Welding inspection confirms that welds already made meet acceptance criteria. IWE consulting builds the engineering foundation BEFORE welding begins — developing the procedures (WPS) that define how welds should be made, qualifying the welders who will make them (WQT), and establishing the quality system (ISO 3834) that ensures the whole process is controlled. 

Coded fabrications have always required WPS/PQR — the change is enforcement. Three forces are driving this: (1) Client quality audits from large EPC contractors and OEMs are increasingly including WPS/PQR review as a mandatory pre-qualification item. (2) Insurance and statutory inspectors (AIA, IBR) are enforcing existing code
requirements more strictly. (3) Export markets — particularly Europe (EN 1090, ISO 3834) — simply will not accept fabrications without approved procedures. The cost of developing a proper WPS/PQR library is a small fraction of the cost of losing a tender, failing an audit, or managing a warranty claim.

For a straightforward carbon steel groove weld WPS to ASME Section IX: WPS document — 2 to 3 working days. PQR — timeline is driven by mechanical test scheduling (typically 5 to 10 working days from test coupon welding to mechanical test results). The complete WPS/PQR package ready for AIA review is typically achievable in 2 to 3 weeks from project start. 

Yes. Document development — WPS writing, WPS review, ISO 3834 documentation — is done remotely and delivered digitally. For services that require physical presence (procedure qualification witness, welder qualification testing, on-site audit) — we travel to client locations across India. We have provided IWE consulting services in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Vizag, and Delhi. International assignments (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore) are also undertaken for significant projects.

ISO 3834 defines quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. It has three levels: ISO 3834-2 (comprehensive), ISO 3834-3 (standard), and ISO 3834-4 (elementary). Your company needs ISO 3834 if you are supplying any client that specifies it in their vendor qualification requirements — which increasingly includes all European projects (mandatory via EN 1090 and EN 15085), major Indian EPC contractors’ vendor lists, NADCAP-audited aerospace supply chains, and any client whose QMS is audited to ISO 9001 with welding as a special process. A growing number of ASME U-stamp holders in India are being asked by their clients to demonstrate ISO 3834 compliance as a condition of contract award. Check full article on ISO3824: The complete Guide for Indian fabrication companies

We can typically mobilise a WQT programme within 1 week of enquiry confirmation. Our facility at Peenya, Bangalore can qualify up to 20 welders per day. For ASME Section IX WQT, the complete package — test coupon welding, RT/UT NABL-accredited NDT, bend test coordination, and WPQ documentation — is typically completed within 5 to 7 working days of test coupon welding. For urgent situations, WhatsApp us directly at +91 98441 29439 and we will assess the fastest achievable timeline for your specific requirement.

ISO 3834 certification cost in India typically ranges from ₹25,000 to over ₹1,50,000, depending on the ISO 3834 level (3834-2 vs 3834-3), the number of welding processes and sites covered, your current documentation state, and separate certification body audit fees. Consulting fees and certification body fees are billed separately — a consultant like Trinity NDT prepares your quality system and documentation, while an accredited certification body (IIW India, Bureau Veritas, TÜV, etc.) conducts the actual audit and issues the certificate. Contact us for a scope-based quote after a free consultation.

The certificate is issued by an accredited certification body, not by the consultant. Trinity NDT, as your ISO 3834 consultant, prepares your documentation, implements the required quality system, and coordinates with your chosen certification body (such as IIW India, Bureau Veritas, or TÜV) to ensure you pass the certification audit. We are an Associate of the Indian Institute of Welding (IIW India) and can facilitate this coordination directly.

For most Indian fabrication companies, the complete journey — gap analysis, documentation development, implementation, and certification audit — takes 6 to 12 weeks, depending on your starting point. Companies with some existing WPS/PQR documentation move faster than those starting from zero. The certification body’s own audit scheduling can add additional time beyond your control.

ISO 9001 is a general quality management system standard that doesn’t address the specific technical requirements of welding as a “special process” — a process where the quality of the finished weld cannot be fully verified by inspection alone after the fact. ISO 3834 was developed specifically to control the factors that affect weld quality — welder qualification, WPS/PQR, material traceability, inspection planning — at every stage. Many companies hold both: ISO 9001 for overall quality management, ISO 3834 for welding-specific technical control. ISO 3834 does not replace ISO 9001.

If a client or tender document specifies “ISO 3834” without naming a part number, they almost always mean ISO 3834-2 (Comprehensive Quality Requirements) — this is the level most widely accepted by clients, especially for pressure vessels, safety-critical structures, and European export work. ISO 3834-3 (Standard Quality Requirements) suits general structural steel and lower-risk fabrication. We help determine the correct level for your business during the gap analysis.

Yes. ISO 3834 certification is achievable for MSME fabrication shops and does not require a large in-house quality department. Many of our clients are general engineering MSMEs around Peenya and other industrial areas who could not justify a full-time welding engineer — our Responsible Welding Coordinator (RWC) outsourcing model exists specifically to make ISO 3834 compliance affordable and achievable for smaller companies.

No. Trinity NDT is an ISO 3834 certification consultant, not a certification body. We prepare your documentation and quality system and coordinate with accredited certification bodies (IIW India, Bureau Veritas, TÜV, etc.) who conduct the independent audit and issue the certificate. This separation is a requirement of accreditation systems worldwide — no organization can both consult on and certify the same company’s compliance.

At minimum: a Welding Quality Manual, documented Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) supported by Procedure Qualification Records (PQR), welder/operator qualification records, a material traceability system, NDT and inspection procedures, and defined roles for welding coordination (the Responsible Welding Coordinator function). Trinity NDT develops or reviews all of these as part of the Stage 2 documentation phase described above.