Certified Associate Welding Inspector program is a career-oriented program of AWS for various professionals in the welding industry. A certified associate welding inspector is a reputed certification both at the national or international levels. The CAWI certification assures employers highly skilled employees making sure the quality thoroughly.
Post Highlights:
- What is the AWS CAWI Program?
- CAWI Program Requirements
- How to Apply for the CAWI Program?
- Pricing of AWS CAWI Program
- Books for AWS Seminar Participants
- AWS CAWI Exam Pattern
- CAWI Certification Validity
- Benefits of CAWI Certification
Certified Associate Welding Inspector Program
AWS CAWI program is a certification program for non-certified welding professionals. The certification requires qualification almost similar to the Certified Welding Inspector. Certification assures strict use of welding codes and standards to follow in welding activities. Applicants after passing the examination successfully receive a certificate and wallet.
Technical Documents
QC1:2016-AMD1 – Specification for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors
B5.1:2013-AMD1 – Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors
CAWI Program Requirements
Applicants should possess a combination of education level, work experience, pass vision-test, and supporting documents. There are many welding schools providing various welding programs in the united states.
| Education Levels | Work Experience |
| Less than 8th Grade | 6 years |
| At least 8th Grade | 4 years |
| At least 8th Grade 1-year of vocational education and training in a welding curriculum | 3 years |
| High School Diploma or state or military-approved high school equivalency diploma (GED) | 2 years |
| 2 years of post-high school education in a welding curriculum or engineering technology, engineering, or physical science | 6 months |
How to Apply for the CAWI Program?
Potential applicants seeking certification for Associate Welding Inspector can apply online by visiting the official website of the American Welding Society (www.aws.org) and follow the instructions given there.
Application Link for CAWI Exam
Pricing of AWS Certified Associate Welding Inspector
The pricing for the AWS CAWI program is as follows.
| Products | AWS Members | Non-members |
| Initial CAWI, CWI Exams | $1,070 | $1,325 |
| CWI by Reciprocity with CWB or INWC | $560 | $815 |
| Initial CAWI, CWI, and Part B Training | $1,580 | $1,835 |
| Endorsement Structural Drawing Reading | $310 | $565 |
| Prometric Endorsement Exam | $370 | $625 |
| Prometric Endorsement MT Exam | $430 | $685 |
| Prometric Endorsement PT Exam | $430 | $685 |
| Prometric Initial SCWI | $1,070 | $1,325 |
| Upgrade CAWI to CWI | $270 | $525 |
| Total | $6,090 | $8,385 |
Note: The prices of the CAWI program are subjected to change without prior notification.
Imp: Applicants applying through non-aws-portal will be charged a fee of $125 each.
Books for AWS Seminar Participants
The American Welding Society provides books for the participants in the Seminar.
- Certification Manual for Welding Inspectors
- API 1104 Study Guide for API Standard 1104 Welding of Pipelines
- 1 Code Clinic Reference Manual
- 1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code-Steel
- Guide for the Nondestructive Examination of Welds
- Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors
- Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination
- Standard Welding Terms and Definitions
- Welding Inspection Handbook
- Welding Inspection Technology
- Welding Inspection Technology (Workbook)
- Welding Inspection Technology Sample CWI Fundamentals Examination & Key
AWS CAWI Exam Pattern
The syllabus and pattern of the certified associate welding inspector exam are as follows.
CAWI Exam Syllabus
| Parts | Topics | Details |
| A | Fundamentals | Standards, codes, or specifications |
| B | Practical | Nondestructive examination, joint design, quality assurance, welding processes, weld discontinuities, welding safety, mechanical properties of metals, inspector’s duties, symbols, and basic on-the-job mathematics. |
| C | Code Book | Welder qualification, welding examination, welding procedure qualification, drawing and specification compliance, mechanical testing, and non-destructive testing processes. |
CAWI Exam Pattern
| Parts | Topics | Questions % |
| A | Fundamentals | |
| 1 | Cutting | 2 |
| 2 | Definitions and Terminology | 12 |
| 3 | Destructive Tests | 3 |
| 4 | Duties and Responsibilities | 4 |
| 5 | Heat Control & Metallurgy (carbon and low-alloy steel) | 6 |
| 6 | Symbols—Welding and NDE | 10 |
| 7 | Test Methods—NDE | 8 |
| 8 | Weld Examination | 10 |
| 9 | Welding Performance | 9 |
| 10 | Welding Processes | 12 |
| 11 | Welding Related Calculations | 6 |
| B | Practical | |
| 1 | Mechanical Test and Properties | 8 |
| 2 | NDE | 8 |
| 3 | Procedure and Welder Qualifications | 28 |
| 4 | Utilization of Specification and Drawings | 8 |
| 5 | Welding Inspection and Flaws | 34 |
| C | Code Applications | |
| 1 | Fabrication | 25 |
| 2 | Inspection | 25 |
| 3 | Material and Design | 5 |
| 4 | Qualification | 25 |
| 5 | Reports and Records | 5 |
Note: CAWI examination will consist of the following numbers of questions in each Part.
- Part A (Fundamentals) – 150 Questions
- Part B (Practical) – 40 Questions
- Part C (Code Book) – 46 Questions
CAWI Certification Validity
AWS CAWI Certification shall be valid for three years unless revoked for stipulated reasons.
Upgrading CAWI Certification to CWI
There is a provision for upgrading CAWI to CWI. Applicants with a required score in each part of the exam meeting the specification and still do not have the required experience. They may request for CWI up-gradation only after possessing experience requirements.
Renewals
There is no provision for CAWI certification renewal.
Benefits of CAWI Certification
Certification from such a reputed authority (AWS) is always beneficial in many ways for non-certified welding professionals.
Thus, the information on the Certified Associate Welding Inspector program is important for non-certified welding professionals in the industry.
Related: Other Welding Certifications
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