Certified Welder Welding Code Standards & Inspection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In AWS D1.1, what classification of weld discontinuity is a crack?
- Category A — always rejectable (Correct answer)
- Category B — rejectable only above size limits
- Category C — acceptable with engineer approval
- Category D — informational only
Correct answer: Category A — always rejectable
Cracks are Category A discontinuities under AWS D1.1 and are always rejectable regardless of size or location.
Question 2: What AWS standard covers welding procedures for sheet metal (thin-gauge) structural applications?
- AWS D1.1
- AWS D1.3 (Correct answer)
- AWS D1.6
- AWS D1.8
Correct answer: AWS D1.3
AWS D1.3 is the Structural Welding Code for Sheet Steel and applies to material typically 3/16 inch or less.
Question 3: During visual inspection, a welder inspector finds a weld with overlap (cold lap). This discontinuity is caused by:
- Excessive travel speed
- Insufficient heat causing weld metal to flow over base metal without fusing (Correct answer)
- Incorrect polarity
- Over-penetration at the root
Correct answer: Insufficient heat causing weld metal to flow over base metal without fusing
Overlap occurs when molten weld metal rolls over the base metal surface without fusing to it, typically due to low heat input or wrong torch angle.
Question 4: What is the minimum overlap for a lap joint fillet weld in structural steel per AWS D1.1?
- 1 inch (25 mm)
- Five times the thickness of the thinner member (Correct answer)
- Three times the thickness of the thinner member
- 2 inches (50 mm)
Correct answer: Five times the thickness of the thinner member
AWS D1.1 requires the overlap of lap joints to be at least five times the thickness of the thinner part joined.
Question 5: Which NDE method is MOST effective for detecting laminar tears parallel to the plate surface in base metal?
- Radiographic Testing (RT)
- Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)
- Ultrasonic Testing (UT) (Correct answer)
- Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT)
Correct answer: Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
UT, especially straight-beam UT, detects planar discontinuities parallel to the surface such as laminar tears better than RT.
Question 6: The AWS CWI certification examination is administered by:
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- The American Welding Society (AWS) (Correct answer)
- The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)
- The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)
Correct answer: The American Welding Society (AWS)
The Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) program is owned and administered exclusively by the American Welding Society.
Question 7: What is the maximum allowable undercut depth on the face of a groove weld in a primary tension member per AWS D1.1?
- 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) (Correct answer)
- 1/16 inch (1.6 mm)
- 3/32 inch (2.4 mm)
- 1/8 inch (3.2 mm)
Correct answer: 1/32 inch (0.8 mm)
AWS D1.1 limits undercut to 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) on tension members subjected to primary tensile stress.
Certified Welder Welding Code Standards & Inspection 3
In AWS D1.1, what classification of weld discontinuity is a crack?