Quality assurance, standards and certification
This domain covers the management system and certification framework around welding: ISO 9001, ISO 3834, ISO 14731, EN 1090-2, personnel and procedure qualification, and material certification. The exam tests correct application of the standard hierarchy.
Quality requirements
ISO 3834 specifies welding quality requirements in parts: -2 for comprehensive, -3 for standard, -4 for elementary. Selection depends on product criticality, contract and regulatory regime. EN 1090-2 sets execution classes EXC1–EXC4 for steel structures, with increasing NDT and documentation demands. ISO 14731 defines welding coordination tasks and the responsible welding coordinator's competence.
Qualification and certification
Procedures are qualified to ISO 15614-1; welders to ISO 9606-1. EN 10204 3.1 is a mill inspection certificate issued by the manufacturer's authorised inspection representative; 3.2 requires independent inspection and endorsement. Certification bodies issue ISO 3834 certificates after audit; notified bodies act under construction products regulation for CE marking.
Worked example
A fabricator produces a pressure-retaining vessel to a contract requiring full traceability and third-party surveillance. ISO 3834-3 is insufficient because it does not demand the comprehensive element set; ISO 3834-2 fits, requiring design review, qualified procedures, welder qualification, traceability, NDT and calibrated equipment. The answer must argue from contract and product criticality, not from company size.
Traps
Treating welder qualification as procedure qualification; confusing 3.1 with 3.2 certificates; assuming ISO 9001 alone proves welding competence; selecting ISO 3834 part by company size rather than by product and contract.