The Answer Is IT Winter 10:Layout 1 12/21/09 3:56 PM Page 12

the answer is...

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are for specific informational purposes only and are not intended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the
part of potential users.

ANSWERED BY
KENNETH ERICKSON AND KIP MANKENBERG

Q: I have a question about welder
qualification. My company builds
and repairs mining equipment. We
have a few welders who work in the
field and all they do is repair cracks
on big shovels and draglines. The
base metal is sometimes 8 in. thick.
We qualify guys to the unlimited
thickness test of AWS D1.1,
Structural Welding Code Steel, but
that doesnt seem to be a good indi-
cator of how well they can do these
repairs. Ive been thinking about
designing another test where the
welder would also have to gouge a
suitable repair excavation. It would
be 12 in. thick, square groove with
no root opening. The welder would
have to gouge about halfway through
the plate and weld the first side in
the flat position, and then flip it over
and gouge and weld the second side
in the overhead position. The prob-
lem is it doesnt seem that AWS
D1.1 allows this kind of test. What
do you think?
A: Our first thought is to ask why this
repair work is being performed in accor-
dance with AWS D1.1. Is this due to a
customers requirement? Or is your com-
pany an original equipment manufactur-
er (OEM) and has chosen for some rea-
son to use AWS D1.1? My reason for ask-
ing is that your application (mining
equipment) would seem to be better
served by AWS D14.3, Specification for
Welding Earthmoving, Construction, and
Agricultural Equipment.
AWS D14.3 recognizes that the type of
welding to be found in the fabrication of
earthmoving equipment can vary greatly
in base material type, configuration, etc.,
and as such provides an alternate method
for welder qualification testing (called
Method B in D14.3). Method B specifies a
workmanship sample be successfully
welded (for example, what you describe in
your question would be a workmanship
sample), followed by a production sample
(this would essentially be successful com-
pletion of one of your field repairs). We
recommend you procure a copy of AWS
D14.3 and evaluate it against your needs.
Q: What is PMI testing, and what
are the certification requirements?
A: PMI is short for positive material
identification. PMI involves using an
instrument that can accurately deter-
mine different types and grades of mate-
rials (both ferrous and nonferrous) as
well as provide a numerical value for a
large number of select alloys that com-
prise that material. These instruments
are battery powered, very portable, and
capable of testing several hundred dif-
ferent material types and configurations
a day. Some of these instruments can
also determine and classify different
types of wood and paint. The instru-
ments primarily use a secured internal
X-ray tube that emits low-energy radia-
tion that reacts differently with each
material composition. Because radiation
is emitted while the unit is in operation,
there are some minor safety concerns
involved with which each user should be
familiar. This information is contained
within each manufacturers operational
manual.
Every year we see more and more
project specifications that require some
form of material sampling for which PMI
can be used. This generally involves
materials that are not the so-called
stock materials such as duplex stain-
less steels and piping with higher
chrome alloy percentages. Because this
activity is related to material testing, it is
generally categorized into the Testing
or Quality Control segments of most
project specifications. We are not aware
of any certifications that are required to
operate this equipment and/or report
the results. Although, at a minimum,
companies performing this work would
want to properly train each operator in
the safety, correct use, and results (doc-
umentation) for each instrument from
different manufacturers.
Q: Can you tell me what exactly is
meant by the term open arc? Ive
seen it in some articles about self-
shielded flux core welding.
A: Open arc is jargon for which I doubt
there is a universally agreed upon defin-
ition. For example, AWS A3.0, Standard
Welding Terms and Definitions; Including
Terms for Adhesive Bonding, Brazing,
Soldering, Thermal Cutting, and Thermal
Spraying, makes no mention of the term
open arc. One common use of this term
is to describe an arc welding process in
which the arc is visible. So per that defi-
nition, welding processes such as sub-
merged arc welding (SAW) and elec-
troslag welding (ESW) would not be
open arc (note that ESW is not techni-
cally an arc welding process as the arc is
extinguished early in the process).
Based on that definition, examples of
open arc processes are flux cored arc
welding (FCAW) and electrogas welding
(EGW). Take the case of EGW, for
instance. Electrogas welding is per-
formed in a uphill welding progression on
square groove butt or T-joints with cooled
copper backing shoes to contain the weld
pool, and an externally supplied gas blan-
ket and small amounts of flux from the
electrode core provide the shielding. This
configuration creates a well into which
the electrode is continuously fed. If the
amount of slagging materials in the elec-
trode core were to be increased (while
keeping all other variables unchanged),
the well would eventually fill up with

Inspection Trends encourages question and answer submissions. Please mail to the editor (mjohnsen@aws.org).

KENNETH ERICKSON is manager of quality at National Inspection & Consultants, Inc., Ft. Myers, Fla. He is an AWS Senior
Certified Welding Inspector, an ASNT National NDT Level III Inspector in four methods, and provides expert witness review and
analysis for legal considerations.

CLIFFORD (KIP) MANKENBERG is a construction supervisor for Shell International Exploration & Production, Houston, Tex. He is
an AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector and an ASNT National NDT Level III Inspector in five methods.

12 INSPECTION TRENDS
The Answer Is IT Winter 10:Layout 1 12/21/09 3:56 PM Page 13

molten slag such that it would extinguish

REPRINTS
the arc (this would effectively change the
process to ESW, though in normal prac-
tice ESW is not performed with flux cored
electrodes) and the process would no T R E N D S
longer be open arc.

Q: When visual (VT) inspection is

required on piping welds, does this
Open your
also include the visual inspection of
the root or weld inside diameter? Editorial Exposure
Reprints of INSPECTION TRENDS are a simple way
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