I-CAR SWQT study guide
I-CAR SWQT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The I-CAR Steel Welding Qualification Test (SWQT) is a welding qualification credential for collision repair technicians who join, section, and replace steel body panels. It is aimed at technicians already working in body shops, apprentices building toward structural repair roles, and estimators or shop leads who need to understand what a qualified weld actually requires. The I-CAR SWQT study guide has 8 sections and about 2,204 words.
01Collision Repair Welding Safety and Shop Practices
The SWQT exam tests whether you can set up a safe collision-repair welding zone, not just strike an arc. Collision welding combines electrical, fume, fire, and vehicle-system hazards.
327 words, about 2 min02Welding Symbols, Joint Design, and Vehicle Body Construction
Welding symbols follow AWS A2.4 conventions. The reference line carries the weld symbol; the arrow points to the joint; the tail may carry the process or specification.
315 words, about 2 min03GMAW (MIG) Equipment Setup, Shielding Gas, and Consumables
For steel GMAW, use a constant-voltage power source with solid wire on DCEP (electrode positive). Wire-feed speed sets current; voltage sets arc length; inductance shapes the arc.
257 words, about 1 min04Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) Equipment and Setup
Squeeze-type resistance spot welding passes current through stacked panels held by copper-alloy electrodes. The cycle has squeeze, weld, hold, and sometimes cool time.
268 words, about 1 min05Welding and Spot Welding of High-Strength and Advanced High-Strength Steel
High-strength steel (HSS) and advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) include HSLA, dual-phase (DP), TRIP, complex-phase, martensitic, and boron grades. They are not interchangeable.
258 words, about 1 min06Welding of Ultra-High-Strength Steel and Heat-Affected Zone Management
Ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) commonly refers to martensitic and boron steels with tensile strength above roughly 1000 MPa. Their strength comes from a martensitic microstructure that tempers and softens when heated.
270 words, about 1 min07Weld Quality, Destructive Testing, and Defect Identification
Weld quality starts with visual inspection: wet-out, bead profile, penetration, undercut, porosity, cracks, spatter, burn-through, and missed welds. Then use destructive tests on coupons that match the vehicle stack-same grades, thicknesses, coatings, and gaps.
256 words, about 1 min08Vehicle-Specific Repair Procedures and OEM Welding Requirements
Vehicle-specific repair procedures define weld type, location, count, sequence, and finish. The exam tests whether you retrieve and apply the correct procedure for the vehicle, not whether you can weld in general.
253 words, about 1 min