Page 34 - Quick Guide to Welding and Weld Inspection by S.E. Hughes, Clifford Matthews

Duties of a Welding Inspector

heating method and temperature measurement methods
are approved for use.
. Ensure temperatures are in accordance with the WPS.
. Ensure any tack welds are correctly applied after any pre-
heat requirement.
During welding
The inspector must monitor all aspects of the actual welding
to check that the correct heat input is applied to the weld and
that the weld is formed correctly in accordance with the
WPS. Realistically, it is pointless making all the necessary
preparations and checks before welding and then simply
assuming that the welder will strictly adhere to the procedure.
Many a weld has failed because a welder has taken a shortcut
without appreciating the detrimental effect to the mechanical
properties of a welded joint. One of the functions of the
inspector is therefore to police all the parties involved in the
formation and testing of the weld. Checks to be carried out
include:
. Monitor and record the welding variables such as
amperage, run-out lengths and voltage.
. Monitor and record environmental conditions (rain, snow,
wind, etc.) that could affect the finished weld.
. Monitor and maintain pre-heat temperatures.
. Monitor the interpass temperatures and maintain them as
required.
. Ensure interpass cleaning is carried out correctly.
. Inspect critical root runs and monitor hot pass times.
After welding
Once all welding is completed it is the responsibility of the
inspector to ensure that the required quality inspections and
tests are carried out by qualified personnel and meet the
relevant code or specification acceptance requirements. The
main checks are to:
. Ensure any required PWHT is correctly applied and

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Woodhead Publishing Ltd – A Quick Guide to Welding and Weld Inspection
Data Standards Ltd, Frome, Somerset – 17/9/200902QG Welding chap2.3d Page 19 of 21