Joint assemblers are the people who make up flanged joints. WeldTrace keeps them in the personnel register with their Bolted Joint Assembly qualifications (ASME PCC-1-2022 Appendix A) and the expiry date of each one. When a flanged joint is recorded as assembled, WeldTrace checks that the assembler holds a qualification that is in date and available for use, and keeps the certificate number that was in force on the day with the joint record. An assembler whose qualification has expired, or who is marked inactive, cannot be recorded as making up a joint.

A joint assembler is often also a fitter. The two registers can be linked, so the person's picture and details are kept once, and a fitter added later under the same ID is linked automatically.

The Joint Assemblers menu is part of the flanged joints feature. To add or change assemblers you need the Fitters privilege; without it the register is read-only.

Step 1 - Open the Joint Assemblers register

Open "Personnel" in the main menu and click "Joint Assemblers".

1. Hover over the information icon for a short description of the register;
   
2. Click "New assembler" to add a person (see Step 2);
   
3. Type part of an ID, a name or a company to filter the list;
   
4. Click an Assembler ID to open the record (see Step 4);
   
5. The Info column shows whether the assembler is active. Only an active assembler can be recorded as making up a joint;
   
6. The traffic lights count the assembler's qualifications: green for current, amber for those expiring within 30 days and red for expired. Hover over a count to see its meaning.
   

Step 2 - Add a joint assembler who is already a fitter

Click "New assembler". The form starts with one question.

1. Choose "Yes, a fitter" if the person is already in the fitters register, or "No, a new person" to type the details yourself;
   
2. For a fitter, pick the person from the list. The Assembler ID, name, company, email, comments and picture are filled in from the fitter's record, and the two records are linked.

The link works the other way round too. If you add the joint assembler first and later add a fitter with the same ID, WeldTrace fills the fitter form from the assembler's record and links the two when you save.

Step 3 - Fill in the assembler's details

The details are shown once you have answered the question. Everything can be changed before you save.

1. Click the pencil on the picture to upload and crop a photograph, select an avatar or have one assigned. The picture is shared with the linked fitter;
   
2. The Assembler ID must be unique in your account. For a fitter it is the fitter ID, which you can change;
   
3. The assembler's name;
   
4. The company, or the contractor, the person works for;
   
5. The email address;
   
6. Active is on by default. Switch it off for a person who has left, and they can no longer be recorded on a joint;
   
7. Comments;
   
8. You may record the first qualification here (see Step 5 for the fields). It is saved with the assembler;
   
9. Click "Save". The record opens (see Step 4).

Step 4 - The joint assembler's record

The record is laid out like a welder's detail page.

1. The picture, with a green dot for an active assembler and an amber dot for an inactive one;
   
2. The name, and the assembler's standing today: "Qualified", "Expires soon" with the date the current qualification runs to, "Expired", or "Not available";
   
3. The Assembler ID, company, linked fitter, email and comments. Click the fitter to open the fitter's record;
   
4. "Projects" counts the projects in which this assembler has made up joints;
   
5. The traffic lights count the qualifications that are current, expiring within 30 days and expired;
   
6. Click the clock to see the history of the record (see Step 9);
   
7. Click "+" to add a qualification (see Step 5);
   
8. Click the pencil to edit the assembler (see Step 7). The "<" button returns to the register.

Step 5 - Add a qualification

Click "+" on the record. The "Add qualification" panel opens under the qualifications table.

1. The certificate number. It must be given;
   
2. The organisation that issued the certificate, for example the training provider;
   
3. The level, for example "Qualified Bolting Specialist";
   
4. The scope of the qualification, for example "Torque and tension";
   
5. The date of qualification. It must be given;
   
6. The expiry date. Leave it blank for a qualification that does not expire;
   
7. Availability. "Available for use" lets the qualification count towards the assembler's standing. Switch it to "Not available" to keep the qualification on record without it counting, for example while it is being requalified;
   
8. Click "Attach" to upload the certificate as a PDF or an image, up to 25 MB;
   
9. Click "Add qualification". The standing and the traffic lights update straight away.

Step 6 - Qualifications on record

Every qualification the assembler holds is listed with its certificate number, issuer, level and scope, and its dates.

1. The Info column shows whether the qualification is available for use (a tick) or not (a cross), followed by a warning triangle when it expires within 30 days or a red calendar when it has expired. The paperclip opens the certificate file. The count shows how many joint assemblies have been recorded with this certificate;
   
2. Click the pencil to edit the qualification. The fields are the same as in Step 5. Once a joint assembly has been recorded with the certificate, its number cannot be changed, because the joint record keeps it;
   
3. Click the bin to delete the qualification. A qualification that has been recorded on a joint assembly cannot be deleted, and the button is greyed out, in the same way as a welder's WPQ that has been used in a project.

Step 7 - Edit the assembler

Click the pencil on the record to edit the details.

1. Click the pencil on the picture to upload and crop a photograph, select an avatar or have one assigned. If the assembler is linked to a fitter, the fitter's record shows the new picture too;
   
2. The Assembler ID is a primary field and is locked. Click the pencil next to it to change it (see Step 8);
   
3. The name, company, email and comments;
   
4. The fitter who is the same person, if any. Select "None" to remove the link;
   
5. Switch "Active" off for a person who has left. An inactive assembler cannot be recorded as making up a joint, but the joints already recorded keep their details;
   
6. Click "Save".

Step 8 - Change the Assembler ID

The Assembler ID is a primary field. As with a welder's unique ID, it is changed on its own and every change is recorded.

1. After you click the pencil, type the new ID. The other fields are locked until you finish;
   
2. Click the cross to keep the old ID;
   
3. Click the tick to apply the new ID. If the ID is already used by another assembler, WeldTrace tells you and keeps the old one. Each change is listed in the "Primary Field Change History" report under the Reports menu, with the old and new IDs, who changed it and when.

Step 9 - History

Click the clock on the record to see everything that has happened to it, newest first.

1. The action: the assembler created or edited, the Assembler ID changed, the picture changed, a fitter linked, or a qualification added, edited or deleted;
   
2. Who made the change and when;
   
3. The changes, with the old and new values of the fields that changed.