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Canadian Welding Codes & Standards

Presentation toUniversity of Waterloo

April 2008

Overview

• Welding Standards? Why should I worry about it?

• Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) – Who Are We?

• CWB Company Certification - Overview

• National/Provincial Building Codes – Welding Requirements

• CAN/CSA Standard S6

• Canadian and American Welding Standards - Review

• International Welding Standards - What’s Happening?

Why Have Welding Standards?

• Enhance public safety

• Improve welding quality

• Improve productivity

• Improve welder skill level

• Create level playing field for industry

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Reality Check!

• Common observations in the welding industry:

- Welding not considered important - Lack of awareness of the science of welding

- Assumption that things are “OK” – “Our welds have never failed!”; “Johnny's been welding for 30 years!”

- Outdated, un-calibrated welding machines

- Communication breakdown – no welding symbols on drawings, no welding procedures, base metal not identified,

- Welders decide on weld type, weld size or welding process

But, hey, maybe we shouldn’t worry about it……

0918381901006150% failed

212570732Successful

211122670151864Assessed

HVdnVupHVdnVupHH

PositionPositionPositionPosition

MCAWFCAWGMAWSMAW

Welding Process

Base Material-STEEL

Welders(22 co’s)

The results speak for themselves….

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1008276% failed

0310Successful

61741Assessed

VdnVupH

Position

Welding Process- GMAW

Base Material-ALUMINUM

Welders

(6 co’s)

The results speak for themselves….

Weld fracture – SteelLack of fusion to booth plates – Vertical Down

Weld fracture – SteelLack of fusion on horizontal plate – Horizontal position

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Weld fracture - SteelLack of fusion on vertical plate – Horizontal Position

Weld fracture – SteelLack of root penetration – Vertical Down

Weld fracture – SteelLack of fusion on horizontal plate – Vertical Down

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Weld fracture – SteelLack of fusion on vertical plate – Vertical Down

Weld fracture – AluminumHorizontal Position

Reasons behind failures…

• Welder’s skill

• Shielding gas suitability

• Welding parameters

• Welding technique

• Lack of instruction

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Not a pretty picture….

How to make things better….

• Ensure drawings including complete welding symbols

• Provide welding procedures and ensure they are qualified and followed

• Make welding inspection part of quality system

• Ensure welders are tested and qualified for the work they do

• Implement a quality system

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CWB – Who Are We?

• Administrator of CSA welding certification programs for individuals, products and companies

• Independent witnessing body for welder and procedure tests (eg. for American, military, and aircraft codes)

• Authorized National Body (ANB) in Canada for the International Institute of Welding (IIW) qualification scheme

• Actively involved in Welding Standards development (CSA, AWS, IIW and ISO)

• Accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC)

• A private sector, not-for-profit organization – not government

• Offices and staff across Canada

CSA Certification Programs(Administered by CWB)

A660Manufacturers of Steel Building Systems

W55.3Resistance Welding of Structural Steel

W178.2Welding Inspectors

W178.1Welding Inspection Companies

W48Welding Consumables

W186Welded Reinforcing Bars for Concrete

W47.2Welded Aluminum Structures

W47.1Welded Steel

Pressure Vessels / Pressure Piping

• In Canada, welding of pressure vessels and pressure piping is covered by provincial legislation

• ASME Section IX is the required code for welding

• Each province has named its own authority

• In Ontario, the TSSA (Technical Standards & Safety Authority) administers these codes

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CWB Company Certification

Four main requirements:

1. Qualified welders

2. Qualified welding supervisor(s)

3. Qualified welding engineering (Div. 1 & 2)

4. Accepted welding procedures

CSA W47.1 “Certification of Companies for Fusion Welding of

Steel”

Requirement #1:Qualified Welders

• Must pass a practical test

- For positions and processes used

- Witnessed by the CWB

• Issued a Welder Card, or “Ticket”

- Valid for the certified company named on the ticket

- Tickets transferable between certified companies

• Use of Ticket

- Valid only while employed by a CSA W47.1 company

- Pressure vessel tickets are not W47.1 welder tickets

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Welder Ticket

Requirement #2:Qualified Welding Supervisor(s)

• Employ at least one Welding Supervisor

• Must demonstrate:

•Minimum education

•Minimum experience

• Key roles:

•To ensure that welders are qualified

•To ensure that welding procedures

•To ensure visual weld quality requirements

Requirement #3:Qualified Welding Engineer(s)

• Companies choose certification in 1 of 3 divisions:

- Division 1 - Welding engineer employed

- Division 2 - Welding engineer retained

- Division 3 - No welding engineer

• Division requirement normally specified in the design/product/safety standard

• Must demonstrate:- Minimum education

- Minimum experience

• Key roles:- Development of new welding procedures

- Documentation related to welding procedures

- Periodic review of overall welding operations

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Requirement #4Qualified Welding Procedures

• A document of welding details & parameters – like a “recipe” for welding

• Are reviewed and accepted by the CWB against the requirements of the certification standard and governing standards

• In some cases are deemed to be “pre-qualified”, i.e. no qualification testing is required

Maintaining CWB Certification

• Certification is an ongoing process• To maintain certification, companies must:

- Qualify new & check test existing welders every 2 years

- Submit new or revised welding procedures, as required

- Continually verify visual acceptance of welded product(s)

- Ensure any CWB “scope” work subcontracted to a CWB certified company

• The CWB audits each company every 6 months

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Benefits of CWB Certification

• Independent review of company’s capability &conformance to owner/project requirements

• Helps to reduce fabrication costs• Increases technical competence• Helps to improve quality• Forms an integral part of any quality assurance

system• Develops a disciplined approach to welding

fabrication• Helps demonstrate due diligence & enhances

safety & reliability• Recognized worldwide

Costs & Time to Certify a Company CSA W47.1

• Depends on the company

- Up to 18 months; average is 4 – 6 months

• Average fee

- $1,400 / year

Worldwide CertificationOver 4800 Companies

Argentina

Austria

Brazil

Belgium

Canada

Chile

China

Czech Rep.

Finland

France

Germany

Holland

India

Indonesia

Italy

Japan

Korea

Malaysia

Mexico

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States

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National/Provincial Building Codes -Welding Requirements

NATIONAL & PROVINCIAL BUILDING CODES

CSA A 23 CSA S16

Design of Steel

Structures

CSA S157Precast

Concrete

Aluminum

CSA W186

CSA W48(Electrodes)

CSA W47.2

CSA W59.2CSA W47.1

(Welding Qualifications)

CSA W59(Weld Quality)

CSA W178.1

CSA W178.2(Welding Inspection)

• Individual visual inspectors used must be CSA W178.2 (Level II minimum) or W178.1 Company

• Level I inspectors must be employed by a W178.1 company

Inspection Requirements

Welding Requirements

• Fabricator shall be a CSA W47.1 certified company in Division 1 or 2

• Fabricator may sublet to a Division 3 company (assist in fabrication or erection)

• Joint design and quality requirements must meet CSA W59

CAN/CSA Standard S16-01Limit States Design of Steel Structures

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CSA Standard W59-03Welded Steel Construction (Metal Arc Welding)

• Not a certification standard.

• Is a welded construction standard, outlining requirements for materials, electrodes, weld quality and inspection, and weld joint design.

• Includes a non-mandatory requirement for CWB certification.

CAN/CSA Standard S6 Welding Requirements

PROVINCIAL PLANS/SPECIFICATIONS

CSA S6

Canadian Highways Bridge

Design Code

CSA W48 CSA W47.1CSA W178.2 CSA W59(Inspection) (Electrodes) (Qualification) (Quality)

CSA A23.4(Rebar)

• “Welding inspectors shall be qualified by the CWB to the requirements of CSA Standard W178.2” (Cl. 10.24.8.1)

Inspection Requirements

Welding Requirements• “The Company undertaking welded fabrication under this Section shall

be certified to Division 1 or Division 2.1 of CSA Standard W47.1” (Cl. 10.24.5.5)

• “The Company undertaking field-welding under this Section shall be certified to Division 1 or Division 2.1 of CSA Standard W47.1” (Cl. 10.24.10.8)

• “Concrete components cast in a location other than their final position, manufactured and erected in accordance with CSA Standard A23.4”(Requires Certification to CSA W186)

CAN/CSA Standard S6-00“Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code”

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Examples of Standards Which“Specify” Certification

- A23.4/A251/S304.1 Concrete Construction Standards

- B44 Elevators, Escalators, Moving Walkways

- B167 Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes

- B311 Manlifts- G40.20 Fabricated Three Plate

Beams - S6 Design & Fabrication of

Highway Bridges- S136 Cold Formed Steel

Structure Members- S16 Steel Structures for Buildings

- S37 Antenna Towers and Support Structures

- S157 Strength Design in Aluminum

- S473 Steel Offshore Structures- W59 Welded Steel

Construction- Z98 Passenger Ropeway- Z185 Personnel Hoists- Z248 Tower Cranes- Z256 Material Hoists- Z267 Amusement Rides- Z271 Powered Platforms

Canadian and American Welding

Standards - Review

• Fabrication (materials, electrode storage)• Welding Procedures

- Pre-qualified Joints• Weld Quality and Inspection• Weld Design

• Fabrication (materials, electrode storage)• Welder Testing

- Self administered- Initial testing only

• Welding Procedures- Self administered- Pre-qualified joints- Testing requirements

• Weld Quality and Inspection • Weld DesignCompany Certification

• CWB on-site audits every 6 months

• CWB qualified Welding Supervisor• CWB qualified Welding Engineer

• CWB welder testing every 2 years• CWB consumable certification• CWB accepted Welding Procedures

- Testing requirements

CSA W59

CSA W47.1

AWS D1.1

Not in AWSAWS D1.1D1.1

International Welding Standards -What’s Happening?

• ISO TC 44

- S/C 10

Quality Systems (ISO 3834)

Welding Procedures (ISO 15614)

- S/C 11

Welder Testing (ISO 9606)

• International Institute of Welding (IIW)- CWB is the ANB for Canada

- Welding personnel qualifications for:

Welding engineers, supervisors, welders, inspectors, etc.

- 5,000 certified worldwide and growing