We rely on the high quality of a weld for many of our day-to-day tasks from turning on a tap to driving over a bridge. The fact is, most of us won’t notice a weld when it’s doing its job properly because it is only one part of a bigger piece of engineering.
But we do notice a poor-quality weld because of the consequences when it breaks or leaks. The impact of a failure can range from an inconvenience when a sink pipe bursts, right through to something that is far more dangerous like the structural failure of a gas pipe or building. That is why quality assurance is so important in all aspects of the coded welding process.
This blog post explains exactly what coded welding is and the role of safety and quality assurance within it.
What is coded welding?
Coded welding is a welding process carried out by welders who are approved against a certain standard. Essentially, coded welders are time-served, skilled individuals who have a welder qualification following the completion of approval testing to a particular specification such as BS EN ISO standards in the UK or ASME IX and AWS standards in the USA.
The code system ensures that welders have the appropriate level of knowledge and skill to be able to create reliable welds to industry standards, depending on the welding processes and procedures used.
How is safety ensured in coded welding?
There are a range of safety measures in coded welding that help to ensure those involved are protected. These include things like:
- considering the risks before starting each weld
- welding in a designated safety area that has good lighting and temperature control
- using appropriate safety equipment and PPE
- ensuring there is adequate ventilation to protect from fumes and gases
- making sure that the equipment is regularly maintained
Following and enforcing all safety procedures for the type of welding operations being carried out helps to ensure that welders and their colleagues are working in a safe environment.
How do we ensure quality assurance in our coded welding work?
Welding inspection, quality control, assurance, and safety are key aspects of what we do at Washington Components. We work in accordance with ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 and are an ISO 9001:2015 (quality management system) and ISO 3834 (welding) certified company.
Quality is essential to us and we know how important it is to our customers as well. Our weld quality assurance and management system enables us to achieve this with the processes and procedures we implement. We are proud of the quality of the products we manufacture on a daily basis and our high standards are achieved through continuous investment in our people and equipment.
Our welding co-ordinator is qualified to CSWIP 3.2 Level 3 and ensures that all welding processes including joint and weld preparation, conform to the demands of your exact specifications. Our quality control processes include working closely with local suppliers so that we can provide independent NDT solutions.
Coded Welding at Washington Components
Washington Components provides first-class coded welding services that are smarter, better, and faster to deliver the best weld quality for our customers.
Our team of highly skilled welders uses modern welding operations and equipment and works to approved manufacturing procedures to ensure your welded assemblies are in safe hands. We are ISO 3834 approved and hold welding procedure specification ASME IX, AWS D1.1, ISO, and Norsok.
Get in touch with our team today to find out how our coded welders can meet the demands of your welding needs.
