Repairing Welder Qualifications

[wontweldcantweld]

Hi all,

I'm looking for guidance to whether a Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ) can be repaired?

I've had a look through AWS D1.1 and ASME IX, and I can't see anywhere this is strictly prohibited.

We have had a welder fail RT on a full penetration BW, due to a single enlarged gas pore - looking at the graphs, the pore is near the surface due its proximity to the bevel, so would be a rather simple excavation, which our WPS permits.

I've had mixed reactions, with some saying this 'goes against the intent' of doing a WPQ, but others also arguing that the ability to demonstrate repair would be just as, if not more challenging, than performing the original WPQ itself.

My interpretation is that I would expect the welder to repair the weld in-situ if they came across the defect, so how is this any different? Alternatively, rather than going down the volumetric NDE method permitted by QW-143, I could revert back and just perform mechanical testing per QW-141, so x 2 bends instead.

Please let me know your thoughts!

 

[EdStainless]

I have been there and still don't have a clear view of this.
I have my personal opinion, but I can't quote chapter and verse to support it.
We used a case like this for two purposes.
We did make a repair on it and qualified our repair procedure.
But we also made the welded re-weld for the WPQ.
But my client was really particular.

 

[weldstan]

I've never permitted it for either my company welders or welders from other suppliers/contractors under my company's control. For first production weld welder qualification, repairs were made by qualified welders.