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Once you are familiar the requirements for a WPS, click to register for a Technical Consultancy to start the process of creating your WPS. Note that this is a fee for service process.
A Welding Procedure encapsulates all of the required information to reliably repeat a weld to comply with the related standards.
A Welding Procedure is documented in a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS).
This is the formal document that stipulates a range of requirements to perform a compliant and reliably repeatable weld.
These requirements may include:
As there are a diverse range of variables for a given welding task, WPS documents are individually designed for a specific welding application.
Only suitably qualified and experienced people can issue WPS documents.
Welding Procedures have become increasingly necessary in risk management and regulatory compliance.
Significant legislated company and personal liabilities can now be levied for failure to demonstrate the application of a compliant WPS.
A WPS may also include these accompanying documents:
A PQR is a record of a test weld performed and tested (more rigorously) to ensure that the procedure will produce a good weld.
Individual welders are certified with a qualification test documented in a Welder Qualification Test Record (WQTR) that shows they have the understanding and demonstrated ability to work within the specified WPS.
Your project’s welding standards would typically be noted in:
We will require the welding standard specified for your project before we can begin to prepare a Welding Specification
Here are some of the more common Welding Standards we routinely encounter:
AS/NZS 1554.1 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 1: Welding of steel structures.
AS/NZS 1554.2 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 2: Stud welding (steel studs to steel).
AS/NZS 1554.3 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 3: Welding of reinforcing steel.
AS/NZS 1554.4 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 4: Welding of high strength quenched and tempered steels.
AS/NZS 1554.5 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 5: Welding of steel Structures subject to high levels of fatigue loading.
AS/NZS 1554.6 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 6: Welding of stainless steel for structural purposes
AS/NZS 1554.7 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Structural Steel Welding Part 7: Welding of sheet steel structures
AS/NZS 3992 Pressure Equipment Welding And Brazing Qualification
ASME IX Boiler and Pressure Code
AS/NZS ISO 9606.1 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Qualification testing of welders-Fusion welding Part1: Steels
AS/NZS 2885.2 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Pipelines-Gas and liquid petroleum Part2: Welding
AS/NZS 3992 Australian/New Zealand Standard: Pressure Equipment-Welding and brazing qualification
ASME BPVC IX ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code. An International Code.
Section IX Qualification standard for Welding, Brazing, and Fusion procedures; Welders; Brazers; and Welding, Brazing, and fusing operators.
General Note: As with all standards, Welding standards are subject to routine review and revision. You should always confirm that the current edition of a standard is being applied.
The materials will be specified in the construction drawing or specification
Here are some of the materials we more commonly encounter:
AS/NZS 3679.1 Structural Steel Hot rolled bars & sections Grades 250, 350, 400, etc
AS/NZS 4671 Steel Reinforcing Bars 250N to 500E
AS 1163 Structural Steel Hollow sections C250 to C450
AS/NZS 3678 Structural Steel Hot Rolled plates 200- 350
AS 1548 Steel Plates for Boiler & Pressure Vessels
API 5L Seamless & Welded Line Pipe
PA Plate flat position
PB horizontal vertical position
PC horizontal position
PD horizontal overhead position
PE overhead position
PF vertical up position
PG vertical down position
H-L045 inclined position welding upwards
J-L045 inclined position welding downwards
PH pipe position for welding upwards
PJ pipe position for welding downwards
Joint types are typically either Fillet or Butt welds
Certification is when a body examines your knowledge & skill & certifies you have met the requirements. This does not expire e.g. welding tickets to AS 1796 certificates 1 through 10.
Or a UNI degree.
Qualification is a simple test weld to any given WPS, the coupon is lab-tested then the person is qualified for the following 6 months to weld within the essential variables of the qualification.
So someone qualified to weld single pass fillet welds with the MIG welder can weld single pass fillet welds for the next 6 months.
We call this an “industry qualification”, its not a trade or a certification.
It’s basically proof that a business has checked the skills of the welder are enough to use the WPS.
