Welder Performance Qualification

(WPQ) as per ASME SEC IX

As the quality of weld depends upon skill of the welder, it does require qualifying a welder by testing.
Testing is to demonstrate the welder ability to produce a Sound weld joint; these tests are qualitative in
nature.
Welding factors that affect the welder ability/skill to make a sound weld are termed as essential
variables. As each welding process has its unique features, they will have their own set of essential
variables and a welder has to qualify for each process to be used in production.
For greater understanding topic is devided into following events,
1. Examination and Quality testing.
a. Welding of Test coupons.
b. Mechanical testing requirements.
c. Removing and Dimensions of test specimens.
d. Quality testing and Acceptance criteria of test results.
e. Retest.
2. Qualification range.
3. Welder qualification certificate and validity.
Welder qualification test coupon may be in plate, pipe or other product forms. Welder may be qualified
by making test with each individual welding process in separate test coupons, or with a combination of
welding processes in a single test coupon. Same apply for qualifying combination of welders using
single test coupon. Failure of any portion of a combination test coupon to meet the test criteria
constitutes failure of the every process and welder involved in making coupon.
A welder can be qualified using any one of following three ways;
1. Mechanical testing of test coupon.
2. Volumetric NDT of test coupon.
3. Volumetric NDT of initial production weld.
(Test coupon should pass Visual examination QW-194 to test further by mechanical or NDT as
mentioned in above three ways).
1. Examination and Quality testing
a. Welding of Test Coupons
It involves welding test coupon in presence of examiner (who examines the welder ability to follow the
WPS, Welder skill) accordance with a qualified WPS or SWPS. (Except preheat and PWHT may be
omitted).
Note: Welding may be terminated at any stage, whenever it becomes apparent to the examiner that the
welder being tested doesn’t have required skills to produce satisfactory results.
b. Mechanical testing requirements ( QW-452)
For Groove Weld Test:
Table 1

“Thickness of
weld metal” is exclusive of reinforcement.
Note 1: To qualify using positions 5G or 6G, a total of four bend specimens are required. And to
qualify using combination of 2G & 5G in a single test coupon a total of six bend specimens are
required.
Coupons testing by Face and Root bends limited to weld deposits made by maximum of two welders
with one process each (or) by one welder using maximum two welding processes. Weld deposit made
by each welder and each set of essential variables should be presented on the convex surface of the
appropriate bend specimen. Coupons of thickness ≥ 19 mm can used to qualify three or more welder
each of whom may use same or different welding processes.
For Fillet Weld Test:
All thicknesses of as welded test coupons require one Macro test & one Fillet Fracture test.
c. Removing and Dimensions of test Specimens
Test specimens for mechanical testing removed from the tests coupons as shown here. (Test coupon
requires to provide enough number of test specimens with specified dimensions).
Bend test Specimens:
Removal of test specimens from plate-to-plate groove weld coupon is shown in Figures 1 to 3.
Transverse bend test specimens

Longitudinal bend test Specimen

Removal of test specimens from pipe-to-pipe groove weld coupon is shown in Figures 4 to 7.

Pipe wall thickness < 19 mm for 1G, 2G

Two specimens are removed as shown in figure 4, by omitting the specimens in upper-right and lower-
left quadrants and replace the replace the root bend specimen in upper left corner with a face bend
specimen.
Pipe wall thickness < 19 mm and Alternative for Pipe wall thickness 10 mm to < 19 mm for 1G, 2G
Two specimens are removed as shown in figure 5, by omitting the specimens in upper-right and lower-
left quadrants.
Removing of test specimens for combination of 2G & 5G
NPS 6 (DN 150) or larges pipe should be used to make up the test specimens. shown in figures 6, 7.
Dimensions of bend Test Specimens:
The dimensions of test specimens that are taken from plate-to-plate groove weld, pipe-to-pipe groove
weld are given bellow,
Face , Root Transverse bend and Longitudinal bend specimens

Di
mensions of Face and Root transverse, Longitudinal bend specimen dimensions as shown in Figure 8,
9, 10 respectively [Except width of Face and Root Transverse bend test specimens taken from Pipe-to-
pipe groove test coupon of NPS 4 (DN 100) or less, refer ASME SEC IX QW-462.3 (a)]. And
Thickness of test specimen for Face and Root transverse, Longitudinal bend are given in table 2.
Side bend specimen

Note 1: Except for some F-number, P-numbers refer ASME SEC IX, QW-462.2.
Note 2: When the Thickness of weld deposit (t) is less than coupon thickness T, Test specimen
thickness may be t.
Note 3: When Coupon Thickness T ≥ 38,
a. Cut the multiple test specimens of approximately equal dimension of 19 mm to                     38 mm.
b. May be bend-tested at full width if suitable test jig is available.
Removing of Fracture and Micro examination test Specimens:
Removal of test specimens from test coupons of plate-to-plate fillet weld shown in Figure 12, for Pipe-
to-pipe Fillet weld Coupon shown in figure 13, 14 and 15.
Dimensions of Fillet weld Test Specimens:
From plate-to-plate Fillet weld tests coupon are given in Figure 12,
a. One Fracture test specimen of 100 mm length.
b. One of the end cut specimen of 25 mm length for Macro examination.
From pipe-to-plate Fillet weld, pipe-to-pipe Fillet weld tests coupon are given in Figure 13, 14
respectively,
a. One quarter section forms Fracture test specimen.
b. Opposite quarter section forms test specimen for Macro Examination.
d. Quality Testing and Acceptance criteria of test results
Guide Bend Test: These are described in QW-160, used to determine the soundness and ductility of
groove weld joints by application of calculated amount of strain (elongation) in controlled manner
using test a jig of certain dimensions. Test specimens are shown in figures 8 to 11. The diameter of
former of expressed in terms of thickness of the test specimen, using the following formula.
Acceptance Criteria:
Weld and HAZ should fall under bend portion of specimen after testing.
The convex surface of specimen should not show any open discontinuity of more than 3 mm in any
direction.
The open discontinuities on corners of the specimen should not be considered as a defect unless there is
definite evidence that they are resulted from a lack of fusion, slag inclusion, or due to other internal
discontinuities.
For more knowledge on testing procedure, types of bend tests, test jig dimensions refer QW 160, 466.1.
Fracture-Fillet test: This test is described in QW-180, used to determine soundness of the fillet weld.
Test involves fracturing of fillet weld by lateral loading of specimen in a way that root is in tension.
The load is steadily increased until the weld fractures or the specimen bents flat upon itself. Test
specimens are shown in figures 12 to 14.

Macro Examination: This test involves visual examination of the test specimen after etching which
gives clear definition of weld and HAZ for and measuring the size of fillet weld.
Acceptance criteria:
The weld should show complete fusion, weld region should free of cracks. ?
Weld should not have a concavity or convexity greater than 1.5 mm.
The leg length size difference should not be garter than 3 mm.
Volumetric NDE:
Welder may be qualified by Volumetric NDT when made a groove weld in a Test coupon with
following processes and P-numbers.
SMAW, GTAW, GMAW (note 1), SAW, PAW or combination of these processes, except for P-no 21
through 26 (not applicable for GMAW), P-no 51 through 53 (not applicable for GMAW), and P-no 61
through 62.
Note 1: Short circuiting mode of GTAW should not test using RT.
The minimum length of test coupon is 150 mm and for pipes entire circumference of the weld to be
tested. Pipes with circumference length less than 150 mm, multiple coupons of same diameter pipe
required to be tested, and the number need not exceed four consecutively made test coupons.
Alternatively a minimum of 150 mm length of first production groove weld(s) made by welder using
the above stated welding processes and P-numbers. Pipes welded in 5G, 6G or Special positions the
circumference of the weld to be tested, except for Pipe circumference less than 150 as state earlier
requires multiple specimens.
For examination technique and acceptance criteria refer QW-191.
e. Re-Testing:
Immediate Re-test may be conducted when the test results are not meeting the acceptance criteria, as
follows;
Visual Examination: Satisfactoriness of visual examination of welded test coupon is mandatory for
further testing,
For re-testing welder has to make two consecutive test coupons for each position he failed. And all of
which should pass the visual examination. The Examiner can use any one of the successful test coupon
for further testing by mechanical or NDT testing methods.
Failure of Test Specimen in Mechanical Testing:
Re-testing should be by same method. Welder has to make two consecutive test coupons for each
position he failed. And all of which should pass.
Failure of Test Coupon/ Production Weld in NDT Testing:
Re-testing should be by same method. In re-test should examine twice the required length as stated
above, and the number need not exceed eight consecutively made pipe coupons or pipe circumferences
for production weld. And all of which should pass.
Note: As stated earlier failure of any test specimen taken from a combination test coupon constitutes
failure of every welding process, every welder involved in making coupon.(Combination test coupon is
one which consists of weld deposits made by more than one welder or by one welder using more than
welding process).
2. Qualification Range
Essential variables are what affects the skill of the welder, so the values of the essential variables used
in welder qualification test limits the range he qualified for. Theses limitations are mentioned in QW-
350 for each welding process.
Note 1: Except the cover or wash pass may be up down. The root pass also may be up or down when it
is removed to sound metal for welding the other side.
Note 2: Except for low voltage shot-circuiting transfer mode, when the weld deposit thickness is <13
mm, an increase in deposited thickness beyond 1.1 times the qualification test deposited weld metal
thickness.
Note 3: Except when welding a single weld butt joint with backing, double welded butt joint, fillet
welds. This exception may not apply to P.no 51 through 53, P.no 61 through 62, and P.no 10 I.
General Note: A double groove-weld welded from both sides, partial penetration groove welds, Fillet
welds are considered welding with backing.
Table 4, Limits of qualified positions and diameters (From QW-461.9);

Note 1: Tack welds are not limited by pipe or tube diameters when their aggregate length does not
exceed 25% of the weld circumference.
Note 2: Pipe OD ≥ 73 mm.
Note 3: Diameter limitations given bellow

Table 5 (From QW-423), Classification of P-Numbers is given in QW-422;

Table 6 (from QW-433), Classification of F-Numbers are given in QW-432;
Thickness of weld metal qualified:
ASME SEC IX gives limitations on thickness of the weld deposits by welder, given bellow;
Table 7, Groove Welds:

Note 1: In combination test coupon, the thickness deposited by each welder, each welding process,
each set of essential variables should be used individually to determine the qualified ranges using
above table.
Note 2: Except, Thickness of weld deposit ≥ 13 mm with a minimum three layers, qualifies the welder
to all thickness.
Table 8, Fillet Welds:

Note 1: Welder who passes the required tests for groove weld also qualified to make fillet welds on all
base metal thicknesses and diameters, Fillet sizes.
Note 2: Limitation applies when qualification made on plate-to-plate fillet weld test coupon as shown
in figure 12.
3. Welder qualification certificate and validity
The performance qualification of welder remains valid, provided than no greater than 6 months have
passed since the qualifying welding process has been was used and there is no specific reason to
question the welder’s ability to make sound welds.
The certificate of welder performance qualification (WPQ) should include the values of essential
variables used in test and their range qualified for production welding, the type of tests performed and
their results, welder identification details, WPS/SWPS number used for test and Stamp of approval
from certifying organization with date.
Non mandatory format of welder performance qualification certificate is given in QW-484 A.
 
references:
ASME SEC IX.