CSA W47.1 vs CSA W47.2
In Canada, two standards govern welding certification: CSA W47.1 and CSA W47.2. While these standards share similarities, they have distinct differences that manufacturers, fabricators, and welding professionals need to understand.
In this blog post, we will compare and contrast CSA W47.1 and CSA W47.2 to help you understand their scope, requirements, and applications.
What is CSA W47.1 Standard?
CSA W47.1 is a welding certification standard developed by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). It sets out the requirements for companies that wish to be certified to produce welded structures, components or assemblies.
The standard specifies the qualifications and responsibilities of personnel involved in welding, including welders, welding supervisors, and welding engineers.
It also establishes the requirements for welding procedure specifications (WPS), welding performance qualification (WPQ), and non-destructive testing (NDT) of welded materials.
CSA W47.1 applies to all types of materials and structures, including those used in the construction, transportation, and manufacturing industries.
It is widely recognized and respected in Canada and is often referenced in contracts and regulatory requirements.
Related Reading: Overview of CSA 47.1 Standard
What is CSA W47.2 Standard?
CSA W47.2 is a standard established by the Canadian Standards Association, outlining the guidelines for certifying companies performing Fusion Welding of Aluminum in one of three Divisions, depending on the nature of their work.
To obtain certification under this standard, companies are required to qualify their Welding Supervisors and Engineers, submit their Company’s Welding Procedures for review and approval, and qualify their Welding personnel, such as welders or operators.
Similarities Between W47.1 and W47.2
- The idea of having three divisions with equal distinguishing factors.
- The Bureau’s certification and management procedures, with corresponding responsibilities for the company to uphold certification status (including notifying of changes to welding personnel and procedures).
- The necessary educational and hands-on expertise prerequisites for engineering and supervisory staff in Divisions 1 and 2, but with an extended 4-year experience requirement for Division 3.
- The requisites regarding Welding Procedure Specification and Welding Procedure Specifications.
CSA W47.1 vs CSA W47.2: Differences
- This standard applies only to the commercial fabrication and repair of aluminum structures with a minimum thickness of 3mm. However, it excludes specialized product fabrication such as pressure vessels.
- The welding processes allowed by this standard are gas metal arc welding (GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), and arc and capacitor discharge process for stud welding (SW).
- The standard provides a clear tabulation of essential variables for each welding process and base metal alloy groupings as another variable.
- Plate and pipe test assemblies for groove welds and plate assemblies for fillet welds are required for welding procedure qualifications. The standard introduces a fracture test for pipe assemblies and includes a “6G” non-rotating pipe inclined 45° to the horizontal.
- Welder qualification is categorized into three performance levels: Level I for fillet welding, Level II for welding of groove joints from both sides or one side with backing, and Level III for welding of groove joints from one side without backing for the full thickness of the material.
- Welder and welding operator qualifications are also influenced by the welding process, mode of process application, type of weld and position, and filler metal alloy group for GMAW.
- The standard provides pipe and plate test assemblies with a “fracture test”.
- The W47.2 standard uses the term “category” instead of “class” for F, H, V, and OH qualifications, unlike W47.1.
Related reading: AWS D1.1 vs CSA 47.1
CSA W47.1 vs CSA W47.2: Comparison
| Criteria | CSA W47.1 | CSA W47.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Welding of steel | Welding of aluminum |
| Application | Commercial fabrication of steel structures and their repair | Commercial fabrication of aluminum structures and their repair |
| Base metal thickness | 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) or greater | 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) or greater |
| Welding processes | SMAW, FCAW, MCAW, GMAW, SAW, GTAW, ESW, EGW | GMAW, GTAW, PAW, SW |
| Essential variables | Listed and base metal alloy groupings clearly tabulated | Listed and base metal alloy groupings clearly tabulated |
| Welder qualification | Performance levels introduced for fillet and groove welds | Performance levels introduced for fillet and groove welds |
| Qualification governed by welding process, mode of process | Qualification governed by welding process, mode of process | |
| application, type of weld, position, filler metal alloy group | application, type of weld, position, filler metal alloy group | |
| Welding Procedure | Plate and pipe test assemblies for groove and fillet welds | Plate and pipe test assemblies for groove and fillet welds |
| Qualification | Witnessed by the Bureau’s representative | Witnessed by the Bureau’s representative |
| Certification | Company certification by CSA W47.1 | Company certification by CSA W47.2 |
| Maintenance | Reporting changes in welding personnel and procedures | Reporting changes in welding personnel and procedures |
| Engineering personnel | 2 years of experience (Division 1), 4 years (Division 2) | 2 years of experience (Division 1), 4 years (Division 2), 5 years (Division 3) |
| Welding supervisors | Educational and practical experience requirements | Educational and practical experience requirements |
| Specialized products | Excluded from the scope | Excluded from the scope |
