Fabrication shops are increasingly using quality-control software to ensure and verify they maintain required quality specifications.

An inspector records data using QM Suite's electronic forms that have been downloaded to a tablet PC.

Companies use WeldTrack software to record project details such as project and contractor names.

WeldTrack lets users specify the Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) information.

The QMReports module of QMSuite lets shops analyze and print various weldprocess data.

Manufacturers can record and track all aspects of their weld processes with quality-control (QC) or quality-assurance (QA) software. Such packages contain detailed weld-specification information, often feature statistical process control (SPC) capabilities, and provide reporting methods to analyze and print collected data.

Some of this software is aimed specifically at applications requiring detailed welding documentation. For example, the boiler pressure-vessel and piping industry demands stringent record keeping. According to Richard Lambert, president, sales manager, and software designer at Weld Data Systems Inc., Vancouver, B.C. Canada, the company's product, WeldTrack 4.6 does just that. The software works for general fabrication shops, but is best-suited to applications in the petrochemical industry. There, all welders must be tested and processes recorded and documented to confirm products have been welded by qualified welders, to qualified weld procedures.

Columbus, Ohio-based Weld QC's software has a different slant. According to Troy Paskell, product manager, its QMSuite package accommodates both boiler pressure-vessel and piping requirements as well as automotive and aerospace.

He reports, "QMSuite is targeted to general inspection, auditing, and manufacturing. A shop currently using paper-based forms to collect visual inspection data, whether it be welding or other manufacturing processes, can use our system to electronically capture data, put it into a database, and apply the reporting module to analyze data quickly and efficiently."

Controlling welding applications
In the demanding petrochemical applications, Lambert says fabrications often incorporate pipe elbows and flanges welded to pipe of various lengths. Typically, projects involve a customer, a welding contractor, and a welding non-destructive examination (NDE) subcontractor. In most cases, the welding contractor has one or more full-time QC engineers and inspectors on board.

Lambert notes, "The demand for picking up speed is huge. A contractor can consider a project completed, but if the paperwork isn't done, the client doesn't consider the project finished. If a company can't prove that welding processes are compliant to specifications, it won't be paid."

For each job, the software lets shops track and record all the data required by the appropriate standard's specification. Data includes the permitted welding processes (for example, GTAW, SAW, SMAW) and performance and welding-procedure qualifications including process-variables involved in joint designs, base metals, and consumables.

For a project, QC engineers first record the isometrics, or 2D drawings, and the welds on each isometric into Weld Track. Inspectors then take the drawings to the shop, identify spools being fabricated (a spool is a piece of pipe put together according to an isometric drawing) and complete a process Weld Data Systems calls weld-mapping. Each weld gets an identifying number, and the inspector records which welder produced the weld and the date.

Typically, shops work off inspection requirements for the various weld types and materials. For example, for butt welds, NDE might call for a 20% radiographic testing (RT) inspection. Or it might designate all items on a particular material as a certain percentage visual testing, air testing, ultrasonic testing, or other type of inspection.

Once the inspector enters this data into the computer, he prints out an RT request and flash labels that go with the radiographic film, later wrapped around the pipe. He gives these items to the NDE subcontractor, which uses a radioactive source to shoot the weld onto the film.

Lambert says clients are free to come in any time, and the contractor can instantly print out timely reports showing inspection levels and proving the shop is compliant throughout the job fabrication. Currently, the company offers two versions — one for a standalone single PC and, soon, one for a server-based LAN, where companies have several seats over local networks.

LAN versions are for shops putting together large projects such as an multimillion dollar petrochemical plants. Such shops typically have approximately 200 welders on the floor, with each producing three or four welds a day. This totals close to 1,000 welds daily, all needing documentation. With a single seat, a company can handle about 200-300 welds/day, while the LAN version with five seats easily handles 1,000 /day.

Supporting continuous improvement
WeldQC's Paskell says QC engineers in the manufacturing industry can use the company's software to configure, collect, and report inspection and auditing data. " Companies can search the Web for electronic forms, but most are generic ones that force companies to create their own database structures and build all the queries and tools," he explains.

QMSuite comprises three modules hooked to an underlying SQL Server database. QC engineers first establish the inspection and audit criteria and create the electronic inspection forms in the configure module. They then download this information to the inspection module.

Inspectors use the electronic forms on industrial workstations, desktop computers, or tablet PCs to record inspection results. The forms present lists, numeric entry, check boxes, ratio buttons, date/time formats, or barcode-entry options.

Paskell describes one example of how an end user employs the software: "It labels all incoming filler metal with barcodes containing information such as the heat of the material and the supplier. This saves personnel from manually entering numbers. Instead, they just wand numbers in."

Down the road, he says WeldQC may implement PDA data-entry along with the other kinds. "But for now, our customers like the bigger tablet screens. It's easier to work in specification documents, which are viewed as PDFs, text, or Word documents. Also, tablet PCs are now reasonably priced."

After entering data, the inspector presses a command button that automatically transfers it to the central database. Engineers and managers can then use the report module to filter and sort data by date, plant, department, serial number, part or form number, inspector, or other criteria.

Paskell explains, "Companies get cost savings in faster data-collection, but even more so in being able to analyze data and perform SPC. For example, in welding applications, shops can look at trends such as which welding station or shift is performing better than the others. This lets companies continuously improve their processes and react quickly to production problems. As such, the system is a tool in continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and Six Sigma initiatives."

Ten tips on selecting welding QC software Richard Lambert of Weld Data Systems Inc. suggests shops look for specific features with any QC-software purchase: Seek out user-friendly programs. Ensure software has the weld details required for jobs. The more specifics about each weld there are, the more information shops can draw from for reports. Confirm data input is done efficiently. Look for a system that allows electronic transfer of drawings to eliminate operator input. Make sure the program can track the all your welders and their weld qualifications. Check that it tracks weld procedures in detail. Ensure it tracks NDEs. Many companies may have 20 or 30 different material specifications on a project, and it is necessary to specify the NDE required for each type of weld-joint configuration. Buy software that allows easy data editing. Check it tracks and records weld repairs. Confirm the program includes a productivity aspect. Shops can track welder productivity by day, week, or month. And they can track it by how many linear inches were performed per day and the average per day. Ensure reports are easily produced. This is important because inspectors have to generate reports when piping superintendents and production managers need them — typically "now."

Real-time, inspection-data collection Empire Die Casting Co. Inc., Macedonia, Ohio, manufacturers automotive pumps, valves, and aerospace parts. Paul Head, vice president of operations, says, "When WeldQC first approached us, its software was welding-specific. However, our company has nothing to do with welding — we perform aluminum and zinc die-casting. But the program looked good. WeldQC redesigned the software to be an all-around manufacturing program." He continues, "Our engineer uses the configure module to set-up jobs. Then the floor inspectors use the inspection module to find out what to inspect, how to do so, and see the visual aids applied to the inspection. Last, management or supervisors can run reports to see where problems are so they can drill down." For every part operation, Empire has required quality checks. "We enter gages, parameters, and even part pictures to define good parts, measurement points, and boundary samples," remarks Head. "The system provides real-time inspection collection."