Welding

The ultimate test of Welding quality

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Nadcap has established an accreditation that includes Welding. The Welding Task Group has developed process specific requirements based on the AC7110 series of checklists, which includes the following:

Torch / Induction Brazing

Flash Welding

Electron Beam Welding

Resistance Welding

Fusion Welding

Laser Welding

Friction / Inertia Welding

Diffusion Welding

Percussion Stud Welding

New Revision to Weld Checklists 

New Revision to Weld Checklists

On 4^th December 2006, AC7110 and AC7110/1-/9 were revised to Rev D. Two new checklists, AC7110/12 (Criteria for welder / welding operator qualification) and AC7110/13 (Criteria for metallographic evaluation of welds) were also introduced on this date.

Subsequently, on 1^st March 2007, AC7110/3,/4,/5,/6 were revised to Rev E and AC7110/12 was revised to Rev A.

The new checklists have had major revisions in-line with Nadcap Management Council’s mandate to ‘baseline’ them. It is therefore extremely important that you download the latest revisions from eAuditNet and perform a thorough internal audit at your earliest opportunity. This will avoid unnecessary non-conformances being raised at your next audit. In addition to the new checklists, the Task Group have revised their audit handbooks. These provide further information on both question intent and acceptable objective evidence. The handbooks can be downloaded from eAuditNet via the public document menu. You are advised to review these in combination with the new checklists.

All the Nadcap subscribing primes have agreed to the requirements in the baseline checklists.  These requirements may be in addition to those currently flowed down by your contracting prime(s). In order to receive Nadcap accreditation, you will need to meet all the requirements of the Nadcap baseline checklists. Where the Weld Task group did not desire to incorporate the requirements for some specific material types or processes in the baseline, the requirements have been added as supplements to the relevant checklist. This also applies to prime specific requirements that the Task Group do not want to impose on all suppliers. You need to review each process for which you are seeking accreditation and ensure the scope of the audit is correct. Any changes to scope need to be communicated to your PRI Scheduling contact as soon as possible.

It is important to note that the checklists no longer have N/A options available and as such any question that is answered “No” will result in a NCR being issued.

The new checklists will require procedural control for items that you may not have been required to address in the previous checklist revision. This may include items that you do not currently use. For these, you will need a provision in the applicable quality or engineering document that would invoke the required condition should it become required by a Prime.

AC7110/12 (criteria for welder / welding operator qualification) has been developed to more clearly define the requirements. This checklist has essentially taken the requirements previously listed in AC7110 Rev C and expanded on them to incorporate the industry specification requirements

AC7110/13 (criteria for metallographic evaluation of welds) has been developed based on prime knowledge that several escapes have occurred due to inadequate control in this area. It is designed to be used by either captive (internal) or independent (external) labs. Those weld suppliers who evaluate welds shall be audited to AC7110/13 in addition to the requirements specified in the appropriate process checklist.

Where you use an independent Laboratory for weld evaluation, you should flow the requirement for AC7110/13 accreditation to them, to ensure they have the necessary approvals in place. The laboratory performing the evaluation, whether internal or external, shall be audited to the new requirements at the first audit occurring after 1^st December 2006. Note that due to the existing audit schedule of some Material Test Laboratories, full implementation may not be achieved until 1^st December 2008. External laboratories not currently holding Nadcap Material Test accreditation shall be compliant by 1^st December 2008.

PRI will periodically offer Welding specific Nadcap Customer Support Initiatives (NCSI) training events to support the introduction of these checklists.

Four of these training events have already taken place.  Additional sessions will be planned and suppliers will receive an email invitation.  Click here to access a copy of the training presentation.

Should you require any further information, please contact Weld Staff Engineer, Ian Simpson at ian.simpson@pri-europe.org.uk