AWS-ASME Welding Fundamentals

 

Date: September 22-25, 2025
Earn: 32 CPD hours
Price: $2595
Attendance:
Remote Online Attendance
or
In-Person Attendance at:
Holiday Inn Express Calgary NW - University Area
2373 Banff Trail NW
Calgary AB T2M 4L2 Canada


Attendance Options

Remote Online Attendance:
participants attend remotely (from home or workplace) and interact with the live instructor through an online video meeting on the scheduled instructor-led training dates.
In-Person Attendance:
participants attend in-person (at the Holiday Inn Express Calgary NW - University Area location) and interact with the live instructor on the scheduled instructor-led training dates.

Who Should Attend

Inspectors, welders, welding supervisors, quality control personnel, technologists, and engineers involved with welding for new fabrication, repairs, maintenance, and inspection for pressure vessel or piping.

Welding Examiner: this course is also designed to prepare candidates for Paper 1 and most of Paper 3. See Welding Examiner Candidates below.

Learning Outcomes

With improved knowledge of the fundamentals of welding, participants will be able to:

  • quickly recognize AWS A3.0M/A3.0 standard and nonstandard welding terms and definitions to enable eliminating nonstandard terms in their workplace documents, with examples of ASME Section IX and B31.3 welding requirements;
  • better appreciate:
    • the uniqueness of each weld and its different metallurgical zones;
    • how arc welding processes work and their advantages and disadvantages to better select the appropriate welding process for the specific application;
    • how welding variables control each weld bead, pass, and final weld; and
    • the weldability of various steels to optimize the welding being performed.
  • better understand how arc energy and heat input of welding affect mechanical properties and potential damage mechanisms of welds;
  • know the fundamental purposes for preheating a weld joint, interpass temperature control during welding, and postweld heat treating steels;
  • better appreciate the importance of weld joint design and its influence on welding residual stresses and distortion causes and prevention;
  • recognize and evaluate common welding imperfections and defects using ASME B31.3 examples;
  • navigate and find AWS/ASME filler metal specifications and specific details for welding procedure and performance qualification records quality control review;
  • navigate and find ASTM/ASME base metal specifications and specific details for welding procedure and performance qualification records quality control review;
  • better select NDE methods for specific welding applications, including NDE procedure qualification in accordance with ASME Section V.

Course Outline

Arc Welding, Welds, Welding Variables, Weldability, and AWS Standard Welding Terminology
  • AWS A3.0M/A3.0 standard welding terms and definitions
  • welding assembly, components, workpiece, and the weld
  • arc welding and its variables: arc energy, heat input, and electrical characteristics
  • heat input of welding affecting HAZs grains, mechanical properties, and damage mechanisms
  • welding residual stresses and distortion causes and prevention
  • steel welding metallurgy and weld zones
    • weld metal zone
    • unmixed zone
    • weld interface
    • partially melted zone
    • heat-affected zones
      • the grain-coarsened-HAZ;
      • grain-refined-HAZ;
      • intercritical-HAZ; and
      • subcritical-HAZ
    • base metal zone
  • weldability of steels and stainless steels
  • welding techniques for fabrication and repairs
  • preheating weld joint in steels and interpass temperature
  • post-weld heat treatments (PWHT) for steels
Arc Welding Processes and AWS/ASME Filler Metal Specifications
  • SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SAW
    • how they work, advantages, and disadvantages
    • welding variables: ASME Section IX, Tables QW-25x, QW-35x, and QW-360
    • measurement of arc welding variables
  • ASME Section II, Part C - Filler Metal Specifications
    • steel and stainless steel filler metals for SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, and SAW
Weld Joints, Joint Design, and Welding Symbols
  • weld joint types, groove welds, and fillet welds
  • weld joint design and residual stresses (ASME VIII-1 weld joint type numbers)
  • weld joint preparation (ASME B31.3 Process Piping Code)
  • tack welding (ASME B31.3 Process Piping Code)
  • overlaying, cladding, and temper bead welding (ASME Section IX)
  • introduction to welding symbols (AWS A2.4 Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination)
Weld Imperfections, Defects and ASME B31.3 Acceptance Criteria for Welds
  • welding imperfections and defects
    • ASME B31.3, Table 341.3.2 Acceptance Criteria for Welds - Visual and Radiographic Examination
  • dimensional, structural, fusion, and surface imperfections
Nondestructive Examination Procedures for Welds (ASME Section V)
  • visual, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, radiography, and UT examination procedures
Base Metal Specifications
  • ASTM/ASME steel and stainless steel specifications
    • A/SA106, A/SA333, A/SA312, SA/A387, and A/SA516
  • introduction to steel metallurgy and heat treatment


Learning Assessment

Learning self-assessment is performed through discussions, problem solving exercises, and workshops.

Required Code Documents

Welding Examiner candidates must have the documents referenced above. (See Welding Examiner Candidates.)

Course Notebook

A digital course notebook will be provided to all participants by CASTI (printed hardcopy not available).

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Hours

Participants will receive a digital CASTI Certificate of Completion, awarding 32 CPD hours, for attending all 4 days of the scheduled training. Note: CPD (Continuing Professional Development) hours are equivalent to PDH (Professional Development Hours).

About the Instructor

John E. Bringas, P.Eng. is the Founder and President of Codes and Standards Training Institute (CASTI) since 1998 and CASTI Publishing Inc. since 1992. Mr. Bringas has been a professional engineer in metallurgy and materials since 1976 and has developed, written, and instructed over 40 codes and standards training programs worldwide since 1989.

Mr. Bringas has practiced metallurgical and materials engineering in the steel making, foundry, failure analysis, heat treatment, welding, visual inspection (equipment and welding), NDE, refinery, oil sands, pipeline, petrochemical, and power generating industries.

He has also been certified as an API 510, 570, 653, 571, 577, and 580 inspector, an AWS Certified Welding Inspector, an Alberta In-Service Pressure Vessel Inspector and Welding Examiner, NFPA Fire Engine Inspector, and a CGSB certified NDE examiner in UT and RT.

Mr. Bringas has been a technical committee member since 1978, including:

  • ASTM A01 Steels, A05 Coated Steels, B02 Nonferrous Alloys, E04 Metallography, E28 Mechanical Testing, F42 Additive Manufacturing, J01 ASTM/NACE Committee on Corrosion
  • AMPP (NACE) SC 06 Process Industries, SC 08 Metallic Material Selection & Testing, SC 10 Asset Integrity Management, SC 14 Oil and Gas – Upstream, SC 15 Pipelines & Tanks, SC 16 Oil and Gas – Downstream, SC 20 Internal Corrosion Management
  • ASME BPVC, Section II, Ferrous Materials, Associate Member
  • past ISO TC 17-SC 4 Steels, Canada Voting Member
  • past SAE Carbon and Alloy Steels Committee Member
  • past AWS Certification Committee Member

Mr. Bringas is the author of six ASTM and CASTI Handbooks and was Executive Editor of four CASTI Guidebooks on ASME Codes and four CASTI Handbooks covering corrosion of metals.

Mr. Bringas has been professionally recognized by being presented the:

  • ASTM Award of Merit and Honorary Title of Fellow
  • ASTM Frank W. Reinhart Terminology Award
  • ASTM B02 Gary M. Kralik Distinguished Service Award
  • ASTM B02 Committee on Nonferrous Metals and Alloys, Award of Appreciation
  • ASTM Committee A01 on Steel, Stainless Steel and Related Alloys – Award of Appreciation – Steel Terminology
  • AWS Alberta Section, Venerable Member of the Weld Zone
  • ASM International, MacDonald Young Award, ASM Canada Council, Outstanding Contributing Member
  • CWA, Medallion Award for Outstanding Contribution as an International Ambassador on behalf of the Canadian Welding Industry

Useful Links