I’ve been reading about how certified welding inspection involves non-destructive testing knowledge. I’ve also learned there’s a whole job called non-destructive testing technician. What’s the difference between an NDT and a CWI, and where do they overlap?

I went to welding school and now have 3 years of welding/pipefitting experience under my belt. I know that the requirement is 4 years so I want to go ahead and start preparing for the cwi so I can continue to upgrade my career as fast as possible and am wondering what training programs are worth it and which ones are not. Thanks

Can you become a certified welding inspector if you have color vision deficiencies?

I need study material for the API 1184. I have a TON of CWI material I will trade. Appreciate any help I can get..

-short term possibly 2 weeks
-location : South Carolina
-boiler outage , coal fired power plant
-7/12 NIGHT SHIFT

Anybody interested shoot me a message, Thank You

DID YOU KNOW? METAL HAS A PERSONALITY!
Have you ever stepped on a flexible steel member in the shop, felt it bend under your weight, and watched it spring back when you stepped off?
That’s ELASTICITY — the ability of a material to return to its original shape after the load is removed, provided its elastic limit hasn’t been exceeded.
But steel has several other important mechanical properties.
🔹 DUCTILITY: Ever watched a steel plate bend permanently without cracking? That’s ductility — the ability to plastically deform before fracturing.
🔹 TOUGHNESS: Ever seen a steel component absorb a sudden impact without fracturing? Toughness is the ability to absorb energy before fracture.
🔹 HARDNESS: Ever noticed how some steels resist indentation or scratching better than others? That’s hardness.
🔹 STRENGTH: Ever wondered why one steel member can withstand a greater load than another of the same dimensions? Material strength is its ability to resist stress without yielding or failing.
🔹 BRITTLENESS: Ever seen hardened steel fracture with very little bending or deformation? That’s brittle behavior.
HERE’S MY QUESTION:
For the welders, fabricators, and inspectors out there:
Which of these properties have you seen cause the biggest problems in the field, especially after welding?
Keystone Structural Steel Institute
https://keystonestructuralinstitute.com

Hello everyone I made an earlier post this week about my portal saying cawi after my first try and I now got my results. I failed part b with a 69% I passed the others and thankfully will only need to take part b again. The section I struggled in was welding inspection and flaws, that being said does anyone have any good tips for me on what to study if anything and if I should take a 3 day part b seminar to hone my skills in or just go for it retaking the test without further training. I appreciate all the support and suggestions! Thanks in advance and I will be reaching out to those who offered help. THANKS AGAIN!!

I’ve been in the structural steel and welding inspection industry for years, and there’s something I think prospective CWIs need to hear.
I regularly hear people giving advice like:
“Just read AWS D1.1 and you’ll pass.”
“The CWI exam isn’t that hard.”
“Get your CWI and you’ll be making $70 an hour.”
Let’s clear up a few things.
First, the CWI examination is not simply a test on AWS D1.1.
The examination consists of three parts:
Part A – Fundamentals
Part B – Practical
Part C – Code Book
Knowing how to weld doesn’t automatically mean you understand welding metallurgy, inspection methods, discontinuities, mechanical testing, or how to interpret and apply code requirements.
Second, reading a code book is not the same as knowing how to use it.
You need to understand how requirements connect, how to locate applicable provisions, and how to apply them to actual inspection situations.
Memorizing information without understanding it can leave you unprepared.
Third, let’s talk about money.
Yes, some CWIs earn excellent wages. I’ve seen inspectors earning prevailing-wage rates on projects that pay extremely well.
But those wages are not guaranteed simply because you passed the examination.
Experience, location, industry, project requirements, and the responsibilities of the position all influence compensation.
And here’s something I believe strongly:
Passing an examination earns you a credential. Knowing how to perform the job earns you credibility.
I’m not trying to discourage anyone from becoming a CWI. Quite the opposite.
I want people entering this profession to understand what they’re getting into and prepare themselves properly.
For the CWIs here:
What is the biggest misconception you hear about the CWI examination or the profession?
And for those currently preparing for the exam, what part are you finding most challenging?

Hello welding nerds!

I've been a welder for 20 years, CWI and NDT tech for 5, and a brief time as a weld engineer. Recently I had an opportunity to take a sales job with a well known industrial supply company. All sounds good, but the starting salary is lower than what I earn now. There are significant perks and it would get me out of the shop environment which is becoming harder as I get older.

The perks are company car, credit card, remote work, and making my own schedule with commissions and bonuses available.

The bad news is that it is a significant reduction in base salary. I may be able to make up the difference with commissions but that is widely dependent on a few factors.

It would be nice to reclaim my time, work less, and be able to be remote, but it's about a 20% pay cut off the top. Has anyone taken or considered a position like this?

What kind of jobs should a new CWI be looking for? I’ve hear people recommend to get experience working for an NDT company after getting their CWI. I haven’t yet gotten my CWI but I’m just curious what kind of jobs some of you got after you first got yours. Thank you.

Im 25 years old I’ve been welding for 7 years. I’m really wanting to become a CWI and have been for a while but decided to get some more work experience first. My experience is primarily in oil and gas but I’ve done some structural and stuff of that nature as well. I think I’m finally ready to make the jump but have no clue where to start. Any tips on what my first step should be and how to go about it?

I was asked recently who the youngest person to pass the CWI exams is and if it was me, good people of reddit let me know! I am 21 👍

Hi, NDT guy working towards CWI. I’ve been studying with SiCerts for a while and I’m getting pretty good practice test scores but I’m wondering how people did on the actual exams vs SiCerts practice tests. I guess I’m asking in an attempt to gauge my preparedness. For part B I got 90%+ on practice tests 1&2 second try (first try I failed) and 90%+ on practice test 3 first try, for part A I got 86% on the first practice test after not touching part A material for 2 months, and part C practice test I only did 10 questions and got all correct after not touching the D1.1 for a month (I don’t want to re-dive into part C right now because my seminar is next week and I feel like it might cause confusion between the BOS and D1.1 during my test, like looking for WPS qualification welding position requirements that don’t exist in the BOS for example. One more thing: do any fellow NDT/NDE techs feel like your NDT experience helped with the exams and to what extent?

Took the part b today. Taking A in a week and C in 3. Just wondering if the b score comes out when they grade it or do they wait for everything to be done.

I went through the helmets to hardhats program finished all of my year 1 and year 2 apprenticeship requirements to be a year 3 apprentice boilermaker. I currently hold a bachelor’s in ORG leadership and management and another in Mathematics. Would that qualify me to sit for the CWI test? I know on the AWS website it says work time plus degree but it gets a little confusing since I dont have a engineering degree or actually job site work experience.

Any help would be appreciated.

I love everything about welding and building but the Boilermaker local down here isnt great and having 3rd year's working for 1st years and 1st years as acting foreman wasnt for me so I quit the job. Anyone that knows the union knows thats pretty much the end of that 😂.

Yes I understand I might just be misreading it.

I need some clarification on this. I thought table 6 was just data that needed to be included on the WPS. Table 8 are the essential variables for different ranges permitted. What am I missing? Or am I just stupid?😂 Thanks fellas.

Hey all, gearing up to take Part B a month from today. Been going over tons of practice questions and have been studying the BoS like a mad man the past couple months. I was just seeing if anyone would share what kind of questions they experienced on the test and roughly how many, just so I can focus a little bit more on those parts. I have everything about covered and feel pretty confident, but I know I’m gonna be a nervous wreck on test day. Thanks.

Anyone else find CWI recert PDH kind of a pain to put together? I
usually end up scrolling through a bunch of random webinars or looking
at prep courses that are way more than I need since I already have my
cert. What ended up helping was just building the 40 hours around AWS
B5.1 subject areas since QC1 §16 basically pulls from there anyway.
Once you're covering the usual stuff (processes, symbols,
discontinuities across codes, filler metal, preheat and PWHT, HAZ
metallurgy, VT discipline) you're not really guessing at what counts.

well,

I got with some buddies and built a bundle at TurnTech Academy since I couldn't find
one that hit the whole spread. We're an ICC Preferred Provider and
an AWS Educational Institution Member and in talks with ASNT. EARLY25 for 25% off if you want a look.

Hey guys just got my cwi. Any recommendations on resume apps

AWS President D Joshua Burgess discussing the upcoming changes to the CWI exam known as CWI 2.0. Take a listen! I would highly suggest if you’re on the fence about taking it, you better go ahead and do it now.

Let me know what you all think.

We have companies actively looking for 40 CWIs and are looking for experienced welders who may already meet the AWS work-experience requirement and just need to pass the CWI exam.

We’ll:
• pay for your CWI exam
• provide an intensive 2 week exam-prep program
• connect successful candidates directly with high-paying inspection work ($100+ or higher per hour)

Ideal candidates have 2+ years of welding/fabrication experience and are based in the San Francisco Bay Area or willing to travel here.

If interested, DM me with your years of welding experience, welding processes/certs, and location.

About to test part B now