AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)
Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
1. What is the primary responsibility of a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)?
A. Perform all welding operations
B. Develop all welding procedures
C. Verify that welding activities comply with applicable requirements
D. Repair every weld discontinuity
Answer: C. Verify that welding activities comply with applicable requirements
Rationale: A CWI’s primary role is to inspect and verify compliance with
drawings, specifications, codes, standards, and approved welding procedures.
2. Which document typically specifies the essential variables and required
welding parameters for production welding?
A. PQR
B. WPS
C. NCR
D. MTR
Answer: B. WPS
Rationale: A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) provides the instructions
and ranges used to produce acceptable welds.
, 3. What does PQR stand for?
A. Production Quality Report
B. Procedure Qualification Record
C. Process Qualification Requirement
D. Product Quality Review
Answer: B. Procedure Qualification Record
Rationale: A Procedure Qualification Record documents the actual variables
used to qualify a welding procedure and the resulting test results.
4. What is the primary purpose of a PQR?
A. To provide welder identification
B. To record the actual variables and test results used to qualify a welding
procedure
C. To replace the WPS
D. To identify welding discontinuities
Answer: B. To record the actual variables and test results used to qualify a
welding procedure
Rationale: The PQR provides documented evidence that a welding procedure
produced a weld meeting the specified qualification requirements.
5. What is the difference between a weld discontinuity and a weld defect?
A. There is no difference
B. A discontinuity is always unacceptable
C. A defect is a discontinuity that exceeds applicable acceptance criteria
D. A defect is always visible
Answer: C. A defect is a discontinuity that exceeds applicable acceptance criteria
Rationale: A discontinuity is an interruption or imperfection in the normal
structure. It becomes a rejectable defect only when it exceeds the applicable
acceptance requirements.
, 6. Which inspection method is normally performed first because it is simple,
inexpensive, and can reveal many surface conditions?
A. Radiographic testing
B. Ultrasonic testing
C. Visual inspection
D. Metallographic examination
Answer: C. Visual inspection
Rationale: Visual testing is commonly the first inspection method because it can
identify surface discontinuities, dimensional problems, and workmanship issues
efficiently.
7. What is the purpose of a weld gauge?
A. To measure electrical resistance
B. To measure weld dimensions and profiles
C. To determine chemical composition
D. To measure shielding gas purity
Answer: B. To measure weld dimensions and profiles
Rationale: Weld gauges can be used to measure fillet weld size, reinforcement,
undercut, misalignment, and other dimensional characteristics.
8. Which discontinuity is characterized by a groove melted into the base metal
adjacent to the weld toe or weld root and left unfilled?
A. Porosity
B. Undercut
C. Overlap
D. Slag inclusion
Answer: B. Undercut
Rationale: Undercut is a groove or depression at the weld toe or root that is not
filled with weld metal.
, 9. What is porosity?
A. A crack caused by excessive cooling
B. Gas pockets or voids trapped in solidified weld metal
C. A lack of fusion at the root
D. Excessive weld reinforcement
Answer: B. Gas pockets or voids trapped in solidified weld metal
Rationale: Porosity results when gas becomes trapped during solidification of
the weld metal.
10.Which condition occurs when weld metal fails to fuse completely with the
base metal or an adjacent weld bead?
A. Lack of fusion
B. Porosity
C. Undercut
D. Crater
Answer: A. Lack of fusion
Rationale: Lack of fusion is a failure to achieve complete metallurgical bonding
between weld metal and the base metal or between weld beads.
11.What is incomplete joint penetration?
A. Excessive weld reinforcement
B. Failure of weld metal to extend through the full thickness of the joint when full
penetration is required
C. A surface crack
D. A weld with excessive width
Answer: B. Failure of weld metal to extend through the full thickness of the joint
when full penetration is required
Rationale: Incomplete joint penetration occurs when the weld does not
penetrate to the specified depth through the joint.
Questions And Correct Answers
(Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026
Q&A Instant Download Pdf
1. What is the primary responsibility of a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)?
A. Perform all welding operations
B. Develop all welding procedures
C. Verify that welding activities comply with applicable requirements
D. Repair every weld discontinuity
Answer: C. Verify that welding activities comply with applicable requirements
Rationale: A CWI’s primary role is to inspect and verify compliance with
drawings, specifications, codes, standards, and approved welding procedures.
2. Which document typically specifies the essential variables and required
welding parameters for production welding?
A. PQR
B. WPS
C. NCR
D. MTR
Answer: B. WPS
Rationale: A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) provides the instructions
and ranges used to produce acceptable welds.
, 3. What does PQR stand for?
A. Production Quality Report
B. Procedure Qualification Record
C. Process Qualification Requirement
D. Product Quality Review
Answer: B. Procedure Qualification Record
Rationale: A Procedure Qualification Record documents the actual variables
used to qualify a welding procedure and the resulting test results.
4. What is the primary purpose of a PQR?
A. To provide welder identification
B. To record the actual variables and test results used to qualify a welding
procedure
C. To replace the WPS
D. To identify welding discontinuities
Answer: B. To record the actual variables and test results used to qualify a
welding procedure
Rationale: The PQR provides documented evidence that a welding procedure
produced a weld meeting the specified qualification requirements.
5. What is the difference between a weld discontinuity and a weld defect?
A. There is no difference
B. A discontinuity is always unacceptable
C. A defect is a discontinuity that exceeds applicable acceptance criteria
D. A defect is always visible
Answer: C. A defect is a discontinuity that exceeds applicable acceptance criteria
Rationale: A discontinuity is an interruption or imperfection in the normal
structure. It becomes a rejectable defect only when it exceeds the applicable
acceptance requirements.
, 6. Which inspection method is normally performed first because it is simple,
inexpensive, and can reveal many surface conditions?
A. Radiographic testing
B. Ultrasonic testing
C. Visual inspection
D. Metallographic examination
Answer: C. Visual inspection
Rationale: Visual testing is commonly the first inspection method because it can
identify surface discontinuities, dimensional problems, and workmanship issues
efficiently.
7. What is the purpose of a weld gauge?
A. To measure electrical resistance
B. To measure weld dimensions and profiles
C. To determine chemical composition
D. To measure shielding gas purity
Answer: B. To measure weld dimensions and profiles
Rationale: Weld gauges can be used to measure fillet weld size, reinforcement,
undercut, misalignment, and other dimensional characteristics.
8. Which discontinuity is characterized by a groove melted into the base metal
adjacent to the weld toe or weld root and left unfilled?
A. Porosity
B. Undercut
C. Overlap
D. Slag inclusion
Answer: B. Undercut
Rationale: Undercut is a groove or depression at the weld toe or root that is not
filled with weld metal.
, 9. What is porosity?
A. A crack caused by excessive cooling
B. Gas pockets or voids trapped in solidified weld metal
C. A lack of fusion at the root
D. Excessive weld reinforcement
Answer: B. Gas pockets or voids trapped in solidified weld metal
Rationale: Porosity results when gas becomes trapped during solidification of
the weld metal.
10.Which condition occurs when weld metal fails to fuse completely with the
base metal or an adjacent weld bead?
A. Lack of fusion
B. Porosity
C. Undercut
D. Crater
Answer: A. Lack of fusion
Rationale: Lack of fusion is a failure to achieve complete metallurgical bonding
between weld metal and the base metal or between weld beads.
11.What is incomplete joint penetration?
A. Excessive weld reinforcement
B. Failure of weld metal to extend through the full thickness of the joint when full
penetration is required
C. A surface crack
D. A weld with excessive width
Answer: B. Failure of weld metal to extend through the full thickness of the joint
when full penetration is required
Rationale: Incomplete joint penetration occurs when the weld does not
penetrate to the specified depth through the joint.
