National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau

Top Stories

Is Your Company Addressing the Safety Concerns Raised by a Nationwide Acetylene Shortage? - The March 21 explosion at the plant that produced about 75 percent of the calcium carbide used in the U.S. has resulted in a major shortage of acetylene. This shortage is likely to continue for several years, so MCAA contractors may want to convert to other fuels. But what are the safety concerns associated with the use of alternative fuels? NCPWB’s Technical Bulletin will helps you to make sense of the various concerns so that you can make an informed decision. More...
Need to Ensure Leak-Free Flanges? - It's as simple as following the practices addressed in ASME standard PCC-1, Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Joint Assembly. The NCPWB Technical Bulletin will help you get started with an overview of the standard's 2010 revision, which roughly doubled its size. Requirements for an industry-standard certification program for bolted joint assemblers are included, as is a troubleshooting guide if a leak should occur.

To engage in research and educational work that will assist the contractors in furnishing safe and dependable installations through the use of qualified Welding Procedure Specifications (WPSs) and qualified welders.
To keep contractors informed of the latest methods, information and data on welding, safety and health.
To establish and qualify uniform Welding Procedure Specifications (WPSs) which conform with the requirements of Section IX, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and which comply with other nationally recognized codes for various methods of welding.
The NCPWB Welding Procedure Specifications are developed and qualified jointly by the members of the NCPWB and can be adopted by other members of the NCPWB under the provisions of the B31 Codes for Pressure Piping.
To create a force of welders uniformly trained and qualified following the uniform WPSs, thereby permitting the interchange of such welders between NCPWB members without unnecessary individual duplication of such qualification tests.
To assist contractors in providing the owner with quality welding at reduced costs through the use of certified welding.
To promote, develop the use of and generally maintain the quality of welding in the piping industry.

Membership Requirements

Be a mechanical contractor who is regularly engaged in the fabrication or erection of piping systems.
Must be signatory to a labor agreement with the United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices of the Plumbing & Pipefitting Industry (United Association or UA for short).
Be a member of a local chapter of the NCPWB where available before joining the national organization.

For more information, contact NCPWB's Executive Director Nick Nikpourfard.