Understanding welding equipment certification under IEC 60974, ISO 17662, and international standards worldwide.
International Standard
IEC 60974 is the international standard series governing arc welding equipment. Two parts are directly relevant to certification and calibration:
Together these parts ensure welding equipment is both electrically safe and producing accurate output. The standard applies to MIG/MAG, TIG, MMA (stick), flux-cored, and multi-process machines in industrial, construction, and fabrication environments.
Welding equipment certification is governed by a family of international and regional standards.
Calibration Standard
This standard specifies requirements for calibration, verification, and validation of equipment used to control process variables during welding fabrication. It covers not just the welding power source but all ancillary equipment that affects weld quality -- including gas flow meters, temperature measurement devices, and wire feed systems.
| Standard | Title | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Calibration & Verification | ||
| IEC 60974-14:2018 | Calibration, validation and consistency testing | Verifies welding output accuracy (current, voltage, wire feed speed) |
| EN ISO 17662:2016 | Calibration, verification and validation of welding equipment | Broader scope -- covers all equipment controlling process variables |
| EN 50504:2008 | Validation of arc welding equipment | European standard for output validation (largely superseded by IEC 60974-14) |
| Electrical Safety Inspection | ||
| IEC 60974-4:2025 | Periodic inspection and testing | Electrical safety: earth continuity, insulation resistance, OCV limits |
| IEC 60974-1:2021 | Welding power sources | Design safety and performance requirements for new equipment |
| Quality Systems | ||
| ISO 3834:2021 | Quality requirements for fusion welding | Quality management -- requires equipment calibration per ISO 17662 |
| ISO/IEC 17025:2017 | Testing and calibration laboratory competence | Requirements for calibration laboratories providing traceable measurements |
| US Structural & Welding Codes | ||
| AWS D1.1 | Structural Welding Code -- Steel | Requires welding equipment calibration and verification as part of fabrication quality control |
| AWS D1.2 | Structural Welding Code -- Aluminum | Same calibration requirements applied to aluminum structural welding |
| AISC 360 | Specification for Structural Steel Buildings | References AWS D1.1 for welding -- requires calibrated equipment for quality assurance |
| ASME Section IX | Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Qualifications | Pressure vessel and piping welding qualification -- requires verified equipment parameters |
| Welding Procedures (Define What Must Be Calibrated) | ||
| ISO 15607:2019 | General rules for welding procedure specification | Framework defining process variables that equipment must accurately deliver |
| ISO 15609 series | Welding procedure specification | Defines current, voltage, travel speed, gas flow variables requiring calibration |
| Region | Standard Prefix | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Europe (EU/EEA) | EN IEC 60974, EN ISO 17662, EN 50504 | All EU/EEA member states adopt EN standards as national standards. EN 50504 is a European-originated standard now largely superseded by IEC 60974-14. |
| United Kingdom | BS EN IEC 60974, BS EN ISO 17662 | Adopted through BSI. Identical to EN/IEC/ISO standards. |
| Australia / NZ | AS 60974, AS/NZS ISO 17662 | Direct adoption of IEC standards. AS 1674.2 covers electrical safety during welding operations. |
| Canada | CSA C22.2 No. 60974 | Trinational standard with USA and Mexico. CSA W117.2 covers welding safety. |
| United States | ANSI/NEMA/IEC 60974, UL 60974 | Adopted through ANSI/NEMA. UL provides product safety certification and listing. |
| South Africa | SANS 60974 | Adopted through SABS. SAIW oversees standards implementation. |
| Germany | DIN EN IEC 60974, DIN EN ISO 17662 | German national adoption of European/international standards through DIN. |
| Middle East | References IEC/ISO directly | Countries like Saudi Arabia (SASO) and UAE reference IEC 60974 and ISO 17662. Major operators (Aramco, ADNOC) add supplementary requirements. |
| Japan | JIS Z series, WES standards | JIS Z 3400 (equivalent to ISO 3834). JWES publishes additional welding equipment standards. |
Arc Cert is designed to support certification workflows compliant with IEC 60974-4, IEC 60974-14, EN ISO 17662, and their regional equivalents.
Safety First
Welding equipment operates under extreme conditions. Over time, components degrade, connections loosen, and safety systems can fail. Regular certification catches these issues before they become hazards.
Ensures electrical insulation, grounding, and emergency stops function correctly to protect welders.
Verified output accuracy means consistent arc characteristics and reliable weld quality.
Many jurisdictions and job sites require current certification for all welding equipment on premises.
Valid certification protects businesses from liability claims and satisfies insurance requirements.
Here's what happens during a typical IEC 60974-14 certification inspection.
The technician performs a thorough visual examination of the equipment. This includes checking power cables and connections for damage, inspecting the case and housing for cracks or deformation, verifying that all labels and ratings are legible, and ensuring cooling vents and fans are unobstructed.
Critical safety measurements are taken using calibrated reference instruments. This includes earth continuity testing to verify grounding integrity, insulation resistance testing between primary and secondary circuits, and checking that the open-circuit voltage (OCV) is within safe limits defined by the standard.
The technician verifies that the machine's actual output matches its panel settings. Welding current and voltage are measured at multiple set points using calibrated meters and load banks. The readings must fall within the tolerances specified by IEC 60974-14 for the machine to pass.
All machine functions and safety features are tested operationally. This includes verifying wire feed speed accuracy (for MIG/MAG), gas flow and solenoid operation, thermal protection and overload cutout, and proper operation of all switches, controls, and indicators.
Every measurement, observation, and test result is recorded. With Arc Cert, this happens digitally on the technician's mobile device in real time. All readings are captured alongside photos and the technician's digital signature, creating a complete audit trail.
If the equipment passes all tests, a certificate of compliance is issued. Arc Cert generates a professional PDF certificate with a unique QR code for instant online verification. Certificates are typically valid for 12 months and can be emailed directly to the customer.
Key parameters measured during IEC 60974-14 certification.
The voltage present at the output terminals when no welding is taking place. Must not exceed safe limits to prevent electric shock.
The actual output current compared to the machine's panel setting. Must be within tolerance for consistent weld quality.
Verifies the protective earth connection has low resistance, ensuring fault currents can safely trip protective devices.
Measures electrical isolation between primary and secondary circuits to ensure no dangerous current leakage.
For MIG/MAG machines, the actual wire feed rate is measured against the set value to ensure accurate and consistent feeding.
Verifies that overheating protection mechanisms activate correctly to prevent internal damage during sustained use.
Traceability
All measurements during certification must be taken with reference instruments that are themselves calibrated and traceable to national standards. This chain of traceability ensures the accuracy and credibility of every certificate issued.
What happens when equipment passes or fails.
When all tests are within acceptable tolerances, the equipment is certified. A formal certificate is generated containing the machine details, all test results, the reference instruments used, technician identification, and a unique certificate number with QR verification code.
The certificate is typically valid for 12 months. A certification sticker is applied to the equipment showing the certificate number and expiry date for quick visual confirmation on the job site.
If any test falls outside acceptable tolerances, the equipment fails certification. A detailed report is provided identifying exactly which parameters failed and by how much. This gives the equipment owner clear guidance on what needs repair or adjustment.
Failed equipment should be taken out of service until repairs are completed and the machine passes a full re-inspection. Minor issues can sometimes be resolved on-site by a qualified technician, allowing immediate recertification.
Arc Cert digitizes the entire process from field inspection to certificate delivery.