Quality welded manufacturing requires far more than producing a good weld: design, material, method, personnel and inspection must be managed inside a disciplined quality system. This article covers visual testing (VT), non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, acceptance criteria and the traceability infrastructure used in welding projects.
1. Visual Testing (VT)
VT is the most basic and the first inspection to perform. Per EN ISO 17637, 100% of every weld is visually inspected. Surface defects, finish geometry, weld size and spatter are evaluated at this stage. At ArmaWeld, VT is performed by EN ISO 9712 Level 2 certified personnel.
2. NDT Methods and Selection
| Method | Standard | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| VT | EN ISO 17637 | All welds |
| PT | EN ISO 3452 | Surface defects (stainless/aluminum) |
| MT | EN ISO 17638 | Surface/near-surface (ferromagnetic) |
| UT | EN ISO 17640 | Volumetric, heavy section |
| RT | EN ISO 17636 | Volumetric, thin–medium section |
3. Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria depend on the application standard. For structural steel, EN ISO 5817 quality levels B/C/D are used. For pressure equipment, stricter limits apply under PED and EN 13445. Accept/reject decisions are documented by the welding engineer based on NDT reports.
Tip: Acceptance criteria (B/C/D), NDT percentage and reference standard should be locked in at contract stage; this scope drives 20–40% of the quality cost.
4. Digital Traceability
Digital traceability is a non-negotiable for modern welded manufacturing. In ArmaWeld’s quality infrastructure, every weld is recorded together with welder ID, WPS number, consumable batch, preheat temperature and inspection result. This information is delivered to the customer in a consolidated package, so each weld can be traced back even years later. This setup is often a contractual requirement in defense, pressure equipment and bridge projects.
Welded manufacturing with certified quality
Production with EN ISO 3834-2 and EN 1090 plus digital traceability infrastructure.
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