AISC Fabricator cheat sheet

An AISC-certified fabricator must designate a Responsible Individual (RI) who holds authority over quality and can commit the company to the program's requirements.

The Quality Management System (QMS) must document an organizational chart showing reporting lines from inspectors up to top management and the RI.

A minimum of one certified welding inspector (CWI) or equivalent is required for structural fabrication categories that involve welding.

Inspection personnel must be independent of production supervision so that acceptance decisions are not overridden by schedule pressure.

The fabricator must maintain records of personnel qualifications, including welder performance qualification (WPQ) and inspector certification dates.

When the RI or key quality personnel change, the fabricator must notify the certifying body and update the documented QMS.

Defined job responsibilities for estimating, detailing, purchasing, fabrication, and inspection must appear in the written procedures.

Subcontracted work (painting, galvanizing, machining) remains the certified fabricator's responsibility and must be covered by the QMS.

Certification categories (e.g., buildings, bridges, sophisticated paint, fracture-critical) are granted based on demonstrated past projects, not intent.

Applicants must submit a history of completed fabrication projects showing the type, size, and complexity matching the category sought.

Experience is documented through project lists including contract value, tonnage, and the year of completion for each referenced job.

Fracture-critical endorsement requires prior documented experience with that work or a defined ramp-up under enhanced inspection.

Welder and welding operator experience is evidenced by continuity records; a lapse in welding activity can void qualification.

Audit teams review at least a sample of prior project records to confirm that claimed experience matches actual quality documentation.

New companies without project history may qualify only for limited categories until sufficient track record is established.

References from owners or engineers may be requested to corroborate the applicant's claimed fabrication experience.

The QMS manual must contain written procedures for contract review, purchasing, inspection, nonconformance control, and corrective action.

Written inspection procedures specify hold points, witness points, and the acceptance criteria referenced to the applicable code (e.g., AWS D1.1).

Nonconforming material must be tagged, segregated, and dispositioned by documented procedure (rework, repair, regrade, or reject).

A documented corrective action process requires root-cause analysis and verification that the fix prevents recurrence.

Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and Procedure Qualification Records (PQR) must be on file and available at the point of use.

Document control ensures only the current revision of drawings, WPS, and procedures is used on the shop floor.

Calibration records for inspection, measuring, and test equipment must be maintained with traceability to recognized standards.

Management review of the QMS is documented at defined intervals, with records of decisions and follow-up actions.

Personnel must know the acceptance criteria of the governing code; under AWS D1.1, visual inspection of complete joint penetration groove welds is 100 percent.

Undercut limits, weld profile tolerances, and discontinuity acceptance are code-specific and must be applied per the contract documents.

Bolted connection knowledge includes snug-tightened, pretensioned, and slip-critical installation and the inspection requirements of each.

Essential variables in a WPS (process, filler, position, thickness) define the range within which a procedure is qualified.

Heat input and preheat/interpass temperature control affect cracking risk and are specified in the WPS.

Dimensional tolerances for member length, camber, and sweep come from the contract drawings and the applicable fabrication code.

Coating knowledge includes surface preparation standards (SSPC-SP designations) and their role in coating performance.

Personnel must understand the difference between a discontinuity and a defect: only discontinuities exceeding acceptance criteria are defects.

Welding equipment must be capable of producing the process and current range specified in each qualified WPS.

Inspection, measuring, and test equipment (calipers, gauges, torque wrenches, UT units) requires calibration at defined intervals.

Measuring tapes and rules used for acceptance must be traceable to a recognized standard and checked against a master.

Material handling equipment (cranes, magnets, rollers) must have capacity and inspection records adequate for the member weights handled.

Cutting and drilling equipment must hold the dimensional tolerances required by the contract for holes, copes, and member lengths.

Welding machines should be maintained per manufacturer recommendations, with maintenance records retained as QMS evidence.

Environmental controls (heating for preheat, shielding for wind) must be available to meet WPS conditions in the shop.

Equipment identified as out of calibration or out of service must be tagged and removed from production use.

Top management must demonstrate commitment through a documented quality policy, defined objectives, and provision of resources.

The Responsible Individual signs off that the QMS is implemented and that the fabricator meets certification requirements.

Internal audits are conducted at planned intervals to verify that procedures are followed and effective.

Quality objectives should be measurable (e.g., weld repair rate, nonconformance closure time) and reviewed for trends.

Employee training records demonstrate that quality awareness and competency are maintained over time.

Customer complaints and nonconformances feed into corrective action and are tracked to closure.

Continuous improvement is evidenced by documented actions taken from audit findings and management review outputs.

A fabricator must notify the certifying body of significant changes affecting its ability to meet certification requirements.