Winter Welding Preparation & Ensuring Compliance in 2025
Winter is Coming—Are Your Welding Procedures Ready?
As temperatures drop, welding in cold conditions brings unique challenges. Rapid cooling can lead to cracking, and improper handling of materials can compromise weld strength. Here’s what you can do:
Preheat the Base Material: Control the Cooling Rate and Prevent Cracks
Cold temperatures cause welds to cool faster, increasing the risk of cracking. Preheating the base material before welding can significantly slow down the cooling rate, reducing the thermal gradient to reduce the risk of cracking. This also helps diffuse hydrogen and ensures the weld bead and the base material contract at a similar rate, preventing internal stress and cracks.
Recommended Practice: Preheat the material to extend the width of the preheat band.
Keep Equipment Warm: Ensure Rods and Electrodes Are Heated to Ensure Quality
Cold weather not only affects the materials being welded but also the welding equipment itself. Low temperatures can cause moisture to build up on electrodes and welding rods, which can introduce hydrogen into the weld and lead to cracking or other defects. To prevent this, it’s important to keep welding rods and electrodes warm.
Welding Rod Ovens: Store welding rods and electrodes in ovens to maintain consistent warmth and prevent moisture buildup.
Moisture Control: Always check for condensation on equipment before welding and avoid using damp rods, especially in low temperatures.
Don’t let cold weather affect the integrity of your welds! Contact Qualimet for expert guidance on refreshing your team on cold-weather welding procedures.
Proof of Compliance: The New Standard for Welding Procedures
Are Your Welding Procedures Audit-Ready?
Regulatory requirements have intensified, and it’s no longer enough to simply state your procedures have been reviewed. Auditors now demand proof of compliance—and not having it could cost your company.
- Partnering with Qualimet for compliance solutions ensures you’re always ready:
- Expert Procedure Audits: Our engineers thoroughly review and audit your procedures.
- Detailed Documentation: We provide reports that demonstrate compliance with the latest codes.
- Ongoing Monitoring: Our continuous support guarantees your procedures remain compliant, avoiding fines and delays.
Ensure your welding procedures meet the new standards.
Contact Qualimet for a compliance review today.
Book Your Welder Testing with Qualimet Today!
Ensure your welders are certified to meet the highest industry standards with Qualimet’s hassle-free and efficient welder testing services. Whether you’re in need of ABSA welder performance qualification or CWB certification, our streamlined process ensures quick and reliable results, giving you peace of mind.
- Certified Testing: We offer ABSA, ASME, CSA, and API Code-compliant testing, including CWB (CSA W47.1) certification.
- Convenient Scheduling: Choose from frequent test dates, with minimal wait times.
- Same-Day Results: Receive fast, in-house certification results to keep your projects moving.
- Experienced Support: Our expert team members are on hand to guide you through every step of the process.