ISO 3834-1:2021 Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials
This document specifies a general outline of the ISO 3834 series and criteria to be taken into account for the selection of the appropriate level of quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials, among the three levels specified in ISO 3834-2, ISO 3834-3 and ISO 3834-4. It aims to provide the quality requirements for a welded product because quality is a primary need for all customers.
It is emphasized that the ISO 3834 series is not a quality management system (QMS) standard replacing ISO 9001:2015. However, it can be a useful tool when ISO 9001:2015 is applied by manufacturers.
Specification of quality requirements for welding processes is important because the quality of these processes cannot be readily or economically validated. Therefore, they are considered to be special processes as noted by ISO 9000:2015.
The ISO 3834 series identifies measures that are applicable for different situations. Typically, they can be applied in the following circumstances:
- — in contractual situations: specification of welding quality requirements;
- — by manufacturers: establishment and maintenance of welding quality requirements;
- — by committees drafting manufacturing codes or application standards: specification of welding quality requirements;
- — by organizations assessing welding quality performance, e.g. third parties, customers or manufacturers.
The ISO 3834 series can be used by internal and external organizations, including certification bodies, to assess the manufacturer’s ability to meet customer, regulatory or the manufacturer’s own requirements.
Benefit to Organisation
- This standard will assist organisations with:
- Ensuring that they have competent welders by having written welding instructions;
- Confidence that their welding procedure specification will produce a welded component with properties that satisfy the design requirements;
- Consistency on products, with high quality level;
- Taking all welding quality affecting aspects into consideration;
- Ensuring that the welding process and procedure is correctly formulated and approved.
- Improved processes and procedures are put in place
- Reduced costs and overheads
- Internationally recognised credibility and capability through demonstrated compliance.
- Mitigation of risks.
Customers’ Benefits
- More assurance of contract delivery dates
- Greater assurance of the quality of welded products
- Greater reliability and performance of plant
- Reduction in maintenance costs
- Reduction or elimination of third-party inspection costs
- More competent suppliers of welded products
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