In this guide 6 sections
A weld and coating record ties each fabricated job to the welder, the procedure used, the consumable batch, the inspection result and the paint or coating batch. Fill it as work happens, not afterwards, and file it under the job number so it can be produced the day a customer asks.
What a traceable job record holds
Customers and inspectors ask the same questions in different words. Who welded this joint? Under which procedure? With which wire or rod? Was it inspected, and what did the inspector find? What went over it afterwards?
If those answers live in five places, they are rebuilt from memory under pressure. A single sheet per job, opened at release and closed at dispatch, holds them together.
The sheet does not replace the mill certificates or the procedure documents. It points to them by number.
- Job number, drawing number and revision
- Welder name or stamp for each joint group
- Welding procedure specification reference
- Consumable type, size and batch number
- Inspection method and result
- Coating system and paint batch
Welder and procedure, joint by joint
List joints in groups that share a procedure, such as fillet welds on the base frame or butt welds on the pressure leg. Against each group, write the welder’s ID and the procedure reference.
Check that the welder’s qualification covers that procedure and that it is still valid on the day. A lapsed qualification is the sort of finding that turns a routine audit into a rework order.
If two welders worked one group, record both. A shared line with a single name is a gap.
Consumables and inspection
Wire spools, electrodes and flux have batch numbers on the packet. Copy the batch number to the record when the welder draws the consumable from stores. The packet is gone by job end. Copy it at issue.
Stainless work adds a rule of its own. Record the filler grade and whether a dedicated brush and grinding disc were used, since cross contamination causes rust spots that only show later.
For inspection, note the method, the inspector, the date and the result. Visual, dye penetrant, magnetic particle and ultrasonic checks each get their own line. Attach the report number, not a summary.
- Consumable batch drawn from stores, with date
- Filler grade matched to the procedure
- Visual check before any coating
- Penetrant, magnetic or ultrasonic report number
- Repair welds marked and re-inspected
Coating, paint and final release
Record the surface preparation, such as blasting or pickling, then each coat: product name, batch number, applicator and date. For galvanised or powder coated work, add the supplier’s lot reference and the returned quantity.
Dry film thickness readings belong here too. Write the instrument ID with the readings so a later query about calibration has an answer.
Close the sheet with a release line. Someone signs that every joint group has a result and every coat has a batch. An open line blocks dispatch.
Filing so it can be found
Name each record by job number and keep it in one place, scanned or digital. Index it by customer and drawing revision as well, so a search by either works.
Run a trial this month. Pick a job from last quarter, and try to assemble its record in ten minutes. Whatever you cannot find becomes the next field on your sheet.
Job weld and coating sheet
A two page template. Page one has the job header and a table of joint groups with welder ID, procedure reference, consumable batch, inspection method, report number and result. Page two covers surface preparation, each coat with product and batch, dry film readings with instrument ID, and a release signature block.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Do we need this on every job?
Use the full sheet where the customer or the work type demands traceability. For general work, a shorter version with welder, consumable batch and coating batch is still worth keeping.
Who fills in the sheet?
The welder or supervisor fills welder and consumable lines as work happens. The inspector fills results, and the coating lead fills the paint section. The quality coordinator closes it.
How long should these records be kept?
The answer sits in the contract and the rules for the product. Check the customer’s purchase terms and your certifying body’s requirements, then set one retention period.
Can software replace the paper sheet?
Yes, if it captures batch numbers at the point of issue and locks the release line until every result is entered. The fields stay the same.