The International Welding Inspectors [IIW, EWF] Personnel consists of 3 levels, which are categorized according to the requirements and access conditions based on the participant’s educational background.
In addition, Welding Inspector programs are provided in accordance with the International Standards of Personnel Certification ISO /IEC 17024.
The Welding Inspectors are the most necessary personnel in all construction projects, maintenance and assessment of industrial infrastructures. In addition to the technical knowledge required, the training programs base their structure on the Welding Inspector’s excellent professional behaviour.
Contents:
Inspector’s Role
The inspector’s role begins well before welding starts, continues during the welding operation, involves action after welding is completed, and is finalised only when the results are properly reported. As part of the quality system, inspection activities are defined in an inspection and test plan, which clearly describes what is required. The inspector is frequently responsible for producing documents that ensure traceability of the components and related fabricating action.
Welding Inspectors’ Typical Duties:
- Interpretation of drawings and specifications.
- Welding Procedure Verification (WPS) and Welders or Welding Operator qualifications.
- Verification of the application of approved welding procedures.
- Selection of production test samples.
- Interpretation of test results.
- Preparation of reports and keeping of records.
- Preparation of inspection procedures.
- Checking the correct application of NDT methods.
1. International Welding Inspector Level -Comprehensive [IIW, EWF]
A candidate who completes the International Welding Inspector – Comprehensive Level training programme of a total 231 training hours, shall possess an intimate knowledge of welding and inspection theory and application.
The Program is categorized into two parts, as shown in the table below, Welding Technology for a total duration of 103 hours and Welding Inspection for a total duration of 128 hours.
The training is provided exclusively by the Welding Greek Institute and is the world’s largest and most comprehensive Inspector training programme.
| Diploma | Part | Modules | Training Hours |
| International Welding Inspector/ IWIP – Comprehensive Level | Welding Technology | 1. Welding Processes and Equipment | 35 |
| 2. Materials and their behaviour during welding | 50 | ||
| 3. Construction , Study and design | 10 | ||
| 4. Construction and Engineering Applications | 8 | ||
| Total Welding Technology Training Hours | 103 | ||
| Welding Inspection | 1. Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Inspection | 35 | |
| 2. Weld testing and reporting | 40 | ||
| 3. Practicum in Testing | 53 | ||
| Total Welding Inspection Training Hours | 128 | ||
| *Welding Technology Training may not be carried out for IWE, IWT Diploma Holders. | |||
The International Welding Inspector Comprehensive Level, which is the upper level of Welding Inspectors, is able to (in addition to the activities of the Standard and Basic Levels):
- Manage the whole of the Welding Inspection activities;
- Supervise the activities of the IWI-S and IWI-B;
- Develop and provide instructions to IWI-S and IWI-B;
- Act as a technical expert for the Inspection function;
- Develop, comment and review Quality Control Plans and Inspection Testing Plans for applications not covered by product standards, codes, specifications, drawings and regulatory requirements; and
- Manage inspection activities for non-conventional applications with reference to materials, processes, and advanced destructive testing and NDT techniques.
2. International Welding Inspector Level Standard [IIW, EWF]
A candidate completing the “Standard” level of training under this programme shall possess an advanced knowledge of welding and inspection theory and application.
The training programme has a total duration of 173 hours of theoretical and practical learning as described in the table below.
| Diploma | Part | Modules | Training Hours |
| International Welding Inspector / IWIP – Standard Level | Welding Technology | 1. Welding Processes and Equipment | 22 |
| 2. Materials and their behaviour during welding | 39 | ||
| 3. Construction , Study and design | 8 | ||
| 4. Construction and Engineering Applications | 8 | ||
Total Welding Technology Training Hours | 77 | ||
| Welding Inspection | 1. Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Inspection | 29 | |
| 2.Weld testing and reporting | 30 | ||
| 3. Practicum in Testing | 37 | ||
| Total Welding Inspection Training Hours | 96 | ||
| *Welding Technology Training may not be carried out for IWE, IWT Diploma Holders. | |||
This knowledge base will enable the candidate to perform the following tasks (in addition to the Basic level / IWI-B activity):
- Supervise the activities of the IWI-B;
- Develop and provide instructions to IWI-B;
- Develop, comment and review Quality Control Plans and Inspection and Testing Plans based on product standards, codes, specifications, drawings and regulatory requirements;
- Witness procedure qualification tests including testing of the specimens
- Verify the compliance of WQPRs and WPSs and welder qualifications and approvals against
- the applicable standards, codes and specifications for conventional applications (e.g. arc welding processes, steels, aluminium alloys);
- Verify the compliance of PWHT specifications against the applicable standards, codes and
- specifications;
- Verify the compliance of raw materials and consumables certificates against the applicable
- standards, codes and specifications;
- Take decisions on acceptance of quality documents related to welding fabrication (e.g NDT,
- material testing, production testing, etc.);
- Take decisions based on quality documents (e.g NDT, material testing, production testing,
- etc.) according to the requirements defined for the construction;
- Verify radiographic films quality adequacy (no interpretation);
- Identify and verify the relevant NDT techniques for a welded construction; and
- Report on all the above actions.
3. IWI-Level-B, International Welding Inspector Level Basic [IIW, EWF]
Candidates who complete the “Basic” level of training under this program, with a total of 102 training hours, categorized as shown in the table below, shall possess a general knowledge of welding and inspection application and theory.
| Diploma | Part | Modules | Training hours |
| International Welding Inspector/ IWIP – Comprehensive Level | Welding Technology | 1. Welding Processes and Equipment | 17 |
| 2. Materials and their behaviour during welding | 19 | ||
| 3. Construction , Study and design | 5 | ||
| 4. Construction and Engineering Applications | 6 | ||
| Total Welding Technology Training Hours | 47 | ||
| Welding Inspection | 1. Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Inspection | 20 | |
| 2.Weld testing and reporting | 18 | ||
| 3. Practicum in Testing | 17 | ||
| Total Welding Inspection Training Hours | 55 | ||
| *Welding Technology Training may not be carried out for IWE, IWT Diploma Holders. | |||
Upon completion of the programme the candidate will be allowed to effectively perform the following tasks:
- Conduct direct unaided visual inspection to identify and evaluate welding imperfection according to acceptance criteria;
- Verify, witness and understand all welding related activities in fabrication, including (but not limited to) the following points:
- Verify the adequacy of information on NDT reports (VT, PT, MT, RT, UT) for conventional techniques;
- Verify data and adequacy of material certificates (base and filler materials);
- Verify identification and treacability of the materials during the fabrication process;
- Verify the compliance of raw materials and consumables against the applicable standards, codes and specifications;
- Verify the implementation of the WPS in production for conventional applications (e.g. arc welding processes, steels);
- Verify the implementation of PWHT specifications in production;
- Witness welder approval tests including testing of the specimens or test coupons;
- Witness production test coupons;
- Read and understand an Inspection Testing Plan;
- Read and understand the construction drawings in relation to inspection activities; and
- Report any of the above actions to a qualified supervisor.
For any further information about the training programme contact: training@wgi.gr
