Standards - application standards,

codes of practice and quality levels

Production at Dennis vehicle manufacturers

Application standards and codes of practice ensure that a

structure or component will have an acceptable level of
quality and be fit for the intended purpose.

In this document, the requirements for standards on

welding procedure and welder approval are explained
together with the quality levels for imperfections. It should
be noted that the term approval is used in European
standards in the context of both testing and
documentation. The equivalent term in the ASME
standard is qualification.

Application standards and codes

There are essentially three types of standards which can be referenced in

fabrication:
 Application and design
 Specification and approval of welding procedures
 Approval of welders

There are also specific standards covering material specifications, consumables,

welding equipment and health and safety. British Standards are used to specify
the requirements, for example, in approving a welding procedure, they are not a
legal requirement but may be cited by the Regulatory Authority as a means of
satisfying the law. Health and Safety guidance documents and codes of practice
may also recommend standards.

Codes of practice differ from standards in that they are intended to give
recommendations and guidance, for example, on the validation of power sources
for welding. It is not intended that should be used as a mandatory, or contractual,
document.
Most fabricators will be working to one of the following:

 Company or industry specific standards

 National BS (British Standard)
 European BS EN (British Standard European Standard)
 US AWS (American Welding Society) and ASME (American Society of
Mechanical Engineers)
 International ISO (International Standards Organisation)

Examples of application codes and standards and related welding procedure and
welder approval standards are listed in Table 1.

Table 1 Examples of application codes and standards and related welding procedure
and welder approval standards

Welding standard
Application
Application Procedure approval Welder approval
code/standard
Pressure Vessels BS 5500 BS EN 288 BS EN 287
ASME VIII ASME IX ASME IX
Process Pipework BS 2633 BS EN 288 (Part 3) BS EN 287 (Part 1)
BS 4677 BS EN 288 (Part 4) BS EN 287 (Part 2)
ANSI/ASME B311 ASME IX ASME IX
ANSI/ASME B31.3 ASME IX ASME IX
BS 2971 BS EN 288 (Part 3) BS 4872/BS EN
(if required) 287
Structural AWS D1.1 AWS D1.1 AWS D1.1
Fabrication AWS D1.2 AWS D1.2 AWS D1.2
BS 5135 BS EN 288 (Part 3) BS EN 287
BS 8118 BS EN 288 (Part 4) BS EN 287
BS 4872
Storage Tanks BS 2654 BS EN 288 (Parts 3 & BS EN 287
BS 2594 4) BS EN 287
API 620/650 BS EN 288 (Parts 3 & ASME IX
4)
ASME IX
Note 1: Reference should be made to the application codes/standards for any
additional requirements to those specified in BS EN 287, BS EN 288 and ASME
IX.

Note 2: Some BS Standards have not been revised to include the new BS EN
standards: BS EN 287 and BS EN 288 should be substituted, as appropriate, for
BS 4871 and BS 4870, respectively, which have been with drawn.

In European countries, national standards are being replaced by EN standards.

However, when there is no equivalent EN standard, the National standard can be
used. For example, BS EN 287 replaces BS 4871 but BS 4872 remains as a
valid standard.

Approval of welding procedures and welders

An application standard or code of practice will include requirements or

guidelines on material, design of joint, welding process, welding procedure,
welder qualification and inspection or may invoke other standards for example for
welding procedure and welder approval tests. The manufacturer will normally be
required to approve the welding procedure and welder qualification. The
difference between a welding procedure approval and a welder qualification test
is as follows:
 The welding procedure approval test is carried out by a competent welder
and the quality of the weld is assessed using non-destructive and
mechanical testing techniques. The intention is to demonstrate that the
proposed welding procedure will produce a welded joint which will satisfy
the specified requirements of weld quality and mechanical properties.
 The welder approval test examines a welder's skill and ability in producing
a satisfactory test weld. The test may be performed with or without a
qualified welding procedure (note, without an approved welding procedure
the welding parameters must be recorded).

The requirements for approvals are determined by the relevant application

standard or as a condition of contract (Table 1).

EN 287 and ASME IX would be appropriate for welders on high quality work such
as pressure vessels, pressure vessel piping and off-shore structures and other
products where the consequences of failure, stress levels and complexity mean
that a high level of welded joint integrity is essential. In less demanding
situations, such as small to medium building frames and general light structural
and non- structural work, an approved welding procedure may not be necessary.
However, to ensure an adequate level of skill, it is recommended that the welder
be approved to a less stringent standard e.g. BS 4872.

'Coded welder' is often used to denote an approved welder but the term is not
recognised in any of the standards. However, it is used in the workplace to
describe those welders whose skill and technical competence have been
approved to the requirements of an appropriate standard.

Quality Acceptance Levels for Welding Procedure and Welder

Approval Tests

When welding to application standards and codes, consideration must be given

to the imperfection acceptance criteria which must be satisfied. Some standards
contain an appropriate section relating to the acceptance levels while others
make use of a separate standard. For example, in welding procedure and welder
approval tests to EN 288 Pt3 and EN 287 Pt1, respectively, reference is made to
EN 25817 (ISO 5817). It is important to note that the application standard may
specify more stringent imperfection acceptance levels and/or require additional
tests to be carried out as part of the welding procedure approval test. For
example, for joints which must operate at high temperatures, elevated
temperature tensile test may be required whereas for low temperature
applications, impact or CTOD tests may be specified.

Guidance on permissible levels of imperfections in arc welded joints in steel

(thickness range, 3 to 63mm) are given in EN 25817. Production quality, but not
fitness-for-purpose, is defined in terms of three levels of quality for imperfections:

 Moderate - Level D
 Intermediate- Level C
 Stringent - Level B

The standard applies to most arc welding processes and covers imperfections
such as cracks, porosity, inclusions, poor bead geometry, lack of penetration and
misalignment.

As the quality levels are related to the types of welded joint and not to a particular
component, they can be applied to most applications for procedure and welder
approval. The quality levels which are the most appropriate for production joints
will be determined by the relevant application standard which may cover design
considerations, mode of stressing (e.g. static, dynamic), service conditions (e.g.
temperature, environment) and consequences of failure.

When working to the European Standards, the welding procedure, or the welder,
will be qualified if the imperfections in the test piece are within the specified limits
of Level B except for excess weld metal, excess convexity, excess throat
thickness and excess penetration type imperfections when Level C will apply.

Guidance levels for aluminium joints are given in EN 30042.

For the American standards ASME IX and AWS D1.1, the acceptance levels are
contained in the standard. Application codes may specify more stringent
imperfection acceptance levels and/or additional tests.

Relevant Standards

 American Welding Society, Structural Welding Code, AWS D1.1

 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX: Welding
Qualifications
 BS 4872 Approval Testing of Welders when Welding Procedure Approval
is not Required
 EN 287:1997 Approval Testing of welders for fusion welding
 EN 288: Specification and approval of welding procedures for metallic
materials
 EN 25817:1992 (ISO 5817) Arc welded joints in steel - Guidance on
quality levels for imperfections.
 EN 26520 Classification of imperfections in metallic fusion welds, with
explanations.
 EN 30042:1994 Arc-welded joints in aluminium and its weldable alloys.
Guidance on quality levels for imperfections.

Standards - Approval of welding

procedures, welders and welding
operators
 For a given application, the main way of
ensuring adequate weld quality is to
specify the procedure and the skill level of
the welding operator. Here, the alternative
routes for welding procedure approval are
described together with the requirements
for welder or welding operator approval.

AC TIG welding of aluminium

cryogenic pressure vessel Routes to welding procedure
Courtesy of Air Products PLC approval

The key document is the Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) which details
the welding variables to be used to ensure a welded joint will achieve the
specified levels of weld quality and mechanical properties.

The WPS is supported by a number of documents (eg a record of how the weld
was made, NDE, mechanical test results) which together comprise a welding
approval record termed the WPAR (EN288) or PQR (ASME).

In both the European and ASME standards, there are a number of 'essential
variables' specified which, if changed, may affect either weld quality or
mechanical properties. Therefore, a change in any of the essentials will invalidate
the welding procedure and will require a new approval test to be carried out. The
essential variables are detailed in the
relevant specification but include
material type, welding process,
thickness range and sometimes
welding position.

The route followed to produce a WPS

in EN 288 and the responsibilities of
the manufacturer and the
Examiner/Examining Body are shown
in Fig. 1.

The most common method of gaining

approval is to carry out an approval
test as described in EN 288 Pt3
(steels) and Pt4 (aluminium and its

Fig. 1. Stages in welding and welder

approval
alloys). The manufacturer initially drafts a preliminary welding procedure (pWPS)
which is used by one of the manufacturer's competent welders to prove that it is
capable of producing a welded joint to the specified levels of weld quality and
mechanical properties. The welding procedure approval record (WPAR) is a
record of this weld. If the WPAR is approved by the Examiner, it is used to finalise
one or more WPSs which is the basis for the Work Instructions given to the
welder.

It is noteworthy that the welder carrying out a satisfactory welding procedure

approval test is approved for the appropriate range of approval given in the
relevant standard (EN 287, ASME IX or AWS D1.1).

EN 288 also permits the following options for procedure approval:

 Welding procedure test

 Approved welding consumable
 Previous welding experience
 Standard welding procedure
 Pre-production welding test

The conventional procedure test (as specified in Parts 3 or 4) does not always
need to be carried out to gain approval. But alternative methods have certain
limits of application regarding, for example, welding processes, materials and
consumables as specified in the appropriate application standard or contract
agreement.

The welding procedure test method of approval is often a mandatory requirement

of the Application Standard. If not, the contracting parties can agree to use one of
the alternative methods. For example, a welding procedure specification can be
approved in accordance with the requirements of Part 6 (previous experience) on
condition that the manufacturer can prove, with appropriate documentation, that
the type of joint has previously been welded satisfactorily.

The American standard, ASME IX requires a welding procedure test (PQR) but
AWS D1.1 will allow the use of pre-qualified procedures within the limits detailed
in the specification.

Welder approval

The welder approval test is carried out to demonstrate that the welder has the
necessary skill to produce a satisfactory weld under the conditions used in
production as detailed in the approved WPS or Work Instruction. As a general
rule, the test piece approves the welder not only for the conditions used in the
test but also for all joints which are considered easier to weld.

As the welder's approval test is carried out on a test piece which is representative
of the joint to be welded, it is independent of the type of construction. The precise
conditions, called 'essential variables', must be specified in the approval test eg
material type, welding process, joint type, dimensions and welding position. The
extent of approval is not necessarily restricted to the conditions used for the test
but covers a group of similar materials or a range of situations which are
considered easier to weld.

It is important to note that a number of Amendments and Corrigenda have now

been issued which affect the range of approval (see list of Relevant Standards).

In EN 287, the certificate of approval testing is issued under the sole

responsibility of the Examiner / Examining Body. The welder approval certificate
remains valid subject to the requirements of the application standard. In EN 287,
it can be extended at six monthly intervals by the employer for up to two years
provided the welder has been successfully welding similar joints. After two years,
prolongation of the welder's qualification will need approval of the Examiner who
will require proof that his or her performance has been of the required standard
during the period of validity. As the Examiner will normally examine the
company's records on the welder's work and tests as proof that he has
maintained his skill, it is essential that work records are maintained by the
company.

It should also be noted that EN 287 requires records of tests ie half yearly
documentation about X-ray or ultrasonic inspections or test reports on fracture
tests must be maintained with the welder's approval certificate (tests on
production welds will satisfy this requirement). Failure to comply will necessitate
a retest.

American standards have similar requirements although the extent of approval of

the welding variables are different to those of EN 287.

Welding operator approval

When required by the contract or application standard, the welding operators

responsible for setting up and/or adjustment of fully mechanised and automatic
equipment must be approved but the personnel operating the equipment do not
need approval. In clarifying the term 'welding operator', personnel who are using
the equipment (loading and unloading robotic equipment or operating a
resistance welding machine) do not require approval.

As specified in EN 1418, approval of operators of equipment for fusion welding

and resistance weld equipment setters can be based on:

 welding a procedure test

 pre-production welding test or production test
 production sample testing or a function test.

It should be noted that the methods must be supplemented by a functional test

appropriate to the welding unit. However, a test of knowledge relating to welding
technology which is the equivalent of 'Job knowledge for welders' in EN 287 is
recommended but not mandatory.

Prolongation of the welding operator approval is generally in accordance with the

requirements of EN 287. The welding operator's approval remains valid for two
years providing the employer/welding co-ordinator confirms that there has been a
reasonable continuity of welding work (period of interruption no longer than six
months) and there is no reason to question the welding operator's knowledge.

The validity of approval may be prolonged for further periods of two years by the
examiner / examining body providing there is proof of production welds of the
required quality, and appropriate test records maintained with the operator's
certificate.

When working to ASME IX, operators for both mechanised and automatic
welding equipment require approval. The essential variables are different to
those in welder approval.

Relevant Standards

EN 287: Part 1. Steels

(Amendment 9665, August 1997)
(Amendment 9804, January 1998)
(Corrigenda No 1, April 1998)

Part 2.Aluminium and alloys

(Amendment No 9733, November 1997)
(Corrigenda No 1 June, 1998)

EN 288: Part 3. Steels

(Amendment No 9736, November 1997)
(Corrigenda No 1, June 1998)
EN 1418 : 1998 Welding personnel - Approval testing of welding operators for
fusion welding and resistance weld setters for fully mechanised and automatic
welding of metallic materials