the facts just Prequalified WPS Checklist

BY LYNDSEY DECKARD
As a Certified Quality Auditor, I frequently encounter companies that keep their Welding Procedure Specifications (WPSs) in a book or cabinet in the welding supervisors office. The WPS is the welders instructions for performing a specific weld, whether it is qualified or prequalified. A copy of the WPS should be at the welding workstation during welding. This fact appears to escape many experienced supervisors and welding inspectors. Requirements for qualifying a WPS through a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) are found in Part B of Section 4 in D1.1:2004, Structural Welding Code Steel. A guide for the requirements of prequalified WPSs is synopsized in Annex H (Nonmandatory Information) of D1.1:2004, which follows: (all subsections) PJP Requirements (all subsections) CJP Groove Weld Requirements PQR Essential Variable changes requiring WPS requalification for SMAW, SAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW Base Metal for Weld Tabs, Backing, and Spacers Suitability of Classification Welding Consumables SMAW Electrodes SAW Electrodes and Fluxes GMAW/FCAW Electrodes WPS Variables Heat Input for Quenched and Tempered Steels Backing (all subsections) Minimum Fillet Weld Sizes Preparation of Base Metal (all subsections) Faying Surface Technique for Plug and Slot Welds (all subsections) Peening (all subsections) In-Process Cleaning FCAW, GMAW, SMAW Fillet Weld Option (all subsections) Removal Area Repair 3.12 3.13 Specific Portions of Table 4.5 5.2.2 5.3.1.2 5.3.2 5.3.3 5.3.4 5.5 5.7 5.10 5.14 5.15 5.22.1.1 5.25 5.27 5.30.1 7.5.5 7.7.5

Annex H Contents of Prequalified WPS

Prequalified welding requires a written WPS addressing the following code subsections as applicable to weldments of concern. In addition to the requirements for a written WPS, this code imposes many other requirements and limitations on prequalified welding. The organization using prequalified welding shall conform with all the relevant requirements. The specification of the WPS may meet the users needs. Items such as assembly tolerances may be referenced. 1.2 2.3.1.4 2.3.2.7 2.3.4.2 2.3.3 3.2.1 3.3 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.9.3 3.10 Limitations Effective Weld Size (Flare-Groove) Maximum Fillet Weld Size in Lap Joints Slot Ends Skewed T-Joints (all subsections) Prequalified Processes Base Metal/Filler Metal Combinations Minimum Preheat and Interpass Temperature Requirements (all subsections) Limitation of WPS Variables (all subsections) General WPS Requirements (all subsections) Fillet Weld Requirements Skewed T-Joints Plug and Slot Weld Requirements

Lyndsey Deckard (Deckard@pbworld.com) is Quality Manager of the Vehicle Division of Parsons Brinckerhoff Transit & Rail Systems Inc. He is an AWS Senior Certified Welding Inspector, an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor, and a member of the AWS Certification Committee, the Examination Question Bank Subcommittee, and chairman of the Ethics Subcommittee.

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