Quality Management in Welding – ISO3834 Certification Requirements
Basic Standard for QMS
ISO 9001 -2000
Manufacturing
ISO 3834, EN 1011, ISO 5817
Personnel
ISO 9606, EN 287, ISO 14731, ISO 14732
Procedures
ISO 15607 – 15614
Testing and Inspection Personnel
ISO 9712, EN 1289
Basis for ISO 3834 series of welding standards
As is well known, weld quality is achieved by sound welding, not by inspection. Inspection, however, provides a check of the reliability of the product, but cannot improve poor quality. Therefore, welding requires continuous control and/or to follow documented procedures. Certifications such as ISO3834 can build a robust quality management systems thus attracting more customers.
Genesis of ISO-3834
A member of the International Union of Technical Associations and Organisations (UTAO), IIW is a part of the International Council for Engineering and Technology (ICET), one of the twelve key formal umbrella organisations associated with UNESCO.
The experts of International Institute of Welding (IIW) have supplied the technical basis of the great majority of welding standards issued by the International Standards Organisation – ISO.
Since 1989, IIW has been recognised by ISO as an International Standardisation Body to prepare the final texts of international welding standards.
Criteria of selection of part of the standard
- Financial loss
- Loss to human life
- Repair cost
- Loads- static and dynamic
Application of ISO 3834
- Certification of companies in accordance with ISO – 3834 Parts 2, 3 or 4
- Certification of personnel in accordance with ISO 14731
What is ISO 3834?
ISO3834 is an international standard created by welding professionals. ISO 9001 provides the requirements for a quality management system; it does not establish requirements for products. The standard on the other hand, does provide the quality requirements for a welded product.
It specifies requirements relating only to the quality of the welded product. Encourages a proactive process orientated approach to managing and controlling welding product quality in a workshop or on site. Also, gives a Factory Control System to control activities for the manufacture of the product.
Why adopt ISO 3834 when we have ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 is a comprehensive standard that lays down quality management system requirements for any organisation. However, the standard does not prescribe specific details for “special processes”. Welding is regarded as a ‘special process’. ISO 3834 was developed to identify all factors that could affect the quality of welded product and which need to be controlled at all stages, before, during and after welding.
What are the benefits of specifying the ISO 3834 Standard for the purchaser & supplier?
- More assurance of contract delivery dates
- Greater assurance of the quality of welded products
- Greater reliability and performance of plant
- Reduction in maintenance costs
- Reduction or elimination of third party inspection costs
- More competent suppliers of welded products
What are the benefits of using the ISO 3834 Standard for the manufacturer?
- Less rework
- Jobs completed on time
- Local and international recognition as a competent organisation
- Meet the welding-related requirements of ISO 9001
- More efficient coordination of welding activities
- More pro-active and responsible workforce
- Increased opportunities and capability to bid on jobs
- Cost savings – more efficient technology
- Reduced surveillance audits and inspections by purchasers with significant savings
What are the benefits of using the ISO 3834 Standard for the individual employees?
- Helps to do the job more satisfactorily
- Greater job security
- Higher regard by other people
- Professional recognition
- Satisfied employer and customer
- More rewarding job position
- Develops team spirit
How important are welding personnel?
A key feature of ISO 3834 is the requirement to ensure that people with welding responsibilities are competent to discharge those responsibilities. This is achieved by incorporation of another standard, namely, ISO 14731 “Welding coordination – Tasks and responsibilities”. The specifying of minimum requirements for personnel dealing with welding coordination and welding inspection personnel.
What is the definition of a manufacturer as per standard?
ISO 3834 defines a manufacturer as a ‘person or organization responsible for the welding production’.
The Standard uses this term to describe any such organisation, including manufacturing organisations supplying welding services, either for new products or for repair and maintenance, as well as others where the application of the requirements of ISO 3834 are relevant.
A manufacturer may be involved in manufacture, fabrication, construction, repair or maintenance.
What are the types of manufacturing organisation that ISO 3834 can be applied to?
Fabrication companies
• Construction companies – on-site work
• Repair and maintenance contractors
• Manufacturers of products
• Welding workshops on sites under the same technical and quality management
• Owners of plant with their own workshop(s)
What are the types of other organisation that ISO 3834 can be applied to?
Asset owners without own workshops, both private and government
• Project management companies
• Design companies
• Consultants
• Government agencies
Those which, though not creating welded product themselves, are specifying or requiring such work from others and are thus involved in weld design, contract development, and review of technical requirements and competencies of subcontractors
How many parts does ISO 3834 have?
- ISO 3834: 2005 “Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials” consists of 6 parts:
- ISO 3834-1:2005, Criteria for the selection of the appropriate level of quality requirements
- ISO 3834-2:2005, Comprehensive quality requirements
- ISO 3834-3:2005, Standard quality requirements
- ISO 3834-4:2005, Elementary quality requirements
- ISO 3834-5:2005, Applicable documentation (not full title)
- ISO/TR 3834-6:2007, Guidelines on implementing ISO 3834
How does ISO 3834 link in with ISO 9001?
ISO 3834 does not replace ISO 9001 as a quality management system. However, it contains many attributes that will be important for a welding manufacturer, in both workshops and at field installation sites, seeking ISO 9001 certification. Elements of ISO 9001 should be considered when implementing ISO 3834 quality requirements and seeking ISO 3834 certification. The specific complementary elements of ISO 9001 are detailed in ISO 3834.
What are the main welding requirements covered in ISO 3834 ?
Review of requirements
• Technical review
• Subcontracting
• Welding personnel
– Welders and welding operators, Welding coordination personnel
• Inspection & testing personnel
– Welding Inspection personnel; Non-destructive testing personnel
• Equipment
– Production and testing equipment; Description of equipment; Suitability of equipment; New
equipment; Equipment maintenance
Welding and related activities
– Production planning; Welding procedure specifications (WPS); Qualification of the welding
procedures; Work instructions; Procedures for preparation and control of documents
• Welding Consumables
– Batch testing; Storage and handling
• Storage of parent materials
• Post-weld heat treatment
Inspection and testing
– Inspection & testing before welding; Inspection & testing during welding; Inspection & testing after
welding; Inspection & test status
• Non-conformance and corrective actions
• Calibration and validation of measuring, inspection and testing equipment
• Identification & traceability
• Quality records
Selection of Welding Quality Requirement as per ISO:3834
| Contract Welding Requirement | Quality Requirement | Quality Requirement |
| When quality system conforming to ISO 9001 is required | When quality system conforming to ISO 9001 is not required | |
| Comprehensive quality requirement | Use ISO 3834-2 | Use ISO 3834-2 |
| Standard quality requirement | Use ISO 3834-2 | Use ISO 3834-3 |
| Elementary quality requirement | Use ISO 3834-2 | Use ISO 3834-4 |
Comparison of Welding quality requirements with regard to ISO 3834-2, 3834-3 & 3834-4
| Elements | ISO 3834-2 | ISO 3834-3 | ISO 3834-4 |
| Contract review | Full documented review | Less extensive review | Establish that capability and information is available |
| Design review | Design for welding to be confirmed | Design for welding to be confirmed | Establish that capability and information is available |
| Subcontractor | Treat like a main fabricator | Treat like a main fabricator | Shall comply with all requirement |
| Welders, Operators | Approved in accordance with ISO 9606 | Approved in accordance with ISO 9606 | Approved in accordance with ISO 9606 |
| Welding coordination | Welding coordination personnel with appropriate technical knowledge | Welding coordination personnel with appropriate technical knowledge | Not required but personal responsibility of manufacturer |
| Inspection personnel | Sufficient and competent personnel to be available | Sufficient and competent personnel to be available | Sufficient and competent third parties access are needed |
| Production equipment | Required to prepare, cut, weld, transport, lift, together with safety equipment and protective clothes | Required to prepare, cut, weld, transport, lift, together with safety equipment and protective clothes | No specific requirement |
| Equipment maintenance | Shall be carry out, maintenance plan necessary | No specific requirements, shall be adequate | No requirement |
| Production plan | Necessary | Restricted plan necessary | No requirement |
| Welding procedure specification (WPS) | Instruction to made available to welder | Instruction to made available to welder | No requirement |
| Welding procedure approval | In accordance with the appropriate part of ISO 9956,approved as application standard or contract demands | In accordance with the appropriate part of ISO 9956,approved as application standard or contract demands | No specific requirement |
How do Manufacturers select the Appropriate Part of ISO 3834?
A balanced decision needs to be taken based on the following, related to products & processes:
- The extent and significance of safety-critical products
- The complexity of manufacture
- The range of products manufactured
- The range of different materials used
- The extent to which metallurgical problems may occur
- The extent to which manufacturing imperfections e.g. misalignment, distortion or weld imperfection, affect product performance
- Service condition (Dynamic loading, fatigue, low/high Temperature, corrosion)
- The welding processes adopted, their level of sophistication and automation
Suggested Steps for Implementation of ISO 3834 by an Organisation
- Gap Analysis to identify action areas for System, training and resources
- Upgradation of System based on above
- Personnel Training for competence
- Assessment of additional Resources if any
- Internal Audit to close NCR’s
- Management Review
- Trial operation to stabilise system
- Application for Certification to Certification Body
Gap Analysis internally by the Organisation against requirements of ISO 3834 & ISO 14731
- ISO 9001 systems if existing or desired and compare with the present system.
- System requirements for applicable part of 3834 (2, 3 or 4) as determined previously and detailed in next three slides.
- Identify each area as per check list for gaps between required/desired level and actual status recorded.
- May take assistance from Consultants or Certifying bodies for this step
- Management corrective action to close the non conformities
To check for Gaps –
Requirements in ISO 3834 & Essential Tasks of Welding Coordination Personnel in ISO 14731
1.Review of requirements & Technical review to understand parent material specification and welded joint properties, quality and acceptance requirements, etc.
2.Subcontracting Supplier to be treated as extension of manufacturers facility
3.Welding personnel Welders and welding operators, Welding coordination personnel
4.Inspection & testing personnel Welding Inspection personnel; Non-destructive testing personnel
5.Equipment: Production and testing equipment; Description of equipment; Suitability of equipment; New equipment; Equipment maintenance
6.Welding and related activities: Production planning; Welding procedure specifications (WPS); Process Qualification of the welding (WPQR); Work instructions;
7.Welding Consumables: Batch testing; Storage and handling
8.Storage of parent materials
9.Post-weld heat treatment
10. Inspection and NDT testing: Inspection & testing before welding; Inspection & testing during welding; Inspection & testing after welding; Inspection & test status
11.Non-conformance and corrective actions ¬ Learning from experience
12.Calibration and validation of measuring, inspection and testing equipment
13.Identification & traceability
14.Quality records
How important are welding personnel?
A key feature of ISO 3834 is the requirement to ensure that people with welding responsibilities are competent to discharge those responsibilities.
This is achieved by incorporation of another standard, namely, ISO 14731 ‘Welding coordination – Tasks and responsibilities’
The specifying of minimum requirements for personnel dealing with welding coordination and welding inspection personnel
The Human Resource
Without an appropriate specific technical competence (intended as a combination of knowledge, experience and attitude) no management system can be successful in the manufacturing of any product.
A great importance has been entrusted to the Welding Coordinator, who has become the real “key element” around whom all the welding production process works.
ISO 14731 Requirements for Welding Co-ordination Personnel
Welding Co-ordination :
– Manufacturing operations for all welding and welding related activities
– The sole responsibility of the manufacturer
– May be sub-contracted
– May be carried out by more than one person
– Responsible and competent person
– Specified tasks and responsibilities
– Qualified for each task
– Is part of welding co-ordination
Role of the Responsible Welding Co-ordinator
The company shall nominate at least one Responsible Welding Co-ordinator ( RWC ). He must be competent to make decisions and sign on behalf of the manufacturer.
The RWC must be authorised with the overall responsibility for monitoring welding activities as well as taking action when welding has not been correctly performed. May also be responsible for the work of other welding co-ordinators in the in the same department / site.
RWC may be to an individuals normal job title eg, Technical Manager, QC Manager, Production Manager etc.
IIW International Diploma Qualifications for Welding Co-ordination Personnel
International Welding Engineer ( IWE )
International Welding Technologist ( IWT )
International Welding Specialist ( IWS )
International Welding Practitioner ( IWP )
International Welding Inspection Personnel (IWIP)
International Welded Structure Designer ( IWSD )
International Welder ( IW ) – Diploma awarded for Specific process and material & at 3 levels
In India, ANB-India of IIW India is authorised to award the above diplomas. Contact IIW India.
ISO 14731 Gradation of Responsible Welding Coordinators
Three different levels of RWC are given. The selection of RWC depends mainly on the variability and technical complexity of the welding procedures required.
| 1 | Grade 1 | With Comprehensive Technical Knowledge as specified in ISO 14731 Evidence of experience in welding in similar product & process | IWE IWT |
| 2 | Grade 2 | With Specific Technical knowledge as specified in ISO 14731 and experience of many years in welding in similar product & process | IWT/IWS |
| 3 | Grade 3 | With Basic Technical knowledge as specified in ISO 14731 and experience over many years in welding in similar product & process | IWS IWP |
How can Trinity NDT Can Help you in ISO3834 certifications?
Center of Welding – Trinity NDT provides comprehensive consulting services for ISO3834 certifications. Being an associate of The Indian Institute of Welding – IIW India, can hand hold organizations in the process of certification.
This includes, quality manual preparation, establishing wps, documentation, QMS implementation, Gap analysis from ISO9001 to ISO3834, NDT Level II personnel certification. Also provide welding coordinator services by our IWE experts. Also an IBR approved Welding & NDT Lab in Bangalore.
Let us know your requirement. Contact Trinity NDT today.