Studying for D1.1 CWI - question regarding figure 6.1 - 6.3

[Sammy19]

Hello everyone. I'll keep this as short as possible. I am a member of several forums, it's a challenge to find educated professionals fluent in structural welding code. I have been on a welding torch for 15 years, since I was 19, various fabrication jobs involving low carbon steels, stainless steels, and I have been lead welder of aluminum at my company for the last 8 years or so. I figured the CWI exams were the next logical step... I put it off for quite a while because the study materials are quite intimidating, not to mention that nothing about the AWS is cheap. (I'm in over $4000 pass or fail at this point) I finally pulled the trigger on the whole thing, D1.1 seminar/exam end of next month. I have been neck deep in the books ever since. I did pretty good in High school, but at 33 years old, it's getting to where that was kind of a long time ago. The Aws D1.1 code book is highly technical, but after 15 years of welding and a history of interest in design, most of it is fairly intuitive. There are a few things that are a little sketchy for someone like me that is "self studying" without anyone to walk me through it.

My question today is regarding figures 6.1 - 6.3.

After the graphs, there are a series of diagrams accompanied by simple tables divided into 3 columns: Discontinuity dimension, limitations, and conditions.

In this case, I am interpreting "limitations" to mean "~Shall Be", and "Conditions" to mean "~When"

I am a little confused as to the meaning of the word "conditions" as it is intended here. In Fig 6.1, Case I and II the "conditions" column references "E"(weld size) but in Case III the "conditions" column references "L" and "W" (length and width of said discontinuity).

I am just trying to make sure I understand what they are trying to say here... any help to break down this set of figures in simple terms would be MUCH appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Like I said, I am not an engineer, just a highly experienced welder diving into the technical side of the trade, with a hobbyist level interest in design. Call me an enthusiastic amateur.

 

[Sammy19]

And yes I have been practicing with a digital print out from Kinkos that I put in a 3 ring binder. I think working out of the actual code book is going to suck a little because being free of the binding has a few advantages. One of the first things I did was move the index to the front and tabbed it in front of the TOC. It doesn't make sense to keep flipping back and forth past 250 pages of commentary that aren't examined... in theory anyway. They don't hand out the code books until the first day of the seminar and if I want a licensed electronic copy I have to purchase it from AWS in addition to the hard copy I already technically own....(a few hundred more $$$) what a croc. Add to that the fact I am going to be up late the first few nights, re-copying all of my notes and highlights from my practice book.

 

[bb29510]

I myself would not tab the codebook. just the chapter, there is just so much info you could over tab and really confuse you. make sure you know chapter 3 and 4

 

[Sammy19]

I am not going "christmas tree overboard" lol I have TOC, LOT, LOF, Clauses tabbed on top, principal tables and figures tabbed on the side. Plenty of room for a simple but effective tab pattern without going nuts, which would be easy to do. In my rookie opinion that is.

 

[gtaw]

If you sign up for the full 6 day CWI seminar, you will get a new hard copy of D1.1 as well as all the other books you need to study.

Best regards - Al

 

[bb29510]

I took the two week course at real educational inc, we did not get code books, we had to buy ourselves before class

 

[48v]

I'm starting to prepare for taking the test as well (in the fall.) Are (legal, licensed) binders not allowed - you have to use the hard bound code? Also, does anybody know when the test will switch from the 2010 code to the 2015 code? It would be a bummer to buy a second copy of the 2010, and immediately have to go buy the 2015.

 

[Sammy19]

My confirmation documents say that electronic copies are only allowed if they are watermarked and you have to show proof of purchase. I am trying to decide if its worth the money to purchase the electronic copy.

 

[48v]

That makes sense. All of the digital copies my employer has purchased came with a watermark, so that doesn't seem like a big problem.

 

[bb29510]

think about it, the test is given by aws, they are in business to make money, so they want you to buy an was book instead of copy machine. its all about the money

 

[48v]

bb29510 Understood, but the book and the digital download both cost the same amount, and the book actually costs them money to produce. Besides, I've got a bandsaw, so if I really wanted to copy it, a binding wouldn't stop me. It totally makes sense that it has to be a legal/authorized copy I just prefer the binder to the book.

 

[Sammy19]

I agree. It might sound silly, but working in the book free of the binding has some advantages.

 

[yaschief]

Sammy, My office copy is a download in a binder but my "official" copy is the bound version. My issue with the downloads is the restrictions: ex-I cannot have a version on my office computer and my laptop (at least for the last ICC code).
RE: AWS selling code...they are a LOT less mercenary than ICC.