BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)

Certified Welding Educator (CWE)
Welding Inspector Endorsement (SIE)

The following is an approximate breakdown of the examination categories and the number of questions drawn from each subject area.

AWS – Recommended Self-Study

Part A: Fundamentals (CWI and CWE) Examination Preparatory Material
Subject Percentage1 AWS Publications Order Number
Welding Processes 10% Certification Manual for Welding Inspectors CM: 2000
Heat Control & Metallurgy (carbon and low-alloy steel) 6%
Weld Examination 9% Welding Inspection Handbook WI: 2000
Welding Performance 9% * D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code-Steel D1.1/D1.1M: 2010
Definitions and Terminology 12%
* D1.1 Code Clinic Reference Manual D1.1CCRM: 2010
Symbols – Welding and NDE 10%
Test Methods – NDE 8% * API 1104 Study Guide for API Standard 1104
API-M: 2008
Reports and Records 6% Welding of Pipelines
* Welding Inspection Technology WIT-T-2008
Duties and Responsibilities 4%
Safety 5% * Welding Inspection Technology (Workbook) WIT-W: 2008
Destructive Tests 4% *Welding Inspection Technology Sample CWI
WIT-E: 2008
Cutting 3% Fundamentals Examination & Key
Brazing 2% * Standard Welding Terms and Definitions A3.OM/A3.0:2010
Soldering 1%
* Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and
A2.4: 2012
Part B: Practical (CWI and CWE) Nondestructive Examination
Subject Percentage1 * Visual Inspection Workshop Reference
VIW-M: 2008
Manual
Procedure and Welder Qualifications 30%
*Guide for the Nondestructive Examination of
Mechanical Test and Properties 10% B1.10M/B1.10:2009
Welds
Welding Inspection and Flaws 36%
Book of Specification for the Qualification of
NDE 10% B5.1: 2003
Welding Inspectors (errata 2007)
Utilization of Specification and Drawings 10%
*Books are provided to participants of the AWS Seminar week
Part C: Code Book Applications (CWI, CWE and SIE)
Subject Percentage1 Other Recommendations Order Number
Materials and Design 10% AWS Welding Handbook Series WHB-ALL
Fabrication 30% Guide for the Visual Examination of Welds B1.11: 2000
Inspection 25% Safety in Welding, Cutting and Allied Processes ANSI Z49.1: 2005
Qualification 30% Metric Practice Guide for the Welding Industry A1.1: 2001
Standard Methods for mechanical Testing of Welds B4.0: 2007
Code subjects available and current exam editions Specification for Welding Procedure and Performance
B2.1: 2009
(applicants must provide own codebook for exam) Qualification
AWS D1.1- Structural Steel Code: 2010 Second Printing Edition Standard for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors QC1:2007
Code clinic available - Codebook provided for D1.1 week seminar participants only To purchase any of the AWS publications or the API 1104 Codebook:
API 1104- Pipelines 20th or 21st Editions Contact WEX at 888-WELDING or 305-824-1177
Code clinic available only for 20th edition with Errata /Addendum July 2007, Errata 2 Or visit the website
December 2008/ Errata 1 April 2014
AWS D1.2- Structural Aluminum Code: 2014 Edition
AWS D1.5- Bridge Welding Code: 2010 Edition (including Clause 12) To purchase any of the ASME publications:
AWS D15.1 - Railroad: 2012 Edition Contact ASME at 800-843-2763
AWS D17.1- Aerospace: 2010 w/ Errata and Amendment Or visit the ASME website
ASME Sec IX: 2013 Edition, B31.1 (2014) & B31.3 (2012)
ASME Sec VIII (Div 1) & ASME Sec IX: 2013 Editions
Structural Drawing Reading
Note: The editions listed above apply to the English editions only. To verify
the edition being used with language-assisted exams, please contact the
AWS Certification department or the Agent.

1
Percentages indicate the minimum required for each category in an examination.
Welding Inspector Body of Knowledge June 11, 2015