Our Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) Prep Course is designed to help the student prepare for the American Welding Society (AWS) CWI Certification exam. The course is for those who have a background in the design, fabrication, and/or inspection fields. Many of our industries require that an inspector have this certification to perform welding inspection. Being a CWI will assist in obtaining employment in this field and boost one’s potential for higher pay.
What to Expect on the CWI Exam
The CWI exam requires 72% for a passing score on each of its three sections. First is the Part A: Fundamentals section, which is a closed book test. It covers topics such as welding quality, nondestructive examination, metal joining and cutting processes, weld joint geometry, welding symbols, welding inspection, and metallurgy. The Part B: Practical section tests your ability to use tools to evaluate weld replicas with representative discontinuities and defects. As well as employ welding qualification documents, and visually inspect welds. Lastly, the Part C: Code Book section is an open book test. It assesses the applicants’ ability to locate and comprehend important paragraphs, charts, and tables found within a code book.
Examinees who score at least 60%, but below 72% on the three sections will receive a Certified Associate Welding Inspector (CAWI) certification. A CAWI also requires a minimum of two years welding related experience. A CAWI, unlike a CWI, is not allowed to sign off on paperwork. Upon successfully qualifying and testing to the requirements put forth by the AWS, the student will receive a National Certification. Once acquired, this certification will be active for three years.
What to Expect from our CWI Prep Course
The BLD Career Center course material begins with the fundamentals covered in the Welding Inspection Technology (WIT) book. This coincides with Part A of the CWI Exam. The course will then go into the code book section covered on Part C of the CWI Exam. The student has a choice of code books they can use for the exam. However, we only teach the API 1104 code for the exam to simplify the choice for our students. The last section covered in our class is the Part B Practical, or hands-on. Part B tends to be the most difficult section of the CWI Exam. Therefore, we allow our students more time to focus on it.
In an effort to accommodate our potential students’ busy schedules, we offer day and night courses throughout the year. The day courses consist of 2 weeks (10 weekdays) with 8 hours per day of classtime. The night courses will consist of 3-4 hour class periods for 4 weeks (20 weekdays). Both day and night courses consist of 80 classroom hours of lecture and hands-on training, and as much lab time the student wishes to put in. Our labs are outfitted to provide each student with the necessary materials to successfully prepare for the CWI Exam. This includes tools, plastic weld replicas, course books, and computers with 36 different electronic practice tests covering all 3 sections of the CWI Exam.
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