ASME BPVC.

IX-2021

(b) W e l d e r s a n d w e l d i n g o p e r a t o r s w h o s e
qualification(s) have been revoked under the provisions
of QW-322.2 above shall requalify. Qualification shall uti- Table QW-353
lize a test coupon appropriate for the revoked qualifica- Shielded Metal-Arc Welding (SMAW)
tion(s). The coupon shall be welded as required by
QW-301 and tested as required by QW-302. Successful Essential Variables
completion of the qualification test restores the revoked Paragraph Brief of Variables
qualification(s). QW-402
.4 − Backing
Joints
.16 ϕ Pipe diameter
QW-350 WELDING VARIABLES FOR QW-403
Base Metals .18 ϕ P‐Number
WELDERS
QW-404 .15 ϕ F‐Number
QW-351 GENERAL Filler Metals .30 ϕ t Weld deposit
A welder shall be requalified whenever a change is QW-405 .1 + Position
made in one or more of the essential variables listed for Positions .3 ϕ ↑↓ Vertical welding
each welding process.
Where a combination of welding processes is required
to make a weldment, each welder shall be qualified for the Table QW-354
particular welding process or processes he will be re- Semiautomatic Submerged-Arc Welding
quired to use in production welding. A welder may be (SAW)
qualified by making tests with each individual welding
process, or with a combination of welding processes in
Essential Variables
a single test coupon.
The limits of weld metal thickness for which he will be Paragraph Brief of Variables
qualified are dependent upon the approximate thickness QW-403 .16 ϕ Pipe diameter
of the weld metal he deposits with each welding process, Base Metals .18 ϕ P‐Number
exclusive of any weld reinforcement, this thickness shall QW-404 .15 ϕ F‐Number
be considered the test coupon thickness as given in Filler Metals .30 t Weld deposit
QW-452. QW-405
In any given production weldment, welders may not .1 + Position
Positions
deposit a thickness greater than that permitted by
QW-452 for each welding process in which they are
qualified.
Table QW-355
Semiautomatic Gas Metal-Arc Welding
(GMAW)
Table QW-352
Oxyfuel Gas Welding (OFW)
[This Includes Flux-Cored Arc Welding
(FCAW)] Essential Variables
Essential Variables
Paragraph Brief of Variables
Paragraph Brief of Variables
QW-402
QW-402 .4 − Backing
.7 + Backing Joints
Joints
QW-403 .16 ϕ Pipe diameter
QW-403 .2 Maximum qualified
Base Metals .18 ϕ P‐Number
Base Metals .18 ϕ P‐Number
.15 ϕ F‐Number
.14 ± Filler QW-404
QW-404 .30 ϕ t Weld deposit
.15 ϕ F‐Number Filler Metals
Filler Metals .32 t Limit (S. Cir. Arc.)
.31 ϕ t Weld deposit
QW-405 .1 + Position
QW-405
Positions
.1 + Position Positions .3 ϕ ↑↓ Vertical welding
QW-408
QW-408 .8 − Backing gas
.7 ϕ Type fuel gas Gas
Gas
QW-409
.2 ϕ Transfer mode
Electrical

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 ASME BPVC.IX-2021

QW-360 WELDING VARIABLES FOR

WELDING OPERATORS
Table QW-356
Manual and Semiautomatic Gas QW-361 GENERAL
Tungsten-Arc Welding (GTAW) A welding operator shall be requalified whenever a
Essential Variables change is made in one of the following essential variables
(QW-361.1 and QW-361.2). There may be exceptions or
Paragraph Brief of Variables
additional requirements for the processes of QW-362,
QW-402 .4 − Backing QW-363, and the special processes of QW-380.
Joints
QW-403 .16 ϕ Pipe diameter QW-361.1 Essential Variables — Automatic Weld-
Base Metals .18 ϕ P‐Number
ing.
.14 ± Filler
(a) A change from automatic to machine welding.
(b) A change in the welding process.
.15 ϕ F‐Number
QW-404 (c) For electron beam and laser welding, the addition
.22 ± Inserts
Filler Metals or deletion of filler metal.
.23 ϕ Filler metal product form
(d) For laser welding and hybrid welding using lasers, a
.30 ϕ t Weld deposit change in laser type (e.g., a change from CO2 to YAG).
QW-405 .1 + Position (e) For friction welding, a change from continuous
Positions .3 ϕ ↑↓ Vertical welding drive to inertia welding or vice versa.
QW-408 .8 − Backing gas (f) For electron beam welding, a change from vacuum
Gas to out‐of‐vacuum equipment, and vice versa.
QW-409 .4 ϕ Current or polarity
Electrical
QW-361.2 Essential Variables — Machine Welding. ð21Þ
(a) A change in the welding process.
Legend:
(b) A change from direct visual control to remote visual
ϕ Change control and vice‐versa.
↑ Uphill
+ Addition (c) The deletion of an automatic arc voltage control
↓ Downhill
− Deletion system for GTAW.
(d) The deletion of automatic joint tracking.
(e) The addition of welding positions other than those
Table QW-357 already qualified (see QW-120, QW-130, and QW-303).
Manual and Semiautomatic Plasma-Arc (f) For GTAW, PAW, and LLBW, the deletion of con-
Welding (PAW) sumable inserts, except that qualification with consum-
able inserts shall also qualify for fillet welds and welds
Essential Variables with backing.
Paragraph Brief of Variables (g) The deletion of backing. Double‐welded groove
QW-402 .4 − Backing welds are considered welding with backing.
Joints (h) A change from single pass per side to multiple
QW-403 .16 ϕ Pipe diameter passes per side but not the reverse.
Base Metals .18 ϕ P‐Number (i) For hybrid plasma-GMAW welding, the essential
.14 ± Filler variable for welding operator qualification shall be in ac-
.15 ϕ F‐Number
cordance with Table QW-357.
QW-404
.22 ± Inserts
Filler Metals QW-362 ELECTRON BEAM WELDING (EBW),
.23 ϕ Filler metal product form
LASER BEAM WELDING (LBW), HYBRID
.30 ϕ t Weld deposit WELDING, AND FRICTION WELDING
QW-405 .1 + Position (FRW)
Positions .3 ϕ ↑↓ Vertical welding
The performance qualification test coupon shall be pro-
QW-408 .8 − Backing gas
duction parts or test coupons that have joint designs per-
Gas
mitted by any qualified WPS. The coupon shall be
mechanically tested in accordance with QW-452. Alterna-
Legend:
ϕ Change tively, when the part or coupon does not readily lend it-
↑ Uphill self to the preparation of bend test specimens, the part
+ Addition
↓ Downhill
− Deletion may be cut so that at least two full‐thickness weld cross
sections are exposed. Those cross sections shall be
smoothed and etched with a suitable etchant (see
QW-470) to give a clear definition of the weld metal

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