Inspection Services

TWIs track record of research and development in non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies and its
team of highly skilled engineers and technicians places it in a unique position to offer a wide range of
technologies to solve the NDT problems of Member companies.
We are frequently called upon to develop innovative solutions to particular problems. These solutions
will typically involve:

Technique development (including modelling)

Procedure preparation

Inspection validation/technical justification

Site deployment

Training and implementation.

TWI's inspection services are provided by highly qualified Level 2 or 3 engineers. Should they require
assistance, they can call on the support of the 50-strong team of NDT scientists and technicians based
in Cambridge and Port Talbot in the United Kingdom.
In addition, TWI's structural integrity, materials engineering and corrosion engineering experts are
available to assist in the interpretation and evaluation of any data gathered. TWI's NDT staff travel
extensively and have carried out on-site NDT work as far afield as Alaska, Indonesia, Venezuela,
Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf of Mexico. Site teams can be mobilised rapidly and the staff are
fully accustomed to site working conditions - offshore, arctic, tropical, and so on.

Independence and Impartiality

TWI is able to deploy a unique range of technologies, but is wedded to none, so that the services that
it provides are universally recognised as independent and impartial.

Technologies
Inspection technologies and techniques provided by TWI include:

Computerised phase array ultrasonic flaw detection, location and sizing

Ultrasonic time of flight diffraction (TOFD) for critical flaw sizing

Rapid automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) for zonal inspection of pipeline girth welds

Long range ultrasonic testing (LRUT) for pipe and pipeline inspection (service provided by
Plant Integrity Limited using its Teletest Focus+ system)

Ultrasonic modelling

Ultrasonic bond testing

Digital radiography/computed radiographic tomography

Micro-focus x-ray

Eddy current testing for surface crack detection and sizing

Alternating current field measurement (ACFM) for surface crack detection and sizing

Thermography

Laser shearography

Automated optical inspection

Acoustic emission (AE)

Radiographic interpretation.

Welding Design
When designing products that require welding, the designer should consider very early on in the
project the implications of the choice of welding process and how the component will be made.
Welding can largely be described as a special process and the choice of welding process for a
particular job can be difficult without expert knowledge. There are many techniques for welding that
have been developed over the years, some of which are still evolving and equipment suppliers will
tend to naturally champion their own technology.

The design engineer can be faced with a bewildering number of choices for part fabrication and will
often make decisions based upon their own previous experience. The choice of a fabrication process
will depend upon a range of factors including:

Development, capital and running costs

Available in-house expertise and knowledge
Material type
Access and assembly sequence
Dimensional tolerance
Productivity
Technical suitability of the finished part both in terms of as fabricated quality and fitness-forpurpose in service
Inspection requirements
Historical performance
Health and Safety
Standard, contractual and legislative requirements
TWI can provide a fully integrated service to help companies designing products to both choose the
correct process at the start of a product lifetime and advise on component design that will facilitate
smooth integration of the welding process with the proposed design concept.
TWI has state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing and testing prototype products, allowing
companies confidential and independent evaluation of processes before they invest in the technology
themselves.
TWI also works for a wide range of industrial sectors worldwide and as such also has a good track
record in successfully transferring technologies across different sectors to provide a competitive edge
for its Member companies.
Our techniques are applied by skilled technologists and can often lead to innovative solutions.
TWI has a wide experience of projects where the correct process and design are not specified at the
start of a product lifetime and also offers this support to its Member companies. The costs of
rectification work and/or wasted capital spend can be considerable and easily justify investment costs
spent with TWI at the start of a project. The types of projects undertaken by TWI can range from one
day brainstorming activities to fully integrated product development, training and handover projects.

Weld Repair
When you are building a team to investigate a failure and manage repairs you will need expertise in
project management, someone who understands the science and engineering issues and someone
capable of executing the requirements of the repair procedure under demanding conditions. You will
also require them to understand the need for efficiency, expediency and safety.

As a world-leading centre of expertise in materials science and engineering, we are here to help you.
Whatever the factors that led to a failure: whether damage is being caused by normal wear and tear
or some unexpected event, TWI will assemble a team of the leading experts to investigate and remedy
the problem.

Helpdesk
Engineering assistance is only a telephone call away and always ready to provide a quick response to
your queries.

Welding and fabrication expertise

TWI is a world leader in joining technology and recognised globally as a centre of excellence. Our
qualified engineers have many years of experience across all aspects of fabrication and industry sector
particularly Oil and Gas and Nuclear.

Troubleshooting
Shop floor welding, material and weldability problems can be solved by our rapid response teams.

Technique comparison and best practice

We can help you to choose the best techniques and working methods to ensure the most effective,
safe and efficient repair method is chosen. TWI Welding Engineers also provide third party
independent review and supervision of weld repair procedures from the development stage to their
application.

Project management and consultancy

Whether you need a complete management solution or just some extra resource, we can help.
We can manage the entire project or help you over the phone. We'll give you direct access to the
people best qualified to help, so you get the best advice and service.
Working with you, TWI can keep your equipment, machines, structures, and your business, in the best
condition.

Contract Welding Engineers

TWI subcontracts Welding Engineering services to its Industrial Member Companies, TWI's certified
International or European Welding Engineer (IWE and EWE) provide welding technical support such as
preparation and review of welding procedure specifications (WPS), procedure qualification records
(PQR), welding maps, technical specifications, method statements, as well as any other weldingrelated document.
Our welding engineers often act as the technical expert in technical discussions with their customers.

In addition TWI provides personnel with the relevant qualifications to support welding engineering
requirements on site, including long-term residency.

Third party witnessing of welding procedure qualification and welder qualification (welding
performance qualification) is carried out by TWI Certification Ltd, a separate company created in 1993
in order to separate TWI's activities in the field of certification. TWI Certification Ltd is recognized third
party for the Pressure Directive Equipment (PED).
TWI offer technical support to every phase in the life of a welded component, e.g. assistance in
sourcing welding equipment and contractors, optimisation of fabrication sequences, development of
welding procedures and welding coordination.
Our Welding Engineering contracts are designed to operate with a minimum of administration, thereby
allowing a fast response and keeping administration costs and delays to a minimum. In addition, there
is a clearly defined maximum spend on general technical support.
TWI's team of welding engineers cover all aspects of welding in all industry sectors including Oil and
Gas, Power Generation (including Nuclear) and Construction.
Our engineers have extensive experience with weld repairs, particularly when PWHT is impractical or
non-cost effective and when critical materials and/or applications are involved.

Welding Quality
Welding is considered as a 'Special Process', which means that its quality cannot be readily verified
and its successful application requires specialist management, personnel and procedures above and
beyond those that are considered for general quality systems such as ISO 9001. These requirements
have led to a number of developments, notably the publication of ISO 3834; Quality requirements for
fusion welding of metallic materials (www.iso3834.org).

Welding quality assessments by TWI's welding engineers may include a review of your company's
manufacturing process, namely: procedures for review of technical requirements, welding personnel
(welders and welding coordinators), inspection and testing, welding equipment, shop floor procedures
(e.g. welding procedures, work instructions), welding consumables, storage of materials, identification
and traceability, quality records.
The scheme for manufacturer certification is the Welding Fabricator Certification Scheme (WFCS),
which is operated by TWI Certification Ltd, a manufacturer certification body accredited by UKAS and
authorised by the International Institute of Welding to perform assessments in accordance with ISO
3834. More specifically, to deal with ISO 3834 requirements that are called for welded rail products in
BS EN 15085, TWI also manages a separate UKAS accredited scheme for welding of railway vehicles
and components
In a competitive industrial world, where the engineering and manufacturing functions are often driven
by commercial pressure and delivery timescales. A sound welding quality system is the key to
ensuring good control of the manufacturing process.
Our welding engineers are not only quality assessors, their extensive experience in the field will
contribute to improvements in the manufacturing process that will increase productivity and reduce
costs. They can also help raise the quality of welded products to the level required to enter new
market sectors.

The support and consultancy from our welding engineers has proved to be extremely valuable in
preparation for formal manufacturer assessment to ISO 3834 and EN 15085.

Production of Defective Welds

TWI has developed techniques for producing realistic imperfections/defects and, in the case of cracks,
the desired morphology, including roughness, angles of tilt and skew to the surface.
The most important criterion in producing defects or imperfections is that they must accurately
simulate flaws which can occur in welded components and structures. TWI can reliably produce weld
specimens with imperfections/defects such as:

Lack of root fusion

Lack of penetration
Lack of sidewall or interrun fusion
Joint misalignment
Porosity
Solidification cracking
Cluster cracking
Heat affected zone (hydrogen) cracking
Undercut
Brittle fracture or fatigue cracks
Under or overfill of weld metal
Inclusions (slag or metallic)
Some of these are produced by simulating poor welding practice (lack of root fusion and porosity), or
by welding with techniques such as TIG bridging to obtain lack of side wall fusion or by welding under
crack promoting conditions.
TWI has developed techniques for depositing all of these and offers a service that will incorporate a
qualification procedure that can be verified by on-site non destructive testing by surface crack
detection, ultrasonic or radiographic inspection and/or sectioning to demonstrate and qualify
procedures that will be incorporated into the welded test piece
When producing a test block for NDT validation, training or development, it is important that the
implanted defects are as realistic as possible. However, test blocks containing machined defects (such
as side-drilled holes), are not representative of real defects.
This service can be offered to Member companies of TWI as project work undertaken by qualified
welding engineers and uniquely with the support of in-house experts in non-destructive testing,
materials and structural integrity.
By developing and validating NDT procedures on defect specimens, one can obtain quicker and more
accurate inspection in production.
The Arc Welding Department at TWI has a longstanding, 20-year-expertise with the intentional
creation of specific types of weld defects or imperfections. These have been used by major NDT
centres and TWI's clients in validation of NDT techniques, such as ultrasonic and radiographic
inspection, as well as training of inspection personnel in the detection of flaws.
Defective specimens for NDT validation have been produced for a variety of projects in the Oil & Gas,
Power Generation (Nuclear) and Petrochemical industry sectors. A summary of TWIs capabilities, as
well as a case study, can be found here.

Welding Automation

Welding robots are very precise, move smoothly and at considerable speed through a programmed
path. Being computer-based, they can be programmed and have sensors to follow the seam and to
apply corrections to the welding parameters.
In arc welding and manufacturing in general, automation refers to some or all of the steps in an
operation being performed in sequence by some mechanical or electronic means. Certain functions
may be performed manually (partial automation); or all of the functions may be performed without
adjustment by the operator (total automation). Automation can be applied to many different
processes.

Equipment may accommodate a single assembly/family of assemblies (fixed automation), or may be

flexible enough to be quickly modified to perform similar operations on different components and
assemblies (flexible automation).

Consultancy and development work at TWI covers:

Robotic MIG/MAG welding
Robotic TIG welding
Joint finding and seam tracking Adaptive control
Flexible manufacturing systems
Process and robotic simulation
Off-line programming
Remote welding
TWI's arc welding engineers and technicians have a wealth of know-how and experience gained
through many years of industrial problem solving and R&D.
TWI can assist with introducing robotics in manufacturing and provide on-going support by carrying
out:

Feasibility studies
Prototype development
Production support
Successful application of mechanised /automated systems can offer a number of advantages. These
include increased productivity, consistent weld quality, predictable welding production rates, reduced
variable welding costs and lower part costs. Limitations include higher capital investment than for
manual welding equipment, a need for more accurate part location and orientation, and more
sophisticated arc movement and control devices. As such, production requirements must be large
enough to justify the costs of equipment and installation, the maintenance of equipment and the
training of operators and programmers for robot equipment.
TWI has recently completed the EU funded NOMAD project. The NOMAD project developed an
autonomous, flexible, robotic welding system capable of fabricating small batches of customised
products as easily and quickly as large multiples.

Distortion Control
TWI help its customers with any kinds of distortion issues by considering the key factors that affect
distortion, by:

Selecting the most appropriate welding process

Designing welds to minimise or prevent distortion
Selecting a balanced welding sequence
Developing specific welding equipment

Distortion control is not an exact science, and optimum results are obtained by trial and error, which
can prove costly.
TWIs welding engineer have experience in all major industry sectors and are supported by our design
and structural engineers in finding solution to minimise distortion.
TWIs expert advice can help predict and prevent distortion, hence minimising the time needed to
develop appropriate welding procedures.
Mechanised techniques combining high deposition rates and high welding speeds have the greatest
potential for preventing distortion. As the distortion is more consistent, simple techniques such as
presetting are more effective in controlling angular distortion.

Codes and Standards

TWIs welding engineers have extensive experience operating to international codes, standards,
regulations and specifications from procedure qualification for original fabrication to quality control and
quality assurance during welding to repair process development in all industry sectors.
Our welding engineers can provide an expert opinion on all the major welding and fabrication
standards:

Qualification Codes
BS EN 15614, EN 287, EN ISO 9606, BS 4872, ASME Section IX, CAA A8-10

Regulations/directives
Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)

Fabrication Standards/codes
PD5500, EN 13480, EN 13445, BS 4515, EN 1011, BS5400, DIN 6700
ASME B&PV Section VIII, Section III, Section XI, B31.1, B31.3, B31.4, B31.8
AWS D1.1
API 1104, API 510, API 620

Consumables standards
AWS, ASME Section IIC, EN standards

Industry specific codes/standards

EEMUA 153, 158, DNV OS F101, ISO15156, Lloyds rules, MOD, ABS rules etc.
BS 7570 (Validation of equipment)
prEN50499 (EMF)

The Arc Welding department is also noted for its work on Health and Safety: welding fume (and
hazards) and EMF in welding.
To keep up-to-date with the latest editions of international codes and standards
Our welding engineers are qualified to work according to the main international welding standards,
many of them are involved in the standardisation committees and their skills have often proven crucial
in providing clarification on the intent of clauses within welding standards.
TWI can help you to improve your competitiveness in international markets, if you need to:

Formulate your welding procedures according to EN, ISO, ASME and other international
standards

Comply with changing contractual requirements

Update your information on foreign standards

Obtain advice on certification

Formulate and justify a request for concession from standard or contractual requirements

Welding Procedures
TWI's welding engineers support TWI's Industrial Members in developing welding procedures and
preparing welding procedures specifications (WPS) or reviewing existing ones according to the major
welding standards, such as ASME IX, EN ISO 15609-1, AWS D1.1, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
procedures.
TWI's welding engineers have also built a database of pre-written standard welding procedure
specifications based on experience and evaluation. These cover a variety of common joint types and
have proved to be very popular amongst our Industrial Members.

Third Party Witnessing

Third party witnessing of welding procedure qualification and welder qualification (welding
performance qualification), is carried out by TWI Certification Ltd, a separate company created in 1993
in order to separate TWI's activities in the field of certification. TWI Certification Ltd is the recognized
third party for the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED).
For further information see Job knowledge for welders - Standards - Approval of welding procedures,
welders and welding operators.
Our range of expertise covers all aspects of the fabrication and service life of welded components and

a wide range of applications, among which are: - structural welding - overlay welding - hard facing weld repairs.
TWI can help you to improve your competitiveness in international markets, if you need to:

Formulate your welding procedures according to EN, ISO, ASME and other international
standards

Comply with changing contractual requirements

Update your information on foreign standards

Obtain advice on certification

Fabrication and Installation

Whatever your involvement in the fabrication industry, we can work with you to help you meet your
business objectives.
TWI can provide you with technical support including:

Welding Engineering Helpdesk: call our qualified welding engineers or metallurgists free of
charge

Consultancy on fabrication problems Technology audit: TWI can review your welding
procedures impartially; can assess your workshop layout and quality management system and can
improve your quality and reduce your costs
Visit TWI to take advantage of the latest technical developments and discuss your business
needs
Re-appraise your products and be offered recommendations on alternative designs, materials
and innovative joining processes
By working with you, we can provide you with help on unfamiliar materials such as:

Cupro-nickel alloys and super duplex stainless steels

Dissimilar materials welding
Cladding and corrosion protection
Plastics and composites
Unfamiliar, yet 'normal' joints, such as stainless to carbon steel
You can also contract TWI for in-depth consultancy on:

Distortion and fatigue

Metallurgy and defect analysis
Non destructive testing (NDT)
Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA), to establish fitness for service or need to repair
TWI has built an international reputation for applying innovation and established technologies to
achieve best practice. Multi-disciplinary teams work with Industrial member organisations helping
them to optimise fitness for purpose performance by rapid response problem solving.
Practical solutions are given for even the most difficult problems, whether we are working with smaller
companies or some of the most technically advanced global companies.
We have assisted Industrial Members at all stages of the product life cycle: from the feasibility design

stage through to options for repair.

TWI has also established a world class reputation for its scheduled and tailor-made training and
examination courses held in the UK and around the world.