African Fusion AUgust 2016

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August 2016 AFRICAN FUSION 9
SAIW bulletin board
“We talk a lot about the integrity
of a weld, but what is that and
how does it relate to inspection?” he
asks, before identifying three corner-
stones for successful welding.
“First you need good metallurgy,
fromgoodmetallurgists such as our own
Professor Koursaris, who understands
what happens inside a steel. Having
completed an SAIW inspection course,
your loved-ones’ heads are full of what
happens inside a heat-affected zone; of
material microstructures – martensite,
pearlite and austenite – and of treat-
ment processes such as pre- and post-
weld heat treatment. Inspectors have
to studied all of these things and yours
havepassedexamsabout them,”hesays.
Second is the design. “A design engi-
neer has in his head knowledge of weld-
ing codes, specifications, calculations;
yield and tensile strengths of materials,
Charpy toughness values; and ductile to
brittle transition temperatures. Does this
sound familiar? These are also things
that inspectors learn about, because
they need to ensure that designers’
intentions are being applied correctly,”
Joubert explains.
Third, he notes, is the welding pro-
cess side, with welding engineers and
technologists specifying exactly how a
weld needs to be completed. “So we
need to know about welding processes:
MIG welding, pulsed arc, spray transfer,
globular transfer, arc plasmas – all of
the science that is behind producing a
good weld.”
Joubert uses the triangle formed by
Supporting good welding practice
SAIW courses and events
Heat Treatment for Engineers, Andy
Koursaris
12-16 Sept, SAIW City West, Johannesburg
Shelton Zichawo
+27 11 298 2148
Welding Coordination: ISO 3834 and
ISO 14731
28 Sept, Secunda; 19 Oct, Johannesburg;
16 Nov, Cape Town; and 23 Nov Durban.
SAIW: Laetitia Dormehl
+27 86 648 8165
Appreciation of welding, Nico Fourie
3-7 Oct, SAIW City West, Johannesburg
SAIW: Laetitia Dormehl
+27 86 648 8165
The SAIW Annual Dinner and Awards
S AIW’s 68th Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony will take place on Friday
September 23 at the Gold Reef City Conference Centre.
To be MCd by South African radio DJ, singer, actor voice artist, television
presenter and traffic reporter, Bongani Nxumalo, with additional entertain-
ment from Coda Africa – an exciting merge of an electric violin and cello with
a house DJ, an African vocalist and a rock saxophone – the event is sure to be
a night to remember.
To book, download the booking form from the SAIW website or contact
Rencia Grundlingh.
Two of South Africa’s most recent International
Welding Technologists (IWTs) receive qualification
certificates from SAIW president, Morris Maroga. Top:
Melba Mothapo. Above: Phumudzo Mudau.
SAIW’s July graduation dinner for 2016 was celebrated
at Emperors Palace on Friday July 22. Presenting the
motivational address, Gert Joubert of ArcelorMittal un-
ravelled the different roles of those involved in welding
projects for the benefit of graduates’ family, spouses
and partners.
a three-legged stool to describe good
welded construction: “In one corner is
the design engineer. But even if that
corner is well established, the stool can
topple over in any direction. At the sec-
ond corner is the metallurgy and all of
the knowledge about the metal needed
in a sound weld. But even with both of
these corners in place, the stool will still
roll over along the line between these
two points.
“So you need a third point of bal-
ance. Thewelding processes, the inspec-
tion integrity, the welder skills and the
quality controls. Unless all three corners
of this stool areproperly establishedand
in place, good welding will not be sup-
ported and the structure beingwelded is
heading for collapse,” he warns.
“You can’t inspect quality into a bad
product. You can’t take a good welding
machine and lay down a good weld
without any skill. You can’t overlook
the loading conditions that a structure
has to deal with in practice. Every con-
ceivable possibility needs to be in well
thought through and brought into bal-
ance,” he adds.
“Inside and throughout the base of
this triangle, all stakeholders need to
have knowledge and skill. The knowl-
edge that you are bringing into the
industry as inspectors is of utmost
importance to keep this stool stable
and balanced,” Joubert tells graduates,
adding “treasure your knowledge and
look after it. Keep it in the right place
and use it well.”
Following Joubert’s talk, two can-
didates received International Welding Tech-
nologist (IWT) diplomas; four became Interna-
tional Welding Specialists and 15 students were
awarded Inspector Level 2 certificates alongwith
the IIW Standard Welding Inspector qualifica-
tion. A further 13 graduates received SAIW Level
2 Welding Inspector certificates while 51 more
graduated as SAIW Level 1 Inspectors, four of
them with distinction.