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Certifications (Industrial): AWS

American Welding Society

The American Welding Society (AWS) is a non-profit with a mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering and thermal spraying.  

Achieving American Welding Society welding certification indicates the ability to perform welding to a welding standard code. The American Welding Society maintains over 240 standard codes. AWS codes are written in accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) practices. This standards-based approach to certification improves skills, processes, materials, and equipment for all of industry.  

There are over 240 standard codes which speak to the many different types of metal (for instance iron, steel, aluminum, or stainless steel) and applications for welding (for instance fabrication, construction, flat bars, and pipes). These combinations vary by industry and by employer, and as a result there are many welding processes (welding tools and techniques) that can be selected from to obtain the welding result you need. It can become a complex matrix.

To meet this challenge, NTT Training's hands-on welding and certification testing course is our most customizable training course and teaches to the American Welding Society standard code selected for your needs.

Why should you get this certification?

Why should you get this certification?

The American Welding Society (AWS) supports several welding certifications. For example, the AWS D1.1 certification is specifically for carbon and low-alloy metals and addresses fabrication, erection, inspection, and welder and welding procedure qualification. This is the most common welding application for beginning welders. 

The American Welding Society code D1.1 is the Welding Procedure Specification that NTT trains to unless otherwise requested. NTT can train to most of the over 240 American Welding Society code standards using client equipment and materials.

General Exam Information

American Welding Society Certification Code D1.1

  • Student Cost: $250.00 *
  • Number of questions: Not applicable; this is a hands-on test.
  • Format: Hands-on Practical
  • Test Length: Time based on welding process. Typically up to 2 hours.
  • Passing Score: Pass/Fail based on independent testing lab finding by either a Destructive test or an X-ray (radiograph) test.

* Included with NTT course. Fees may change. Be sure to check at time of exam application. 

Certification Criteria

  • Pass hands-on Practical Weld Exam per Code Standard

There are 3 parts to an American Welding Society weld certification:

A) The welding procedure specification (WPS) is a written document of instructions for the welder. It specifies the joint design and welding materials, parameters and technique and code requirements. B) The procedure qualification record (PQR) is a record of test results for the welds made in accordance with the WPS. Destructive Tests (tensile pulls or bends) are required for procedure qualification records for all codes. In addition, some codes also require nondestructive testing (an X-ray or radiograph of the weld to display cracks or bubbles). The code AWS D1.1 is an example of a code that also requires nondestructive testing for procedure qualification.  C) The welder qualification test record (WQTR) lists the results of a test to prove that a welder is qualified to weld to a certain WPS. It includes qualification of the range of base materials, weld materials, positions, and so forth.