Procedure Qualification vs. Welder Performance Qualification

qctom2005 · Dec 28, 2004

I have taken over as QA/QC manager and are on process of reviewing the PQR's and WPQR's and have a few questions....

I have a Procedure Qualification Record that shows a 6.625" Dia pipe with a thickness of .432" was used which inturn limits me giving a welder performance qualification test to nothing below 2.875" OD and nothing below .1845" or above .864" in thickness.... Is this correct or am I reading the code wrong?

I have some guys that were test, before I took over, with this procedure but the actual values of the test coupon were only 2.375" Dia with a thickness of .436" which by QW 451.1 the welder should be qualified for thickness down to .1845" and up to .872" and a dia of >1" to Unl. but QW Is this correct or is the Welder Performance Qualification Void? This is out of the PQR data

metengr · Dec 28, 2004

Do yourself a favor and obtain a copy of the ASME Boiler and Pressure vessel Code, Section IX, and review it. All of the information is there to answer your question!

Regarding welder performance qualification - the diameter and thickness limitations apply based on the coupon used for the welder performance qualification. A welder can test on multiple coupons -one single coupon will not cover the ranges you speak of per the requirements of Section IX.

pipewelder1999 · Dec 30, 2004

The welder qualification ranges are seperate from the qualified ranges of the PQR.

These are two seperate entities. The welder uses a WPS during qualification. That WPS should cover what range is be WELDED, not what the welder will qualifiy to.

An example. I qualify a WPS with a PQR 3/8" thick with SMAW. This is WPS and we will say is qualified to 3/4".

I then come in as a welder and using this WPS I weld a coupon 3/4" thick. I am then qualified for unlimited thickness however the WPS only goes to 3/4" . That is OK.

A welder qualifies USING a WPS but does not qualify to USE a WPS. Only the ranges of variables as addressed by ASME Sec IX for Performance qualification.

Hope this helps

Gerald Austin
Iuka, Mississippi

http://www.weldinginspectionsvcs.com

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Procedure Qualification vs. Welder Performance Qualification

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