Preface

In 2000, the American Welding Society (AWS) initiated the establishment of a Certification Program for Welding Supervisors. First, an AWS committee drafted the B5.9:2000, Specification for the Qualification of Welding Supervisors, which was followed by the AWS QC-13, AWS Standard for the Certification of Welding Supervisors. This groundwork was done by AWS, which recognized that the position of welding supervisor was one of the most under-trained positions in all of manufacturing, construction, and fabrication—particularly in the area of optimizing the quality and productivity of personnel under the supervisor’s direction. AWS saw an industry need and responded.

Welding supervisors are found in every industry that uses welding as a core process in the manufacture, construction, or fabrication of their products. The role they play is often one of organizing production paperwork and ensuring that parts are available to the welders. In many cases, welding supervisors have little or no welding experience, knowledge of welding science, or training in how to support their welders. This situation has resulted in years of missed opportunities in many companies to improve welding quality while also increasing productivity.

Significant improvements can be made through the efforts of a well-trained welding supervisor, who knows what factors influence welding quality, and how monitoring welders can achieve that quality. At the same time, through training, a welding supervisor can understand all of the complimentary factors in welding operations that lead to maximized productivity.

This manual takes a comprehensive approach to present the welding supervisor, planner, engineer, or other management personnel with the most useful technical welding information combined with the most effective management principles, concepts, and techniques to apply this welding knowledge.

Sample questions are included in each section of this manual to help students gauge their understanding and confidence level. When this program is completed, the welding supervisor will have the working knowledge to direct, support, and instruct welders to improve both quality for the customer and productivity for the company.

This manual has been developed by AWS to support welding supervisors in one of the most challenging and rewarding careers in industry. Those candidates who successfully complete this program will be prepared to take the AWS Certification Test. More importantly, they will be better prepared to make one of the most important contributions that any employee can offer—helping their company to be more competitive in the global marketplace by improving manufacturing performance. This is a challenge that all companies now face.