Weld evaluation at W.S. Werkstoff Service: SNB course and seminar

A question we are frequently asked about weld evaluation is: “What exactly is the difference between the SNB course and the SNB seminar?”

The most immediately apparent differences are duration and target audience. The SNB course lasts five days and ends with an examination. At two days, the SNB seminar is significantly shorter and does not include a formal knowledge assessment. The weld evaluation seminar (SemSNB) also contains no practical exercises on welds. Its focus is therefore more technical and theoretical.

This also explains the different target audiences. The SNB course forms part of the qualification pathway for material testing specialists in metals technology and is thus part of practice-oriented qualification and further education. The seminar, by contrast, assumes a certain level of experience and prior knowledge, for example from a degree or completed vocational training in materials engineering. Consequently, the seminar covers welding fundamentals only briefly.

Differences in content

The SNB course devotes considerable time to recording and evaluating characteristic values and applying suitable testing methods in practice. Over one week, theory and practice cover the available welding processes, potential effects on materials and types of damage, the inspection methods available, and their capabilities and limitations. The central aim is to be able to reliably assess welds as “acceptable” or “unacceptable”.

This assessment also plays a role in the SNB seminar. However, greater emphasis is placed on why a weld must be assessed as “unacceptable” and how such imperfections can be avoided in future.

In particular, the seminar examines in detail the material-related causes of weld imperfections, their interactions, ways to prevent them, and opportunities to optimise production and process workflows. Interpreting and applying relevant standards also plays a much greater role in the seminar than in the course.

Conclusion: SNB seminar or course?

For welders, production staff and hands-on technical generalists, we recommend the five-day SNB course, particularly if they have not previously received targeted training in weld evaluation. For designers, engineers, welding coordinators and experienced specialists, the two-day SNB seminar is often the better choice, as it explores the materials engineering background, cause analysis and standards in greater depth.

As with all W.S. Spezial seminars, individual topic requests can be considered and, where appropriate, incorporated into the seminar if participants register early.

Full details of the SNB course are available at the following link: https://www.werkstoff-service.de/en/trainingcenter/kurse-und-seminare-buchen/snb-destructive-and-non-destructive-weld-evaluation/.

Details of the weld evaluation seminar (SemSNB) are available here: https://www.werkstoff-service.de/en/trainingcenter/kurse-und-seminare-buchen/weld-testing-and-evaluation-snb-seminar/.