Custom Welding
When structural integrity, safety, and longevity are non-negotiable, you need the assurance of certified custom welding. At Astro Metal Craft, welding isn’t just a process. It’s a rigorous, controlled discipline managed by a team of experts.
Our team of certified welding inspectors and qualified welders deliver the highest degree of trust, ensuring every joint is structurally sound and safe. It’s never the work of a single individual, but the cohesive effort of project managers, drafters, Certified Welding Inspectors (CWIs), and qualified welders that all hold each other accountable to the industry’s most demanding standards.
What is Certified Welding?
Certified welding is a controlled manufacturing process where qualified welders follow approved Welding Procedure Specifications (WPSs) developed from Procedure Qualification Records (PQRs) and applicable code requirements. Every stage of custom welding is performed according to documented procedures to ensure consistent weld quality, structural integrity, and code compliance.
American Welding Society Standards
A quality weld begins by designing welded joints that compile with the American Welding Society (AWS) codes and specific customer based requirements. The physical welding process is then over seen by a CWI to ensure all specifications are adhered to. It culminates with the final visual and quality inspection by a trained CWI professional.
We proudly maintain qualifications to weld in full conformance with the following critical American Welding Society (AWS) standards, demonstrating our versatility across materials and industries:
- AWS D1.1 – Structural Steel
- AWS D1.2 – Structural Aluminum
- AWS D1.3 – Structural Welding Code – Sheet Steel
- AWS D1.6 – Structural Stainless Steel
- AWS D9.1 – Sheet Metal Welding Code
- AWS D14.3 – Specification For Welding Earthmoving, Construction And Agricultural Equipment
- AWS D14.4 – Specification for the Design of Welded Joints in Machinery and Equipment
- AWS D15.1 – Railroad Welding Specification for Cars and Locomotives
- AWS D18.1 – Specification for Welding of Austenitic Stainless Steel Tube and Pipe Systems in Sanitary Applications
Our team of certified welding inspectors and qualified welders are experts in MIG, TIG, Robotic and Laser Welding.
The Role of the Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), Qualified Welders, and Required Documentation
Qualified Welder
Every welder is qualified for the specific welding processes, materials, thicknesses, positions, and joint configurations they perform. Welder qualifications are maintained through Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS).
Procedure Qualification Records (PQRs)
Before a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) can be used in production, it must be supported by a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR). The PQR documents actual test welds and destructive or nondestructive testing used to verify that the welding procedure consistently produces welds meeting the mechanical and metallurgical requirements of the applicable code.
The Welding Procedure Specification (WPS)
A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) is the qualified blueprint for producing code-compliant, repeatable welds. It defines the approved shop and field welding procedures, including the required process, essential variables, allowable ranges, and limitations for each application.
The WPS specifies parameters such as welding position, filler metal, base material, electrical settings, and weld deposition requirements. Welders are qualified to perform only the welding procedures for which they have successfully completed qualification testing.
Custom Welding Documentation & Traceability
Our quality control processes maintain documentation supporting every qualified welding procedure. Depending on project requirements, records may include:
- Welding Procedure Specifications (WPSs)
- Procedure Qualification Records (PQRs)
- Welder Qualification Test Records (WQTRs)
- Welder continuity logs
- Material certifications
- Filler metal certifications
- Inspection reports
- Nonconformance documentation when applicable
Our Commitment to Quality Custom Welding
While many customers strictly require certified welding, our commitment to excellence doesn’t end there.
Regardless of whether your project explicitly calls for it, we have a firm internal policy: all our welders are trained and tested to AWS standards. This is a true indicator of our company’s commitment to quality.
Specializing in custom stainless steel and aluminum fabrication for demanding industrial applications, we deliver precision custom welding you can depend on. Trust your most critical projects to our certified welding experts. Contact us today to discuss your project.