Layout Just the Fact May 2020.

qxp_Layout 1 4/24/20 11:40 AM Page 14

Just the Facts By Paul L. Sturgill

Welding Variables for Welder Qualification

— Part 1: Philosophy

Rules and variables for welder qualification in various codes are discussed

Similar to welding procedures, qual-

ification also applies to welders. Al-
though the basis for welder qualifica-
tion is pretty much the same in all
qualification codes, the variables and
qualification ranges vary, sometimes
significantly. This two-part article dis-
cusses the underlying philosophy for
welder qualification and provides an
overview of the approaches and essen-
tial variables used by various qualifica-
tion codes.

Why Do We Qualify
Welding Personnel?
Like procedure qualification, welder
qualification is an essential part of a
fabricator’s quality program. Most
codes require the organization that
performs the welding to take responsi-
bility for the work of the welders they
employ. Welder qualification is an im-
portant part of this responsibility.
Subclause 4.2.2.2 of AWS D1.1:2015,
Structural Welding Code — Steel states,
“Each manufacturer or Contractor
shall be responsible for the qualifica-
tion of welders, welding operators, and
tack welders, whether the qualification
is conducted by the manufacturer,
Contractor, or an independent testing
agency.” The other AWS structural
welding codes (AWS D1.2, Structural
Welding Code — Aluminum; D1.4,
Structural Welding Code — Reinforcing
Steel; AWS D1.5 Bridge Welding Code;
AWS D1.6, Structural Welding Code —
Stainless Steel; and AWS D1.9, Struc-
tural Welding Code — Titanium) all re-
quire the contractor to qualify the
welders, but none of them addresses
the responsibility for that qualification
as explicitly as AWS D1.1. AWS D1.3,
Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel,
requires welders to be qualified but is
Fig. 1 — Is submerged arc welding (SAW) a mechanized process or an automatic process?
It can be either, depending on the level of control provided by the equipment manufacturer.
silent on the responsibility for that
qualification.
The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Code, Section IX: Welding, Brazing, and
Fusing Qualifications takes a similar
stance, but goes into more detail, as
stated in QG-106.2, “The organization
shall conduct the tests required by this
Section to qualify the performance of
those persons with each joining process
they will use...This requirement ensures
that the qualifying organization has de-
termined that the personnel using its
procedures are capable of achieving the
minimum requirements specified for an
acceptable joint.” This part of Section IX
clearly makes the organization responsi-
ble for the quality of the work produced
by the welders they employ. QG-
106.2(a) goes further and explains the
mechanism by which this responsibility
is executed, “The personnel who pro-
duce test joints...This shall be tested un-
der the full supervision and control of
the qualifying organization.”
The AWS B2.1, Specification for
Welding Procedure and Performance
Qualification has a similar statement in
subclause 5.1.7, “The welder or weld-
ing operator undertaking performance
qualification tests shall be under the
full supervision and control of the
Qualifier during the welding of test
weldments.”
The API Standard 1104, Welding of
Pipelines and Related Facilities, also ad-
dresses the responsability for welder
qualification by stating, “The qualifica-
tion of welders shall be conducted in
the presence of a representative ac-
ceptable to the company, except, in
this case, the “company” is the
pipeline owner or the engineering firm
in charge of construction.”
What Skills Are Needed?
Welding personnel are generally di-
vided into two categories, depending
on the type of welding process they
use. These two categories are welders
and welding operators, both of which

14 Inspection Trends / May 2020

Layout Just the Fact May 2020.qxp_Layout 1 4/24/20 11:40 AM Page 15

are often referred to generically as just

“welders.” AWS A3.0, Standard Welding FYI: BEST PRACTICES FOR WELDER QUALIFICATION
Terms and Definitions defines a welder
as “one who performs manual or semi- AWS has developed and published a guidance document
automatic welding.” Typical examples
of welders are folks who perform for welder qualification titled Best Practices for Performing
shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), a Welder Qualification Test. This document addresses
which is a manual process, and those logistical concerns, responsibilities of the qualifier, per-
who use gas metal arc welding sonal protective equipment, material control and trace-
(GMAW), which is usually a semiauto- ability, proper documentation of variables, and record
matic process. The common features of
these processes are that the person (a)
retention, among other administrative issues. It is an
controls the movement of the torch or excellent resource for any fabricator or test facility in the
electrode along the weld joint, and (b) business of testing welders.
must make appropriate adjustments
to the welding variables in response to
visual observation of the weld pool
tor by reference, use definitions identi- Unlike procedure qualification, howev-
and its behavior.
cal to those in AWS A3.0, or use very er, there are no nonessential variables
In comparison, AWS A3.0 defines a
similar definitions. for performance qualification
welding operator as “one who operates
Fundamentally, the difference be- Although welders and welding opera-
adaptive control, automatic, mecha-
tween a welder and a welding operator tors need different skill sets, the qualifi-
nized, or robotic welding equipment.”
is the type and degree of skills re- cation codes are not uniform in their ap-
Examples of welding operators are
quired. While both must have signifi- proach to qualifying the two types of
those who make automatic orbital gas-
cant process knowledge, training, and personnel. Some codes, like AWS B2.1,
tungsten arc (GTAW) tube welds and
experience, a welder must also have and API 1104, have different sets of es-
operators who run robotic laser sys-
sufficient eye-hand coordination to sential variables for the qualification of
tems. For these processes, the opera-
make the necessary on-the-fly adjust- welders, compared to those for welding
tor does not control the progression of
ments to the welding variables in re- operators. ASME Section IX has very
the weld along the joint, and he or she
sponse to a visual observation of the few essential variables for welding oper-
has no opportunity to make adjust-
weld pool. He or she must also know ators compared to those for welders.
ments to the welding variables in re-
what corrections to make. Conversely, Other codes have very similar essential
sponse to a visual observation of the
a welding operator does not necessari- variables for the two categories. For in-
weld pool during welding. Some peo-
ly need those skills because he or she stance, the essential variables for
ple disparage these operators by call-
is not making adjustments during the welders and welding operators in AWS
ing them “button pushers,” but I think
welding process. D1.1 are almost identical. In addition,
that is a bit mean-spirited.
Many qualification codes address AWS D1.1 states that qualified welders
A question often asked concerns sub-
these differences. In ASME Section IX, (for GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW) are also
merged arc welding (SAW): is it a mech-
QW-102 states, in part, “the basic cri- considered to be qualified welding oper-
anized process or an automatic process?
terion established for welder qualifica- ators for the same process and subject
It can be either, depending on the level
tion is to determine the welder’s abili- to the welder essential variable (thick-
of control provided by the equipment
ty to deposit sound weld metal,” while ness and diameter) limitations. The es-
manufacturer Fig. 1. When laser joint
for welding operators, it is about his or sential variables for welders and welding
tracking is used for single pass per side
her “ability to operate the welding operators in AWS D1.2 parallel those in
welds and flux is automatically and con-
equipment” so that sound weld metal AWS D1.1, except for the exclusion of
tinuously added, little or no guidance
is deposited. AWS B2.1 has a similar FCAW in AWS D1.2.
from the operator is needed, and this
statement that differentiates between
version could easily be considered auto-
matic welding. When operator adjust-
the two. Some AWS D1 structural Continuation
codes differentiate between the two,
ments to either the current, torch posi-
and some do not. In general, the AWS In the second part of this article,
tion, or flux management are needed,
D1 structural codes generically refer to will be published in the August issue
this would fall into the mechanized
the person’s “ability to deposit sound of Inspection Trends, we will discuss the
welding category. In either case, the sys-
weld metal.” common essential variables for welder
tem is run by an operator. SAW can also
It follows that the essential vari- qualification used in the AWS D1
be run as a semiautomatic process, us-
ables for welder and welding operator structural codes, ASME Section IX,
ing elongated torches in which com-
qualification are based on the skills AWS B2.1, and API 1104.
pressed air forces the flux from the noz-
needed to either deposit sound weld
zle. This version is usually used for short
metal or to operate the equipment so
welds or repairs. PAUL L. STURGILL
that sound metal is deposited. These
In general, the qualification rules of (lynnsturgill@gmail.com) is a Senior Cer-
qualification rules are addressed col- tified Welding Inspector, ASNT Level III VT
the AWS D1 structural welding codes,
lectively by the qualification codes as Instructor, 3-A Certified Conformance
AWS B2.1, ASME Section IX, and API Evaluator, and owner of Sturgill Welding
performance qualification to differenti-
1104 either adopt the AWS A3.0 defi- & Code Consulting, Ellettsville, Ind.
ate them from procedure qualification.
nitions for welder and welding opera-

May 2020 / Inspection Trends 15