TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Welding Procedure &

Welder Performance
Qualifications – Sec IX

nrs Welding Qualifications 1

Welding Qualifications

Basics of ASME Sec IX - Welding

Structure & Usage of

The Code Book
For BEGINNERS

This guide is exclusively prepared for training purpose. Relevant specifications, codes & special
requirements of specific project are to be referred for more detailed information during
construction. Examples provided are only for the purpose of illustration.
The objective is to be familiar with Basic / Fundamental concepts of the code.

N.Rajasekaran (RAJ) +971-50-6682960

1

nrs Welding Qualifications 2

Historical

nrs Welding Qualifications 3

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 1
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Few to Know first

Definitions:
Document: A paper or set of papers with written or printed information,
especially of an official type.
Record: To keep information for future, by writing it down in a
document.
Specify: To State or Describe something clearly and exactly.

Variable: a number, amount or a situation (entity) which can change or

likely to change.
Qualification: An official record showing that necessary skills or properties
are established.
Welding: Joining two pieces together by melting them with or without
filler.
Bracing: Joining two pieces together by heating them with melting
filler.
Procedure: Set of instructions for a process.

nrs Welding Qualifications 4

Contents (Articles)

nrs Welding Qualifications 5

Para Identification

Qualification: Q

Welding: W

Brazing B

Qualification of Welding / Welder: QW

Qualification of Brazing / Brazers: QB

nrs Welding Qualifications 6

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 2
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

100 General

QW-100.1 A Welding Procedure

Specification (WPS)
is a written document that provides direction to
the welder or welding operator for making
production welds

Which Electrode will you use to weld Inco alloy 625 with SA 516 Gr 70 ?

EW, NEW
…SEW

nrs Welding Qualifications 7

General – Welder

QW-100.2
In performance qualification, the basic criterion
established for welder qualification is to determine
the welder’s ability to deposit sound weld metal

nrs Welding Qualifications 8

General – Definitions

QW-102 Terms and Definitions

Some of the more common terms relating

to welding and brazing are defined in
QW-492.
Wherever the word pipe is designated,
tube shall also
be applicable.

nrs Welding Qualifications 9

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 3
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Few more General aspects

nrs Welding Qualifications 10

200 Procedure

How to make KFC ?

QW-200 GENERAL
QW-200.1
(b) Contents of the WPS. The completed WPS
shall describe all of the essential, nonessential,
and, when required, supplementary essential
variables for each welding process used in the
WPS. These variables are listed in QW-25x
and are defined in Article IV, (QW 40x..)
Welding Data.

nrs Welding Qualifications 11

200 Procedure

nrs Welding Qualifications 12

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 4
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

T, t ???

“T” is coupon thickness and “t” weld deposit thickness

7 SMAW
12
5 TIG

nrs Welding Qualifications 13

PQR

QW-200.2
(a) Procedure Qualification Record (PQR). A PQR is a record of the welding
data used to weld a test coupon.

(b) Contents of the PQR. The PQR shall document all essential and, when
required, supplementary essential variables of QW-250 through QW-280 for
each welding process used during the welding of the test coupon.
Nonessential or other variables used during the welding of the test coupon
may be recorded at the manufacturer’s or contractor’s option.

nrs Welding Qualifications 14

Combination of PQRs

QW-200.4 Combination of Welding Procedures

(b) For GTAW, SMAW, GMAW, PAW, and SAW, or combinations of these
processes, a PQR for a process recording a test coupon that was at least 1⁄2
in. (13 mm) thick may be combined with one or more other PQRs recording
another welding process and any greater base metal thickness.

nrs Welding Qualifications 15

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 5
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Tube to Tube Sheet

QW-202.6 Tube-to-Tubesheet Qualification.

When the applicable Code Section requires the use of QW-193 for
tube-to-tubesheet demonstration mockup qualification tests, QW-193.1
shall apply.

nrs Welding Qualifications 16

Variables

Welding Variables

ESSENTIAL
Change AFFECTS Weld Properties
Change Requires RE QUALIFICATION.

NON ESSENTIAL
Change DOES NOT AFFECT Weld Properties
Therefore NO Re qualification required

SUPPLEMENTARY ESSENTIAL
Essential when Notch Toughness considered
Non Essential when Notch Toughness not considered

nrs Welding Qualifications 17

PQR

The Three (3
3) STEPS

(1) Welding of Test Coupon

(2) Testing of Weld Coupon

(3) Review Result & Summarize

Variables at QW 250 (25X)

nrs Welding Qualifications 18

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 6
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

The Nine (9) factors

1 QW 402 Joint Design

2 QW 403 Base Metals

3 QW 404 Filler Metals

4 QW 405 Position

5 QW 406 Pre Heat

6 QW 407 Post Heat (PWHT)

7 QW 408 Gas

8 QW 409 Electrical data

9 QW 410 Technique

nrs Welding Qualifications 19

Base Metals

P Number Family of ASME BPVC & B31 metals / alloys of similar

weldability or welding characteristics

Group No. Sub classification within P Number of ferrous

base metals specific to Notch toughness
requirements

F Number Grouping if fillers based on usability

(ability of to make satisfactory welds)

UNS No. (Unified Numbering System):

Defines the chemical analysis.
Similar to P Number

nrs Welding Qualifications 20

P Numbers

P No. 1 to 11 Steel & Steel Alloys

P No 21 to 25 Aluminum & Aluminum Alloys

P No. 31 to 35 Copper & Copper Alloys

P No. 41 to 49 Nickel & Nickel Alloys

When a base metal with a UNS number designation is assigned a P- Number, then a
base metal listed in a different ASME material specification with the same UNS
number shall be considered that P- Number.

For example, SB-163, UNS N08800 is P-No. 45;

Therefore, all ASME specifications listing a base metal with the UNS N08800 shall be
considered P-No. 45 (i.e., SB-407, SB-408, SB-514, etc.) whether or not these
specifications are listed in table QW/QB-422.

When utilizing this provision, only base metals listed in table QW/QB-422 may be
used for test coupons since a minimum tensile value is required for procedure
qualification.

nrs Welding Qualifications 21

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 7
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Welder / Operator Qualification

Welder: Welding Operator:

Manual, Semi Automatic Machine, Automatic

Torch / Tracking /
Filler Feed On / Off Ref
Head Move Fine tune

Manual M M --- ---

QW 350
Semi Auto A M --- ---

M/c welding A A M ---

QW 360
Automatic A A A M

Data: Again…. The Nine (9) factors

nrs Welding Qualifications 22

Welder / Operator Qualification

QW 200 QW 300

WPS PQR WPQ

SPECIFY RECORD RECORD & SPECIFY
the range of variables the variables the range of variables

Essential Variables &

Essential Variables (EV) Essential Variables (EV)
Non Essential Variables
Test Results Ranges Qualified
(EV, NEW, SEW)

For welder For Engineer to For shop to

to FOLLOW WRITE WPS ASSIGN WELDERS

QW 250 QW 250 QW 350

Supported by Supported by Supported by

1 or more PQR/s Actual Data & Test Results Test Data & Results

Certify the PQR Certify the WPQ

Write the WPS
(Acceptance of Responsibility) Monitor Performance / Renewal

Can be revised within extent of PQR Can not be revised. One time doc. No. Revision.
Rev. ## No Rev No. Can be reissued.

nrs Welding Qualifications 23

PQR Plan

Design of PQR

Plan Action Result

Thickness, Dia, Materials, Notch T max, T min , Impact, PWHT

Survey of scope
Toughness requirement etc

Decide Process Economy, Productivity Select variables

Write Pre WPS (Draft) Experience, Data Prepare coupon

Weld test coupon Record Variables EW Run sheet - Range

Test the weld coupon Witness the tests Test Report

Re tune Pre WPS & issue

Review Results If satisfied to code
production WPS
Re Run the coupon with revised
If fails
parameters
Pre WPS, Run sheet, Test Report,
Index the Document PQR Package
Summary, MTC, Calib Cert etc

Number the documents with convenient numbering scheme.

Better to provide a write up on numbering scheme in welding book. (user friendly & self explanatory)

nrs Welding Qualifications 24

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 8
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Interpretations - Sample

Interpretation: IX-80-67
Subject: Section IX, Nozzle to Shell Connections
Date Issued: December 8, 1980
File: BC80-675
Question: When nozzle or branch connections are attached to the wall or head of a pressure vessel,
what are the basic criteria establishing procedure and performance qualification requirements, assuming
impact testing is not a requirement?

Reply: Where the nozzle is attached to the vessel by welding completely through the thickness of the
vessel wall, the procedure shall be qualified for the thickness of the vessel wall penetrated by the nozzle
or attachment. Where additional metal is placed on either the interior or exterior of the vessel wall in
the form of fillet welds, they shall be considered as having been qualified by the procedure qualification
covering the thickness of the vessel wall. Performance qualification for this weldment may be made in
plate to cover the appropriate thickness of the vessel wall and the position in which the weld is being
made. Diameter is not a factor. Where the nozzle or attachment is welded to the vessel wall by
welding through the thickness of the nozzle or attachment, the procedure qualification shall be made for
the thickness of the nozzle or attachment wall at the time of welding. Performance qualification for this
condition shall be made with the appropriate diameter pipe as required by QW-452.3, with the range of
thickness of weld metal qualified determined by the thickness of the nozzle or attachment wall at the
time of welding. Any fillet welds, both procedure and performance, will have been qualified when
qualifying for the full penetration welds involved.
*
ATTENTION
The foregoing Interpretation has been further considered, and the following corrected Interpretation
sent to the inquirer.
Correction Issued: March 12, 1981 ………continued in next slide

nrs Welding Qualifications 25

Interpretations - Sample

Question: When nozzle or branch connections are attached to the wall or head of a pressure vessel,
what are the basic criteria establishing procedure and performance qualification?

Reply: For groove weld procedure qualification, the base metal thickness range for all base metals
being joined in addition to the deposited weld metal thickness range for each process used must be
qualified in accordance with QW-451 (see QW-202.4). Also, see exemptions in QW-202 for fillet weld
procedure qualifications.

For groove weld performance qualification, the deposited weld metal thickness range must be qualified
per QW-452, and where the nozzle or attachment is welded to the vessel wall by welding through the
thickness of the nozzle or attachment, a “set-on connection” performance qualification shall be made
with the appropriate diameter pipe as required by QW-452.3. Where the nozzle or attachment is
welded to the vessel wall with a weld preparation made on the vessel wall, a “set-in” connection,
diameter is not a factor. See QW-303 for exemptions for fillet welds.

nrs Welding Qualifications 26

Interpretations - Sample

Interpretation: IX-01-15
Subject: QW-300.2, Employer's Responsibility
Date Issued: September 15, 2001
File: BC01-641
Background: Section IX requires that the manufacturer, contractor, assembler, or installer “be responsible
for conducting tests to qualify the performance of welders which his organization employs in construction of
weldments built in accordance with the Code.” It also requires that the manufacturer, contractor,
assembler, or installer provide supervision and control over welders while they are welding test coupons for
performance qualification.

Question (1): An employee of a contractor provides supervision and control over a welder during welding
of a test coupon, but that welder is not an employee of the contractor at the time of the test. Is it required
that the welder be an employee of that contractor at the time of qualification testing?

Reply (1): No.

Question (2): Must the welder be the employee of any manufacturer or contractor at the time of
qualification testing?

Reply (2): No.

nrs Welding Qualifications 27

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 9
TPI - nrs 20-Jul-11

Discussions

nrs Welding Qualifications 28

ORIENTATION - MOD 1 10