Senior Certified Welding Inspector is an honorable and popular job profile in the industry. Applicants holding supervisory or managerial responsibilities in the field of quality assurance and quality control need this certification. Simply this position is more than a certified welding inspector. The SCWI program is suitable for professionals seeking a higher level than a CWI. Applicants need certain qualifications for it. In this article, find various aspects and procedures of senior certified welding inspector program.
Post Highlights:
- What is the Senior Certified Welding Inspector Program?
- AWS SCWI Program Requirements
- How to Apply for the SCWI Program?
- SCWI Program Pricing
- AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector Exam
- Suggested Books for AWS SCWI Exam
- SCWI Certification Validity
- Benefits of SCWI Certification
Senior Certified Welding Inspector Program
Senior Certified Welding Inspector program is a great and specialized welding certification program for Non-CWI professionals. The candidates should have basic education and gained extensive problem-solving experience. During the program, applicants are introduced to procedure qualifications, quality systems, advanced NDE topics, and other SCWI knowledge areas.
Technical Documents
QC1:2016-AMD1 – Specification for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors
B5.1:2013-AMD1 – Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors
B5.1:2003 – Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors
Requirements for AWS SCWI Program
Candidates should possess the following combination of education and work experience.
- Applicants should have been certified as a certified welding inspector for at least six years out the past eight years.
- They should possess at least 15 years of work experience in three of the following areas.
AWS B5.1 – Experience Areas (possess any three)-
1. Applicants should have welding related standards, codes, and specifications experiences.
2. They should be welding operators, welders, or tack welders in manufacturing, fabrication, and construction.
3. Having experience in operational techniques and activities such as fulfilling quality control requirements for weldments.
4. Possess experience in planning, control, and application of filler metals and base metals.
5. Having repair welding experience in planning, control, and application
6. They should have teaching experience in welding occupational skills.
7. To have measurement and detection experience of weld discontinuities.
8. Experience related to procedures development, acceptance criteria, inspection requirements, and specification for weldments.
9. Written procedure preparation experience for welding, destructive tests, or nondestructive evaluation of weldments.
10. Candidates should have experience in the qualification of welders or welding procedures.
How to Apply for the SCWI Program?
Aspiring applicants can apply online for the Senior Certified Welding Inspector program by visiting the website of AWS (www.aws.org) and follow the instructions given there.
Application Link for SCWI program
Note: Candidates sending applications through other means like paper or email will be charged $125 each.
Senior Certified Welding Inspector Program Pricing
The SCWI program will cost applicants in the following ways.
| Items | 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 above-mentioned prices are subjected to change without prior notice.
AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector Exam
The AWS SCWI exam syllabus and pattern are as follows.
I. SCWI Exam Syllabus
| Parts | Subjects | Weightage (%) |
|
A |
Destructive testing | 5% |
| Heat control and metallurgy | 10% | |
| NDE applicability | 1% | |
| NDE fundamentals | 10% | |
| Welding and allied processes | 5% | |
| Total | 31% | |
|
B |
Personnel management and training | 5% |
| Project management | 5% | |
| Quality assurance | 10% | |
| Safety programs and procedures | 5% | |
| Welding Inspection and NDE Personnel Qualification and Certification | 10% | |
| Welding Personnel Qualification and Certification | 10% | |
| Welding procedure qualification | 10% | |
| Total | 55% |
II. SCWI Exam Pattern
The AWS conducts two open-book examinations for the program. The duration of each part is two hours. There will 200 questions in total.
Part A (Technical Fundamentals)
| Sr. No. | Subjects | Duration |
| 1 | Heat Control and Metallurgy – high alloy steel and nonferrous materials |
2 Hours |
| 2 | NDE (ET, AET, LT) – applicability, destructive testing (groove welds, fillet welds, stud welds, and weldability testing), fundamentals, techniques, and applicability | |
| 3 | NDE (VT, PT, MT, RT, UT) – fundamentals, techniques, and applicability | |
| 4 | Welding and Allied Processes |
Part B (Administrative Fundamentals)
| Sr. No. | Subjects | Duration |
| 1 | Performance Evaluation |
2 Hours |
| 2 | Personnel Management and Training Programs | |
| 3 | Project Management | |
| 4 | Quality Assurance/Quality Management – quality programs, document control, procurement, and supplier control, calibration, quality control, process control, statistical quality control, trend analysis, non-conformance control, auditing and surveillance, corrective action, and records. | |
| 5 | Safety Programs and Procedures | |
| 6 | Welding Inspection and NDE Personnel Qualification and Certification | |
| 7 | Welding Personnel Qualification and Certification | |
| 8 | Welding Procedure Qualification and Approval |
Imp: Candidates need to score at least 72% in both the Parts collectively.
Suggested Books for AWS SCWI Examination
The questions may be asked from the following referential books.
- AWS Certification Manual for Welding Inspection
- AWS Welding Handbook, Vol. 1: Welding Science and Technology
- AWS Welding Handbook, Vol. 2: Welding Processes
- AWS Welding Handbook, Vol. 3: Materials and Applications Part I
- AWS Welding Handbook, Vol. 4: Materials and Applications Part II
- AWS Welding Inspection Handbook
- AWS Welding Inspection Technology
- Guide for the Nondestructive Examination of Welds
- Guide for the Visual Inspection of Welds
- Metric Practice Guide for the Welding Industry
- Recommended Practices for Welding Austenitic Chromium (Nickel Stainless Steel Piping and Tubing)
- Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Products
- Senior Certified Welding Inspector Study Guide (Section 4 Quality Assurance)
- Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors
- Specification for Welding Procedure and Performance Qualification
- Standard for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors
- Standard Methods for Mechanical Testing of Welds
- Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination
- Standard Welding Terms and Definitions
SCWI Certification Validity
The certificate will be valid for three years unless revoked.
Renewal and Recertification
It will be renewed after a period of three years. Candidates should make sure there is no inactivity for more than two years. The renewal is limited to two terms of three years. After every nine years, applicants need to recertify from the AWS.
Note: There is also a provision for 9 years recertification of SCWI.
Benefits of AWS SCWI Program
The certification is always beneficial for welding professionals. AWS provides many professional certifications in welding. Getting certified from a reputed organization like the American Welding Society gives an edge to the professionals while maintaining position and find welding jobs. Similarly, the AWS SCWI program is also beneficial.
- Certification provides higher salary potential, job stability, and stronger employment demand.
- It demonstrates to employers your ability to continually learn and grow in your field.
- SCWI certification prepares you for the bigger career roles like team leadership, managerial roles, and the like complex jobs.
Thus, the information on the AWS SCWI program is crucial for students, welders, and other welding professionals in their respective fields.
Related: Other Welding Certifications
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