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 CWI- professional visual welding inspectors

Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) certification can be obtained from the American Welding Society (AWS). AWS is considered the worldwide leader in welding industry certification programs. Earning a CWI certification demonstrates the skills and abilities of the welding inspectors knowledge of the welding processes, procedures, qualifications, and testing as well as a strict code of ethics. In order to qualify for the CWI exam, applicants must pass a vision test and have experience in welding-based work as well as relevant education. The exam is six hours long, split into three parts. Part A is a written exam consisting of 150 questions. Part B is a practical, hands-on test covering welding examination, procedure (PQS) and welding qualifications (WPS), nondestructive testing (NDE), and visual inspection. Part C relates to code application, testing the inspector’s ability to locate, understand, and utilize information in a codebook or standard. The CWI certification must be re-certified or renewed on 3- or 6-year cycles. 

According to the American Welding Society, CWIs do much more than just look at completed welds. CWIs are held accountable for adhering to safety standards and local/federal regulations, review of documentation and specifications, monitoring the welding processes, and inspection of the final weld at the end of the welding process. CWIs are also held accountable for the integrity and quality of the finished product. Whether it be a pipeline, a bridge, or structural steel buildings, CWIs are responsible for identifying flaws before they become a problem or a safety issue. 

With that in mind:

 Our AWS CWI Inspectors will meet and exceed your visual weld inspection demands. We specialize in servicing the structural steel, oil and gas pipeline industry with over 20 years of field service experience in the industry, we have the professional experience and expertise to meet your weld inspection requirements. 

The requirement across our industry demands proper documentation and accountability. Our professional weld inspectors know that proper documentation of the work they perform is critical and attention to detail is never overlooked. Your company may use its own forms to adhere to your policy requirements or you may choose to use our inspection forms which shall meet the requirements of today's codes and standards governing inspection and documentation of weldments. Whether it's AWS, API, or ASME codes/ standards our professional weld inspectors are able to meet your weld inspection requirements ensuring each step of the way each "I" have been dotted and every "T" has been crossed.

Magnetic particle inspection is an inspection method used to identify defects on the surface of ferromagnetic materials by running a magnetic current through it. 

It can also be used to detect defects just beneath the surface of materials. The types of defects it can detect include cracks, pores, cold lap, and the lack of sidewall fusion in welds.

Magnetic particle inspection (MPI) is also commonly called magnetic particle testing (MT), magnetic testing, or particle inspection. 

Our professional weld inspectors are prepared to perform various NDE on your site to ensure weld integrity. 

Liquid Penetrant Inspection (LPI) is widely used to detect surface breaking flaws.

This non-destructive testing technique is a cost-effective method used to locate surface breaking flaws such as cracks, porosity, laps, seams and other surface discontinuities. Dye penetrant inspection can be applied to both ferrous and non-ferrous materials and all non-porous materials (metals, plastics or ceramics) it is commonly referred to as PT (penetrant testing).

It is commonly used to detect defects in castings, forgings and weldments. Callahan Weld Inspection LLC works with all industry sectors including power generation, petrochemical and oil and gas, and we can provide liquid penetrant inspection on-site at our customer’s premises.

The method is useful for testing on-site as it is portable, and when applying certain techniques such as solvent removable visible color contrast where there is no need for additional resources such as electricity or water. This makes it a highly convenient for inspecting surface discontinuities.

Weld inspection takes place before, during, and after the welding process, emphasizing safety at every stage. When performed correctly, weld inspection should catch any and all weld discontinuities before a piece (s) ever become installed on the project or leave the fabrication area/shop. 

Before and during the weld, proper weld inspection consists of keeping workers safe and ensuring regulatory compliance. After the weld is complete, weld inspection keeps civilians protected by making sure no product with a faulty weld enters public use. 

This kind of weld inspection refers to the tasks that needs to take place before the welding begins. This includes the weld inspectors making sure that all safety measures are observed, reading and understanding all documents that explain the task at hand, verifying all needed materials, and tracking all tools or energy sources as well as ensuring the welders are versed in the welding procedure to be used. Our professional weld inspectors all observe the fit and bevel before welding begins understanding it is critical to producing an acceptable weld avoiding a "land" that is out of tolerance as well as correcting hi-lo that could cause inadequate root penetration. 

Weld inspection tasks that take place during the welding process include keeping track of heat input, cleaning between individual weld passes, monitoring welding technique and joint position, and looking for visual clues that indicate problems. 

After-weld inspection takes place after the weld has cooled to the procedure and code requirements. Tasks include checking for adequate weld size, looking for discontinuities or flaws, ensuring that the product meets code/standard specifications, and testing the weld strength through means in accordance with code requirements as well as design specifications.