A coded welder is someone who has passed a Welder Approval Test in a specific welding configuration.
How do you become a coded welder?
Coded welders, possess highly valued skills and work in sectors where quality control is paramount and the sectors are incredibly regulated. Our Coded Welders work on a range of safety-critical applications, including pressure tanks and pressure pipework.
In the United Kingdom, welder certification is based on the British Standards Institute’s (BSI) ISO standards. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has its own standards.
Each code is designed for a particular task, though some codes are more general and some are more specific. More specific codes require parameters to be assigned by a welding inspector.
A welding specification demands that welds are tested to that specification. The welder may produce a sample that mirrors the position closely. You are expected to produce a weld following written instructions. An approved CSWIP examiner will then perform a welding examination on your weld, encompassing the following:
- Visual Or Surface Inspection
- Destructive Bend Test
- Nick Break Fracture Test
- Macro Etch
If the inspector passes each of the above, the welder is then coded to that specification. Being coded in one spec DOES NOT mean you’re qualified in another. Our Coded welders cover all of the above and more and are generally tested every couple of years.
Welding Codes
Welding codes are documents that set the standard of practice thus ensuring quality is adhered to throughout the process.
In the UK, you’ll operate under one of the following:
- BS – National British Standard
- ISO – International Standards Organisation
- BS EN – European British Standard European Standard
- AWS – US American Welding Society
- ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers
With the most common codes being the following:
- BS EN ISO 9606
- BS 4872
- BS EN ISO 15614 -1
- AWS D1.1/ D1.2/ D1.6
- ASME Section IX
Different types of welding explained
TIG WELDING. Kee Engineering use TIG welding to produce high- quality welds. TIG produces no splatter and minimises the potential for defects during the welding process.
MIG WELDING. MIG is one of the most common industrial welding techniques, producing high-quality welds much more quickly than other techniques. MIG can be used to weld many different metals and alloys.
MMA WELDING. AKA The Stick welding method, also called Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), is a low-cost technique that can be used in almost any environment and position and is very versatile.
FUSION WELDING. KEE Engineering uses a fusion welding method to weld polyethylene pipes such as MDPE. They use heat and copper wires to melt the ends together. Gas and water piping usually requires fusion welding. Fusion welding can also be used for acidic environments.
OUR CODED WELDERS
Our team of multi-coded welders has experience working with a diverse range of specifications, materials, diameters and thicknesses. We are available nationwide.
We operate out of a purpose built industrial unit but can also provide a mobile service to support you wherever you are based. Click –> Coded welding to find out more about our services.
