CWS Welding flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Hot work fire watch

A fire watch is required when welding is within 35 feet of combustibles; it continues during work and at least 30 minutes after to detect smoldering fires.

Acetylene pressure limit

Acetylene delivery pressure from a cylinder must not exceed 15 psig; higher pressure can decompose the gas and cause a violent cylinder fire or explosion.

OSHA welding general industry

29 CFR 1910.252 establishes general-industry requirements for welding, cutting, and brazing, including fire prevention, ventilation, eye protection, and cylinder handling.

Porosity causes

Porosity results from moisture, oil, paint, or rust on the joint; low current; long arc; or excessive travel speed that traps shielding gas or hydrogen in the weld.

Undercut cause

Undercut is a groove melted into the base metal at the weld toe, often caused by excessive current, incorrect electrode angle, long arc, or fast travel.

Penetrant testing use

PT detects surface-breaking discontinuities in nonporous materials by capillary action of a dye or fluorescent penetrant; it does not detect subsurface flaws.

Ultrasonic testing

UT uses high-frequency sound waves to detect internal discontinuities and measure thickness; it requires trained operators and access to the weld surface.

WPS and PQR

A WPS is a written welding procedure; a PQR records the destructive test results that qualify that procedure under a code such as AWS D1.1 or ASME IX.

Welder performance qualification

Welder qualification tests the individual's ability to produce sound welds to a code; it is separate from procedure qualification and must be maintained and renewed per code.

Visual inspection timing

Visual inspection occurs before, during, and after welding; it verifies joint fit-up, cleanliness, bead profile, slag removal, and final weld appearance without special equipment.

Shielding gas porosity

Inadequate shielding gas flow, drafts, or a clogged nozzle can cause porosity; gas flow must be set for the process and protected from wind.

Operating factor

Operating factor is arc-on time divided by total paid work time; typical manual SMAW is 20–40%, semi-automatic GMAW 40–60%, and mechanized welding 60–80%.

Heat input formula

Heat input in kJ/in equals voltage times current times 60, divided by travel speed in in/min times 1000; it affects cooling rate and weld properties.

Deposition rate formula

For steel wire, deposition rate in lb/h is approximately 13.1 times wire diameter squared times wire feed speed in in/min, adjusted for transfer efficiency.

Takt time

Takt time equals available production time divided by customer demand; it sets the pace a welding cell must meet to satisfy demand without overproduction.

OEE calculation

Overall equipment effectiveness equals availability times performance times quality; it measures how much of scheduled welding time produces good parts.

Lean waste examples

Lean identifies overproduction, waiting, transport, overprocessing, inventory, motion, and defects as waste; reducing them improves welding flow and cost.

First-pass yield

First-pass yield is the percentage of welds or assemblies that meet requirements without rework; it is a key quality and cost indicator.

Rework cost impact

Rework adds labor, consumables, inspection, and schedule disruption; its cost can exceed the original weld cost, so prevention is cheaper than repair.

Bottleneck

A bottleneck is the operation with the least capacity in a welding line; it limits throughput, so improvement should focus there first.

Consumable cost share

In manual welding, consumables are usually a small share of total cost; labor and overhead dominate, so productivity gains often save more than cheaper filler metal.

Standard work

Standard work documents the best current method, sequence, cycle time, and work-in-process for a task; it provides a baseline for training and improvement.

Supervisor code duty

The welding supervisor ensures work follows the approved WPS, welders are qualified for the process and position, and inspection records are complete and traceable.

Pre-shift huddle

A short pre-shift meeting communicates safety hazards, production targets, quality alerts, and work assignments; it aligns the crew before welding begins.

Closed-loop communication

The sender gives a clear message, the receiver repeats it back, and the sender confirms; this reduces errors in weld instructions and safety directions.

Root cause analysis

Root cause analysis uses tools such as 5 Whys and fishbone diagrams to find the underlying reason for a defect rather than blaming the welder.

Corrective action

Corrective action removes the cause of a nonconformity so it does not recur; it differs from containment, which only fixes the immediate defective product.

Welder qualification records

Records must identify the welder, process, position, thickness, test date, and qualifying code; they should be kept current and available for audit.

TRIR

Total recordable incident rate equals the number of recordable cases times 200,000, divided by total hours worked; it allows comparison across crews.

Nonconformance report

An NCR documents a weld or product that does not meet code or specification; it triggers disposition, repair, or rejection and supports traceability.

Coaching feedback

Effective coaching gives specific, timely, behavior-focused feedback and agrees on the next action; it improves welder skill and accountability.

Code compliance audit

An audit checks WPS availability, welder certifications, calibration records, and inspection reports against the governing code and project specification.