American Welding Society
A professional nonprofit organization that develops welding standards, certifies personnel and facilities, publishes technical information, and promotes education in welding and allied joining technologies.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The American Welding Society (AWS) is a United States-based professional nonprofit organization focused on the advancement of welding and related joining, cutting, brazing, soldering, and thermal-spraying technologies. Its work combines technical standards development, professional certification, education, publications, industry networking, and support for research and workforce development. Although its name identifies it as an American organization, AWS operates through an international membership and chapter network and serves professionals, employers, educators, students, manufacturers, fabricators, inspectors, engineers, and other participants in the joining and fabrication industries. AWS emerged from the industrial pressures of the First World War. The rapid production of ships, military equipment, and other industrial goods increased the importance of welding while also exposing the need for consistent practices and reliable technical information. Comfort A. Adams, a Harvard professor who had chaired the Welding Committee of the Emergency Fleet Corporation, helped bring together that committee and the National Welding Council. The resulting organization was established on March 28, 1919, with Adams as its first president. Its initial purpose was to provide an objective institutional framework for disseminating knowledge about a developing technology and for encouraging its practical use. During its first year, AWS grew to 217 members, launched an early technical periodical, and began building the committee structure that would later support its standards and operating procedures. A Philadelphia section was established in 1920, followed by additional local sections and the Society's first annual meeting in 1922. The organization has since developed a broad network of local sections, student chapters, districts, committees, and volunteer leaders. These groups support technical meetings, professional development, educational programs, plant visits, community activities, and networking. Standards are central to the AWS mission. The Society publishes codes and specifications covering welding processes, materials, inspection, qualification, fabrication, safety, and related technologies. AWS D1.1, the structural welding code for steel, is among its best-known publications and has been adopted as an American National Standard. Other standards address visual examination, welder and welding-procedure qualification, aerospace and pipeline work, aluminum, railroad applications, thermal spraying, and numerous specialized areas. These documents are used by engineers, contractors, inspectors, fabricators, regulators, and procurement organizations to establish consistent requirements for design, production, testing, and quality assurance. AWS also administers certification programs for individuals and organizations. Its credentials include Certified Welding Inspector, Senior Certified Welding Inspector, Certified Welder, Certified Welding Educator, Certified Welding Engineer, Certified Welding Supervisor, Certified Welding Sales Representative, Certified Radiographic Interpreter, and Certified Robotic Arc Welding. The Certified Welding Inspector program, introduced in 1976, became one of the Society's most prominent professional credentials. AWS additionally accredits testing facilities that qualify welders and offers endorsements in areas such as structural steel, structural aluminum, railroad, aerospace, pipelines, drawing interpretation, bolting inspection, pressure piping, and pressure vessels. Companies may pursue AWS Certified Welding Fabricator recognition to demonstrate that they have appropriate personnel, procedures, resources, and quality-management practices. Publishing has remained another major activity. The organization's early Journal of the American Welding Society appeared in 1919 for one issue. Financial pressures temporarily interrupted the publication, but advertising revenue helped support its revival in 1922 under the name Welding Journal. The magazine has continued as a technical and trade publication covering process development, inspection, repair, fabrication, safety, training, equipment, materials, and industry events. AWS has also produced Spanish- and Portuguese-language editions for professionals in Latin America and Brazil. AWS maintains a foundation supporting welding education and research, including scholarships and workforce-development initiatives. Its overall positioning is that of a standards-setting, credentialing, and knowledge institution rather than a commercial welding-equipment manufacturer. The Society's influence comes from the technical authority of its codes, the recognition of its certifications, its professional community, and its role in connecting industry, education, and fabrication practice. It remains an active organization headquartered in Doral, Florida, with a volunteer governance structure and an international reach.
History
The American Welding Society was created in 1919 in response to the growing industrial importance of welding during and immediately after the First World War. Wartime manufacturing required faster production of ships, vehicles, weapons, and other metal goods, and the increased use of welding created demand for dependable technical guidance and more consistent manufacturing practices. Comfort A. Adams, who had chaired the Welding Committee of the Emergency Fleet Corporation, helped organize the merger of that committee with the National Welding Council. The American Welding Society was formally established on March 28, 1919, with Adams serving as its first president. The Society began by promoting the collection, communication, and practical application of welding knowledge. It attracted 217 members during its first year, established an early publication, and created the committee-based operating model that would later support its technical codes and specifications. In 1920, AWS organized its first local section in Philadelphia. Its first annual meeting followed in 1922, by which time sections had also formed in several other cities. The organization faced financial pressure in its early years, including the broader economic difficulties of the period. Membership growth and advertising in its technical journal became important methods of supporting operations. AWS's publication history reflects this development. The Journal of the American Welding Society appeared in October 1919 but lasted only one issue under that name. Publication resumed in 1922 as the Welding Journal after advertising revenue made regular publication more practical. The journal became a continuing source of technical articles, product information, inspection guidance, safety material, fabrication coverage, and reports on developments in welding, brazing, soldering, and related processes. In later years AWS added Spanish- and Portuguese-language publications for professionals in Latin American markets. Over time, the Society evolved from a knowledge-sharing organization into a broad professional infrastructure for the welding industry. Its committees developed codes and specifications for structural, pipeline, aerospace, railroad, aluminum, inspection, qualification, thermal-spray, and other applications. AWS D1.1 became a particularly influential structural-steel welding code and was adopted as an American National Standard. These publications allow engineers, owners, contractors, fabricators, inspectors, and regulators to use common technical requirements when designing, producing, testing, and accepting welded work. Professional qualification became another major part of the Society's role. AWS introduced the Certified Welding Inspector program in 1976 and later expanded into credentials for certified welders, educators, engineers, supervisors, sales representatives, radiographic interpreters, and robotic arc-welding specialists. The Society also established Accredited Testing Facilities to provide controlled environments for welder qualification. Additional endorsements allow inspectors and other professionals to demonstrate knowledge of particular codes and applications. AWS created a company-level Certified Welding Fabricator program to recognize organizations with suitable quality systems, procedures, resources, and personnel. The organization's physical headquarters changed several times. AWS initially operated from the Engineering Societies Building in New York City and remained there for 42 years. It later moved to the United Engineering Center, also in New York. In 1971, the headquarters moved to the Miami area. In August 2012, AWS relocated from its longtime facility near Coral Gables to a larger renovated building in Doral, Florida. The new site was intended to support board work, committee activity, meetings, and education. AWS also established a foundation in 1989 to support research and education in welding and related technologies. Through its foundation, certification system, standards committees, publications, chapters, student programs, and professional events, the Society connects technical knowledge with workforce development and industrial practice. It remains governed through volunteer officers and directors and operates as an active professional nonprofit organization with members and chapters in the United States and abroad.
- 2012
Doral headquarters opened
[1]AWS moved into a larger renovated headquarters in Doral, Florida, expanding space for administrative, committee, meeting, and educational activities.
- 1989
AWS Foundation established
[1]The AWS Foundation was created to support research and education in welding and related technologies.
- 1976
Certified Welding Inspector program introduced
[1]AWS launched its Certified Welding Inspector credential, which became one of its best-known professional certification programs.
- 1971
Headquarters moved to Florida
[1]AWS moved its headquarters from New York to the Miami, Florida area.
- 1922
Welding Journal publication revived
[1]The Society restarted its technical publication under the Welding Journal name, supported in part by advertising revenue.
- 1920
First local section established
[1]AWS organized its first local section in Philadelphia, beginning the chapter network that became a core part of its membership structure.
- 1919
American Welding Society founded
[1]Comfort A. Adams brought together the Welding Committee of the Emergency Fleet Corporation and the National Welding Council to establish AWS on March 28, 1919.
- 1919
First AWS journal launched
[1]The Society introduced the Journal of the American Welding Society, an early predecessor of the later Welding Journal.
Products and positioning
A standards-setting, certification, education, and professional-networking authority for welding and allied joining technologies.
Technical standard
AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code—Steel
A widely used AWS code covering general requirements for structural welding of steel. It provides technical provisions used by engineers, contractors, fabricators, inspectors, and other parties involved in structural construction. D1.1 is an influential reference in the United States and has been adopted as an American National Standard.
Professional certification · 1976
Certified Welding Inspector
AWS's principal inspection credential evaluates knowledge and practical competence in welding inspection, applicable codes, quality control, and related responsibilities. The program was introduced in 1976 and is supported by examination and recertification requirements.
Professional certification
Certified Welder
A qualification program in which welders demonstrate their ability through testing conducted under AWS requirements. Qualification records are submitted to AWS, and continuing certification requires maintenance documentation at prescribed intervals.
Facility accreditation
AWS Accredited Testing Facilities
An accreditation program for laboratories, manufacturers, schools, and other qualified facilities that test and qualify welders. Accredited facilities must maintain appropriate equipment, personnel, and quality procedures, including access to qualified welding-inspection expertise.
Technical publication · 1922
Welding Journal
AWS's continuing technical and industry publication covering welding processes, materials joining, inspection, fabrication, repair, safety, training, equipment, research, and industry events. It traces its origins to the Society's first journal issued in 1919 and was relaunched under its current name in 1922.
Organization certification
AWS Certified Welding Fabricator
A company-level certification recognizing welding fabricators that demonstrate suitable resources, procedures, personnel, and quality-management practices for welding fabrication activities.
Recent events
- 2012
American Welding Society relocates headquarters to Doral, Florida[1]
Other
AWS moved from its longtime South Florida headquarters near Coral Gables to a renovated five-story building in Doral, providing substantially more office, meeting, committee, and educational space.
AWS expands its certification and facility-accreditation programs[3]
Other
The Society operates certification programs for inspectors, welders, educators, engineers, supervisors, sales representatives, radiographic interpreters, and robotic arc-welding professionals, while its Accredited Testing Facilities program supports controlled welder qualification.
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