Indian Institute of Welding - ANB

Refresher Course – Fab 04

QUALIFICATION OF WELDING PERSONNEL AND PROCEDURES OF WPS,
WPQR, WELDER QUALIFICATION, DEFECT EVALUATION & REPAIR.

Contents
 Quality standards for welding and brazing
 Welding Procedure Specifications
 Welding Procedure Qualification
 Welder Testing and Qualification
 Welding Positions
 Defect Evaluation
 Repair

Introduction: It is universally accepted that today's Economy is Market driven

& Customer oriented and Customer is Quality conscious. Thus, in every
Manufacturing set up Quality is the Driving Force for the satisfaction of Internal
and External Customers.
This is particularly so in the case of welding which has become the most widely
employed fabrication process in building of bridges, automobiles, railway vehicles,
ships, power plant, refineries, petro-chemical plant, consumer products down to
electronic components. Various Quality related Standards in Welding are:
 Basic Standard for QMS - ISO 9001 -2000
 Special Basic Standard - ISO 3834
 Manufacturing Standards
 Personnel Standards
 Procedures
 Quality Standards
 Testing standards
Quality requirements for Welding & Brazing: To ensure the proper quality
of welded/ brazed products and to optimize the manufacturing cost, the whole
welding process must be controlled from the very start. To take all welding quality
affecting aspects into consideration, the welding shop is recommended to implement
a quality assurance system. The standard ISO 3834 sets out the requirements for
manufacturers to meet, in order to apply good practices to their welding operations.
Welding – a Special Process and Need for ISO 3834: In the ISO 9001, section
7.5.2, there is a requirement of “Process Validation” for such special processes.
Welding, being defined as a special process, must be validated as per ISO 9001.
However, ISO 9001 does not go into details of validation requirements, as the exact
requirements vary from industry to industry.
Process Validation:
 Personnel qualification (WPQ)
o ISO 14731 and ISO 9606
  Process qualification
o WPQR – ISO 15614 Parts 1-13
 Defined procedure for carrying out the process
o WPS – ISO 15607 & 15609
 Equipment qualification
o Welding machine and consumables

Product manufactured Standard

EN 13445
Manufacturing Un-fired Pressure Vessels
(Parts 1-7)
EN 13480
Manufacturing Metallic Industrial Piping
(Parts 2-7)
Manufacturing simple Un-fired Pressure Vessels to contain air and
EN 286-1
nitrogen
Steel Pipelines and Pipe-works for gas supply systems EN 12732
EN 1090
Fabrication of steel and aluminium structures
(Parts 1-3)
Fabrication of Railway vehicles and components EN 15085

Tab. 1: Manufacturing Standards Requiring ISO 3834 compliance

Steps to meet Quality requirements for Welding & Brazing: A few steps to
follow for Quality Assurance and validation of a Welded/ Brazed joint:
 Use essentially written welding instructions and/ or so called Welding
Procedure Specifications (WPS) in order to increase the possibility of
consistent quality.
o The WPS must be qualified one, i.e. the WPS has to be based on a
Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR.) The WPQR ensures
that, if the WPS is followed, welded joint will have the expected
properties
 Make sure that the welding shop has competent welders/ brazers; There are
standardized ways to test the welders.
 Welding coordinator, the person responsible for welding in the shop floor is
competent enough to educate and manage the welders/ brazer.
It is essential that in welding fabrication, the quality of the Welding Co-
ordinators, Welders and the Inspection Personnel satisfy the Quality
Standards specified for them.
WPS, PQR and WPQ:
WPS: Welding Procedure Specification is a written document to provide
direction for making production weld to the code requirement.
PQR: Procedure Qualification Record is a record of the welding data used to
weld a test coupon. It also contains test results of the test specimen.
WPQ: Welding Performance Record determines the ability of the
welder/welding operator to achieve the minimum requirement specified for an
acceptable weldment.

Fig. 1: Stages in Welding & Welder Approval:

Fig. 2: WPS, PQR & WPQ – ASME Section IX

Welding Procedures:
The continuous and satisfactory performance of weldments made according
to various Codes require that specific guidelines are laid down to cover materials,
joint design, welding processes, welding consumables, acceptance criteria and
inspection techniques. These guidelines are generally grouped under general
heading of Weld Procedure Specification (WPS).
Another important aspect of WPS is controlling the cost of welding. If the method of
making a weld is left to the welder there may be significant variation in welding time
and consumption of consumables for two identical jobs.
In each code, reference is made to how the procedures are to be devised and
whether approval of these procedures is required. In most codes, approval is
mandatory and tests to confirm the skill of the welder are specified. Details of the
acceptance criteria for the finished joint are also specified.
Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS): The AWS definition for a welding
procedure is ‘Detailed methods and practices including all joint welding procedure
involved in the production of a weld-ment.’
A WPS is a written (qualified) welding procedure prepared to provide direction for the
making of production welds. The completed WPS shall describe all essential, non-
essential, and, when required, supplementary essential variables. Variables are
defined for each process in QW-250 through QW-280 of ASME Sec IX. Each
variable shall be addressed with facts, e.g. yes, no, none or any other meaningful
definition – the term ‘not applicable’ is not acceptable.
Salient features of WPS: ISO 15609: 2004 specifies requirements for the content of
welding procedures specifications for metallic materials. It has altogether 14 parts,
Part-1 covering ‘Arc Welding’. This envelops SMAW, MIG, MAG, SAW and GTAW.
The essential variables/ elements of a WPS are:
 Parent material
o Proper designation needed as per ISO 15608
o Example : IS 2062 E250, Designation should be : ISO 15608, Gr-1.1
 Material dimension
o Plate- thickness range
o Pipe- wall thickness , OD- outer dimension
 Welding process(es) used in accordance with EN ISO 4063
 Joint design:
o Sketch of the joint design/configuration & dimensions/reference
standards.
o Weld run sequence given on sketch.
 Welding position: as per ISO 6947
 Joint Preparation
o Method of preparation, cleaning, etc
o Jigging, fixtures and tack welding
 Welding technique
o Weaving-
o Stringent
o For mechanized and automatic welding- maximum weaving or
amplitude
  Method of back gouging
o Method to be used
o Depth and shape
 Electrode / Filler Metal
o Designation, make
o Dimension (Size)
o Handling ( baking, re-drying, etc)
e.g. ER 70S-6, should be designated as: ISO 14341 - A-G 42 5 M
G3Si1, 1.2mm, ESAB
 Electrical Parameters
o Type of current & Polarity
o Pulse welding details
o Current range
 Pre-heating:
o Certain material need preheating, minimum temperature applied before
the welding and during the welding.
 Post weld heat Treatment details (if applicable)
o Minimum time and temperature range or ageing shall be specified.
 Shielding gas :
o Designation as per ISO 14175
o Composition
o Manufacturer trade name.
 Heat input
o Range of heat input – if specified.
Supplementary essential variables: The details mentioned above are common to
all Arc welding processes. Some other additional details are to be provided specific
to the process. Those are known as supplementary essential variables:
 Process- 111 (SMAW)
o Run-out length of electrode consumed
 Process-12 (SAW)
o Multiple electrodes systems
o Flu designation
o Arc voltage range
 Process- 13 (MIG/MAG)
o Shielding gas flow rate
o CTWD
 Process-14 (TIG)
o Tungsten electrode, the diameter and codification in accordance with
EN26848
Non-essential variables: In most specifications, the variables involved are
considered to be essential variables. In some codes, the term “non-essential
variables” may also be used. Non essential variables are usually the following:
 The travel progression – uphill or downhill
 Certain details of the weld joint design
 The use and type of weld backing
Changes to WPS’s are allowed, under the following conditions:
  Changes in Essential and Supplementary essential variables require re-
qualification and (therefore) a new WPS
 Changes in Non-essential variables can be made without re-qualification, but
do need to be documented and the WPS must be revised
Writing a Weld Procedure: The task of collecting the data and drafting the
documentation is often referred to as writing of the weld procedure. This involves
 Planning the tasks
 Collecting the data
 Writing a procedure for use or for trial
 Making test welds
 Evaluating the results of the tests
 Approving the procedure as per the relevant code
 Preparing the documentation
Procedures are written to produce the highest quality of the weld required for the
service involved at the least possible cost and to provide weld consistency. It may be
necessary to try different processes, different joint details and so on to arrive at the
lowest cost weld, meeting the service conditions and requirements of the weldment.
Welding procedure takes added significance based on the quality requirements that
may be involved. When exact reproducibility and perfect quality are required, it
becomes much more technical with added requirements, particularly in testing. Tests
become more complex to determine whether the welded joint has the necessary
properties to withstand the service condition.

Tab. 2: Applicable Standards (ISO/ EN) for Welding Procedures

Specifications & Procedure Approval
Welding Procedure Qualification Record – WPQR: A WPQR, also known as
PQR, is a record of actual data of welding variables used and recorded during the
welding of a test coupon. PQR shall document all essential and, when required, all
supplementary essential variables for each welding process. Recording of Non-
essential variables is optional.
Changes to a PQR are not permitted except for editorial corrections and addenda as
it is a factual record of what actually happened during a particular welding test. All
changes except editorial and those invoked by Addenda, require re-qualification and
recertification of the PQR.
Standards for the Qualification of Welding Procedures
 BS EN ISO 15607: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures for
Metallic Materials. General rules
 BS EN ISO 15609-1: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures
for Metallic Materials. Welding procedure specification - Arc Welding
 BS EN ISO 15610: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures for
Metallic Materials. Qualification based on tested welding consumables
 BS EN ISO 15611: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures for
Metallic Materials. Qualification based on previous welding experience
 BS EN ISO 15613: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures for
Metallic Materials. Qualification based on pre-production welding test
 BS EN ISO15614-1: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures for
Metallic Materials. Welding procedure test - Arc and gas welding of steels and
arc welding of nickel and nickel alloys
 BS EN ISO 15614-2: Specification and Qualification of Welding Procedures
for Metallic Materials. Welding procedure test - Arc welding of aluminium and
its alloys
 AWS D1.1: Structural Welding Code - Steel
 ASME: Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Section IX. Welding and brazing
qualifications
 BS EN 13134: Brazing Procedure approval
 BS EN 14276: Pressure equipment for refrigerating systems and heat pumps
Qualification of Welding Procedures: Once a contract is awarded, a preliminary
WPS (pWPS) is developed by the manufacturer covering all the essential,
supplementary essential and non-essential variables as detailed in ISO 15609: 2004.
Test coupons are prepared and tested in accordance with EN ISO 15614: 2017
following appropriate testing standards. If the test results meet the requirements of
the Application standard, then the pWPS becomes WPS with the range of
qualification as per EN ISO 15614. It specifies the range of all variables for which it is
approved and also indicates the variations for which requalification is required. The
test results along with parameters of essential, supplementary essential and non-
essential variables used during welding the test coupon(s) are recorded to form the
PQR. If the test results don’t meet the requirements of the Application standard, then
the next set is welded either be modifying the process parameters or with a welder, if
felt necessary. The process continues till the requirements of the Application
standard are met.
Once the WPS becomes qualified, the welder(s) involved in welding the test
coupon(s) automatically gets qualified (WPQ) for the same range.
 As per ASME Sec IX
Range of Max thickness (t)
thickness (T) of deposit weld
of Base metal metal qualified
qualified (mm) (mm)

Min Max
Less than 1.5 T 2T 2t

1.5 to 10 incl 1.5 2T 2t

T >10 but < 19 5 2T 2t

19 to < 38 5 2T 2t

38 to 150 incl 5 200 2t when t < 19

200 when t ≥ 19
> 150 5 1.33T 2t when t < 19
1.33t when t ≥ 19
Tab. 3 & 4: Comparison of range of qualification in ASME Sec IX and
ISO 15614-1: 2017 for procedure tests on Butt-welds
ASME Brazing Documents:
 Brazing general requirements : Article XI (QB100 through QB180)
 Brazing procedure specifications: Article XII (QB 200,201,250)
 Brazing Performance Qualifications: Article XIII (QB 300,310,320,350)

Quality level Standard NDT Standard

ISO 17635
Fusion welding - Steel ISO 5817 General Rules
(EN 12062 )
ISO 17637
Fusion welding - Aluminium EN ISO 10042 Visual
(EN 970 )
ISO 17636
Beam welding - Steel EN ISO 13919-1 Radiographic
(EN 1435 )
ISO 17640
Beam welding - Aluminium EN ISO 13919-2 Ultrasonic
(EN 1714 )
Destructive
Cutting EN ISO 9013
Tests
EN ISO 9692 – ISO 5173
Joint preparation -steel Bend tests
1&2 (EN 910 )
Joint preparation – ISO 9017
EN ISO 9692 - 3 Fracture tests
Aluminium (EN 1320)

Tab. 5: Standards for Quality levels and Testing as per ISO 3834

Other Personnel
Welder Qualification Standard Standard
Qualification

EN 287-1, Welding
Steel Co-ordination EN ISO 14731
(ISO 9606-1) Personnel

ISO 14732
Aluminium ISO 9606-2 Welding Operator
(EN 418)

ISO 9712
Copper ISO 9606-3 NDT personnel
(EN 473)

Nickel ISO 9606-4

Titanium & Zirconium ISO 9606-5

Tab. 6: Quality requirements for Personnel as per ISO 3834

Welder Approval: Once a WPS has been approved, it is important to ensure that
all welders employed in production can meet the level of quality set down in the
application standard. For that, Welder approval is necessary. Welder approval
testing is carried out using an approved WPS, witnessed by a Welding Inspector/
Inspection agency.
Upon completion of the test plate/ pipe welding/ brazing by a welder/ brazer, it is
examined for external/ internal defects by VT and suitable NDT methods followed by
mechanical tests e.g. Bend and Fracture tests and macro assessment.
Standards for Welder/ Brazer qualification testing
 BS EN ISO 9606-1: 2017 Qualification testing of Welders – Fusing Welding –
Part 1: Steels
 BS EN ISO 9606-2 Qualification Testing of Welders – Fusion Welding – Part
2: Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys
 BS EN ISO 9606-3 Cu & Cu Alloys
 BS EN ISO 9606-4 Ni & Ni Alloys
 BS EN ISO 9606-5 Ti , Zr & its Alloys
 AWS D1.1: Structural Welding Code – Steel
 AWS D3.6M: Specification for Underwater Welding
 ASME: Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Section IX. Welding and brazing
qualifications
 BS EN 13133: Brazing - Brazer approval
 BS EN ISO 13585: Brazing – Qualification test of brazers and brazing
operators
EN ISO 9606: 2017: Qualification testing of welders – Fusion welding
Purpose: Ensure the ability of a welder to follow written instructions and verify
the welder’s skill. These are important in ensuring the quality of a welded product.
Principle: The welder is qualified for the same and all other conditions which are
considered easier to weld.
Standards for qualification testing of welds
 EN ISO 9606-1 – Steels (substitutes SS-EN 287-1)
 EN ISO 9606-2 – Aluminium and aluminium alloys
 EN ISO 9606-3 – Copper and copper alloys
 EN ISO 9606-4 – Nickel and nickel alloys
 EN ISO 9606-5 – Titanium
EN ISO 9606-1: 2017
 Processes covered (4.2)
o 111 Manual metal arc welding
o 114 Self-shielded tubular cored arc welding
o 121 Submerged arc welding with solid wire electrode (partly
mechanized)
 o 125 Submerged arc welding with tubular cored electrode (partly
mechanized)
o 131 MIG welding with solid wire electrode
o 135 MAG welding with solid wire electrode
o 136 MAG welding with flux cored electrode
o 138 MAG welding with metal cored electrode
o 141 TIG welding with solid filler material (wire/rod)
o 142 Autogenously TIG welding
o 143 TIG welding with tubular cored filler material (wire/ rod)
o 145 TIG welding using reducing gas and solid filler material
(wire/rod)
o 15 Plasma arc welding
o 311 Oxyacetylene welding
While ISO 9606 covers Manual and Semi-Automatic welding, Mechanised and
Automatic welding is covered in ISO 14732.
 Essential parameters/ variables (5.1)
1. welding process(es) and transfer mode
2. product type (plate or pipe)
3. type of weld (butt or fillet)
4. filler material group
5. filler material type
6. dimension (material thickness and outside pipe diameter)
7. welding position
8. weld detail(s) material backing, gas backing, flux baking, consumable
insert, single side welding, both side welding, single layer, multi-layer,
leftward welding, rightward welding.
The parent material group(s) and subgroup(s), in accordance with ISO/TR
15608, that are used in the test shall be recorded on the welder's qualification
test certificate”.
 Welding processes (5.2): Normally each welding process only qualifies the
actual welding process. A change of welding process requires a new
qualification test. However there are some exceptions:
o 135 qualifies 138 or vice versa.
o 121 qualifies 125 or vice versa.
o 141, 143 or 145 qualifies for 141, 142, 143 and 145, but 142 only
qualifies for142.
o Dip (short-circuit) transfer mode (131, 135 & 138) qualifies other
transfer modes, but not vice versa.
 o And it is also possible to qualify two or more welding process by
welding a single test piece (multi-process joint)
 Product type (5.3) Interchangability of Qualification on Plate and Pipe:
o Test pieces of pipe with OD > 25 mm cover welds in plate.
o Test pieces in plate cover pipes ≥ 500 mm in accordance with table 9
(weld position, butt weld) and 10 (weld position, fillet weld)
o Test pieces in plate cover rotating pipes ≥ 75 mm in welding position
PA, PB, PC and PD. As long as the weld position has been qualified
according to table 9 (weld position, butt weld) and 10 (weld position,
fillet weld)”.
 Type of weld (5.4) Interchangability of Qualification on Butt and Fillet weld
o Test pieces welded as butt weld (BW) qualifies any type of butt welds
(BW) except for branch joints with an angle ≤ 60o. For branch
connections of less than 60°, a specific test piece should be used to
qualify the welder.
o Butt welds (BW) do not qualify fillet welds (FW) or vice versa.
o To qualify a BW and a FW in the same certificate a supplementary fillet
weld (FW) test can be welded. The test piece shall be at least 10 mm
thick or the thickness of the butt weld, welded as a single layer in PB
position. This qualifies the range of qualification for FW based upon the
BW essential parameters.
o It is also possible to qualify a fillet weld in combination with a butt weld
according to figure C.1. Annex C.

Fig. 3: Combined FW/BW test piece (Figure C.1 of Annexure C)

 Filler material grouping (5.5): The filler material shall be from one of the
groups listed in table below. The parent material should be suitable for
filler metal and from ISO/TR 15608 groups 1 to 11.
 Tab. 7: Range of qualification for filler material (Tab. 3 of ISO 9606 – 1)

FM1: Non-alloy and fine grain steels

FM2: High-strength steels
FM3: Creep-resisting steels Cr < 3.75%
FM4: Creep-resisting steels 3.75 %≤ Cr ≤ 12 %
FM5: Stainless and heat-resisting steels
FM6: Nickel and nickel alloys

Tab.8: Example of Filler Material Grouping

 Qualification for filler material types (5.6): Welding with filler material
qualifies welding without filler material, but not vice versa.
Note: For 142 and 311 (without filler metal) the parent material group used
during the test is what the welder is qualified for.
Example: Qualification in Sub group 1.2 (Steels with 275 N/mm2 < ReH ≤ 360
N/mm2) does not qualify for Sub group 1.3 (Normalized fine-grain steels with
ReH > 360 N/mm2)
 Can a Welder
qualified with
E6010 /6011
weld with E
7018? – NO

Can a Welder
qualified with
E7018 weld
with E 6013?
– YES

Tab. 9: Range of Qualification for covered Electrodes (Tab. of ISO 9606 – 1)

Can a Welder
qualified with
E70T-5 weld
with E71T-1?
YES

Tab. 10: Range of qualification for filler material types (Tab. 5 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Dimension Range (5.7)

Tab. 11: Range of qualification of deposited thickness for butt welds

(Tab. 6 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Tab. 12: Range of qualification for OD of pipe (Tab. 7 of ISO 9606 – 1)

Tab.13: Range of qualification of material thickness for fillet welds

(Tab. 8 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Qualification of Welding Position (5.8)
o Welding in two positions in two pipes, PH+PC / PJ+PC with the
same diameter covers the same range as a pipe welded in H-L045 / J-
L045.

Fig. 4: Different pipe welding positions

o If a pipe diameter ≥ 150 mm in one test piece is welded in two welding
positions, PH or PJ 2/3 Portion and PC 1/3 portion of circumference,
then the range of qualification is (for Butt)
 PH + PC = PA,PC,PE & PF
 PJ + PC = PA,PC,PE & PG
 PA: flat position
PB: horizontal vertical position
PC: horizontal position
PD: horizontal overhead position
PE: overhead position
The test pieces shall be welded
in accordance with ISO 6947.

Fig. 5: Welding Positions as per EN/ ISO

Tab. 14: Range of qualification for welding positions for butt welds
(Tab. 9 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Tab. 15: Range of qualification for welding positions for fillet welds
(Tab. 10 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Weld Details (5.9):
o For welding process 311, a change from rightward welding (rw) to
leftward welding (lw) and vice versa requires a new qualification test.

Fig. 6: Right Hand and Left Hand Welding

Tab. 16: Range of qualification for backing and consumable inserts

(Tab. 11 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Tab. 17: Range of qualification of layer techniques for fillet weld
(Table 12 of ISO 9606 – 1)
 Witness and Examiner (6.1):
o The welding and testing shall be witnessed by the examiner or
examining body.
o Examiner/ Examining body can be:
• Representative of the company
• Accredited third party
• Notified body
The test piece shall be marked with:
o Examiner ID
o Welder ID
o Welding position
o For pipe welds the 12 o’clock position shall also be marked
RAMK

 Examiner ID
W-56

 Welder ID

 Welding
PF

position

Fig. 7: Stamping of a Test Coupon

Test Coupon Dimensions (6.2)

1 2

3 4
Fig. 8: Test Coupon Dimensions

 Welding Conditions (6.3)

1. The welder shall follow a pWPS or WPS according to ISO 15609-1 or
ISO 15609-2.
2. Test piece shall have at least one stop and restart in the root and
capping run. For a multi process this is a requirement for both the
process.
3. Stop and restart shall be marked.
4. For root and filler runs minor imperfections are allowed to be removed by
grinding after permission from the examiner.
5. In capping run only stop and restart may be grinded.
 6. Any PWHT is required in the pWPS or WPS may be omitted.
7. The examiner can cancel the qualification at any time (Eg. the welder
doesn’t follow pWPS/WPS, lack of skills of the welder, major repair etc.).
 Mandatory examinations for WQT (6.4):
o For welding process SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, SAW & PLASMA the
following test methods apply

RT (ISO 17636) OR
Visual Testing
BUTT JOINT Bend (ISO 5173) OR
(ISO 17673) Fracture (ISO 9017)

Note:
1. Either Radiographic testing or bend or fracture tests shall be used.
2. RT can be replaced be UT in ferritic steels t ≥ 8 mm.
3. Bend or fracture test can be replaced be tensile test if D ≤ 25 mm.
o For welding process MIG(131), MAG (135, 138 metal core) & Oxy
welding(311) the following test methods apply

Visual Testing RT (ISO 17636) OR

BUTT JOINT Bend (ISO 5173) OR
(ISO 17673) Fracture (ISO 9017)

Note:
1. Either Radiographic testing or bend or fracture tests shall be used.
2. When RT is used additional Bend or Facture is mandatory
3. RT can be replaced be UT in ferritic steels t ≥ 8 mm.
4. Bend or fracture test can be replaced be tensile test if D ≤ 25 mm.
 For welding process SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, SAW, PLASMA, GMAW & Oxy
Welding the following test methods apply

Visual Testing Fracture (ISO 9017)

FILLET & BRANCH
JOINT (ISO 17673)

Note:
1. Fracture test can be replaced by a macroscopic examination of at least two
sections. At least one section shall be taken from the stop/start location.
2. The fracture test on pipes may be replaced by radiographic testing
 Acceptance criteria (7): Prior to any testing, the following shall be checked:
o All slag and spatters are removed.
 o No grinding on the root and the face side of the weld (according to 6.3).
o Stop and restart in the root run and in the capping run are identified.
o Profile and dimensions.
Acceptance criteria for:
 VT -ISO 5817 Class C (External)
 RT -ISO 5817 Class B (Internal)
 Bend - Any discrete discontinuity ≤3 mm
 Fracture - ISO 5817 B (Internal)
 Re-tests(8): If any test fails to comply with the requirements of this part
of ISO 9606, the welder may be given the opportunity to repeat the
qualification test once without further training
 Period of validity (9)
o Initial qualification (9.1): The welder's qualification begins from the
date of welding of the test piece(s) provided that the required test
results obtained were acceptable.
o Confirmation of the validity (9.2): Every 6 months by responsible
person for welding activities/welding coordinator/examiner or
examining body.
o Revalidation of welder qualification (9.3): (The chosen method shall
be stated on the certificate)
a) The welder shall be retested every 3 years
b) Revalidated every 2 years + Additional 2 years = 4 years.
c) Qualification is valid as long as following conditions are fulfilled:
1. Welder shall work under the same manufacturer.
2. The manufacturer's quality programme has been verified in
accordance with ISO 3834-2 or ISO 3834-3.
3. Documented Proof by manufacturer on the welder has
produced welds of acceptable quality where weld position,
weld type, material backing or no material backing conforms
to the examination
o Revocation of qualification (9.4): When there is a specific reason to
question a welder's ability to make welds that meet the product tandard
quality requirements, the qualifications shall be revoked. All other
qualifications not questioned remain valid.
 Welder's qualification test certificate (10): If the welder passes the
qualification test a welder certificate shall be issued. All essential & non
essential variables shall be recorded:
The examination of job knowledge shall be designated by “Accepted” or “Not tested”.
The supplementary fillet weld test shall be recorded on the certificate for the
associated butt weld qualification.
  Designation (11)

ISO 9606-1 136 P BW FM1 P t20, 0 PF ss mb

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1. The part of the standard ISO 9606-1
2. Welding Process
3. Product Type (Plate (P)/ Pipe (T))
4. Type of Weld BW/FW
5. Filler material group
6. Filler material types (P-Rutile fast freezing slag)
7. Dimension of test piece (s, t or D)
8. Welding position
9. Weld details
Comparison of ASME Sec. IX and ISO 9606-1: 2017
As per ASME Sec. IX ISO EN 15607 – 15614
The rules in this section apply to Covers welding procedure tests for different
the preparation of WPS, PQR processes and different materials
and qualification of welders and  ISO 9606-1:2017 covers Welder qualification
welding operators for all types
 Parts -1 to 5 of ISO 9606 specifies
of manual and machine welding requirements and certification for approval
permitted in this section.
testing of welder performance for the welding
of steels and other materials.

Table 18: Comparison between ASME Sec. IX and ISO- Scope

As per ASME Sec. IX As per ISO 9606-1:2017
 Joints ( QW-402) 1.welding process(es) and transfer mode
 Base Metal ( QW-403)
2.product type (plate or pipe)
 Filler Metal ( QW-404)
 Position ( QW-405) 3.type of weld (butt or fillet)
 Preheat (QW-406) 4.filler material group
 Postweld Heat Treatment 5.filler material type
(QW-407)
6.dimension (material thickness and outside pipe
 Gas ( QW-408)
diameter)
 Electrical Characteristics
( QW-409) 7. welding position
 Technique (QW-410) 8. weld detail(s) material backing, gas backing, flux
backing, consumable insert, single side welding,
Note- Varies with different
both side welding, single layer, multi-layer,
welding processes
leftward welding, rightward welding.

Table 19: Comparison between ASME Sec. IX and ISO 9606- :2017-Variables
 As per ASME Sec. IX As per ISO 9606-1:2017
 Steel & Steel alloys Grouping based on filler material
 Aluminium & Al. base alloys
 Copper & Cu. base alloys  FM1: Non-alloy and fine grain steels
 Nickel & Ni. base alloys  FM2: High-strength steels
 Titanium & Ti. base alloys
 FM3: Creep-resisting steels Cr < 3.75%
 Zirconium & Zr. base alloys
 FM4: Creep-resisting steels 3.75 %≤ Cr ≤ 12 %
 FM5: Stainless and heat-resisting steels
 FM6: Nickel and nickel alloys
Table 20: Comparison between ASME Sec. IX and ISO 9606-1: 2017-
(Material Grouping)
As per ASME Sec. IX As per ISO 9606-1: 2017
 When the welder has not  Period of validity
welded with a process during o The welder's qualification begins from the
a period of 6 months or more, date of welding of the test piece(s)
his qualifications for that provided that the required test results
process shall expire; unless, obtained were acceptable.
within the six months period
to his expiration of o Confirmation of the validity after every
qualification 6 months by responsible person for
o A welder has welded using a welding activities/welding coordinator
manual or semiautomatic /examiner or examining body.
welding which will maintain  Revalidation of welder qualification (The
his qualification for manual chosen method shall be stated on the
and semiautomatic welding certificate)
with that process.
o A welding operator has 1. The welder shall be retested every 3
welded using a machine or years
automatic welding which will 2. Revalidated every 2 years + Additional 2
maintain his qualification for years = 4 years.
machine and automatic 3. Qualification is valid as long as following
welding with that process. conditions are fulfilled:
 There shall be no specific  Welder shall work under the same
reason to question the manufacturer.
welder’s skill and knowledge  The manufacturer's quality programme
has been verified in accordance with ISO
3834-2 or ISO 3834-3.
 Documented Proof by manufacturer on
the welder has produced welds of
acceptable quality where weld position,
weld type, material backing or no material
backing conforms to the examination
Tab. 21: Comparison between ASME Sec. IX and ISO 9606-1: 2017--
(Expiry or Renewal of Qualification)
Welding Positions:
Welding may be carried out in many different positions. The positions need to be
described accurately in welding procedure documentation. It may be described in
words, by diagram or by shorthand notation systems. Notation systems have been
standardised by ASME/ AWS - American; EN - European and ISO - worldwide.
ASME/AWS Notation
A: Butt Welds - Weld Positions
The ASME/AWS system uses a 'number + letter' notation and differentiates
between butt or groove welds ('G' notation) and fillet welds ('F' notation). These
are illustrated and briefly described below.
 1G and 1GR: In this
position welding is carried
out with gravity aiding the
operator. This is what was
commonly called the 'Flat'
position, and also 'Down-
hand', although this term is
no longer preferred. In the
1G position welding is
always carried out with the
consumable pointing roughly Fig.9: Diagram of 1G welding position
downwards. in plate and 1GR welding
 2G: In 2G position, position in pipe
the welding consumable
is kept approximately
horizontal, and this
position is applicable to
welding of plate or pipe.

Fig. 10: Diagram of 2G welding position

in plate and pipe

 3G: In the 3G position, the

weld preparation is vertical, but
the direction of progression
during welding may be either
upward or downward.

Fig.11: Diagram of 3G welding positions

Vertical up and vertical down
 4G: In 4G position,
welding is carried out
overhead, so that the
welding consumable is
pointing upwards and
gravity is acting against
the welder. This
position applies to welding Fig. 12: Diagram of 4G welding position in plate
of plate only.
 5G: The 5G position applies only to butt welding of
pipe in which the two pipes to be joined together are
fixed in a horizontal position. Welding can be carried
out from the bottom of the pipe, progressing upwards,
or from the top of the pipe, progressing downwards.
The former technique is referred to as 5G vertical-up,
while the latter technique is referred to as 5G vertical-
down. In pipeline welding with cellulosic electrodes, the
vertical down technique is often referred to as
'Stovepipe welding'.

Fig. 13: Diagram of 5G welding position in

pipe

 6G: The 6G position applies only to pipe

welding in which the pipes to be joined are
fixed at an angle of approximately 45 deg to
the horizontal. Welding progresses in a
semi-vertical-up or semi-vertical-down
direction around the pipe. Of all the butt
welding positions, 6G requires highest skill
from the welder, because of the continually
changing effects of gravity and the dexterity
needed for manipulation of welding
consumable around the joint.
Fig. 14: Diagram of 6G welding
position in pipe
Further constraint is provided by having a restriction ring placed within 12 mm
of the joint and the pipes being of different wall thicknesses and only the
smaller diameter pipe beveled. This joint is called 6GR and is considered the
most difficult to weld.
B: Fillet Welding Positions
 1F and 1FR: In the 1F
position the plates or pipes
are positioned at 450 to the
horizontal so as to present
an upward facing 900 angle
for the weld metal. In the
case of 1FR, the
components to be welded
are rotated so that the
welding consumable is
always pointing downwards
approximately.

Fig. 15: Diagram of 1F and 1FR welding positions

in plate, pipe and pipe-to-plate Welding

 2F and 2FR: In 2F the weld is

deposited in a horizontal-vertical
direction, the welding consumable
being held at approximately 45o to
the horizontal.

Fig. 16: Diagram of 2F welding

positions in plate, pipe
and pipe-to-plate

 3F: The 3F
position applies
only to plate and
welding takes
place in a
vertical direction,
progression
being upward or
downward.

Fig. 17: Diagram of 3F welding positions

vertical up and vertical down
 4F: In 4F welding is carried out in
an overhead position with all
component parts being fixed in
position, so that when pipes are
involved the Welder must progress
around the joint to complete the weld.

Fig. 18: 4F welding positions in plate,

pipe and pipe-to plate

 5F: In 5F, welding is

carried out with the
pipe(s) being fixed in a
horizontal position.
Welding may be carried
out from the bottom of
the pipe, progressing
upwards, or from the top
of the pipe, progressing
downwards, although the
former is more frequently
used in practice.

Fig. 19: Diagram of 5F fillet welds

in pipe and pipe-to-plate
 Fig. 20 & 21: Complete pictorial representation of ASME/AWS Notation

EN and ISO Notation: Both the EN and ISO systems primarily use 'letter only'
notations to describe welding
positions. However, for some pipe
welding positions an additional
angular notation is included. The
systems derive a welding position
notation from its orientation around
the circumference of a circle as
shown:
 PA This is the flat (down
hand) position and is
equivalent to the '1G', '1GR',
'1F', & '1FR' positions and is
applicable to both butt welds
and fillet welds. Fig. 22: Welding positions in EN/ ISO
 PB This position relates to fillet welds made in a horizontal-vertical position,
the equivalent of '2F' and '2FR' positions.
 PC This is the horizontal welding position applicable to plate and equivalent to
the '2G' position.
 PD is the notation used for a fillet weld made in a horizontal-overhead
position, the '4F' position in ASME/AWS notation.
 PE is the notation used for an overhead butt weld, or the '4G' position.
 PF and PG: In ASME/ AWS, the '3G' and '3F' positions can refer to the
welding in either vertical-up or vertical-down direction, here, the directionality
is given individual notation. If welding is vertical-up, the position notation is
'PF', while if welding is vertical-down, the notation is 'PG', and these apply to
both butt welds and fillet welds.
 PF-H-L000 and PG-H-L000: These two positions apply to pipe welded in the
fixed horizontal position only, were 'H' = horizontal, 'L000' = at an angle of
zero degrees elevation from horizontal. These positions are both equivalent to
'5G' in the ASME/AWS system but directionality is included here. 'PF' referring
to welding in a vertical-up direction, and 'PG' in a vertical-down direction.
 H-L045: This is a position directly equivalent to '6G' in ASME/AWS and
applies only to welding of pipe in a fixed orientation at 45 o to the horizontal,
thus the 'L045' notation. Welding may be carried out in either the inclined-
upward or inclined-downward direction, or a combination of each.
Fig. 23 & 24: Complete pictorial representation of EN/ ISO Notation
 Fig. 25 & 26: Comparison between different Welding Position
of Plate - ASME Sec. IX and ISO 9606

Fig. 27: Comparison between Welding Position Pipe - ASME Sec. IX and ISO 9606
DEFECT EVALUATION
Defects & its Evaluation: Performance depends on presence or absence of defects
in weld joints. Defects impair the mechanical properties and may under perform in
service or even fail.
Definition of welding defects: “Defects introduced during welding beyond the
acceptance limit that can cause a weld to fail”. All discontinuities are not defects.
Discontinuities are rejectable only if they exceed spec requirements
Evaluation of Defects: Evaluation primarily done through
 Visual inspection
 Radiographic/ Ultrasonic evaluation
o IIW standards
o ASTM standards
Acceptance standards vary with service requirements. None of the standards allow
cracks! The Radiograph/ UT report of the joint is compared against the standard
Type of Defects & Quality Standard:
Type of Defects:
• External defects
• Internal defects
• Dimensional defects
Quality Standards:
 ISO 5817 -2003
 AWS D1.1
 ASME Sec IX
 ASME B 31.1 & B 31.3
 BS 5289
Classification of Defects:
 Planar defects / Two dimensional defects -- E.g. cracks, lack of fusion, lack
of penetration, are crtical in nature and are not tolerated to any extent.
 Voluminar defects / Three dimensional defects -- E.g. slag inclusion, cavities,
porosities, etc are tolerated to a certain extent depending on the product class
and applicable code.
 Geometric defects-- E.g. excess reinforcement, under-fill, root suck-back,
distortion are also permitted to a certain extent.
 Quality level Standard NDT Standard

Fusion welding - Steel ISO 5817 General Rules ISO 17635 (EN 12062)
Fusion welding -
EN ISO 10042 Visual ISO 17637 (EN 970)
Aluminium
Beam welding - Steel EN ISO 13919-1 Radiographic ISO17636 (EN 1435)
Beam welding -
EN ISO 13919-2 Ultrasonic ISO 17640 (EN 1714)
Aluminium
Destructive
Cutting EN ISO 9013
Tests
EN ISO 9692 –
Joint preparation -steel Bend tests ISO 5173 (EN 910)
1&2
Joint preparation –
EN ISO 9692 - 3 Fracture tests ISO 9017 (EN 1320)
Aluminium
Tab. 22: Standards for Quality levels and Testing as per ISO 3834

Level Symbol Quality Levels for weld imperfections

D Moderate

C Intermediate

B Stringent

Tab. 23: Arc-welded joints in Steel – Guidance on Quality

Levels for Imperfections – ISO 5817
Tab. 24-30: Some Defects and their Limits as per ISO 5817 – 2003
Discontinuity Category &Inspection Static Dynamic All Loads
Criteria Loaded Loaded (Tubular)
(Nontubular) (Nontubular)
Underrun-In fillet weld upto 1.6 mm Applicable Applicable Applicable
subject to it does not exceed 10% of
the weld length. No underun is
permitted for web-to-flange welds of
girder
Undercut-Upto 1 in. not to exceed Applicable Not- Not-
1mm. For an accumulated length of Applicable Applicable
2inch in any 12 inch for material
above 1in. Undercut above 1.6mm not
allowed.
Porosity-No porosity in the butt weld Applicable Not- Not-
traverse to tensile strength. In other Applicable Applicable
butt welds and for fillet weld the size
of 1mmin linear inch of weld and shall
not exceed 19 mm in 12 in length of
weld
Porosity-In fillet weld the frequency of Not- Applicable Applicable
porosity shall not exceed one in Applicable
100mm of weld length and the
maximum diameter shall not to
exceed 2mm.
Discontinuity Category & Inspection Static Dynamic All Loads
Criteria Loaded Loaded (Tubular)
(Nontubular) (Nontubular)
Crack- The weld shall have no crack Applicable Applicable Applicable
Weld/Base-Metal Fusion-Through Applicable Applicable Applicable
fusion shall exist between weld metal
to weld metal and base metal
Crater- All crater shall be filled up to Applicable Applicable Applicable
the full cross section except for the
ends of the intermittent fillet welds
outside the effective length
Weld Profiles-Weld profiles shall be in Applicable Applicable Applicable
conformance to 5.24
Time of Inspection- Immediately after Applicable Applicable Applicable
the completed weld reaches the
ambient temp. For ASTM A514, A517,
A709 not less than 48 Hrs.

Tab. 31: Visual Inspection Acceptance Criteria as per AWS D 1.1

 Tab. 32: BS 5289 - Visual Inspection Acceptance Limits for Piping
There are five IIW standards with decreasing severity:
 Black
 Blue
 Green
 Brown
 Red
IIW Black Standards: A homogeneous weld or a weld with a few small scattered
gas cavities
IIW Blue Standards: Very slight variation from homogeneity wrt one or more of the
following defects:
 Cavity
 Shrinkage cavity
 Slag inclusion
 Undercut
 Incomplete penetration
IIW Green Standards: Slight variation from homogeneity in the form of one or more
of the following defects:-
 Gas cavity
 Shrinkage cavity
 Slag inclusion
 Undercut
 Incomplete penetration
IIW Brown Standards: Marked deviation from homogeneity wrt one or more of the
following defects:-
 Gas cavity
 Shrinkage cavity
 Slag inclusion
 Undercut
 Incomplete penetration
 Lack of fusion
IIW Red Standards: Gross deviation from homogeneity wrt one or more of the
following defects:-
 Gas cavity
 Shrinkage cavity
 Slag inclusion
 Undercut
 Incomplete penetration
 Cracks
ASTM Standards specified welding defects levels as per ASTM E- 390 Vol-II
Defects not allowed:-
 Shrinkage /Crack
 Lack of Fusion
 Burn through
 Elongated Porosity
Defects allowed:
 Incomplete Penetration up to level-II
 Slag Inclusion up to Level-III
 Undercut up to level-IV
 Porosity:
o Coarse scattered Porosity up to level-II
o Cluster Porosity up to Level-III
o Fine scattered Porosity up to Level-IV
WELD REPAIR:
Repair & Rectification
 Deposit of excess Metal like Overlap, Excess penetration, Spatter, Coarse
uneven ripples. Grind Flush to the Parent Body. Exercise care to grind evenly
over a large area. Sharp grinding over a small area may lead to localised
heating and formation of martensite.
 Discontinuities like Cracks, Elongated Porosity etc.: Assess the extent of
discontinuity by DPT. Drill two 3-5 mm holes about 10 mm away from both the
ends of discontinuity. Remove metal by Pneumatic or Arc gouging. Ensure
total removal by repeat DPT. Re-weld. Never try to repair by re-weld with
discontinuities present.
 Other defects like Lack of fusion, incomplete penetration, Porosities & Blow
holes, Inclusions etc. Remove metal by Pneumatic or Arc gouging. Re-weld.
XXX END XXX