In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the top welding themes you should be inquiring about with any metal fabrication specialist before you begin a given project. One of several areas it’s important to evaluate during your selection process for a metal fabricator, welding is often a central part of a metal fabrication solution being applied to a given product.
At Cypress Metals, we’re happy to detail our welding capabilities and safety measures for any prospective metal fabrication client, whether you require chimney caps, cupolas, radius roofing or any of our other services. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over a few additional areas to check into when it comes to the welding quality of a given metal fabricator, ensuring they have all the proper tools and procedures in place to meet your needs moving forward.
Quality Manager
All high-level metal fabrication companies will employ at least one quality assurance (QA) manager on their staff. This individual or group of individuals is responsible for overseeing welding and tacking performance from all employees on staff, plus documenting their work histories and maintenance of various safety and industry codes.
In addition, the quality assurance manager performs visual inspections of fit-ups and welding equipment periodically. They will also update specific shop welding practices or techniques as needed, plus document and photograph all welds and assembly details for metal fabrication paperwork before a project is shipped.
WPS Numbering and Identification
One important theme during the metal fabrication and welding process is the WPS system, or Welding Procedure Specifications. This system, which is generally overseen by the QA manager, records all important welding information in a given project, from material type and plate dimensions to the welder and operator IDs involved.
The QA manager will also evaluate other important WPS variables, including consumables, interpass temperature, preheat, travel speed and the amps or volts used for preparing the WPS test specimen.
Safe Welding Practices
Finally, the quality control program run by the QA manager should include specific safety practices for all welding processes undergone in the facility. This involves attention to the hiring process, which should only bring in qualified and certified welders who are able to adhere to all required safety processes. Ensure the quality control program aligns with multiple welding standards per AWS, ASTM and CWB specifications, plus industry-specific standards like material thickness or others. Any metal fabricator should be able to provide detailed documentation of each project, including QA inspection paperwork and photographs if needed.
For more on how to ensure a given metal fabricator has all the required qualities for welding in place, or to learn about any of our metal fabrication, laser cutting or other services, speak to the staff at Cypress Metals today.