1. 1
INTRODUCTION
TO
FABRICATION EXPERT (FABEX):– A FABRICATION TRACKING, TREACEBILITY
AND WELD MONITORING SYSTEM.

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CONTENTS
ACRONYM LIST………………………………………………………………………… I
1.0. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................
1.1 PURPOSE………………………………………………………………………….
1.2 SCOPE …………………………………………………………………………
1.3 TECHNOLOGIES USED…………………………………………………………
1.4 LICENSE OF FABEX
2.0. SYSTEM REQUIRMENT
3.0. GETTING STARTED
3.1. ADMINISTRATION
4.0 MENU AND FORMS IN FABEX
4.1 FILE
4.2 STRUCTURAL FABRICATION FORMS
4.3. FABEX EDIT PANELS
4.4. NDE REPORT FORM
4.5. FABEX MATERIAL CONTROL FORMS
5.0 SYSTEM GENERATED REPORTS
6.0 CONCLUSION

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ACRONYM LIST
FABEX FABRICATION EXPERT
NDE NON- DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION
NDT NON- DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
DVR DAILY VISUAL REPORT
DWVR DAILY WELDING VISUAL REPORT
WPS WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATION
WPQ WELDING PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION
PQR PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION REPORT
UT ULTRASONIC TESTING
MT MAGNETIC TEST
PT PENETRANT TEST
RT RADIOGRAPHIC TEST
PMI POSITIVE MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION
FN FERRITE TEST

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1.0 INTRODUCTION
 PURPOSE: is an integrated Database application, designed to support the management of all aspects of
Project Inspection. A strong emphasis is placed on Material Acceptance and Traceability, Tracking the
Welding and Non-Destructive Examination of Structural and piping systems as well as the Welders and
Inspectors involved in the Project.
FABEX: Is pre-loaded with Welders and Inspectors qualifications, Drawing Lists, Line Classifications, Weld
Nos. and Material Codes. This “pre-loading” gives FABEX the ability to cross reference fabrication information
and NDE reports with known values and evaluate the data’s validity. Data entry automation techniques are
utilized anywhere possible to decrease the amount of data entry points and reduce the amount of data entry
errors; this is made possible via the Library.
 SCOPE: The FABEX should be the main tool used by personnel working in Material Control, Engineering,
Welding, Construction, Quality Assurance and Control (QAQC) and Document Control Departments in order
to bring consistency, efficiency and reliability in control reporting.
1.3. TECHNOLOGIES USED: FABEX is a desktop application in VB 6.0 with SQL Server 2008R2 as
backend.
 Database Design (SQL Server 2008R2) with an option to customize with MS ACCESS on request.
 Form Design (VB 6.0)
 Coding (VB 6.0 Hard Coding)
 Reporting Tool ( Data Report and MS-EXCEL)
OVERVIEW: The Software includes: Tracking of welding activities, Non- destructive Testing, WPS/PQR’s and
Tracking of materials: Generates Visual Reports, NDT-Request, Weld history log, Material Traceability Register,
Welders Register, Weld Repair Rates, Welding Progress Reports (Daily, Monthly etc.) etc. Among others, it
provides a unique report numbering system for easy tracking/traceability.
It maintains three levels of users:
 Administrative Level which include the Database Specialist (Developer, Programmers, Analyst) with a
READ & WRITE unlimited access.
 Operator Level: which includes Database operators with a READ & WRITE limited access.
 User Level which includes all other users of this application ranging from the Inspectors, Document
controller, material inspectors, etc. with a READ ONLY unlimited access.
1.4. LICENSE OF FABEX: FABEX comes with a license key on payment to gain access or to install on
computers. However a trial version with limited facilities is made available to interested parties on request.
 The license is in forms: One year (1yr), Six (6) months depending on the terms of agreement.
 Restrictions on FABEX include:
 Users can’t modify, translate, compile and decompile this application.
 It will have limited users with READ and WRITE access and unlimited users with READ ONLY access.
 Inability to remove any proprietary notices or labels on the Software or Documentation.
 Only users with authentic credentials can gain access to the application.
 Only users with READ and WRITE access can make modifications on records existing on the database.

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2.0 SYSTEM REQUIRMENT
S/NO HARDWARE SOFTWARE
1 1Gb RAM WINDOWS XP, WINDOWS 2007.
2 40G HARD DISK MICROSOFT OFFICE SUIT
3 1GHz PROCESSOR SPEED SQL SERVER (2008R2), MS ACCESS IF REQUESTED
4 17” LCD MONITORS
3.0 GETTING STARTED
3.1. ADMINISTRATION: The Database Specialist or Administrator will be responsible for the
management of the FABEX application.
The Database Administrator gains access by entering correctly the user credentials and selecting the right
project to work on. A User will also do this to gain user access.
.
Fig.1.0- FABEX – Administrative/User Log on Form
The Administrator is responsible for the following:
 User Set-up: The Administrator, with the form below adds a user on the FABEX APP, granting
or revoking privileges whenever.

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Fig. 2.0- Administrator-Add New User Form
 Administrator-Set up of Welding Procedures Specification/Welder Identity: The
Administrator with this form sets up a list of qualified WPS for the Project, welders and their
corresponding welding processes (WPS) qualified for.
Fig. 3.0- Administrator-Welding Procedures Specification/Welder Identity Set up Form.
 Administrator: - Project/Database configuration set up: The Database Administrator
configures a project with the aid of the form below, entering correctly the Project details.
The Database Administrator further configures the Structure tables, ReportNo tables, RequestNo
tables, to suit project requirements.
Fig. 4.0- Administrator:-Project/Database configuration set up Form.

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 Administrator- User Status Change Form: The Administrator with the form below changes the
status of a user if logged off in error by user or network glitch. This is because, only one (1) instance can
be run at a time. Therefor the need to change user status becomes a necessity. When logged on the
status is 1 and when off it shows 0.
Fig. 5.0- Administrator- User Status Change Form

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4.0. MENU & FORMS IN FABEX
There are several menu and forms in FABEX APP with which Database Operators, Users accomplish
specific task.
These forms and menu are described below:
4.1. File:
Fig. 6.0 a. - Menu- File: Fig. 6.0 below presents a clearer view of all main menus in FABEX application ranging
from the File to the Help menu. On the File menu the user can log off from the application, switch project, cancel
registration and exit the application by simply clicking on ‘Exit Application” submenu.
A User can switch to another Project as in Fig. 6.0. Above using the form below:
Fig. 6.0. - File - Switch Projects:
4.2. “Structural Fabrication Form”: this form is used by the Database Operators for daily visual data entering
activities. Same is applicable to Piping and Tube Bending activities.
Fig. 7.0 Structural-Daily Welding form.

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4.3.-Fabex Edit Panels: Edit Panels make it easy for corrections on weld details, material grades and
specification, updates, additional joint on weld map drawings. This is achieved by the use of the
following forms below:
 Edit Panel -Weld Map Drawings Form: With this form, the user is able to edit information by
order of Structure, drawing or weld numbers.
Fig.8a. - Edit Panel -Weld Map Drawings Menu: This applies to Bends, Piping, and Structural as seen
in fig. 10a.
Fig.-8b. the form below is mainly used by the Database Administrator to update, add additional weld(s),
un-report a Weld and completely delete a Weld from the database.

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 Edit Panel- Daily Visual/Piping: Here only the database operator and the Administrator have
access to this form as it interfaces directly with the database. It is used to update, edit
details on welds. This applies to all structural and piping jobs.
Fig.-9. Edit Panel- Daily Visual/Piping Form
 Edit Panel - Material Category: The database operators use this form to review and edit
material categories on Welds.
Fig.10. Edit Panel - Material Category Form.

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 Edit Panel - NDE-Report Update: With this form the user updates the NDE status and also logs
in temporary attachment. This provision is made to ensure absolute traceability of all NDE report.
Fig.11 - Edit Panel - NDE-Report Update Form
4.4 NDE Report Form: The database operator enters all NDE reports (structural and piping) submitted
by the NDT crew with the form below:
Fig.12. NDE Report Form

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4.5. FABEX-Material Control Forms: FABEX is designed to also acuurately take care of the manual
process in the material section. Ranging from the Reception, Inspection and Review of Materials.
Fig. 13 Material Receiving Form: With this form below the material controller on receipt of the
material waybill enters the code supplied by the material supplier. This generates already pre-loaded
information about the material on the database and is used to ascertain the autenthicity of the materials
received.
Fig.14 Material Review Form: The Material Inspector with this form can make review on the materials
received by the material Controllers with reference to the Mill Cert.

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Material Request Form: The Engineering team with this form makes request to Material Controllers
from only the accepted materials by the Material Insepctors..
Fig. 15b. Material Request Form:
Fig.16 Material Register Update Form: With this form the material controllers can update the material
register as regards to materials issued to the construction team based on engineering request.

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5.0 SYSTEM GENERATED REPORT
The FABEX is designed to generate numerous reports to fulfill Client’s requirement.
Fig.17. Structural / Piping-Daily Visual Report: The form below is a sample of the daily visual report
generated from the database. The database operator extracts the report from the database as seen below.
The visual report contains the UNIQUE report number, Item description, and other weld details as
regards to client requirement.

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Fig. 18. Structural/Piping-Daily NDT Request: The form below is a sample of the NDE request
generated from the database. The NDE request contains the Drawing numbers, Revision, joint type,
acceptance criteria, request number, process etc. The database operator extracts the from as shown.

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Fig.19. Weld History Log: The database operator queries the database to generate the Weld History log.
The Weld History Log contains all weld details as contained in the Weld Map Drawing, Daily visuals and
the NDE reports. It also gives the completion status of each structure for actual traceability.

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Global (NDE) Summary Report (Repair Rate/Weld Count)
Fig. 20

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Global (NDE) Summary Report (Weld Count)

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6.0 CONCLUSION
FABEX application, designed to support the management of all aspects of Project Inspection for any Fabrication /
Construction company.
Contacts: for LVC session (live presentation), please Email the developer @ jwunude@gmail.com or call
07035339853: (Jacob Lucky)