This CWI cheat sheet compresses the AWS Certified Welding Inspector Part A Body of Knowledge into a printable quick-reference of the facts examiners lean on most. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Reinforce it with the rest of your free CWI toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
CWI exam at a glance
- Exam parts: Three: Part A Fundamentals (150 Qs, closed book), Part B Practical (~46 Qs), Part C Code Book (50-65 Qs, open book)
- Passing score: 72% on each part, scored separately
- Certifying body: American Welding Society (AWS); Parts A & C by computer at Prometric, Part B in person
- Cost: Approximately $1,255 (member) / $1,520 (non-member) — verify at AWS.org
- Validity: 9 years, with renewals at years 3 and 6
What’s on the CWI cheat sheet
- Discontinuities & NDE (~26%) — the discontinuity-vs-defect rule, common weld flaws, and matching the five NDE methods (VT, PT, MT, RT, UT) to flaw and material — the largest Part A area.
- Welding Processes & Cutting (~17%) — the five arc processes (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SAW) sorted by shielding, plus oxy-fuel and plasma-arc cutting.
- Metallurgy & Heat Control (~15%) — the heat-affected zone, hot vs. cold cracking, preheat and PWHT, and the heat-input relationship.
- Inspection, QA & Documentation (~15%) — WPS, PQR, and WPQ, essential variables, and the inspector's before/during/after duties and ethics.
- Terminology & Weld Symbols (~27%) — core AWS A3.0 vocabulary plus AWS A2.4 symbols — the arrow-side/other-side rule and where size, length, and pitch attach.
How to use it in your final week
- Front-load Discontinuities & NDE — it is roughly a quarter of Part A. Drill the discontinuity-vs-defect rule and the five NDE methods (VT, PT, MT, RT, UT) until you can match each method to the flaw and material on sight.
- Cement the one symbol rule that unlocks most drawing questions: below the reference line = arrow side, above = other side, with size to the left and length/pitch to the right.
- Rehearse the qualification documents cold — PQR backs the WPS (procedure), WPQ qualifies the welder (person) — and the 72%-per-part scoring so you pace all three parts, not just fundamentals.
- Read the sheet the morning of Part A or Part C, then take a short timed practice set to keep your recall and pacing sharp before you sit the real exam.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your CWI practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
CWI cheat sheet FAQ
Yes — the CWI cheat sheet downloads as a PDF with no sign-up and no payment. It sits alongside Career Employer's free CWI practice test, study guide, and flashcards, so you can review the condensed facts and then test yourself in one place.
It compresses the Part A Fundamentals Body of Knowledge into a fast reference: welding processes, metallurgy and heat control, weld symbols, discontinuities and the five NDE methods, inspection and QA documents, and terminology. It also cues you on the Part B practical and Part C code-book format so all three exam parts stay on your radar.
Use it as a memory layer, not a full course. The sheet locks in the Part A recall you need and reminds you of the Part B and Part C formats, but Part B still demands hands-on measurement on a replica weldment and Part C demands live navigation of your chosen code book. Pair the sheet with real reps in each format.
You must earn at least 72% on each part separately — Part A, Part B, and Part C. A strong score on one part cannot rescue a failing score on another, so the cheat sheet keeps every part's essentials in front of you rather than letting you over-focus on fundamentals alone.
Click the download button or the preview card at the top of this page and the PDF opens instantly. Bookmark the page so you can pull the sheet up again the morning of your Part A or Part C exam for a final pass over the high-yield facts.
References
- 1.American Welding Society. “Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) — Certification Program.” AWS.org, 2026. ↑
- 2.American Welding Society. “Examination User Guide for Certified Welding Inspector.” AWS.org, 2026. ↑
- 3.American Welding Society. “AWS A3.0 — Standard Welding Terms and Definitions.” pubs.aws.org, 2026. ↑
- 4.American Welding Society. “AWS A2.4 — Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination.” pubs.aws.org, 2026. ↑
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