Welder - Exam Information

Self-Assessment
Exam Breakdown
Types of Exam Questions
Math Formulas
Acronyms

Self-Assessment

This tool can be used to reflect on your own experience and knowledge in the trade compared with what is on the exam.

Exam Breakdown

Each Red Seal exam's questions are developed to assess the activities laid out in the Red Seal Occupational Standard. This trade's Red Seal exam has 125 questions^{Footnote *}, which are distributed as follows:

Major Work Activity A – Performs Common Occupational Skills - 20 questions

Task 1 - Maintains tools and equipment

4 questions

Task 2 - Uses access and material handling equipment

3 questions

Task 3 - Performs safety-related activities

4 questions

Task 4 - Organizes work

3 questions

Task 5 - Performs routine trade activities

6 questions

Task 6 - Uses communications and mentoring techniques

0 questions

Major Work Activity B – Performs Layout and Fabrication of Components for Welding - 28 questions

Task 7 - Performs layout

12 questions

Task 8 - Fabricates components

16 questions

Major Work Activity C – Performs Cutting and Gouging - 23 questions

Task 9 - Uses tools and equipment for non-thermal cutting and grinding

6 questions

Task 10 - Uses oxy-fuel gas cutting (OFC) process for cutting and gouging

7 questions

Task 11 - Uses plasma arc cutting (PAC) process for cutting and gouging

6 questions

Task 12 - Uses air carbon arc cutting (CAC-A) process for cutting and gouging

4 questions

Major Work Activity D – Welding Processes - 54 questions

Task 13 - Welds using shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process

18 questions

Task 14 - Welds using flux cored arc welding (FCAW), metal cored arc welding (MCAW) and gas metal arc welding (GMAW) processes

18 questions

Task 15 - Welds using gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process

13 questions

Task 16 - Welds using submerged arc welding (SAW) process

5 questions

Types of Exam Questions

All Red Seal exam questions are written in multiple-choice format. A multiple-choice question consists of question followed by four possible responses (A, B, C, D). Every question has exactly one correct answer and three incorrect options. They are not misleading or trick questions, but the incorrect options are not always obvious.

There are three types of questions that you will see on Red Seal Exams:

Knowledge and Recall
Procedural and Application
Critical Thinking

Knowledge and Recall

This type of question tests your ability to recall and understand definitions, facts and principles.

For this trade, between 40 and 50% of questions that are this type.

Example of a Knowledge and Recall Question:

What is used to check the interpass temperature of a welded joint?

Visual test.
Spark test.
Temperature stick.
Color of the metal.

Answer: C

Procedural and Application

This type of question tests your ability to apply your knowledge of procedures to a situation.

For this trade, between 35 and 45% of questions are this type.

Example of a Procedural and Application Question:

What is done to prepare a threaded area before build-up?

Weld over thread having a depth of 1/8 in. only.
Remove the worn threads by gouging.
Weld using GTAW process.
Remove the worn threads by machining or grinding.

Answer: D

Critical Thinking

This type of question tests your ability to interpret data, solve problems and arrive at valid conclusions.

For this trade, between 10 and 20% of questions are this type.

Example of a Critical Thinking Question:

What is the angle of cut required to make a template for a 3-piece 90° elbow?

11.25°
15°
22.5°
30°

Answer: C

Try more sample questions for this trade and check out the Exam Preparation Guide. It will give you practical insights on what goes into Red Seal exams, and how you can best prepare yourself to do well.

Math Formulas

Formulas [PDF, 64 KB]

The following formulas used in this trade may be needed to answer some questions on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.

Constants

$π = 3.1416$

Formulas

Formulas
Description	Full	Abbreviated
Area of a circle	$π \times radius squared$	$π r^{2}$
Area of a triangle	$\frac{height \times base}{2}$	$\frac{h \times b}{2}$
Circumference of a circle	$2 \times π \times radius$	$2 π r$
Length of an arc	$θ ° \times (π / 180) \times radius$	$θ ° \times (π / 180) \times r$
Volume of cylinder	$π \times radius squared \times height$	$π r^{2} h$

Acronyms

Acronyms [PDF, 90 KB]

The following acronyms used in this trade may be on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.

A: ampere
AC: alternating current
ACEN: alternating current electrode negative
ACEP: alternating current electrode positive
ACHF: alternating current high frequency
ACLF: alternating current low frequency
Ar: argon
ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
AWS: American Welding Society
CAC-A: air carbon arc cutting
CC: constant current
CCHF: constant current high frequency
cfh: cubic feet per hour
cm²: square centimetre
CO₂: carbon dioxide
CP: constant potential
CSA: Canadian Standards Association
CV: constant voltage
CVEN: constant voltage electrode negative
CVEP: constant voltage electrode positive
CVHF: constant voltage high frequency
CWB: Canadian Welding Bureau
dB: decibel
DC: direct current
DCEN: direct current electrode negative
DCEP: direct current electrode positive
DCRP: direct current reverse polarity
DCSP: direct current straight polarity
FCAW: flux-cored arc welding
ft.: foot
GTSM: gouging to sound metal
GMAW: gas metal arc welding
GTAW: gas tungsten arc welding
HAZ: heat affected zone
He: helium
HF: high frequency
ID: inside diameter
in.: inch
in²: square inch
in³: cubic inch
in./min: inches per minute
ITP: inspection and test plan
kg: kilogram
lb.: pound
lb./in³: pounds per cubic inch
LPI: liquid penetrant inspection
m: metre
MCAW: metal-cored arc welding
mm: millimetre
MS: mild steel
MTR: mill test report
NDT: non-destructive testing
O₂: oxygen
OD: outside diameter
OFC: oxy-fuel gas cutting
PAC: plasma arc cutting
PAG: plasma arc gouging
PPE: personal protective equipment
PQR: procedure qualification record
psi: pounds per square inch
rpm: revolutions per minute
SAW: submerged arc welding
SDS: safety data sheet
SMAW: shielded metal arc welding
SS: stainless steel
UV: ultraviolet
WPDS: welding procedure data sheet
WPS: welding procedure specifications

For more information about exam preparation materials contact your provincial/territorial apprenticeship office.

Welder - Exam Information

Table of Contents

Knowledge and Recall

Procedural and Application

Critical Thinking

Constants

Formulas