AWS B1.11M-B1.11:2015 pdf download.Guide for the Visual Examination of Welds
1.2 Scope. This guide esentially provides an introduction to visual examination of welding. These examinations fall into three categories based on the time they are performed, as follows: (1) prior to welding, (2) during welding, and (3) after welding. An extensive treatment is provided on weld surface conditions, including reference to frequently used ter-minologies associated with preferred and non-preferred conditions. Visual examination may be performed by different people or organizations. Personnel performing welding examination include welders, welding supervisors, the contrac-tor's welding examiner, the purchaser's examiner, or the regulatory examiner. For the purpose of simplicity, these indi-viduals are referred to as visual examiners in the remainder of this standard in that they perform visual examination.Fabrication documents, contract specifications, and regulatory agencies may specify who performs final examinations.
Also provided is a review of visual examination equipment routinely used, such as gauges and lighting equipment.Formal documentation of visual examination results is also discussed. Finally, the guide suggests additional reading or references, that may provide more detailed requirements for specific visual examination applications.
AWS A3.0M/A3.0 uses nondestructive examination (NDE) as the standard terminology for these examination methods.In other standards, literature, and industry usage, other expressions are commonly used. Among these are: nondestruc-tive inspection (NDI) and nondestructive testing (NDT). It must be emphasized that all of these expressions are com-monly used and may be considered equivalent.
3.1 General. Individuals assigned the task of performing formal visual examinations should be qualified. The three ele-ments of qualification may include education, training, and experience. Since visual examination requires the ability to see small discontinuities or imperfections, good visual acuity is also desirable.
3.2 Visual Acuity. The individual should have sufficient visual acuity to perform an adequate examination. Consider-ation should be given to sufficient near and far vision with natural or corrected vision. A documented periodic visual acuity examination is a requirement of many codes and specifications, and is generally considered good practice.
3.3 Equipment. Visual examination may require the use of special tools or equipment. The tools or equipment depend upon the application and the degree of accuracy required. Some tools may need to be calibrated prior to use. Although this guide presents an outline of visual examination aids, there are many different concepts and other variations of equip-ment. As a general rule, those tools should be used that: (1) comply with the project requirements, (2) are adequate for the intended accuracy, and (3) satisfy the need of the examination.AWS B1.11M-B1.11 pdf download.