO 15610, 156111, 15612, 15613 and 15614), CEN
and National standards)
• Brazing and Welding Operator Qualification (ISO 14732, CEN and National Standards)
• Traceability (materials identification, welder/operator, procedures, certificates)
4.3 Residual Stresses and Distortion
• Influencing factors
• Thermal data of the materials
• Origin of the residual stresses and deformation
• Relationship between the material at a certain temperature and its mechanical characteristics
• Magnitude of longitudinal and transverse shrinkage stresses
• Distribution of the residual stresses at weld (parallel to the weld axis, perpendicular, and through
thickness, influence of the material thickness)
• Relationship between heat input, shrinkage stresses and distortion
• Methods of residual stress measurement
• Welding sequence techniques
• Effects of residual stresses on the behaviour of the structure in service
• Methods of reducing residual stresses or distortion
• Examples to prevent and control of distortion
• Weld straightening, correction and removal of welding deformation (pressing, rolling, local heating,
etc.)
4.4 Plant facilities, welding jigs and fixtures
• Layout of production line
• Jigs, fixtures and positioners (types, applications, advantages, special precautions)
• Roller beads, manipulators
• Cables, electrical connections, and special precaution
• Operational environment
• Auxiliary equipment (for fit up, movement, backing gas devices, flow meters, etc)
• Joint fit up
• Tack welding (specific cares, distribution, length and their removal)
• Equipment for preheat, postheat, and other heat treatments, also temperature control including
furnace and local heat treatment
4.5 Health and Safety
• Introduction to health and safety requirements
• Survey of safety and environmental aspects, risk assessment
• Hazards of electric power
• Electro-magnetic fields
• Connecting of equipment
• Problems with shielding gases
• Radiation and eye protection
• Welding fume emission
• Exposure limits (Maximum Allowable Concentration) MAC and UEL (Upper Exposure Limit) values
• Ventilation filters (ISO 15012) and fume extraction (type of equipment and airflow)
• Ergonomics
• Determination of acceptable emissions
• Tests for measuring emissions
• Noise levels and ear protection
• Special risks for automated processes
• Standards and National regulations
• Protective clothing
• Health effects of grinding (vibration and dust)
• Hazards regarding the heat (spatter, flame, combustion, fire)
• Oxygen environment enrichment
4.6 Measurement, Control and Recording in Welding
• Methods of measurement (electrical parameters, gas flow rate, temperature, velocity)
• Instruments (types, measuring applications)
• Temperatures (ISO 13916), humidity, wind
• Cooling time e.g. t 8/5
• Welding parameters (voltage, current, speed, gas flow rate, etc.)
• Control in heat treatment (heating and cooling rate, ISO/TR 17663)
• Calibration and validation of equipment (ISO 17662)
4.7. Imperfections and Acceptance Criteria
• Types of weld imperfections according to ISO 6520 standards
• Acceptance criteria (e.g. ISO 5817, ISO 10042, ISO 13919, ISO 9013, ISO 17635)
• Significance of imperfections
• Introduction to ISO/TR 15235
• Engineering critical assessment techniques
4.7 Non-Destructive Testing
• Fundamentals of NDT methods (visual, dye penetrant, magnetic particle, eddy current, acoustic
emission, radiography, digital RT, ultrasonic, etc.)
• Field of application and limitations
• Design in respect of NDT
• Calibration
• Interpretation (IIW Radiographic reference)
• Recording of data
• Correct selection of the NDT methods versus application (e.g. CEN/TR 15135)
• Qualification and certification of NDT personnel (EN ISO 9712)
• NDT procedures
• Automation of NDT (computer aided evaluation, etc.)
• Use of standards and specifications
• Health and safety aspects
• Review of documents and protocols from NDT test sites
4.9 Economics and Productivity
• Analysis of welding costs
• Deposition rate
• Costs of labour
• Costs of welding consumables
• Costs of equipment
• Return on investment
• Costs of energy
• Welding processes operation factor
• Calculation of welding costs
• Cost awareness (of labour, consumables, equipment, gases, energy, etc.)
• The application of software, calculation programmes
• Measures for decreasing welding costs
• Mechanisation
• Automation
• Robotics
4.10 Repair Welding
• Welding repair procedure specification
• Welding repair plan
• Welding repair procedure qualification
• NDT of the weld repair
• Special precautions
4.11 Reinforcing-steel welded joints
• Reinforcing-steel types, properties
• Direct and indirect loading
• Types of joints used (lap, cruciform)
• Calculation
• Weldability with respect to weld joint strength
• Preheating in respect to bar diameter
• Application of welding processes
• Standards and specifications (ISO 17660 series and National Standards)
4.12 Case Studies
• Steel and lightweight structures, boilers and pressure vessels, chemical plants and pipelines,
shipbuilding and offshore applications, transportation (automobiles, railways), aerospace
applications.
• Common items to be covered:
o Standards and specifications, design,
o Choice of materials, welding processes,
o Site welding (transport and final assembly),
o Consumables, welding procedures,
o Tolerances on weld preparation and fit-up,
o Post weld heat treatment, NDT and quality control,
o Visual Inspection practice (interpretation and evaluation of fractures and welds including
interpretation of fracture tests of fillet welds)
