Who may test welding equipment?
Welding equipment is a useful thing and takes a lot of the work off your hands. Regular maintenance is important. Now the question arises, who is allowed to check welding equipment at all, so that the risk is kept as low as possible.
General requirements for the examiner
The examiner should have completed training in electrical engineering, with emphasis on welding. Because an absolute and flawless handling is a basic requirement in this field. Regular training and refresher courses are necessary
Specific auditors
Many inspectors have completed training in electrical engineering and then qualified by further training, for many inspectors it is too much to master all welding equipment. There are different kinds and types of welding equipment. You cannot use every welding equipment for every thing. It is important that the welding equipment is only used for what it is suitable for.
Frequency of tests
The normal tests of welding equipment are carried out once a year. This is the general maintenance, if defects are found during this inspection, it depends on how serious the defects are. For some defects only one component needs to be replaced. In the case of more serious defects, it is usually advisable to purchase new equipment.
The inspection is carried out again after the defects have been eliminated. Only after passing the test is the device released and can be used normally again. Without regular maintenance, the danger for the user of the welding equipment is enormous.
Find examiners
The question is usually where to find suitable auditors. DEKRA offers inspectors and the other insurance companies usually have their own inspectors as well. The manufacturers themselves also have a list of suitable inspectors, who are of course also from your area.
Error messages
If faults occur, a tester should be contacted and the instrument should be switched off and not used before the test. The errors are usually very confusing and, as a layman, it is difficult to tell if the error is serious. In some cases the faults are serious and very dangerous for the user of the welding equipment.