ISO 3834 advisory for welding manufacturers
For welded products, quality depends on many individual decisions. Suitable materials, qualified personnel, controlled procedures, appropriate testing and complete records all have to fit together. The ISO 3834 series provides a structured framework for this.
ADLER CertConsulting helps manufacturers and specialist businesses to determine the appropriate level of requirements and to organise existing welding processes on a sound basis.
Choosing the appropriate quality level
ISO 3834 distinguishes comprehensive, standard and elementary quality requirements. Which level applies depends on the products, materials, loading, manufacturing complexity, applicable rules and customer requirements. We review this starting position before any documents or measures are planned.
WPS, procedure qualification and personnel evidence
Welding procedure specifications describe how a joint is to be made. The qualification required for a welding procedure, and its range of validity, follow the applicable rules in each case. Welders, operators and the welding coordination must likewise be suitable for their tasks. We help to assign the necessary evidence and keep it up to date.
Preparing for the independent assessment
Before a certification or manufacturer assessment, we review the organisation, processes and evidence internally. Open points are addressed in an action plan. The final assessment and decision are made by the appointed independent body.
Areas of service
- Selecting the level of quality requirements to ISO 3834-2, -3 or -4
- Gap analysis of the welding organisation
- Tasks, responsibility and competence of the welding coordination
- Review and structuring of WPS and procedure qualifications
- Qualification evidence for welders and operators
- Control of parent materials, filler materials and test equipment
- Manufacturing, testing and documentation planning
- Marking and traceability
- Handling of non-conformities, repairs and quality records
- Preparation for independent assessment or certification
Frequently asked questions
Which quality levels are there?
ISO 3834-2 describes comprehensive, ISO 3834-3 standard and ISO 3834-4 elementary quality requirements. The choice follows the actual manufacturing and application scope.
Does every welding business need ISO 3834 certification?
Not automatically. Evidence may be required by applicable rules, customers or contracts. The first step is to establish which requirements apply to the products and activities, and what form of evidence is needed.
What is the difference between a WPS and a WPQR?
A WPS is the welding procedure specification for production. A WPQR documents the results and the range of validity of a procedure test. Which qualification method applies depends on the relevant rules.
How is ISO 3834 related to EN 1090?
For welded load-bearing components, EN 1090 sets requirements for welding quality and refers to the ISO 3834 series for this. The level required depends, among other things, on the execution class.