Thanks to a long-term expertise in GTAW welding, Vsystem
has recently reached a new important target with the acquisition of the ISO 3438
certification, international standard
which defines comprehensive
quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials.
According to literature, all the welding operations are
traditionally classified as "special process"; this means that the
output of these processing, cannot be fully controlled during its execution,
other than through non-destructive or destructive
tests.
Therefore, any malfunction or defect of the parts, can be highlighted
only during their working conditions. Welding quality is
therefore based on the correct set-up of the processing procedure, on its
accuracy, accountability and validation. Moreover, to ensure a proper
management, additional checks are performed during each step of the
manufacturing process, because the quality system procedures are not enough to
define the correct execution of the process, and this aspect makes the welded
joints very challenging from a design point of view.
The EN ISO 3834-2 standard, published by the Italian
regulatory body in 2005, is in fact a real “process” standard that goes
alongside the more well-known quality system management standards, such as ISO
9001. The latter, in fact, being a “system” standard, it is not
exhaustive in establishing the guidelines relating to the correct practical
execution of fusion welding, or rather joining techniques whose final
compliance is strictly linked to the process parameters development, to their
subsequent validation as well as the drafting of specific manufacturing cycles.
In this perspective being accredited according to a standard that addresses all
the peculiar issues related to the welding processes was considered a strategic
achievement; equal important is the feature that the final conformity of the
joints is delegated to the judgment of an independent accreditation body.
The aspects that EN ISO 3834-2 touches are multiple,
and they range from the feasibility study of the project, to the operators
qualification (both welders and NDT personnel), from the raw materials traceability
system to the maintenance plans
and control tooling used during the welding process.
"Vsystem has
long been committed in developing its internal organization in order to meet
all the binding requirements foreseen by EN ISO 3834-2 standard" declares Eng.
Silvia Gaiani, Vsystem CEO
"We believe that proposing to our customers the manufacturing of certified
welded joints with standard procedures approved by an independent accreditation
body and performed by qualified personnel, provides a considerable added value.
Achieving a certification
like ISO 3834-2 highlights the level of care and professionalism that we
have always applied in developing all the projects assigned to our company. The qualifications of GTAW
welding processes performed on titanium alloys (alpha and alpha/beta) and nickel alloys (inconel 625 /
inconel 718) obtained
in June 2021,
represent just a starting point, since
our goal is to constantly expand the number of material groups covered by
accreditation and proposing to our customers a valid support for the standardization of their
welding processes".