ASME SEC-IX

QUALIFICATION STANDARD FOR WELDING & BRAZING

CODES & PURPOSE

API-1104 CROSS COUNTRY WELDING PIPELINE API-650- ABOVE GROUND WELDED STORAGE TANKS ASMEB31.3- PROCESS PIPING AWS D1.1 STRUCTURAL WELDING OF STEEL

CODES & PURPOSE

ASME-SEC-VIII- BOILERS & PRESSURE VESSELS CODE ASME SEC-IX WELDING & BRAZING QUALIFICATIONS ASME SEC-III RULES FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT COMPONENTS ASME SEC-II (PART-C ) SPECIFICATION OF WELDING RODS , ELECTRODES & FILLER METALS

QUALIFICATION OF WELDING
ARTICLE -1 Welding General Requirements. ARTICLE -2 Welding Procedure Qualifications

ARTICLE 3- Welding Performance Qualifications

ARTICLE -4 Welding Data ARTICLE -5 Standard Welding procedure Specification

ARTICLE-1
WELDING GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
General Weld orientation (Test positions for Groove & Fillet Welds) Types & Purposes of Tests & Examination

WPS Welding Procedure Specifications

This is a written document that provides direction to the welder or welding operator for making production welds in accordance with Code requirements

WPS Welding Procedure Specifications

The Purpose for qualification of a WPS is to determine that the Weldment proposed for construction is capable of providing the required properties for its intended application

WPQ- Welding Procedure Qualification

This establishes the properties of the Weldment not the skill of the welder
(or) welding operator

PQR Procedure Qualification Record

PQR documents what occurred during welding the test coupon & the results of testing of the coupon
PQR shall document all essential variables

WELD ORIENTATION
PLATE POSITIONS (GROOVE WELDS)
1G( Flat Position) : Plate in a horizontal plate with the weld metal deposited from the above 2G ( Horizontal Position) : Plate in a Vertical plane with the axis of the weld horizontal

WELD ORIENTATION
PLATE POSITIONS( GROOVE WELDS)
3G( Vertical Position) : Plate in a vertical plane with the axis of the weld Vertical 4G ( Overhead Position) : Plate in a horizontal plane with the weld metal deposited from underneath.

WELD ORIENTATION
PIPE POSITIONS(GROOVE WELDS) 1G ( Flat Position ) : Pipe with its axis horizontal & rolled during welding so that the weld metal is deposited from the above 2G ( Horizontal Position) : Pipe with its axis Vertical and the axis of the weld in a horizontal plane. Pipe shall not be rotated during welding

WELD ORIENTATION
PIPE POSITIONS(GROOVE WELDS) 5G ( Multiple Position ) : Pipe with its axis horizontal and with the welding groove in a vertical plane. Welding shall be done without rotating the pipe 6G ( Multiple Position) : Pipe with its axis inclined at 45 degree to the horizontal . Welding shall be done without rotating pipe.

ANGULAR DEVIATION OF GROOVE WELDS

An Angular deviation of +/- 15degree from the specified horizontal and vertical planes, and an angular deviation of +/- 5 degree from the specified inclined plane are permitted during welding

WELD ORIENTATION
PIPE POSITIONS ( FILLET WELDS) 1F ( Flat Position) : Pipe with its axis inclined at 45 degree to horizontal and rotated during welding so that the weld metal is deposited from above and at the point of deposition the axis of the weld is horizontal & the throat vertical.

WELD ORIENTATION
PIPE POSITIONS ( FILLET WELDS) 2F ( Horizontal position) : Pipe with its axis vertical so that the weld is deposited on the upper side of the horizontal surface & against the vertical surface. The axis of the weld will be horizontal & the pipe is not rotated during welding 2FR ( Horizontal Position) : Pipe with its axis horizontal and the axis of the deposited weld in the vertical plane. The pipe is rotated during welding.

WELD ORIENTATION
PIPE POSITIONS ( FILLET WELDS)
4F ( Overhead Position) : Pipe with its axis vertical so that the weld is deposited on the underside of the horizontal surface & against the vertical surface. The axis of the weld will be horizontal & the pipe is not to be rotated during welding 5F ( Multiple Position) : Pipe with its axis horizontal & the axis of the deposited weld in the vertical plane. The pipe is not to be rotated during welding

TYPES & PURPOSES OF TESTS & EXAMINATIONS

MECHANICAL TESTS
Tension Tests : Used to determine the ultimate strength of groove welded joints Guided Bend Tests : Used to determine the degree of soundness & ductility of groove welded joints Fillet Weld Tests : Used to determine the size, contour & degree of soundness of fillet welds. Notch Toughness Tests : Used to determine notch toughness of weldments

SPECIAL EXAMINATION FOR WELDERS

RADIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION
This may be substituted for mechanical testing for Groove weld performance qualifications to prove the ability of welders to make sound welds. VISUAL EXAMINATION This is used to determine that the final weld surfaces meet specified quality conditions.

ARTICLE- 2
WELDING PROCEDURE QUALIFICATIONS
General Preparation of Test Coupon Welding Variables

WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATIONS

WPS This is a written qualified welding procedure prepared to provide direction for making production welds to code requirements. CONTENTS This shall describe all essential & nonessential variables . WPS shall reference the supporting procedure qualification record.

WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATIONS

CHANGES TO WPS
1) Changes may be made in non-essential variables of a WPS to suit production requirements without requalification provided such changes are documented. 2) Changes in essential variables need requalification

WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATIONS

FORMAT OF WPS
This may be in any format ( Written or tabular) to fit the needs of each manufacturer or contractor. The format includes the required data of SMAW,SAW,GMAW & GTAW . This is only a guide.

WELDING PROCEDURE SPECIFICATIONS

AVAILIABILITY OF THE WPS This shall be available for reference & review by the Authorized inspector

PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION RECORD

PQR This is a record of the welding data used to weld a test coupon.
CONTENTS This shall document all essential variables. Non-essential variables may be recorded at the manufacturer (or) contractors option

PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION RECORD

PQR shall be certified by the manufacturer or contractor. The manufacturer or contractor may not subcontract the certification function.
CHANGES TO PQR IS NOT PERMITTED Except Editorial corrections ( Incorrect P-Number, F-Number, A-Number) All changes to PQR need recertification by manufacturer or contractor

PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION RECORD

FORMAT OF PQR This may be in any format to fit the needs of manufacturer or contractor.
The format also cover the type of tests, number of tests & tests results.

PROCEDURE QUALIFICATION RECORD

AVAILIABILITY OF THE PQR
PQR used to support WPS, shall be available, upon request for review by the authorized inspector

PQR need not be availiable to the welder or welding operator.

PREPARATION OF TEST COUPONS

BASE METAL Base metal may consists of plate, pipe or other product form Qualification in plate also qualifies for pipe welding & vice versa.
The dimensions of the test coupon shall be sufficient to provide the required test specimens

PREPARATION OF TEST COUPONS

TYPE & DIMENSION OF GROOVE WELDS The type & dimensions of the welding groove are not essential variables

WELDING VARIABLES IN GENERAL

ESSENTIAL VARIABLES
SUPPLEMENTARY ESSENTIAL VARIABLES NON-ESSENTIAL VARAIBLES

NOTE : VARY FROM WELDING PROCESS TO PROCESS

WELDING VARIABLES
ESSENTIAL VARIABLES Essential variables are those in which a change as described in the specific variables is considered to affect the mechanical properties of weldment & shall require requalification of the WPS

WELDING VARIABLES
SUPPLEMENTARY ESSENTIAL VARIABLES These are the variables in which a change as described in the specific variables is considered may affect the mechanical properties of weldment, if affect shall require requalification or other wise specified may follow manufacturer or contractors discretion for requalification

WELDING VARIABLES
NON ESSENTIAL VARIABLES Non essential variables are those in which a change, as describes in the specific variables, may be made in the WPS without requalification.

WELDING VARIABLES
ESSENTIAL VARIABLES ( GENERAL) P-Number, P- Number (5/9/10), Max Thickness qualified, F-Number, A-Number, Alloy, Flux, AWS Class,PWHT, Type of Fuel Gas, Alloying elements, Flux type

WELDING VARIABLES
SUPPLEMENTARY ESSENTIAL VARIABLES ( GENERAL )
Group Number, T limits, AWS class , Multi to single pass, Heat input, Position, Current or polarity

WELDING VARIABLES
NON ESSENTIAL VARIABLES Groove design, Backing, Backing composition, Root spacing, Size , Position, Technique, Method cleaning, Preheat, Flux designation, Wire class , Electrode spacing, Flow rate.

ARTICLE-3
WELDING PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATIONS

General Qualification of Test coupons Retests & Renewal of Qualification Welding variables for welders Welding variables for Welding operators

WELDING PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION

GENERAL
The welder qualification is limited by the essential variables given for each welding process A welder /welding operator may be qualified by radiography of a test coupon, radiography of his initial production welding, or by bend tests taken from a test coupon

WELDING PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION

GENERAL The Purpose of WPQ is to ensure that the manufacturer or contractor has determined that his welders and welding operators using his procedures are capable of developing the minimum requirements specified for an acceptable weldment

WELDING PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION

GENERAL When a welder/welding operator changes employer organizations, the employing organization shall verify that the welders continuity of qualifications has been maintained. Each manufacturer or contractor shall qualify each welder or welding operator for each welding process to be used in production welding

WELDING PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION

GENERAL The performance qualification test shall be welded in accordance with qualified welding procedure specifications Each qualified welder/welding operator shall be assigned by an identifying number, letter or symbol by the manufacturer or contractor which shall be used to identify the work of the welder/welding operator

WELDING PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION

GENERAL The record of welder/ welding operator of WPQ shall include the essential variables, type of tests & test results. The type of test results include (Mechanical test, Radiography Examination, Visual Examination )