Case Study: Getting the Weld Right the First Time
- Project: Large-scale social housing retrofit, Dublin
- Customer Type: Lead HVAC Engineer, mechanical contracting firm (45 staff)
- Application: Stainless steel pipework welding for heat pump integration
- Welder Used: Fronius iWave 230i AC/DC Multi Voltage
- Services Used: Supplies calibration, test certificates, technical specification support
- Outcome: Full ISO 3834 compliance achieved; zero weld failures on inspection
The Situation
A Dublin-based mechanical contractor was awarded a significant retrofit contract across a portfolio of social housing units — a SEAI-supported project requiring the integration of heat pump systems with existing pipework infrastructure.
The lead HVAC engineer, Sean, was responsible for specifying all welding supplies and ensuring that the stainless steel pipework welds met the ISO 3834 quality requirements written into the contract. The main contractor and the public sector client both required documented evidence of weld quality — calibration certificates, material test certs, and process qualification records — before any weld would be signed off.
Sean's existing welding equipment was a mixed fleet of older machines from various suppliers, none of which had current calibration certificates. He had two problems: the right process capability (TIG welding on stainless steel, positional work), and the right documentation trail.
The cost of getting it wrong: a failed weld inspection mid-project would trigger a full rework requirement, potential liquidated damages on the contract timeline, and reputational damage with a public sector client. The downside was existential for that contract.
What Sean Needed
Sean needed a TIG welding machine with demonstrable arc stability on stainless steel, suitable for positional welding in confined plant room spaces, with a current calibration certificate and full technical documentation to satisfy the site quality manager.
He also needed a supplier who understood what ISO 3834 required — not just someone who could sell him a machine.
The KWS Solution
Sean contacted KWS and described the application in detail. KWS recommended the Fronius iWave 230i AC/DC Multi Voltage — a professional DC TIG inverter rated for stainless steel and carbon steel, with stable arc performance across all positions, and a duty cycle suited to continuous site use.
KWS supplied the 230i with a full calibration certificate issued at point of supply, confirming that the machine's output parameters were within the tolerances required for ISO 3834 compliance. KWS also provided the Fronius product data sheet and material test certificates for the TIG rods specified for the stainless steel grade in use on the project.
The entire documentation package — machine calibration cert, product data sheet, consumable test certs — was provided before the machine reached site.
The Outcome
The site quality manager accepted the documentation package without query on first submission. No additional inspection visits were required for the welding process qualification.
Sean's team completed the pipework phase of the project on schedule. Zero welds failed inspection across the project's full scope.
The contractor has since established a standing arrangement with KWS — annual calibration of their full welding fleet, standing stock account for TIG rods and consumables, and a direct line to KWS's technical team for specification support on new project tenders.
What Sean Said
"The documentation was the thing that could have stopped us. KWS had everything ready before the machine left their depot — the calibration cert, the data sheet, the consumable certs. The quality manager signed it off on day one. That's what we needed."
What This Means for Your Business
If you are tendering for or working on projects that require ISO 3834 compliance, SEAI grant conditions, public works contract quality requirements, or third-party weld inspection: KWS can provide the supplies, the calibration, and the documentation in a single transaction.
Call us before you tender. Not after you have won the job.
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