Page 1 of 146
Welding Inspector Level 1 Certification Exam
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES JUST RELEASED
Welding Inspector Level 1: Summarized Exam Coverage
The Level 1 exam tests the candidate's ability to visually inspect welds, interpret drawings, understand
metallurgy, and apply code requirements. Core topics include:
Part A: Foundational Knowledge (Closed Book)
1. Duties & Responsibilities of the Inspector: Role definition, ethics, safety, and documentation .
2. Drawing & Weld Symbol Interpretation: Blueprint reading, joint design, AWS/AISC/ISO
symbols .
3. Welding Processes: SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SAW (equipment, variables, applications) .
4. Metallurgy & Materials: Steel types, heat treatment, hardenability, weldability, and material
specifications .
5. Welding Imperfections (Defects): Cracks, porosity, undercut, slag inclusion, lack of fusion, and
their root causes .
Part B: Inspection & Quality Control (Code & Practical Application)
6. Visual Inspection Techniques (VT): Use of weld gauges, mirrors, magnifiers, and lighting .
7. Codes, Standards, and Specifications: Application of ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1, and API 1104 .
8. NDT Basics: Principles of MT, PT, RT, and UT (understanding limitations, not performing) .
9. WPS/PQR/WPQ: Understanding Welding Procedure Specifications and welder qualification records .
10. Health & Safety: PPE, arc flash, fume extraction, and safe work practices .
.
Batch 1: Fundamentals, Safety & Ethics (Questions 1-20)
1. According to the AWS QC1 Code of Ethics, if a Certified Welding Inspector discovers a safety violation,
their primary responsibility is to:
, Page 2 of 146
A) Ignore it to maintain good relations with the shop floor
B) Report it to the supervisor, but only if it is a "major" defect
C) Act to preserve the health and welfare of the public and report the issue appropriately
D) Finish the inspection first and report it later
Rationale: AWS QC1 Clause 11 explicitly states the inspector's duty to safeguard public health and
welfare, requiring immediate and impartial action regarding safety violations .
2. The symbol indicates the weld is to be made in the field. What element on the welding symbol
denotes this?
A) A flag placed at the intersection of the arrow and reference line
B) A circle at the bend of the arrow
C) The weld size placed in parentheses
D) A "tail" pointing to the ground
Rationale: A flag symbol on the reference line indicates a field weld (site fabrication), while a circle
indicates "weld all around" .
, Page 3 of 146
3. Which of the following is a "destructive" test method used to evaluate a welded joint?
A) Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)
B) Radiographic Testing (RT)
C) Guided Bend Test
D) Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
Rationale: Guided bend tests physically break or bend the sample to examine ductility and fusion. MT,
RT, and UT are non-destructive (NDT) .
4. In a SMAW (Stick) welding procedure, increasing the arc length (voltage) while keeping amperage
constant generally results in:
A) Deeper penetration
B) A wider bead profile and increased spatter
C) Lower hydrogen levels
D) A narrower heat affected zone (HAZ)
, Page 4 of 146
Rationale: A long arc length increases arc voltage, widening the cone and heating a larger surface area,
often leading to a wider, flatter bead with more spatter and potential porosity .
5. An inspector finds a crack in the base metal adjacent to the weld. This is most likely classified as:
A) A transverse weld crack
B) A crater crack
C) A lamellar tear or hydrogen induced crack (HIC)
D) Surface porosity
Rationale: Cracks in the base metal near the weld (often called "HAZ cracks") are typically due to
hydrogen embrittlement or lamellar tearing from through-thickness stresses, not a defect within the
weld metal itself .
6. What does the "P" number signify in ASME Section IX?
A) The position the weld was made in (flat, horizontal, etc.)
B) The polarity of the electrode
Welding Inspector Level 1 Certification Exam
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES JUST RELEASED
Welding Inspector Level 1: Summarized Exam Coverage
The Level 1 exam tests the candidate's ability to visually inspect welds, interpret drawings, understand
metallurgy, and apply code requirements. Core topics include:
Part A: Foundational Knowledge (Closed Book)
1. Duties & Responsibilities of the Inspector: Role definition, ethics, safety, and documentation .
2. Drawing & Weld Symbol Interpretation: Blueprint reading, joint design, AWS/AISC/ISO
symbols .
3. Welding Processes: SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SAW (equipment, variables, applications) .
4. Metallurgy & Materials: Steel types, heat treatment, hardenability, weldability, and material
specifications .
5. Welding Imperfections (Defects): Cracks, porosity, undercut, slag inclusion, lack of fusion, and
their root causes .
Part B: Inspection & Quality Control (Code & Practical Application)
6. Visual Inspection Techniques (VT): Use of weld gauges, mirrors, magnifiers, and lighting .
7. Codes, Standards, and Specifications: Application of ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1, and API 1104 .
8. NDT Basics: Principles of MT, PT, RT, and UT (understanding limitations, not performing) .
9. WPS/PQR/WPQ: Understanding Welding Procedure Specifications and welder qualification records .
10. Health & Safety: PPE, arc flash, fume extraction, and safe work practices .
.
Batch 1: Fundamentals, Safety & Ethics (Questions 1-20)
1. According to the AWS QC1 Code of Ethics, if a Certified Welding Inspector discovers a safety violation,
their primary responsibility is to:
, Page 2 of 146
A) Ignore it to maintain good relations with the shop floor
B) Report it to the supervisor, but only if it is a "major" defect
C) Act to preserve the health and welfare of the public and report the issue appropriately
D) Finish the inspection first and report it later
Rationale: AWS QC1 Clause 11 explicitly states the inspector's duty to safeguard public health and
welfare, requiring immediate and impartial action regarding safety violations .
2. The symbol indicates the weld is to be made in the field. What element on the welding symbol
denotes this?
A) A flag placed at the intersection of the arrow and reference line
B) A circle at the bend of the arrow
C) The weld size placed in parentheses
D) A "tail" pointing to the ground
Rationale: A flag symbol on the reference line indicates a field weld (site fabrication), while a circle
indicates "weld all around" .
, Page 3 of 146
3. Which of the following is a "destructive" test method used to evaluate a welded joint?
A) Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)
B) Radiographic Testing (RT)
C) Guided Bend Test
D) Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
Rationale: Guided bend tests physically break or bend the sample to examine ductility and fusion. MT,
RT, and UT are non-destructive (NDT) .
4. In a SMAW (Stick) welding procedure, increasing the arc length (voltage) while keeping amperage
constant generally results in:
A) Deeper penetration
B) A wider bead profile and increased spatter
C) Lower hydrogen levels
D) A narrower heat affected zone (HAZ)
, Page 4 of 146
Rationale: A long arc length increases arc voltage, widening the cone and heating a larger surface area,
often leading to a wider, flatter bead with more spatter and potential porosity .
5. An inspector finds a crack in the base metal adjacent to the weld. This is most likely classified as:
A) A transverse weld crack
B) A crater crack
C) A lamellar tear or hydrogen induced crack (HIC)
D) Surface porosity
Rationale: Cracks in the base metal near the weld (often called "HAZ cracks") are typically due to
hydrogen embrittlement or lamellar tearing from through-thickness stresses, not a defect within the
weld metal itself .
6. What does the "P" number signify in ASME Section IX?
A) The position the weld was made in (flat, horizontal, etc.)
B) The polarity of the electrode
