Welding inspection and QA/QC support

Welding inspection and QA/QC support

A weld that looks good is not necessarily a good weld. Welding inspection gives you documented assurance that the work complies with the code, the drawing and the contract. DEHAAS carries out visual welding inspections, supports your QA/QC department and manages inspection activities in your own production or at your suppliers.

  • Visual inspection to ISO 17637 and ISO 5817
  • Independent assessment, clear reporting
  • Experience in steelwork, shipbuilding and pressure equipment
  • Flexible deployment, including short assignments

We are independent and have spent years on the shop floor in fabrication and inspection. We know where things go wrong in practice, which imperfections actually matter and how to reduce rework rather than relocate it. Engage us for a single inspection, a full inspection programme or temporary reinforcement of your quality team, anywhere in Europe, and further afield on request.

Visual welding inspection to ISO 17637 and ISO 5817

Visual inspection is the foundation of every weld assessment. DEHAAS inspects in accordance with ISO 17637 and evaluates imperfections against the acceptance criteria of ISO 5817, in the quality level (B, C or D) the contract or code requires. We look beyond the weld itself, covering joint preparation, alignment, undercut, spatter and finishing.

You receive a report you can actually use: a clear conclusion per weld or zone, photographs of relevant findings and concrete advice on repair or acceptance.

Hiring a welding inspector for your project

If you need a welding inspector temporarily, during a production peak, a major project or after a staff departure, DEHAAS provides one on a project or sessional basis. We work within your own quality system, or bring our own methods and forms if you have none in place.

Because we are independent, our inspections also carry weight where an external judgement matters: in rejection disputes with a client, at handover of subcontracted work, or as a second assessment alongside your own inspectors.

QA/QC support and inspection and test plans

Sound QA/QC starts before the first weld, with a plan defining what is inspected, when, by whom and against which criteria. DEHAAS drafts inspection and test plans, reviews supplier inspection documentation and structures quality records so the final dossier builds itself rather than being reconstructed afterwards. Our article on how to write an ITP explains the approach.

We also assist with material certificates and traceability, verification of welder qualifications and WPS coverage, and the handling of non-conformities with a substantiated disposition.

NDT coordination and review

Non-destructive testing such as ultrasonic, radiographic, magnetic particle or penetrant testing is performed by personnel certified to ISO 9712. DEHAAS does not perform the testing itself but directs it: we determine the appropriate technique and extent, obtain quotations, schedule the work and review the reports in the context of the full dossier.

That prevents over- or under-testing, and stops an NDT report disappearing into a folder unread while it contains a finding that demands action. See our NDT coordination service.

Fabrication and vendor inspection

When you subcontract welding work, you do not want to discover at delivery that it fails to comply. DEHAAS performs fabrication and vendor inspection at your suppliers, in the Netherlands and beyond, inspecting at agreed hold points from joint preparation to final check and reporting directly to you.

For procurement organisations we also review quality documentation before award: is the supplier certified for this work, do the qualifications cover the order, and is the promised inspection regime realistic.

FAT and final inspection

The factory acceptance test and final inspection are where everything comes together: product, measurements and dossier. DEHAAS prepares the FAT, drafts or reviews the test protocol and witnesses the test as your representative or as an independent party between buyer and builder.

At final inspection we verify the end dossier as well as the product: weld reports, NDT results, material certificates, non-conformity reports and the declaration of conformity. We only sign off when it is complete and consistent.

Temporary project support

Large projects can demand months of additional quality capacity you will not need afterwards. DEHAAS supplies that capacity flexibly: an inspector or QA/QC engineer for the duration of the project, directed by your organisation or working under our responsibility.

Combined with an external welding coordinator, this covers the entire welding quality chain without fixed overheads. Scale up when the project requires it and back down at handover.

Frequently asked questions

A visual inspection to ISO 17637 examines the weld and its immediate surroundings for imperfections such as cracks, surface lack of fusion, undercut, porosity, excessive reinforcement and spatter, evaluated against the acceptance criteria of ISO 5817 in the specified quality level.

ISO 5817 defines levels B (stringent), C and D (moderate). The applicable level follows from the contract, the application standard or the execution class; under EN 1090-2 a higher execution class generally brings a stricter level. If nothing is specified, we advise a level that is appropriate and defensible.

No. Testing such as ultrasonic or radiographic examination is carried out by specialist firms with ISO 9712 certified personnel. DEHAAS defines the scope and technique, coordinates execution and reviews the results within the complete quality dossier.

Have a welding or QA/QC question?

Ask the DEHAAS Welding & Quality Assistant, have your case reviewed by a specialist, or call us directly.

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