Supervision, planning and production control
Supervision, planning and production control tests the coordination side of EN ISO 3834 and ISO 14731: planning the work, controlling documents and people, and reacting to nonconformance with data.
The coordination role
ISO 14731 defines welding coordination tasks - WPS, qualification, consumables, equipment, inspection, traceability and subcontracting. An IWP typically supervises and prepares records under the coordination of an IWS or IWE where the standard or contract requires it. EN ISO 3834-2 (comprehensive) to -4 (elementary) set the required elements.
Planning essentials
- WPS register with revision status and supporting WPQRs to ISO 15614.
- Welder qualification matrix with positions, thickness ranges and expiry dates.
- Consumable stock control: batch, drying records, issue and return.
- Equipment maintenance and calibration schedule.
- Inspection and test plan with hold points.
- Traceability: heat numbers, EN 10204 3.1 certificates, as-built records.
Production control
Sequence welding to balance shrinkage; monitor repair rate, arc-on time and rework; record daily progress and nonconformances; close corrective actions.
Worked example
Repair rate rises from 3% to 8% on a pipe spool. Sort by welder, process and joint type; if one welder dominates, check WPS adherence, fit-up and gas flow. Pareto analysis isolates the variable before parameters are changed, and the records needed to do it must exist before the problem appears.
Traps
Letting welder certificates expire unnoticed; issuing a WPS without a supporting WPQR; no drying or issue records for electrodes; changing a parameter on the floor without revising the WPS; measuring output only by metres welded.