For many years, traceability in welded fabrication meant paper forms stored in binders. Today, current, voltage and wire feed speed data collected from welding machines can be combined in the same digital record with material certificates, welder ID and NDT results. This approach is changing both quality and the level of confidence offered to the customer.
How Do Standards Define Traceability?
EN ISO 3834-2 requires the manufacturer to provide product-level traceability where required. Records typically cover:
- Parent material identification and certificate (EN 10204 3.1)
- The WPS used and the welding consumable batch
- Identity and certificate of the welder who made the weld
- Preheat, interpass temperature and heat treatment records
- NDT and dimensional inspection results, nonconformances and repairs
Under EN 1090-2, traceability expectations are even higher in execution classes EXC3 and EXC4. See What is EN 1090 EXC3?
What Is Weld Data Monitoring?
Modern welding machines and external sensors continuously record electrical and process parameters during welding. When this data is compared against the ranges defined in the WPS:
- Parameter deviations are detected immediately,
- Heat input is calculated and recorded for every weld,
- Gas and wire consumption are tracked per part,
- It is documented which weld was made by which welder and with which parameters.
Why does it matter? In high-strength steels, exceeding heat input limits can create a defect that is invisible to the eye but reduces toughness. Digital monitoring makes this risk visible at the moment of production.
Paper Records vs. Digital Records
| Topic | Paper-Based | Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Data collection | Manual, sample-based | Automatic, continuous |
| Access | Searching the archive | Instant, by part or serial number |
| Defect detection | After the fact, at inspection | During production |
| Delivery to customer | Scanned PDF files | Structured documentation package via a portal |
| Audit preparation | Days | Minutes |
Benefits for the Customer
- Faster acceptance: The documentation package arrives together with the delivery, shortening incoming inspection.
- Root cause analysis: If a problem arises in the field, the full history of the relevant weld can be retrieved.
- Regulatory compliance: Data requests from the CE technical file and regulations such as the new Machinery Regulation and CBAM are easily met.
- Continuous improvement: By analysing parameter and defect data together, welding defects are reduced at the source.
First Steps Towards Digital Traceability
- Clarify your part and serial numbering system.
- Link material certificates to batch numbers digitally.
- Keep WPSs and welder certificates in a central records system.
- Start collecting weld data, beginning with critical welds.
- Give your customers online access to their documents.
ArmaWeld customers can access project documents and order status via the customer portal. For details of our quality approach, visit our Quality & Traceability page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is traceability mandatory in welding?
In production under EN ISO 3834-2 and EN 1090-2, product-level traceability must be provided where the contract or standard requires it. Expectations are higher in EXC3 and EXC4.
Which parameters does weld data monitoring record?
Typically welding current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, weld time, gas flow rate and the heat input calculated from these; records are linked to the welder and part ID.
What does digital traceability offer the customer?
Instant access to the documentation package, faster incoming inspection, rapid root cause analysis when issues arise in the field, and easy fulfilment of regulatory data requests.
Your Documents, Always Accessible
Let us manufacture your welded parts with a fully traceable documentation package.
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