The formation of a Welding Coordination Team (WCT) and the nomination of a Responsible

Welding Coordinator (RWC) in a company is no longer a new concept. The RWC is called for by
AS/NZS ISO 3834:2008 Quality Requirements for Fusion Welding of Metallic Materials and ISO
14731:2006 Welding coordination Tasks and responsibilities and links to the roles of
Designer, Contracts Person, Welding Supervisor, Welding Inspector, Fabrication Inspector and
NDT Personnel commonly found in Australian companies. Companies, particularly
owners/users, around Australia are calling for their supply and service companies to have
implemented the International Institute of Welding (IIW) Manufacturers Certification Scheme
(MCS) According to ISO 3834 (IIW MCS ISO 3834). Thus many such companies in Australia,
especially SMEs, are now working towards certification, not only to satisfy their customers
requirements and national and international product standards but also to enhance their
welding productivity, quality and business competitiveness.
In many companies and workshops, the welding coordination roles and tasks are, in fact,
typically shared amongst a number of people, as shown in Figure 1 and Table 1. Collectively
these people form the WCT responsible for welding quality, under the leadership of the
nominated Responsible Welding Coordinator (RWC).
As a team, they are responsible for not only welding quality and management, but also
productivity, occupational health, safety and rehabilitation (OHS&R) and management of
environmental issues. Each contributes their own knowledge, expertise, qualifications and
certification to the team to support not only the companys compliance to ISO 3834 and other
Standards but also its overall efficiency and competitiveness in the market place. The
certification requirements for each person are shown below.

Figure 1: A typical company Welding Coordination Team (WCT) showing team members and
appropriate certifications. The dotted lines in the diagram represent the RWCs authority with
regards to quality, not necessarily line management.

Table 1: Typical activities requiring Welding Coordination

Review of Requirements and
Contract
Technical Review
Subcontracting
Welding Personnel
Welding/Fabricating Equipment
Production Planning
Qualification of the Welding
Procedures
Welding Procedure Specifications
Work Instructions
Welding Consumables

Inspection and Testing Before

Welding
Inspection and Testing During
Welding
Inspection and Testing After Welding
Post-weld Heat Treatment
Non-conformance and Corrective
Actions
Calibration and Validation of
Measuring, Inspection and Testing
Equipment
Identification and Traceability

Materials

Quality Records and Documentation

Responsible Welding Coordination Personnel

A RWC must be nominated by the organisation. The responsibilities of the RWC to carry out,
supervise and/or oversee welding engineering tasks will be clearly defined by the organisation.
He/She must be authorised to sign on behalf of the organisation in contractual welding quality
related matters, e.g. accepting technical welding requirements, or verifying that the
organisation has complied with all relevant quality considerations in the production of the
product.
Three different levels of RWC described in ISO 14731. The selection of RWC depends mainly
on the variability and technical complexity of the welding coordination and responsibilities
required.

Comprehensive Technical Knowledge (IWE and CIWE)

Welding coordination personnel with full technical knowledge for planning, executing,
supervising and testing of all tasks and responsibilities in welding fabrication, construction,
repair, maintenance etc.
For example, where a broad range of materials, processes, thicknesses, procedures & NDT
requirements is involved, and a wide variety of products are to be manufactured to differing
codes, major fabrication projects etc.

Specific Technical Knowledge (IWT and CIWT)

Welding coordination personnel with technical knowledge sufficient for planning, executing,
supervising and testing of the tasks and responsibilities in welding fabrication within a
selective or limited technical field.
For example, where welding processes, procedures, materials and products do not change
significantly etc.

Basic Technical Knowledge (IWS and CIWS)

Welding coordination personnel with technical knowledge sufficient for planning, executing,
supervising and testing of the tasks and responsibilities in welding fabrication within a limited
technical field involving simple welded constructions