ASME-AWS Welding Fundamentals
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.
- Note 1: The only Paper 3 subjects not covered in this course are AB-76A and AB-76B Forms, and PQ Cards. These topics are covered in the ASME Section IX - Welding Codes and Metallurgy course.
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
Welding Examiner Candidates [+]
Evening Tutorials
Evening tutorials are mandatory for Welding Examiner, Paper 1 and Paper 3 exam candidates (and optional for all other attendees).
- Review Welding Examiner Syllabus (AB-94)
- Paper 1 Tutorial: review additional study material and practice exams.
- Paper 3 Tutorial: review additional study material and practice exams. See Note 1 above.
Required Code Documents
Welding Examiner Paper 1 exam candidates must have:
- ASME Section II, Part C
- ABSA Sample Quality Control Manual for the Performance Qualification Testing of Pressure Welders
- ASME Section V
- ASME B31.3, Chapter VI
CSA W47.1 Welding Engineer Candidates [+]
Evening Tutorials
Evening tutorials are mandatory for CSA W47.1 Welding Engineer exam candidates (and optional for all other attendees).
- Review CSA W47.1 Annex A - Suggested Areas of Study for Welding Engineers
- Tutorial: review additional study material and practice exams.
Knowledge Requirements
The CSA W47.1 "Suggested Areas of Study for Welding Engineers" are covered by the two following CASTI courses that are approved by the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB):
- ASME-AWS Welding Fundamentals (this course), and
- ASME Section IX - Welding Codes and Metallurgy
The engineer(s) must be designated by a company, certified or applicant prior to applying for the Qualification of Welding Engineer.
For more information please see Getting Started: CSA W47.1 Welding Engineer.
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).
Useful Links
- Getting Started: Welding Examiner - Information for individuals new to the program.
- Information on Welding Examiner Certificate of Competency (ABSA Website)
- Welding Examiner Syllabus - Form AB-94 (PDF)
- Getting Started: CSA W47.1 Welding Engineer - Information for individuals new to the program.
- CSA W47.1 Fusion Welding of Steel Company Certification
- CASTI Inspector Career Path
About the Instructor
John E. Bringas, P.Eng. is the President and Founder of Codes and Standards Training Institute (CASTI) and CASTI Publishing Inc. He is a professional engineer who has practiced metallurgical and materials engineering, and inspection since 1975. 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, and a CGSB certified NDE examiner in UT and RT. He is a long-time committee member of ASTM A01 Steels, A05 Coated Steels, B02 Nonferrous Alloys, E04 Metallography, E28 Mechanical Testing, F42 Additive Manufacturing, J01 ASTM/NACE Committee on Corrosion, 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, and past Canadian Representative on ISO TC 17-SC 4 (Steels). He is the author of the ASTM Handbook of Comparative World Steel Standards, ASTM Handbook of Steel Data: American and European, ASTM Passport to Steel Database, and the CASTI Metals Data Books. Mr. Bringas has engineering work experience in the steel making, foundry, consulting (failure analysis), inspection, NDE, refinery, pipeline, and petrochemical industries. In 2024, John Bringas was recognized by ASTM International and presented the "Award of Merit and Honorary Title of Fellow" and "Frank W. Reinhart Terminology Award".
