IIW IWT study guide
IIW IWT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The International Welding Technologist (IWT) is a professional qualification awarded under the International Institute of Welding (IIW) education and training framework. It sits at the technologist level: above the International Welding Specialist and alongside or above the International Welding Engineer depending on the national scheme, and it is aimed at people who translate design intent into workable welding procedures, supervise fabrication, and make decisions about materials, processes and inspection. The IIW IWT study guide has 10 sections and about 3,099 words.
01Welding Processes and Equipment
This domain tests whether you can match an arc process to a joint, thickness, position and production rate, and whether you understand the electrical and thermal behaviour behind that choice. Drooping (constant-current) sources suit manual processes where the welder varies arc length: SMAW, GTAW.
347 words, about 2 min02Materials and Their Behaviour During Welding
This domain examines how thermal cycles change microstructure, and how composition, hydrogen and restraint combine to cause cracking. Cold (hydrogen-assisted) cracking needs four factors together: susceptible microstructure, hydrogen, tensile restraint and low temperature.
315 words, about 2 min03Construction and Design of Welded Structures
This domain tests whether you can size a weld for static load, classify a detail for fatigue, and read a weld symbol without ambiguity. For fillet welds, the design throat is 0.7 × leg length for equal-leg 90° fillets.
325 words, about 2 min04Fabrication, Applications Engineering and Quality Management
This domain tests the documentation chain that proves a weld was made correctly: specification, qualified procedure, qualified welder, calibrated equipment, records. A welding procedure specification (WPS) is supported by a procedure qualification record (PQR) produced by testing a pWPS to a standard such as ISO 15614-1.
293 words, about 1 min05Welding Metallurgy and Heat Treatment
This domain tests phase transformations in the weld and HAZ, and the correct design of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). Cooling time from 800 to 500 °C (t8/5) controls whether you get ferrite-pearlite, bainite or martensite.
308 words, about 2 min06Inspection, Testing and Qualification of Welds
This domain tests method selection, standard acceptance levels and the geometry behind ultrasonic testing. Visual testing (VT) finds surface profile, undercut, spatter and misalignment.
304 words, about 2 min07Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
This domain tests hazard identification and exposure control for arc welding, cutting and allied processes. Welding fume contains metal oxides and can include hexavalent chromium and nickel from stainless consumables, manganese, and fluorides from basic electrodes.
296 words, about 1 min08Economics and Production Planning
This domain tests whether you can compare processes and joint designs on cost per metre rather than on wire price, and plan capacity realistically. Cost per metre of completed weld = labour + filler metal + shielding gas + power + consumables (flux, tips, liners) + equipment depreciation + overhead + inspection + rework.
311 words, about 2 min09Practical Welding and Process Operation
This domain tests parameter setting and troubleshooting at the arc: what changing current, voltage, travel speed and stick-out actually does. Current controls penetration and deposition; voltage controls arc length and bead width; travel speed controls bead profile and heat input; stick-out controls resistance heating in GMAW; gas flow controls coverage.
310 words, about 2 min10Specialised Applications and Advanced Topics
This domain tests newer and niche processes: what they do well, what limits them, and the key parameter calculations. Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state process for aluminium and other low-melting metals; it avoids solidification cracking but leaves a tool exit hole and needs rigid backing and tool wear control.
290 words, about 1 min