WELDING POSITIONS

WELDING PERFORMANCE QAULIFICATIONS

Volumetric NDE
When the welder or welding operator is qualified by volumetric NDE, as permitted
in QW-304 for welders and QW-305 for welding operators, the minimum length of coupon(s) to be
examined shall be 6 in. (150 mm) and shall include the entire weld circumference for pipe(s) , except
that for small diameter pipe, multiple coupons of the same diameter pipe may be required, but the
number need not exceed four consecutively made test coupons.

LIMITS OF QUALIFIED POSITIONS AND DIAMETERS

WELDING PROCEDURE QUALIFICATIONS
POSITIONS

(a) Qualification in the horizontal, vertical, or overhead position shall also qualify for the flat position.
Qualification in the horizontal fixed position, 5G, shall qualify for the flat, vertical, and overhead
positions. Qualification in the horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions shall qualify for all
positions. Qualification in the inclined fixed position, 6G, shall qualify for all positions.
(b) An organization who does production welding in a particular orientation may make the tests for
procedure qualification in this particular orientation. Such qualifications are valid only for the
positions actually tested, except that an angular deviation of ±15 deg is permitted in the inclination
of the weld axis and the rotation of the weld face as defined in Figure QW-461.1. A test specimen
shall be taken from the test coupon in each special orientation.
(c) For hard‐facing and corrosion‐resistant weld metal overlay, qualification in the 3G, 5G, or 6G
positions, where 5G or 6G pipe coupons include at least one vertical segment completed utilizing the
up‐hill progression or a 3G plate coupon is completed utilizing the up‐hill progression, shall qualify
for all positions. Chemical analysis, hardness, macro‐etch, and at least two of the bend tests, as
required in Table QW-453, shall be removed from the vertical uphill overlaid segment as shown in
Figure QW-462.5(b).
(d) A change from the vertical down to vertical up‐hill progression shall require requalification.