AWS Welding Procedure Qualifier cheat sheet

A WPS/PQR pair is variable-based: essential variables change procedure qualification; nonessential variables may be revised without requalification; supplementary essential variables apply only when notch toughness is required.

PQR testing typically covers tensile (transverse or reduced-section), guided bend (face and root), and, where specified, impact and hardness; each test type has its own acceptance criterion in the governing code.

Procedure qualification thickness rules are commonly based on test coupon thickness ranges rather than a single value; confirm the governing code's multiplier before writing production limits.

Position qualification for procedures is recorded as the position(s) tested; production WPS position limits derive from the qualified position per the code's position table.

A PQR must record actual test results, not intended values, and must be signed by the testing laboratory and the manufacturer or contractor responsible for the procedure.

Requalification is required when an essential variable exceeds its qualified range, when base metal grouping changes, or when the process, filler classification, or shielding medium changes beyond allowed limits.

Preheat and interpass temperature are essential variables for most processes when notch toughness is required; otherwise they are usually nonessential but must still be documented in the WPS.

Bend test acceptance generally permits no single defect exceeding a code-specified size and limits total defect length across the specimen; cracks exceeding the limit fail the test.

Quality responsibility rests with the manufacturer or contractor; welding coordination tasks may be delegated but accountability for code compliance cannot be transferred to the inspector.

Document control requires that only the current revision of a WPS is available at the point of use; superseded revisions must be withdrawn to prevent production use.

WPS essential and nonessential variable values must match what the welder actually uses; a mismatch between WPS and shop practice is a nonconformance regardless of test results.

Welder and operator assignment records must link each welder to the specific WPS, process, and position used in production, traceable to the weld or joint.

Calibration status of welding equipment, measuring devices, and test instruments must be current; out-of-calibration equipment invalidates the affected records.

Corrective action for a nonconformance begins with containment (identify affected welds), then root cause, then disposition per the engineer, then verification of effectiveness.

Filler metal control includes storage, issuance, and return records; exposed electrodes and fluxes must be tracked against the manufacturer's exposure limits.

Audit readiness depends on a complete document trail: qualified WPS/PQR, welder certificates, continuity logs, NDE reports, and heat/lot traceability for consumables.

NDE method and extent are set by the governing code and the contract, not by the inspector's preference; the WPS does not normally dictate NDE method.

Personnel performing NDE must hold certification to the applicable standard (for example, a recognized central or employer-based scheme) at the level required for the method and interpretation.

Surface examination (PT/MT) is generally performed before volumetric examination (RT/UT) so surface discontinuities are not masked or misattributed.

Final NDE acceptance for procedure qualification coupons differs from production weld acceptance; qualification tests are evaluated against the PQR test criteria.

Radiographic technique must demonstrate required sensitivity and density; film or digital image quality indicators verify the technique before acceptance decisions are made.

Repair welds and their re-examination must be documented; the repair is a new weld requiring its own NDE and, where code-required, its own qualification coverage.

NDE reports must identify the weld, the procedure used, the examiner and certification level, the acceptance criteria, and the disposition of any indicated discontinuities.

Welder qualification is separate from procedure qualification: the WPS is proven by the PQR, while the welder is proven by a performance test using a qualified WPS.

Essential variables for welder qualification commonly include process, position, backing/gas, base metal group, filler classification, and progression (uphill versus downhill for vertical welding).

Thickness and pipe diameter limits are derived from the test coupon; small-diameter pipe qualification often restricts production to a narrow range unless additional testing is done.

Continuity of qualification typically requires that the welder has used the process within a defined period (commonly six months) without a break exceeding the code's limit.

A welder who fails a qualification test may be retested only after documented additional training or practice; repeated failures trigger waiting periods under many codes.

Qualification records must record the test coupon details, positions, process, filler, results, examiner, and date, and must be retained for the code-specified period.

A welder qualified on one WPS may weld any procedure within the essential variable limits of that qualification, provided the WPS itself is qualified.