If your customer has asked for ISO 3834, the part they need is usually written in the contract, tender or specification. Part 2 sets comprehensive quality requirements for welding. Part 3 sets standard requirements. Part 2 is the one usually asked for on higher-risk work.
The parts of ISO 3834
ISO 3834 sets quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials. It comes in several parts:
- Part 1 explains how to choose the right level.
- Part 2 sets comprehensive quality requirements.
- Part 3 sets standard quality requirements.
- Part 4 sets elementary quality requirements.
- Parts 5 and 6 list the standards it refers to and give guidance on putting it in place.
Parts 2, 3 and 4 are the ones a business is assessed against.
What’s the real difference?
Parts 2 and 3 cover the same areas: reviewing requirements, welding coordination, qualified welders and procedures, equipment, consumables, inspection and testing, nonconformances, traceability and records. The difference is how much control and evidence each area needs.
Part 2 asks for more. For example, it expects more formal welding coordination, more thorough records and tighter control of things like traceability, heat treatment and equipment calibration where they apply. Part 3 still needs a working system, with fewer formal requirements in some areas.
A business that meets Part 2 also meets Parts 3 and 4.
Which is usually asked for?
- Part 2: often named for work where a weld failure would have serious consequences: pressure equipment, rail vehicles and components, bridges and higher-consequence structural steel. In Australia, AS/NZS 5131 generally recommends Part 2 for construction category CC3.
- Part 3: general fabrication where the customer wants a recognised welding quality system but the risk is lower.
- Part 4: simple, low-risk welding.
What if the contract doesn’t say?
Ask your customer, and get the answer in writing. If you can’t get a clear answer, look at the work itself: the consequences of a failure, the standard the job is built to, and what the customer’s other suppliers hold.
If you expect to bid for more demanding work, going straight to Part 2 can save doing the job twice.
Does certification come from the standard?
No. ISO 3834 sets the requirements. An independent accredited certification body audits your business and issues the certificate. A consultant like PWC prepares your business and your documents. We don’t issue certificates.
How PWC can help
We start with a gap analysis against the part your customer needs. Then we help prepare the documents and support you before the external audit. Our founder is an ISO 3834 Internal Auditor, and we work Australia-wide and overseas by arrangement.
