BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)

Certified Welding Educator (CWE)
Welding Inspector Endorsement (SIE)

The following is an approximate breakdown of the examination categories and the number of questions drawn from each subject area.

AWS Recommended Self-Study

Part A: Fundamentals (CWI and CWE) Examination Preparatory Material
Subject Percentage1 AWS Publications Order Number
Welding Processes 10% Certification Manual for Welding Inspectors CM: 2000
Heat Control & Metallurgy (carbon and low-alloy steel) 6%
Weld Examination 9% Welding Inspection Handbook WI: 2015
Welding Performance 9% * D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code-Steel D1.1/D1.1M: 2015
Definitions and Terminology 12%
* D1.1 Code Clinic Reference Manual D1.1CCRM: 2015
Symbols Welding and NDE 10%
Test Methods NDE 8% * API 1104 Study Guide for API Standard 1104
API-M: 2008
Reports and Records 6% Welding of Pipelines
* Welding Inspection Technology WIT-T-2008
Duties and Responsibilities 4%
Safety 5% * Welding Inspection Technology (Workbook) WIT-W: 2008
Destructive Tests 4% * Standard Welding Terms and Definitions A3.OM/A3.0:2010
Cutting 3%
* Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and
Brazing 2% A2.4: 2012
Nondestructive Examination
Soldering 1%
*Guide for the Nondestructive Examination of
B1.10M/B1.10:2009
Part B: Practical (CWI and CWE) Welds
Subject Percentage1 Book of Specification for the Qualification of
B5.1: 2003
Welding Inspectors (errata 2007)
Procedure and Welder Qualifications 28%
Mechanical Test and Properties 8%
*Books are provided to participants of the AWS Seminar week
Welding Inspection and Flaws 34%
NDE 8%
Utilization of Specification and Drawings 8% Other Recommendations Order Number
AWS Welding Handbook Series WHB-ALL
Part C: Code Book Applications (CWI, CWE and SIE) Guide for the Visual Examination of Welds B1.11: 2000
Subject Percentage1 Safety in Welding, Cutting and Allied Processes ANSI Z49.1: 2005
Materials and Design 10% Standard Methods for mechanical Testing of Welds B4.0: 2007
Fabrication 30% Specification for Welding Procedure and
B2.1: 2009
Performance Qualification
Inspection 25%
Standard for AWS Certification of Welding
Qualification 30% QC1:2007
Inspectors
Exams are written to the codebook editions indicated below
(applicants must provide own codebook for exam)
AWS D1.1- Structural Steel Code: 2015 Edition including 2nd Printing The AWS Body of Knowledge lists the current exam book editions that candidates will
Code clinic available - Codebook provided for D1.1 week seminar participants only need to reference when taking the CAWI/CWI and/or endorsement exams. It is to the
candidates benefit that they use the codebook editions indicated on the most current
API 1104- Pipelines 20th or 21st Editions
AWS Body of Knowledge as exam questions are based on the codebook editions listed.
Code clinic available only for 20th edition with Errata /Addendum July 2007, Errata 2
A candidate who chooses to use a codebook edition that is not listed on the most
December 2008/ Errata 1 April 2014
current Body of Knowledge does so at his/her own risk. AWS bears no responsibility
AWS D1.2- Structural Aluminum Code: 2014 Edition for a candidates failure to obtain certification as a result of this choice
AWS D1.5- Bridge Welding Code: 2015 Edition (including Clause 12)
AWS D15.1 - Railroad: 2012 Edition To purchase any of the AWS publications or the API 1104 Codebook:
AWS D17.1- Aerospace: 2010 w/ Errata and Amendment Contact Technical Standards Sales at 305-443-9353, Ext. 280
ASME Sec IX: 2015 Edition, B31.1 (2014) & B31.3 (2012) * Or visit the website
ASME Sec VIII (Div 1) & ASME Sec IX: 2015 Editions To purchase any of the ASME publications:
Structural Drawing Reading Contact ASME at 800-843-2763
Or visit the ASME website
*Effective Wednesday, November 16th, 2016 the following codebooks will be
updated in the exam, and candidates will be required to use the updated version Note: The editions listed above apply to the English version only. To
with the corresponding exam: verify the edition being used with language-assisted exams, please
ASME Sec IX B31.3 (2014) contact the AWS Certification department or the Agent.

1 Percentages indicate the minimum required for each category in an examination.

CWI, CWE, SIE Body of Knowledge_1128 October 24, 2016