A GUIDE TO WELDING CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Introduction: What is the CWB Office of Public Safety?
THE CANADIAN
WELDING BUREAU
OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY
A Guide to Welding Certification
Requirements For Sales Professionals
The Office of Public Safety was created to educate and advocate for
both public safety and Canadian industry, while ensuring the Canadian
Welding Bureaus (CWB) accreditations are maintained and executed to
the highest standard. The CWB Office of Public Safety is also a resource
for the industry to better understand standards related to welding and
construction and how the effective implementation of these standards can
assist industry to become more competitive, improve quality, reduce risk
and maintain public safety.
Welding Sales Professionals and Welding Certification
Welding Sales Professionals are key contributors to the welding industry
through their ongoing support provided to the welding fabricators and
erectors. For example, Welding Sales Professionals can assist in ensuring
that welding consumables and gas mixtures supplied to certified
fabricators meet the certification requirements of the CSA standards
which in turn ensure that our public is safe and protected.
This guide is intended to provide Welding Sales Professionals with a
summary of the requirements of welding and welding consumables
certification as related to the CSA Standards administered by the Canadian
Welding Bureau.
What does it mean to be CWB certified?
CSA Standard W47.1, CSA Standard W47.2, and CSA Standard W186
have similar provisions for the certification of fabricators and erectors.
Certification means that 3 main components are in place:
The company employs qualified welders
The company employs qualified welding engineers and welding
supervisors
The company follows approved welding procedures
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 The nature of welding requires that demonstrated competence of those
involved in the welding operation along with competent oversight and
proven fabrication methods be in place. Certification ensures that this is
the case. In addition, the CWB provides ongoing oversight of a certified
companys welding operation to ensure that the requirements are
consistently applied.
Visit www.cwbgroup.org to search our database of CWB certified
fabricators.
What does it mean to be a CWB qualified welder?
To obtain a qualification, welders must pass a practical test as prescribed
by the certification standard. If they are successful, they will be issued a
Welder Identification Card, or ticket. These tickets are only valid when
the welder is working for the certified company named on the ticket.
Welder tickets are transferable between certified companies. An exception
is for Union tickets, which show the name of the Union Local. A union
welder still needs to be working for a certified company for the qualification
to be valid.
What does it mean to be a CWB qualified welding supervisor?
Each certified company must employ at least one Qualified Welding
Supervisor. The Welding Supervisor must meet the minimum education
and experience requirements prescribed in the certification standard.
The Welding Supervisor is responsible for the welding operations of the
company, ensuring that welders are qualified and welding procedures are
followed.
What is a welding procedure data sheet (WPDS)?
The welding procedure data sheet is considered the recipe for welding. The
information contained in a WPDS includes the type of joint, joint geometry,
welding position, welding symbol, welding consumables, gas mixture and
the welding parameters that are to be used in making a weldment. The
company must have CWB accepted welding procedure data sheets for all
welded joints used by the company in accordance with the requirements
of the governing design or product standard.
F2 (pg. 11) illustrates a sample of WPDS.
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What is the process for CWB to accept a WPDS(s)?
The company is required to submit to the CWB their WPDS(s) for review
and acceptance. The WPDS(s) can be accepted based on the following:
(a) the prequalified joint geometry and procedure limitations are within
those required by the governing applicable standard (e.g., CSA W59), or
(b) the joint geometry and parameters are qualified by successful procedure
qualification tests recorded on a PQR (procedure qualification record), or
(c) successful procedure qualification test data recorded on PQRs
accumulated by the CWB
When is it required to revise the WPDS(s)?
Any changes outside the ranges of validity given in standards referenced
on the approved welding procedures are considered a change in essential
variable and will require new or revised WPDS to be submitted to the
CWB for review and acceptance. Some of the changes that normally are
considered essential variables are: welding position, material thickness
range, base material, welding parameters, type of transfer, etc. Note
that each welding process has specific essential variables which can
differ from process to process, and from standard to standard.
When changing welding consumables or gas mixtures is there any testing
required in order to accept revised WPDS(s)?
If the welding consumables have been CWB certified under CSA Standard
W48 or, in the absence of provisions in CSA W48, to the applicable AWS
standard, and the welding parameters reflected on the WPDS(s) reflect
the same framework of essential variables, the CWB Certified Company
will not be required to do new procedure testing as no change in essential
variable has occurred.
 So, in cases where one brand of CWB Certified filler/consumable is
substituted for another, but the filler/consumable classification remains
the same, no revisions to the WPDS are required and no resubmission of
the WPDS to the CWB is required.
The same would apply to changes in shielding gas. If the brand of
shielding gas is changed, but the gas mixture remains unchanged, no
revisions to the WPDS are required and no resubmission of the WPDS
to the CWB is required.
Some examples where a revised WPDS(s) is required but where no
further testing will be required should the CWB company switch to a
new consumable or shielding gas are:
CSA Standard W47.1(Steel):
1 If the WPDS(s) is already CWB accepted as prequalified for the the new revised data sheet are within the same transfer mode
FCAW process, it will not require any new testing when revised to
specify a new shielding gas, provided the consumable has been
certified under CSA Standard W48 for the new shielding gas
2 If the WPDS(s) is already accepted as prequalified for the GMAW
or MCAW process, it will not require any new testing when revised
to specify a new shielding gas, provided the welding parameters
maintain the transfer mode and the consumable has been certified 3
under CSA Standard W48 for the new shielding gas
(Note that only spray transfer mode is considered prequalified for changed to a new shielding gas mixture; unless the CWB has
GMAW and MCAW under CSA Standard W59)
3 If the WPDS(s) is already CWB accepted based on procedure testing
for either GMAW, GTAW, FCAW or MCAW, it will not require any
new testing when revised to specify a new shielding gas, provided
the welding parameters maintain the same transfer mode given
on the original accepted WPDS and the consumable has been
certified under CSA Standard W48 for the new shielding gas
CSA W47.2 Standard (Aluminum):
CSA W47.2 and AWS A5.10 do not consider the shielding gas when
certifying consumables; any aluminum filler wire certified by the CWB is
considered certified with any appropriate shielding gas.
As CSA Standards W47.2 / W59.2 do not have an allowance for
prequalification, all WPDS require testing prior to approval unless
sufficient data can be found in the CWBs database of PQRs to approve
these data sheets based on previous tests accumulated by the CWB.
Some examples of the effect of a change in shielding gas are:
1 If the WPDS(s) is already CWB accepted based on procedure
testing for the GMAW / GTAW process and gives a shielding gas
mixture, it will not require any new testing when revised to specify
a new shielding gas mixture if the welding parameters given on
given on the original approval (e.g. spray transfer mode or short
circuit mode)
2 If the WPDS(s) is already CWB accepted with a shielding gas
mixture based on accumulated testing data, it will require new
testing if the shielding gas mixture is changed.
If the WPDS(s) is already CWB accepted with a single shielding gas
(e.g. argon) based either on procedure testing or accumulated
testing data, it will require new testing if the shielding gas is
sufficient accumulated testing data for the new shielding gas mixture
In all examples described above the only action required by the Company
would be to submit a revised WPDS for review and acceptance.

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 Is there any cost involved in the WPDS(s) review process?
There is no charge by the CWB to review and accept WPDS(s), nor is
there any limit to the number of new or revised WPDS(s) that may be
submitted. The review of WPDS is covered by the annual fees paid by
certified companies.
However, those CWB Certified clients who are certified to Division 2
have retained engineers who must submit on their behalf new or
revised welding procedures to the CWB for approval. Depending on
the contractual arrangements between the certified company and the
retained engineer there may be a cost to the certified client for these
revisions.
How does a welding consumable become CWB Certified?
Consumable manufacturers are required to conduct periodic qualification
testing witnessed by the CWB to demonstrate the product meets
the requirements of the pertinent CSA or AWS Standard. In addition,
the quality system at the point of manufacture of the consumables
is periodically audited by the CWB to ensure that requirements of
certification to CSA Standard W48 are being met.
F1 (pg. 10) illustrates a welding consumable certificate.
Visit www.cwbgroup.org to search our database of CWB certified
welding consumables.
Is there any Equivalent System for Certification?
The CWB is often asked if there are equivalent certification programs.
There are NO domestic or international equivalents to CSA Standard
W47.1, CSA Standard W47.2 and / or CSA Standard W186. Other
national systems, such as that of the American Welding Society
(AWS) do not include key concepts such as independent and on-going
verification and qualified welding supervisors/engineers.
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Does welding equipment require CWB certification or calibration?
The CWB does not certify welding equipment nor request CWB Certified
fabricators to prove any calibration of the equipment. It is up to the
fabricators to select proper equipment for welding and make sure that
the calibration of the equipment is being maintained in accordance to
the manufacturers recommendations. It should be noted that other
approvals and certification (e.g. electrical) may be required.
Calibration of welding equipment is not a requirement of achieving or
maintaining CWB certification. However, the CWB does recommend
that fabricators consider calibration as part of an ongoing equipment
maintenance program.
CWB is often asked if a change of welding equipment will require the
fabricator to re-submit or re-qualify new WPDS(s) or re-qualify welders.
The CWB does not require fabricators to submit new procedures nor
to conduct new procedure or welder testing when using new welding
equipment, unless the welding equipment is pre-programmed and the
new welding equipment cannot replicate the parameters listed on the
WPDS. This may happen, for example, when using pre-programmed
pulsed equipment.
Does CWB certification include a review of welding safety?
The Standards administered by the CWB do not address the safety
issues associated with welding and welding practices. The enforcement
of safety regulations is the jurisdiction of Provincial authorities. CSA
Standard W117.2 addresses safety in welding and cutting and should be
referenced, in addition to any applicable workplace health and safety
legislation in effect. However, the CWB can conduct safety assessments
and help the fabricators determine any gaps they may have in welding
health and safety practices.
 How Can I Get More Help from CWBs Office of Public Safety?
The CWB is here to help, and can assist Welding Sales Professionals
through:

Assistance with CWB welding consumable certification

Assistance with any aspect of CWB certification requirements
Provide complimentary educational sessions on CWB and certification
requirements

Call the CWB at 1-800-844-6790 ext. 717 for help at any time.

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 F1 F2
CWB Form 160E/99-1

WELDING PROCEDURE WPDS NO.: BRIGHT-FCAW-1

Canadian Welding Bureau DATA SHEET DATE: 3/3/2010 Rev.: 1

Company Name: BRIGHTWELD LTD Ref. Standards: CSA W47.1, CSA W59
Address: 123 Arcweld Way, Teejoint, ON Ref. WPS: WPS-FCAW

Welding Processes: FCAW Pulsed: Pulsed:

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Shielding Gas Type: 100% CO2
Date: May28,2013 Positions: FLAT Joint Configuration & Pass/Layer Sequence
Process Mode:
Joint Type:
CERTIFICATION OF WELDING CONSUMABLE (T)
Penetration: ETT=
Backing: Material: same as base metal Thickness: 6 (mm)
ThisistoadviseyoutheCanadianWeldingBureauhaswitnessedtestsonthefollowing: Backgouging: Method: 3
Depth: 2 T
CompanyName: BRIGHTWELD LTD. Electrode Extension: 15-20 (mm) 1
Nozzle Diameter(s): 12-18 (mm)
ElectrodeDesignation: BRIGHT-71 Flux Classification: N/A G
Tungsten Electrode: Type: N /A Dia.:
PointofManufacture: Ontario, Canada Cleaning Procedures Brushing, Chipping, Grinding
Standard: CSA W48-06
Classification: E491T-1-H8 CSA W186 Rebar Gmin=T
Splice Type:
GasorFlux: 100%CO 2
Identification of Base Material (for CSA W186 indicate carbon equivalent, max. phosphorus & sulphur content)
Size(mm): Min: 1.2 Max: 1.6 Part Specification & Grade Thickness or Dia. Special Requirements
I CSA 3350W / ASTM A 572 Grade 50 Max 10 (mm) N/A
Others Details: II

Inaddition,thediffusiblehydrogentestswasconductedinaccordancewithAWSA4.3-93Standardmethods Identification of Filler Material

fordeterminationofthediffusiblehydrogencontentofmartensitic,baniticandferriticsteelweldmetal Process Trade Name Classification Group Filler Treatment

FCAW CWB Certified E491T-1-H8 N/A
producedbyarcweldingandwithwithinthelimitssetsbythestandardabove

Welding Parameters

Expirydate: May 5, 2015

Thick- Weld Pass Welding Dia. Wire Feed Speed Current Volt Current Welding Burn-Off Gas Flow Heat Input
ness Size/ Layer Number Process ( mm ) ( m/min ) A V Polarity Speed Rate Rate ( )
(mm ) ETT (cm/min ) ( ) ( L/Min )
Thiscertification,maybeextendedbymeetingthechecktestrequirementsoftheapplicablestandard 6.0 6.0 1-2 FCAW 1.2 10.0-11.0 220-240 28-30 DCEP 30-35 12-15
1-2
andCWBrules. 10 10 1 FCAW 1.2 10.0-11.0 220-240 28-30 DCEP 30-35 12-15
1
2-3 2-3 FCAW 1.2 10.0-11.0 220-240 28-30 DCEP 30-35 12-15

CANADIANWELDINGBUREAU

Heat treatment : CWB Acceptance Company Authorization

AliceY.Lau,P.Eng. Preheat min: 10C Interpasstemp.max.: 150C
OperationsManager,Procedures&Electrodes Interpasstemp.min.: 10C
Remarks:
AYL
B71

TheproductcertificationsystemoperatedbytheCanadianWeldingBureaumostcloselyresemblesthat
describedbyISO/IECGuide67,Conformity assessment Fundamentals of product certification,System5. Date:

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 Notes Notes

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 Notes

The CWB Group

8260 Parkhill Drive
Milton, ON L9T 5V7
www.weldquality.org
1.800.844.6790 ext. 717
info@cwbgroup.org

THE OFFICE of PUBLIC SAFETY

GOPSWSP 05/22/13
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