SECTION g_WELDING PROCEDURE AND WELDER QUALIFICATIONS

9.1

Defnitions

ln this standard, terms relang to welding shall be interpreted as defned in Secon lX of

terms are defined n 9.1.1 and 9.1 .2.

9.1.1 An anglejont

e ASME Code Additional

is a jont between two members that ntersect at an angle between 0 degrees (a bunjont) and

90 degrees (a cornerjoint).

9.1.2

9.2

Porosity refers to gas pockets or vods in metal.

Qualification of Weldng Procedures

9.2.1

General Requrements

9.2.1.1 The erection Manufacturer and the fabrication Manufacturer

f other than the erection Manufacturer, shall

prepare weldng procedure specfcatons and shall perfom tests docurnented by procedure qualmcation records to
support the specifications, as required by Secton lX of the ASME Code and any additonal provisons of ths
standard. lf the Manufacturer is part of an organizaton that has, to the Purchaser s sasfaction, established eflective
operational control of the qualification of weldng procedures and of welder performance for two or rnore companies of
different names, en separate weldng procedure qualmcations are not requred, provded all other requrements of
9.2, 9.3, and Seclon lX of the ASME Code arc met. Weldng procedures for ladder and plaorm assembles,
handrails, stairways, and other mscellaneous assemblies, but not their attachments to the iank, shall comply with
either AWS D1.1, AWS Dl.6, or Section lX of the ASME Code including the use of standard WPSS.

9.2.1.2 The welding procedures used shall produce weldments with the mechanical propertes requred by the
design.

9.2.1.3 Mateial specificatons listed in Secon 4of ths standard but not included in Table QW-422 of Secon lXof
the ASME Code shall be comidered as Pl material wi group numbers assigned as follows according to the
mnimum tensile stsength specified:

a)

less than 485 MPa (70

b)

equal to or greater than 485 MPa (70 ksi) brt less an 550 MPa (80 ksi)-Group 2;

c)

equal to or greater than 550 MPa (80 ks)-Group 3.

ksi)-Group

1;

Separate welding procedures and peformance qualifications shall be conducted for A841lvUA84l materal.

9.2.1.4 welding variables

(ncludng supplementary essential variables when mpact tests are required by 9.2.2), as
defned by QW-250 of Seaion lX of the ASME Code shall be used to determine the welding procedure specifcations
and the procedure qualficaton records to be instihjted. ln addton, when mpact tests of the heat-affected zone are
required, the heat-treated condition ofthe base materialshallbe a supplementary essental variable. Plates produced
by the contolled-rolled process are not to be consdered as havng received any heat treatment. lf a protective
coatng has been applied to weld edge preparatons, the coating shall be included as an essential variable of the
weldng procedure specfcation. as required by 7.2.1 .9.

9.2.2

lmpact Tests

9.2.2.1

lmpact tests for the qualificaton of welding procedures shall comply with the applicable provisions of 4.2.9
and shall be made at or belo^r the desgn metal temperature.
9-1

API SIANDARD 650

s requred by4.2.9,4.2.10, or 4.5.4 impact tesE of the heat-affected zone

shall be made for all rnachne, automac, and semautomatic weldng procedures.

9.2.2.2 When impact testing of a material

materals to be used at a design metal temperature below 10'C (50'F), the qualifcation of the
weldng procedure for verticaljonts shall nclude lmpact tests of the weld metal. lf verticaljcints are to be rnde by a
machine, aomatic, or semautomac process, mpact tests of the heat-affected zone shall also be made.

9.2.2.3 Fq all

is below -7 'C (20 "F), impact tests of the weld metal shall be made for
all procedures used for welding the components lsted in 4.2.10.1, for welding attachments to these componen, and
for fabricang shell nozzles and manholes from pipe and forgings lsted in 4.5.

9.2.2.4 When the design metal temperature

9.2.2.5

a)

lmpact tests shall show minimum values for acceptance in accordance with 4.2.9.3 and the follotttring:

for P1, Group 1, materials-2o J (15 -lbf), average of three specmens;

b) for Pl,

c)

Group 2, materials-27 J (2O ft-lbf), average of three specimens;

for P1, Group 3, materials-34 J (25 ft-lbf), average of ree specimens.

For shell plates thicker than 40 mm (11/2 n.), these values shall be increased by 7 J (5 ftlbf) for each 13 mm (1/z in.)
over 40 mm (11/2 in.). lnterpolation is permitted.

9.2.2.6 Weld-metal mpact specmens shall be taken across the weld with one face substantially parallel to and
within 1.5 mm (1/lo in.) of the surface of the material. The notch shall be cut normal to the original material surface
and wth the weld metal entirely within the fracture zone.

9.2.2.7

Heat-affected-zone impact specirnens shall be taken across the weld and as near the sulace of the material

as s practicable. Each spcmen shall be etched to locate the heat-afiected zone, and the notch shall be cut
approximately normal to the original materal surface and with as much heat-affected-zone material as possible
ncluded n the fracture zone.
Production welding shall conform to the qualmed weldng procedure, but producton-weld test plates need
not be made.

9.2.2.8

9.3

Qualfcton of Welders

The erection Manufacturer and the fabricafon Manufacturer, if other than the erection Manufacturer, shall
conduct tests for all welders assigned to manual and semiautomatic weldng and all weldng operators assgned to
machne and automatic weldng to demonstrate the welders'and welding operators' ablity to make acceplable welds.
Tests conducted by one Manufacturer shall not qually a welder or welding operator to do work for another

9.3.1

ManrJfaclurer.

operators who weld pressure parts and join nonpressure parts, such as all
permanent and temporary clps and lugs, to pressure parts shall be qualified n accordance with Seoion lX of the

9.3.2 The welders and weldng

ASME Code.

9.3.3

a)

The records of the tests for qualifying welders and welding operators shall nclude the folloving.

Each welder or weldng operator shall be assgned an idenfyng number, letter, or symbol by the fabrication or
erecton Manufacturer.

b) The fabrication or erecton Manufacturer shall maintain a record of the welders or weldng operators employed
at shows the date and resuhs of the tests for each welder or operator and the identifying mark assigned to each
welder or operator. This record shall be certjfed by the fabricaton or erection Manufacturer and shall be
accessble to the insPector.

WELoED TANKS FoR OrL SToRAGE

9.4

g-3

ldentficaton of Welded Jonts

The welder or welding operator's identifcaon mark shall be hand- or machine-stamped adjacent to and at intervals
not exceeding 1 m (3 ft) along the completed welds. ln leu of stamping, a record may be kept that dentfes the
welder or weldng operator emdoyed for each welded joint; these records shall be accessble to the inspector. Roof
plate welds and flange-to-nozzle-neck welds do not requre welder identificaton.