Key takeaways
- A welding coordinator is the person responsible for all welding-related activities on a project or in a workshop.
- ISO 14731 defines the tasks, responsibilities and three knowledge levels: comprehensive, specific and basic.
- ISO 3834 and EN 1090 require welding coordination, and the level needed depends on the complexity and risk of the work.
- An external welding coordinator (IWE/EWE) is often the fastest way to meet these requirements without hiring full time.
If you fabricate to ISO 3834 or EN 1090, your certification body will ask one question early: who is your welding coordinator? The role is often misunderstood as a job title or a signature on documents. In reality the welding coordinator is responsible for making sure that every weld is planned, made and checked correctly, from contract review to final documentation. This article explains what a welding coordinator does under ISO 14731, which qualifications the role needs, and when it makes sense to use an external coordinator.
What does a welding coordinator do?
ISO 14731 lists the tasks of welding coordination across the whole life of a job. In practice they fall into four groups:
- Before production: reviewing the contract and design requirements for welding, selecting materials and consumables, preparing or approving WPSs and making sure they are qualified, planning qualification tests and choosing subcontractors.
- Resources: checking that welders and operators are qualified for the work, and that welding and inspection equipment is suitable, maintained and calibrated.
- During production: issuing work instructions, controlling preheat and heat input, supervising the welding sequence, and making sure the correct WPS is used at every workstation.
- After welding: organising inspection and NDT, handling non-conformities and corrective actions, and compiling the documentation and traceability records.
The coordinator does not have to do every task personally, but must be clearly responsible for them. Tasks and responsibilities are written into a job description, which auditors check against the organisation’s quality system.
ISO 14731 knowledge levels
ISO 14731 recognises three levels of technical knowledge. The organisation decides which level is needed based on the materials, thicknesses, processes and risk involved. The international IIW diplomas are the usual evidence:
| Knowledge level | Typical qualification | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive | International / European Welding Engineer (IWE/EWE) | Pressure equipment, offshore, EXC3–EXC4 steel structures, high-strength and alloyed materials |
| Specific | International Welding Technologist (IWT) | Standard structural steel and general fabrication |
| Basic | International Welding Specialist (IWS) | Simple, low-risk welded products |
The IIW qualification scheme is described on the International Institute of Welding website.
When is a welding coordinator required?
- ISO 3834 (quality requirements for fusion welding) requires the manufacturer to have welding coordination personnel with defined tasks and authority.
- EN 1090-2 (steel structures) requires a welding coordinator whose knowledge matches the execution class of the structure.
- Pressure equipment, offshore and nuclear projects set their own requirements, usually at comprehensive level.
- Client specifications often name the coordinator as the contact for WPS approval, NDT and non-conformities.
Internal or external welding coordinator?
Many workshops and contractors do not have enough welding work to employ a full-time IWE. An external welding coordinator can be appointed under ISO 14731 as long as the tasks, responsibilities and availability are defined in writing. This works well for:
- obtaining or maintaining ISO 3834 or EN 1090 certification;
- a project that needs a higher knowledge level than the company has in-house;
- peaks in workload or a remote site where the coordinator must be present.
Practical tip: make sure the coordinator’s authority is real. A coordinator who cannot stop production when a WPS is not followed will not pass a serious audit.
How WeldInPro supports welding coordination
Our IWE/EWE-certified engineers act as welding coordinators on site or as external coordinators for your quality system: WPS and WPQR, production planning, work instructions, consumable control, inspection and final documentation. See our welding process coordination and personnel leasing services.
Tell us the standard, the execution class or the project scope, and the location.
Frequently asked questions
Is the welding coordinator the same as the welding inspector?
No. The coordinator is responsible for planning and controlling all welding activities. The welding inspector checks that the work meets the requirements. On small jobs one person may do both, but the roles are different.
Can a company have more than one welding coordinator?
Yes. Large organisations often have a responsible welding coordinator with deputies, each with written tasks and responsibilities.
Does the welding coordinator need an IWE diploma?
Not always. ISO 14731 requires knowledge appropriate to the tasks. For comprehensive-level work, an IWE/EWE diploma is the usual evidence of that knowledge.
