Understanding

Position in Welding
Walter J. Sperko, P. E.
Sperko Engineering Services, Inc.
4803 Archwood Dr.
Greensboro, NC 27406
www.sperkoengineering.com
sperko@asme.org
336-674-0600
FAX 336-674-0202
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Thispresentationiscopyrighted
bySperkoEngineering
Generalpermissionisgrantedforuseofthis
presentationincludingprintingthereoffor
educationalpurposesprovidedcreditis
giventoSperkoEngineering.
Useofthefigureshereininanyother
publicationwithoutspecificwritten
permissionisprohibited.
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Thispresentationiscopyrighted
bySperkoEngineering
Theprimarypurposeofthispresentationis
twofold:
Makesurethatcodeusersunderstandthe
differencebetweentestingpositionsand
productionweldingpositions
Helpusersunderstandhowtoreadthefigures
thatdefineproductionweldingpositionsshown
onthenextpage.
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ProductionWeldingPositions
Groove Welds

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Fillet Welds

StandardTestPositions
Positions1G,3G,6G,2F,5F,etc.are
speciallydefinedstandardpositions
usedfortesting.Theyareproperly
referredtoasTestPositions.Similar
positionsarefoundinISO6947
identifiedasPA,PC,PG,etc.
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StandardTestingPositions
Testpositionsarediscreetlydefined
positionsoftestcouponsthatareused
whenmostlywhentestingwelders.
Thesepositionshavetoleranceof15
fromthedefinedhorizontalplanesand
5fromadefinedverticalorinclined
plane.SeeQW120
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TestingPosition1G/PA
5
WeldAxisHorizontal

15

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PlateHorizontal

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TestPosition2G/PC
WeldAxis
Horizontal
5

15
PlatesVertical
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TestPosition3F/PForPG

5
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TestPosition6G/HL045orJL045

455
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TestPositionsareDiscreetly
Defined
Becauseoftolerancelimitsontestpositions,
positionsinbetweentestpositionsareundefined!
Thatis,aweldthatisinclined22uphilland
rotated36aboutitsaxishasnoGorF
position.Suchaposition,however,maybe
encounteredduringproductionwelding.
Productionweldingpositions,therefore,needto
bedefinedcontiguously.
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TestPositionsQualifyWelders
forSpecificWeldingPositions
TestPositionsWeldingPositions
Translationsfromtestpositionstoweldingpositionsare
madeintheconstructioncodes.QW461.9istypical.

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TestPositionsWeldingPositions

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WeldingPositions
Notetotable:
(1)PositionsofweldingasshowninQW461.1andQW461.2
F=Flat
H=Horizontal
V=Vertical
O=Overhead
(2)Pipe27/8inoutsidediameterandover.

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Weldingpositionsforgroove
weldsaredefinedbythe
followingdiagram.
NOTE

WeldingPositionDiagramsare
contiguous.

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WeldingPositionsforGrooveWelds

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Tabulationshowingtransition
pointsbetweenweldingpositions
Tabulation of Positions of Groove Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizontal

0 to 15

80 to

150
210 to 280
Overhead

0 to 80

0 to 80
210 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

80 to 280
0 to 360

How this table and the diagram on the previous page work are shown in the
following diagrams
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Letsstartwiththe
FlatPosition

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WeldingPositions
Tabulation of Positions of Groove Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizontal

0 to 15

80 to

150
210 to 280
Overhead

0 to 80

0 to 80
210 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

80 to 280
0 to 360

How this table and the diagram on the previous page work are shown in the
following diagrams
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FlatPositionsAxisInclination

15
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StartatNominalFlatPosition

Faceofweldisup

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FlatUpwardInclinedLimit

Weldmay
inclineupward
toalimitof15
15

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FlatUpwardInclinedLimit
Butthewelder
couldbetraveling
downtheincline...

15

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FlatDownwardLimitIsImplied

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WeldingPositions
Tabulation of Positions of Groove Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizonta

0 to 15

80 to 150
210 to 280

Overhead

0 to 80

0 to 80
210 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

80 to 280
0 to 360

How this table and the diagram on the previous page work are shown in the
following diagrams

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FlatPositionRotationAboutAxis
150

180
30

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210
30

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FlatRolledLimitClockwise
180
30

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210

FlatRolledLimitClockwise
Equivalentto
rotating
Theplate30

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30
180

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210

FlatRolledLimitCounterclockwise
150

180

30

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FlatRotatedLimitsNot
ConsideringInclination

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60

WeldingPositions
Tabulation of Positions of Groove Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizonta

0 to 15

80 to 150
210 to 280

Overhead

0 to 80

0 to 80
210 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

80 to 280
0 to 360

How this table and the diagram on the previous page work are shown in the
following diagrams

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FlatUphillLimitRotated

15
60
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FlatDownhillLimitRotated

15
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CompositeFlatPositionRanges

60
30

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Comparethisrangeto1G/PA...

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TestingPosition1G/PA
5
WeldAxisHorizontal

15

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PlateHorizontal

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Flat1G!!!!

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WeldingPositions
Tabulation of Positions of Groove Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizontal

0 to 15

80 to 150
210 to 280

Overhead

0 to 80

0 to 80
210 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

80 to 280
0 to 360

How this table and the diagram on the previous page work are shown in the
following diagrams

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HorizontalPositionAxisInclined

15
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BasicHorizontalPosition

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HorizontalPositionUphill
InclinedLimit

15

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HorizontalPositionDownhill
InclinedLimit

15
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WeldingPositions
Tabulation of Positions of Groove Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizontal

0 to 15

80 to 150
210 to 280

Overhead

0 to 80

0 to 80
210 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

80 to 280
0 to 360

How this table and the diagram on the previous page work are shown in the
following diagrams

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HorizontalPositionRotated
150

210

70range
70Range

80
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280

StartattheFlatRolledLimits
180

210

30

Letsgotoan
endview....
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HorizontalEndView
Horizontalstartswhere
Flatends....

30

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210

HorizontalRotatestowherethe
plateisperpendiculartotheground
Horizontalrotates
clockwise..

30

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HorizontalPositionRotated
Limit
Horizontalends
90

here....

10

30
280
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NoninclinedHorizontalPosition
Limits
Startswithplate
Rotated30
70

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NoninclinedHorizontalPosition
Limits
Finisheswithplate
Rotated10beyond
perpendicular
70

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CompositeHorizontalPosition
Limits

15
15
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CompareHorizontalto2G/PC

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TestPosition2G/PC
WeldAxis
Horizontal
5

15
PlatesVertical
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Horizontal2G/PC!!!!

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OverheadPosition

80

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160range

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280

BasicOverhead
Faceofweld
isoverhead!!!

0
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BasicOverheadEndView

Faceofweld
isoverhead
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OverheadPartialRotation
EndView

Faceofweld
isoverhead
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OverheadMaximumRotation
EndView

Faceofweldon
Thisside

280
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OverheadMaximumOpposite
RotationEndView

Faceofweldon
Thisside

80
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280
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SameRotationinIsometricView

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BasicOverhead
Faceofweld
isoverhead

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OverheadPartialRotation
IsometricView

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Faceofweld
isoverhead

OverheadMaximumRotation
IsometricView

Faceofweld
Onthisside
280
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OverheadMaximumOpposite
RotationIsometricView
Faceofweld
isonthisside

80
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280
0

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OverheadPosition
AxisInclination80range

80

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160range

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280

BasicOverheadforInclinedAxis
Faceofweld
isoverhead

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OverheadInclinedAxisRotation

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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit

80

0
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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
Weldcanrotate360
aboutverticalaxis
whileinclined10
forwardtilt.

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80

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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
10
Weldcanrotateabout
Theverticalaxis

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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
10

Weldcanrotateabout
Theverticalaxis

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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
Weldcanrotateabout
Theverticalaxis

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10

OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
Weldcanrotateabout
Theverticalaxis

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10

10

OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
Weldcanrotateabout
Theverticalaxis

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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit
10

Weldcanrotateabout
Theverticalaxis

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OverheadInclinedAxisLimit10
Weldendsupback
Whereitstarted!

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CompositeOverheadPositionLimits
10

360

80

80

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280

Overhead4G/PE!!!!

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VerticalPositionPart1
65RangeofInclination
From15to80.
Faceofweldisup

15

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80

VerticalPositionPart1
Rangeofinclination
Startsat15
Faceofweldisup

15

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VerticalPositionPart1
Rangeofinclination
continuesupward...

Greaterthan15

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VerticalPositionPart1
Untilreaching80
80

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VerticalPositionPart2
WhentheEportion
ofthe
diagramisreached

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80

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VerticalPositionPart2
TheEportion
ofthediagram
360Rotation
Aboutverticalaxis

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80

VerticalPositionPart2
TheEportionofthe
diagrambeginshere..
80

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VerticalPositionPart2
Partialrotationabout
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
Morerotationabout
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
Evenmorerotationabout
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
Rotated180about
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
ContinuingRotationabout
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
ContinuingRotationabout
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
ContinuingRotationabout
Verticalaxis

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VerticalPositionPart2
360ofRotationabout
Verticalaxiscompleted

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VerticalPositionPart3
200Range
ofRotation

80

280

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VerticalPositionPart3
Startherewithinclination
UphillorDownhill15
Faceofweldupward

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Rotatefacewhileholding
Inclinationconstant

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Continuerotatingwith
Inclinationconstant

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Rotatedtoverticallimit
Inclinationconstant

15
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280

VerticalPositionPart3
Returntostartingposition
UphillorDownhill15
Faceofweldupward

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Rotatefaceofweld
Oppositedirection
InclinationConstant15

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Continuerotating
Oppositedirection
InclinationConstant15

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Platenearvertical
InclinationConstant15

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
Plateatverticallimit
ofrotation.
InclinationConstant15
80

15
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VerticalPositionPart3
200Rangeof
Rotationinclined
UphillorDownhill15

80

15
280
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VerticalPositionPart3
80
200RangeofRotation
Inclinationangle
Increases

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280

VerticalPositionPart3
200RangeofRotation
Inclinationangle
Increasesmore...

80

280

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VerticalPosition
Composite

360

65

200

80

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160range

280

WeldingPositionsforFilletWelds

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FlatFilletWeld

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HorizontalFilletWeld

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WeldingPositionsforFilletWelds

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WeldingPositionsforFilletWelds
Tabulation of Positions of Fillet Welds
Position Diagram Reference

Inclination of Axis

Rotation of Face

Flat

0 to 15

150 to 210

Horizontal

0 to 15

125 t0 150
210 to 235

Overhead

0 to 80

0 to125
235 to 360

Vertical

D
E

15 to 80
80 to 90

125 to 235
0 to 360

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WeldingPositionsforFilletWelds
TheHorizontalRange
Issmallerforfilletwelds
Thanitisforgroovewelds

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WeldingPositionsforGrooveWelds

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Questions?
Feedback?
Canyouexplainthediagramsto
yourfriends?
Sendemailto:
Sperko@asme.org
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