When to require an AISC Certified Fabricator and/or Erector?

[abusementpark]

I am curious what others practices are regarding requiring AISC certification for your projects.

Are there certain situations that would warrant requiring AISC certification? Are allowed to require this on public jobs in most jurisdictions?

 

[kylesito]

I see this debate creeping up a lot...

Contractors hate it but I have learned though that without it, I end up spending more of my own time/money walking a sub par fabricator or erector through their submittals and field practices. I (and my company) have gotten into a habit of requiring this everywhere we can for both fabricator and erector. It's one more level of reassurance we have.

That being said, I have waived this for either when I feel the scope of the project warrants it (judgement call) or I feel the contractor/fabricator have enough of a reputation I know I am not going to have a problem.

We almost always get pushback from the contractor about the cost but it's the best opportunity we have to ensure some level of quality stated from the start.

PE, SE
Eastern United States

"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi

 

[JedClampett]

See thread507-328931 for a recent rehashing of this subject. My opinion is that it's nice to get them when you can, but it's kind of a restriction of competition for a lot of smaller projects. The AISC certified shops are mostly bigger operations and they're not interested in smaller projects.

 

[connectegr]

In this economy fabricators and erectors are participating in bids for which they have little experience.

IMHO requiring AISC Cert is a good starting point for all projects. You may choose to wave the requirement depending on other qualifications.

http://www.FerrellEngineering.com

Providing fabrication and erection efficient structural design of connections. Consulting services for structural welding and bolting.

 

[gtaw]

AISC certification is good on paper. It lets the Owner know that the fabricator has an inkling of what is required to have a good quality program, but that is no assurance the quality program is implemented.

Like many certification programs there is little if any feed back to the certifying agency when the fabricator doesn't actual comply with their approved quality program.

The bottom line is the quality you get is the quality you are willing to pay for. A competent system of verification inspection, paid by Owner, is the only way to ensure the quality system approved by certifying agency is actually implemented.

I have had excellent results on projects where a certified fabricator was used and verification inspection was instituted. I have also had terrible results when the certificated fabricator did not have to deal with verification inspections in the shop. Again, you get what you are willing to pay for and when you are willing to enforce the requirements of the contract.



Best regards - Al