Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials
Welding is a special process because the result and quality may not be confirmed by testing. This means that welding requires constant monitoring so that specified procedures and guidelines are followed.
AS/NZS ISO 3834 on Quality Requirements in Welding has been developed to identify the controls and procedures required. This standard defines the quality requirements for fusion welding of steel materials, both in the workshop and at the assembly site. This standard is the internationally recognized standard for welding quality.
Certification increases business opportunities as well as enhances the technical knowledge of all welding personnel and profitability. AS/NZS ISO 3834 considers all aspects affecting weld quality. This standard seeks to control the life cycle of the welding process, from design through to inspection. This type of approach is necessary because it is impossible to fully verify a welded joint without destroying it. Thus, quality must be built into the welding process from the very beginning.
ISO 3834 is an international standard that ensures that quality is built into the welding process. This ensures that metalworking fabricators do not need to inspect and test to know that the end product is fit for purpose
ISO 3834 has been adopted as a mandatory supporting standard for factory production control and CE marking of structural metals, EN 1090-1, which uses the principle of performance classes 1 to 4. Classes of execution are based on the idea that the higher the level, the better. In terms of risk, factory production control should be more comprehensive, and as the risk increases, the implementation class increases. ISO 3834 has 5 parts that also examine the level of risk, but unlike the performance class, the number increases as the risk decreases:
ISO 3034-1 is a guide to the selection of quality requirements that are required at different levels of risk.
ISO 3834-2 defines comprehensive quality requirements for performance classes 3 and 4.
ISO 3834-3 defines the standard quality requirements for Execution Class 2.
ISO 3834-4 defines basic quality requirements for a performance class.
ISO 3834-5 provides the documentation required for compliance with the standard.
Independent EN ISO 3834 certification benefits manufacturers by providing an authentic third-party declaration of commercial value. Certification can be obtained alongside ISO 9001 certification or on its own. The stand-alone option may be attractive to companies where welding operations are simple.
ISO 3834 certification is a quality certification for welding manufacturers. This is an internationally recognized certificate and not an individual certificate. To meet their quality requirements, these standard covers fusion welding of steel.
AS/NZS ISO 3834 is a factory production control system designed to complement quality management systems such as ISO 9001. This system helps businesses improve their efficiency and productivity, which leads to higher profitability and customer satisfaction. AS/NZS ISO 3834 is recognized worldwide as the minimum standard for welding quality. Certification helps businesses demonstrate their ability to deliver a consistent, quality welded product on time and within budget. This allows businesses to obtain more work from domestic and international suppliers, including defense contracts.
AS/NZS ISO 3834 is a set of standards that consists of six parts:
Part I: Criteria for choosing the right level
Part 2: Comprehensive quality requirements
Part 3: Standard quality requirements
Part 4: Basic quality requirements
Part 5: Documentation required to claim compliance with ISO 3834 Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4
Part 6: ISO 3834 implementation guide
There are several benefits associated with AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification.
Compliance: ISO 3834 AS/NZS certification demonstrates that you could deliver a welded product on time and on budget, including compliance with requirements such as 5100.6:2017, which ensures the consistency of the welding process and therefore sustainability and quality. Above the services and products offered to customers.
Efficient processes: Get AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification to improve efficiency in processes and procedures. Demonstrating the company’s commitment to compliance with legal and regulatory requirements focused on the parts of the QMS that relate to welding control as a special process.
Cost optimization: reducing operating costs, reducing the cost of non-conforming products, saving raw materials, energy, and other resources
Customer Satisfaction: Customers repeatedly use AS/NZS ISO 3834-certified organizations due to efficient processes and reduced production time and costs.
Technical Knowledge: All personnel, from tradesmen and inspectors to supervisors and managers, will see increased technical knowledge as a result of obtaining AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification.
Global Supply Chain Opportunities: With AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification, you increase your opportunities to expand into expanded market segments including the global supply chain.
Risk Reduction: Reducing the risk of errors means cutting project costs. ISO 3834 AS/NZS certification significantly reduces breakdowns and miscalculations, keeping projects on schedule and under budget.
This standard, entitled Quality Requirements for Welding, provides details on how to control welding types and welding-related operations to achieve consistently desired quality. One of the key features of this standard is the requirement to ensure that people with welding responsibilities are competent to perform these responsibilities. This is achieved by integrating another standard: ISO 14731 “Welding coordination – duties and responsibilities”.
Description of ISO 14731 “Welding coordination – Duties and responsibilities” This ISO standard uses the term “responsible welding coordinator” to identify the person or persons who have an adequate level of welding technical knowledge for a wide range of manufactured products. The RWC represents the “human side” of welding control and, as such, is a very significant member of the quality team. The expectation is that the RWC is a person nominated by the manufacturer who is authorized to make decisions and sign documents that affect product quality.
The choice of welding quality requirements depends on the loading of the structure and the level of risk in it unless specified in the applicable standard.
The basic principle is that the strict requirements of Section 2 – “Comprehensive quality requirements” – should be linked to the strict safety requirements for the product or parts subjected to significant loading.
A summary of the elements as well as a comparison of the requirements of the respective verification levels can be found in Annex A of DIN EN ISO 3834.