Quality Assessment and Process Management of Welded Joints in Metal Construction—a Review

This paper aims to express the maturity and dynamism of welding in industry. It follows the direct observation of international construction standards and rules, here described as an introduction to the most relevant themes in the area of welding processes. Quality management in welded construction involves well-regulated procedures which are, however, so vast that they are of great complexity. In fact, there are hundreds of rules to apply to each specific case. This makes it imperative to have a welding coordinator, at least in cases of greater responsibility. The application of the rules presents another difficulty: along with the breadth of the rules, each country may adopt certain special requirements in their own case. Thus, it is essential to know the necessary path for the proper development of responsible work. One must first know the various welding processes, their advantages and limitations; then identify the regulations applicable to the work concerned; and finally, know what tests and qualifications are required, including the expected defects and acceptance criteria. This work shows the necessary path for implementing a welding quality management system in metal construction and presents the numerous applicable norms for the welder, the welding coordinator, the process, and the product, along with an analysis of how to obtain the CE marking for a welded metal construction and the normative ramifications that apply.