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newSchoolWorks.com › VoTechWorks › Building & Construction › Welding › Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) › Lesson 9
BLD-WELD01-05 · Lesson 9 · 12 clock hours · practice

FCAW Certification Welding Test Preparation and Full-Position Practice

Objective. Students will complete full AWS D1.1 Certified Welder test-position groove weld coupons (3G and 4G if applicable) under simulated test conditions, demonstrating compliance with all procedural and documentation requirements.

What This Lesson Is About

This lesson is your dress rehearsal for the AWS D1.1 Certified Welder qualification test. You will fit up, preheat, and weld a 3G (vertical) backing-bar groove coupon exactly as you would on test day — independently, under timed conditions, following a written Welding Procedure Specification (WPS). Everything you have practiced in this course comes together here: machine setup, wire feed speed, voltage, travel angle, weave patterns, interpass temperature control, and visual self-inspection.

How the AWS D1.1 Certified Welder Test Works

The AWS D1.1 Certified Welder credential is administered by an accredited testing facility using AWS-approved procedures. A Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) or qualified test administrator observes the weld and documents your compliance with the WPS and the code. Your completed coupon is then submitted for third-party visual examination and mechanical bend testing (face and root bends, or side bends for plate 3/8 in. and thicker, depending on the procedure).

Test positions and what they qualify. Passing 3G (vertical groove) also qualifies you for 1G (flat) and 2G (horizontal) positions. If you also pass 4G (overhead groove), those two together qualify you for all positions. Understanding this hierarchy helps you plan which test positions give you the broadest employment coverage.

Essential variables. Certain changes to how you weld — called essential variables — require re-testing. For FCAW, these include a change in electrode classification, a significant change in shielding gas or flow rate, a change in current type or polarity, and a change in base metal P-number group, among others. If any essential variable listed in your WPS changes, your previous qualification is no longer valid for the new condition.

Documentation. You must follow the provided WPS exactly. Any deviation is a procedural non-conformance. On test day the administrator will check that your machine settings, gas flow, and consumables match the WPS before you strike an arc.

Setting Up for the 3G Groove Coupon

Your coupon is a pre-beveled 3/8 in. A36 plate with a backing bar already pre-tacked. Before welding:

1. Verify the joint. Check bevel angle, root opening, and backing bar fit per the WPS. A poor fit-up will cause root fusion problems that no amount of skill can fix later.

2. Check preheat. Use your contact thermometer to confirm the base metal is at or above the minimum preheat temperature specified in the WPS. For 3/8 in. A36 with E71T-1C, the WPS will typically specify a relatively low preheat; verify the exact value on your document.

3. Set the machine. Dial in voltage and wire feed speed to the ranges listed on the WPS. Record the actual settings on your documentation form before welding.

4. Set gas flow. Confirm 75% Ar / 25% CO2 shielding gas at the flow rate stated in the WPS. Check for leaks at the fitting before positioning your plate.

Welding the 3G Position

In the 3G position the plate is vertical and you weld upward (vertical-up is standard for groove welds in structural code work). Key technique points:

Visual Acceptance Criteria You Must Know

AWS D1.1 visual acceptance criteria for statically loaded structures (the category applicable to most Certified Welder tests) require, among other things:

Use your groove gauge and fillet gauge to measure reinforcement and undercut. Do not estimate by eye for the final check.

Self-Evaluation and Corrective Action

After welding and cooling, you will complete a self-evaluation form before handing the coupon to the instructor. Mark every location where you see a potential discontinuity and note its measurement. If a condition is rejectable, write a specific corrective action — not just "weld better," but what you will change: travel speed, weave width, amperage, preheat, or technique. This habit is what separates journeyman-level welders from beginners.

Safety Requirements for This Lesson

Key terms8

3G positionA weld test position in which the plate is held vertically and the groove weld is made in the vertical (uphill) direction; passing 3G qualifies the welder for flat and horizontal groove positions as well.
Essential variableA change in a welding condition (such as electrode classification, shielding gas, or polarity) that AWS defines as significant enough to require re-qualification of the welder.
Welding Procedure Specification (WPS)A written document that prescribes the specific variables — amperage range, voltage, travel speed, preheat, interpass temperature, consumables, and more — that must be followed to produce a conforming weld.
Interpass temperatureThe temperature of the weld joint at the moment the next pass is started; most WPSs specify a maximum limit to prevent degradation of mechanical properties and control distortion.
Backing barA strip of steel placed on the root side of a groove joint to support the molten weld pool during the root pass, ensuring complete joint penetration without burn-through.
ReinforcementThe weld metal that extends above the plane of the base metal surface on a groove weld; AWS D1.1 sets a maximum height limit; excessive reinforcement concentrates stress.
UndercutA groove melted into the base metal at the weld toe that is not filled by weld metal; AWS D1.1 limits both the depth and the total length of undercut allowed in a qualified weld.
Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)An individual certified by AWS to inspect welds and weld procedures for conformance with applicable codes; typically serves as the test administrator for AWS Certified Welder qualification tests.

Worked examples4

1. Your WPS specifies a maximum reinforcement of 3/16 in. (0.188 in.) for the cap pass. You measure the crown with a groove gauge and get a reading of 5/32 in. Does the coupon pass this criterion?
  1. Convert 5/32 in. to a decimal: 5 ÷ 32 = 0.156 in.
  2. Compare the measured value (0.156 in.) to the maximum allowed (0.188 in.).
  3. 0.156 in. is less than 0.188 in., so the measurement is within the allowable limit.
Answer: Yes, the coupon passes the reinforcement criterion. 5/32 in. (0.156 in.) is below the 3/16 in. (0.188 in.) maximum.
2. The WPS limits maximum undercut depth to 1/32 in. (0.031 in.). Your gauge reads 0.035 in. at one toe. Is this acceptable, and what action do you take?
  1. Compare measured undercut depth (0.035 in.) to the allowable limit (0.031 in.).
  2. 0.035 in. exceeds 0.031 in., so this is a rejectable condition under the visual acceptance criteria.
  3. Record the location and depth on your self-evaluation form.
  4. Write a corrective action: the cap pass travel speed was too fast at that location, pulling the arc into the base metal. On the remediation weld, slow travel speed at the toes and add a slight pause to allow fill before moving.
Answer: Not acceptable. The undercut exceeds the limit by 0.004 in. The coupon does not pass this criterion and requires a corrective action plan before the remediation weld.
3. Your WPS specifies a maximum interpass temperature of 400°F. After completing the second fill pass you measure 375°F. How many more degrees can the plate heat up before you must stop and let it cool?
  1. Identify the maximum allowed temperature: 400°F.
  2. Identify the current measured temperature: 375°F.
  3. Subtract: 400°F − 375°F = 25°F.
Answer: The plate can increase by 25°F before reaching the maximum interpass temperature. If the next measurement equals or exceeds 400°F, you must allow the coupon to cool before starting the next pass.
4. Your wire feed speed is set to produce 180 in./min and the deposition rate spec on the WPS lists a range of 150–200 in./min. You want to confirm your setting is within the middle 50% of that range. What is the midpoint of the range, and is 180 in./min within the middle 50%?
  1. Calculate the range span: 200 − 150 = 50 in./min.
  2. Find the midpoint: 150 + (50 ÷ 2) = 150 + 25 = 175 in./min.
  3. The middle 50% of the range runs from 25% to 75% of the span above the minimum: lower bound = 150 + (0.25 × 50) = 150 + 12.5 = 162.5 in./min; upper bound = 150 + (0.75 × 50) = 150 + 37.5 = 187.5 in./min.
  4. Check whether 180 in./min falls between 162.5 and 187.5 in./min: yes, it does.
Answer: The midpoint of the range is 175 in./min. A setting of 180 in./min falls within the middle 50% of the specified range (162.5–187.5 in./min) and is acceptable.

The math in this lesson1

Learners compare crown and undercut readings to WPS limits and find interpass headroom and the midpoint of a range.
N-Q.3
Brush up in the math halls at newSchoolWorks.com:
In class: Orientation to AWS D1.1 Certified Welder test administration: instructor reviews how test positions qualify other positions, how essential variables affect re-testing requirements, and how completed coupons are submitted for third-party visual and bend testing. · Simulated qualification test: each student independently fits up and welds one 3G backing-bar groove coupon under timed conditions using a provided WPS, with no coaching allowed; instructor observes for procedural compliance and time management. · Post-test debrief: students self-evaluate their coupons against AWS D1.1 visual criteria, identify any rejectable conditions, and write a brief corrective action plan before handing the coupon to the instructor for final assessment.
Materials: CV power source, wire feeder, E71T-1C .045 in. wire, 75%Ar/25%CO2, pre-beveled 3/8 in. A36 groove plate with backing bar pre-tacked, WPS document, contact thermometer, fillet and groove gauges, AWS D1.1 visual acceptance criteria card, timer, self-evaluation form
Check: 3G groove coupon meets AWS D1.1 visual acceptance criteria (no cracks, complete fusion at toes, reinforcement within limits, undercut within limits) as assessed by instructor using the D1.1 criteria; 100% pass on all visual criteria required to complete the course at the mastery level; students who do not pass receive one remediation weld opportunity.

Practice check8

Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.

AWS D1.1 Certified Welder — qualification position rules
1. A welder passes the 3G groove test under AWS D1.1. Which additional position is the welder automatically qualified to weld in groove welds WITHOUT taking an additional test?
AWS D1.1 Certified Welder — essential variables
2. Which of the following changes to FCAW welding conditions is considered an essential variable that requires re-qualification of the welder?
NCCER Welding — weld quality and metallurgy
3. Before beginning a 3G groove weld on a pre-tacked coupon, a welder should verify preheat using a contact thermometer. What is the primary reason preheat is required?
AWS D1.1 Certified Welder — visual acceptance criteria
4. During post-weld visual inspection of a 3G groove coupon, you detect a continuous crack running along the weld toe for approximately 1/2 in. What is the correct disposition of this coupon under AWS D1.1 visual acceptance criteria?
AWS D1.1 Certified Welder — essential variables and WPS compliance
5. The WPS for your 3G test specifies 75% Ar / 25% CO2 shielding gas. The shop only has 100% CO2 cylinders available. What should you do?
AWS SENSE L1-2 — safety and health
6. Which PPE item is MOST critical specifically because FCAW generates significantly more welding fume than short-circuit GMAW?
AWS D1.1 Certified Welder — WPS compliance and procedure
7. After completing the second fill pass on a 3G coupon, the interpass temperature reads 420°F against a WPS maximum of 400°F. What is the correct action?
AWS D1.1 Certified Welder — visual acceptance criteria
8. A student's self-evaluation identifies undercut at one weld toe measuring 0.028 in. deep. The AWS D1.1 visual acceptance criterion for undercut depth is 1/32 in. (0.031 in.). What is the correct disposition?
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