1. Single entry form style interface to add one weld at a time;
2. Spreadsheet style interface to add a number of welds at a time similar to Excel spreadsheets;
3. Importing a CSV file to add a number of welds at a time. CSV or comma separated values files can be created using Microsoft Excel. You can download a template from WeldTrace;
4. Weld maps can create welds automatically. When you markup welds on drawings with the pictorial weld mapping interface, you will get a choice to create welds automatically;
   

1. The welds in the planned stage when viewed in the spreadsheet interfaces (weld log, work pack, test pack, etc) will show the calendar icon for their "Planned" state;
2. Only the pre weld and inspection during welding visual inspection steps can be completed for welds in the planned stage;
3. NDE requests for welds in the planned stage can be raised only if the project configuration is set to "NDE for all welds";
4. You will need to use the "Weld Log" or create a work pack and use the weld log in that pack to allocate WPS and welders to the planned welds;
   

Welds menu bar to add welds

Welds - Menu bar

1. The button to add one weld at a time via the form style interface; 
2. To create more than one weld at a time via the spreadsheet interface;
   
3. Weld Log - to allocate WPS, welders, mark welds as completed and add other data such as material heat numbers;
   
4. To create welds by importing data in a csv or spreadsheet file;

Adding one weld at a time

Add one weld at a time to a project

Click on the first button (+) in the welds list menu bar. Only the following fields will be shown when you create welds:

1. Weld Number

The weld number has to be unique for the drawing number - tag number combination. For example, you may have two welds with the weld number "W1" in drawing "DWG1 rev. 0" which is in tags "T1" & "T2". So, the weld W1 in T1 (tag) - DWG rev. 0 (drawing) will be different from the weld W1 in T2 (tag) - DWG rev. 0 (drawing). 

Number of characters permitted:  Maximum: 50;  Special characters other than “-“ or space or “/” or “\” are not allowed; 

"-R" is a reserved string of letters. You can use "R" and "-" separately in a weld number but not together as "-R" as WeldTrace uses these to denote automatically created repair welds. For example, “1R1” will be allowed, but “1-R1” will not be allowed;

Maximum 36 characters permitted;

Mandatory field;

2. Drawing number and revision

You can only pick a drawing that has been created previously. Mandatory field;

3. Tag number

You can only pick a tag that has been created previously to which the drawing belongs to. All projects will have a tag "T1" automatically created as the reserve tag. Mandatory field;

4. Weld joint type

These will be the options: BW – Butt Weld; FW – Fillet Weld; PW – Plug Weld; SW – Socket Weld; STUD – Stud Weld; RSW – Resistance Spot Weld; OL – Overlay weld; HW – HDPE Fusion Weld; EF – HDPE Electro-Fusion Weld; EW – Extrusion Weld (HDPE). You can only use the abbreviations, like BW, FW and you cannot introduce any other letters here;

5. Weld size

This is a number and it can either be the linear value (as in the pipe circumference) or inch dia, depending on how you may wish to use it. This does not have a unit (mm or inches), but if your project uses metric, we suggest that you enter the value assuming that the field units is mm and for English units, inches.

It is an optional field;

6. Category

The options are Shop, Field & Field fit.

It is an optional field;

7. Fitter ID

All the fitter IDs will be shown (only the fitters who are marked as "Active" will be listed). You cannot use specific fitters in a project, unlike the welders.

It is an optional field;

8. Date planned

This is when the weld joint is scheduled to be welded. It is a mandatory field;

Adding multiple welds at a time

Adding more than one weld at a time

Click on the second button in the welds list menu bar to get to the spreadsheet interface. You can add more than one weld at a time through this interface. Like shown in the previous section, o nly the fields that are applicable for the planning stage will be shown.

These are the additional features in the spreadsheet interface:

1. The "Last Entry" button will be checked as default when you visit this page and only the last weld entered to the project will be listed here. You can check the other two options to view 1000 welds or all the welds;
   
2. When you click on the column heading, the data will be sorted in ascending or descending order and the up or down arrow will be visible;
   
3. You can snap on the blue square that will appear when you select a row with the mouse and drag it down to create more rows. Only the weld number will be increased by one and all the other cells will be copied down;
   
4. The picture in the inset shows the column with a background colour when sorted. When you click elsewhere, the colour will disappear;
   
5. Use the down arrow dropdown button to open the search and filter options. The search and filter will work only for the data that is listed in the page and not for the entire data in the project;
   
6. Use the checkboxes or the condition based filter to filter out the data;
   

Import a csv or spreadsheet file to add welds time

Click on the fourth button in the welds list menu bar to import welds that are in a csv file. The steps are similar to importing drawings - read this KB article to learn more: click here. 

Read the next article: Weld Log