Yet Another Weld Cert Question

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I work for a small company that specializes in aerospace/robotics and I currently handle all of our welding. I'm not a welder per se, but took a few basic welding classes in college and have welded a fair amount on aluminum, mild steel, and stainless. I only TIG weld, never MIG or stick. We don't have enough welding tasks right now to employ a full-time professional welder(I'm typically only welding maybe one or two days a week). We also don't weld on any pressure vessels or flying parts. We usually outsource most of our bigger weld jobs.My boss has requested that I get a weld certification that would cover most of the tasks we do for now. Again, this isn't due to any customer requirements (yet), it's mostly just to say we have a certified welder on staff that we are using. I just started researching certs and am a little overwhelmed with all of the options. I think just a basic D1.1 and D1.2 would be good enough? A D17.1 would probably be best but I think it would be overkill for what we do. One of the jobs we do is a 3/16" thick rectangular tube A36 frame with a 1" thick A572 plate on top. Vertical, overhead, variety of joint types. I also weld a good amount of 5052 and 6061 parts from 0.060-0.500". I'm not too far from the Hobart school in Troy, so I'll probably start there but wanted to get some opinions first... Thanks!
Reply:Doesnt sound like they are busting your balls about being cheapand they understand other business cost so why not take a stroll thru Hobart. Doesnt sound like this is under pressure, good thing for insurance to be able to say certified and gives them a warm feeling.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:All the tig is slow but saves a lot of mess.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:I purchased tons of A572 coil grade 50.It ease to weld with flux core.Dave

Originally Posted by LimitedSlip7

I work for a small company that specializes in aerospace/robotics and I currently handle all of our welding. I'm not a welder per se, but took a few basic welding classes in college and have welded a fair amount on aluminum, mild steel, and stainless. I only TIG weld, never MIG or stick. We don't have enough welding tasks right now to employ a full-time professional welder(I'm typically only welding maybe one or two days a week). We also don't weld on any pressure vessels or flying parts. We usually outsource most of our bigger weld jobs.My boss has requested that I get a weld certification that would cover most of the tasks we do for now. Again, this isn't due to any customer requirements (yet), it's mostly just to say we have a certified welder on staff that we are using. I just started researching certs and am a little overwhelmed with all of the options. I think just a basic D1.1 and D1.2 would be good enough? A D17.1 would probably be best but I think it would be overkill for what we do. One of the jobs we do is a 3/16" thick rectangular tube A36 frame with a 1" thick A572 plate on top. Vertical, overhead, variety of joint types. I also weld a good amount of 5052 and 6061 parts from 0.060-0.500". I'm not too far from the Hobart school in Troy, so I'll probably start there but wanted to get some opinions first... Thanks!
Reply:Well here is the deal. In order to weld qualification plates you just can't wing it. You need to obtain the qualified WPS for your base and filler rod combination for GTAW. You can buy one from AWS for 5052 alum sheet using 4043 filler(the only one offered for alum at all). And a myriad of steel combinations for structural steel and filler rod combinations. All tig. You weld your coupons withing the essential variables within the qualified WPS. Go to the AWS bookstore and read the offerings. I would have your boss buy you a student membership with AWS. Then buy the D17.1,  D1.1, and D1.2 specifications, then the appropriate SWPS. Forget about precipitation hardening alums as you there are no WPS available and you would have to make one yourself, and would cost thousands. From the code books, choose your plate thicknesses, filler, joint configuration, and weld them per the guidelines in the code book. I always choose groove plate as it also qualifies fillet, and can be tested with a simple bend test or xray. So prep the plates, weld, and either do your visual and xray, or visual and bend test yourself per the diagrams in the code books. If they pass without breaking or out of spec defects you write the WPR(welder performance report), assign yourself a number, date, and have the report signed by your boss(he is the certifying entity) and put in your the file with the supporting WPS(SWPS if bought by AWS).All of this is owned by your boss and is not transferable from company to company. The WPSs are proprietary and can be reviewed by a customer but not photographed or copied in any way. I make a lot of my own PQRs, and WPSs, and I own them on behalf of my customer for me to weld their parts. Your WPR and supporting test documents however can be forwarded to your customers at will as they establish qualification and they may need them on file. If your customer brings in a certified weld inspector to inspect your welds, the first thing asked for is the WPS.The length of time your certs are valid are infinite provided you weld that process within a 6 month period and can provide proof on continuity. A pay stub is enough in my company.And stay with tig. You will prevail.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR"

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Reply:Here a link by the government on welding A572 steelhttps://www.thruway.ny.gov/business/.../appendixf.pdfDave

Originally Posted by LimitedSlip7

I work for a small company that specializes in aerospace/robotics and I currently handle all of our welding. I'm not a welder per se, but took a few basic welding classes in college and have welded a fair amount on aluminum, mild steel, and stainless. I only TIG weld, never MIG or stick. We don't have enough welding tasks right now to employ a full-time professional welder(I'm typically only welding maybe one or two days a week). We also don't weld on any pressure vessels or flying parts. We usually outsource most of our bigger weld jobs.My boss has requested that I get a weld certification that would cover most of the tasks we do for now. Again, this isn't due to any customer requirements (yet), it's mostly just to say we have a certified welder on staff that we are using. I just started researching certs and am a little overwhelmed with all of the options. I think just a basic D1.1 and D1.2 would be good enough? A D17.1 would probably be best but I think it would be overkill for what we do. One of the jobs we do is a 3/16" thick rectangular tube A36 frame with a 1" thick A572 plate on top. Vertical, overhead, variety of joint types. I also weld a good amount of 5052 and 6061 parts from 0.060-0.500". I'm not too far from the Hobart school in Troy, so I'll probably start there but wanted to get some opinions first... Thanks!