Quick Answer
A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) describes the welding method and variables to be used in production. Where qualification uses a procedure test, a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) or Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR) records test conditions and results. The document name follows the applicable standard. Welder qualification evidence concerns the individual’s ability and qualification range. Buyers need to check how the procedure, its permitted qualification basis and the personnel evidence apply to the proposed work. Document titles and numbers alone do not establish technical applicability.
What Each Welding Document Shows
The three document types serve different purposes. The table below summarises what each one shows and what it does not establish by itself.
| Document | Main purpose | What the buyer should identify | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) | Specifies the welding method and relevant production variables, such as materials, joint details and positions. | The WPS number, revision, applicable standard, and the range of work it covers. | That its qualification basis and stated scope are suitable for the buyer’s proposed work. |
| Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) / Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR) | Records the test conditions and results used to qualify a welding procedure under the applicable standard. | The record identifier, applicable standard, actual test conditions and results, and resulting qualification range. | That every production weld will meet the same results, or that the qualification covers all thicknesses and positions. |
| Welder qualification evidence | Documents an individual welder’s tested ability within a defined qualification range. | The welder’s identity, the process, the joint type, the positions, and the validity or continuity evidence required by the applicable standard. | That the welder is qualified for every process, material, or joint configuration in the order. |
ISO 15609-1 addresses the contents of an arc-welding WPS. For the procedure-test route, ISO 15614-1 distinguishes the conditions of testing from the resulting qualification range. Read the document’s full name and governing requirements; similar abbreviations do not establish equivalence between standards.
Confirm the evidence and applicable range for the procedure and the personnel separately. Where the governing rules allow a procedure test also to support the test welder’s qualification, identify that personnel qualification and its range explicitly.
Actual conditions recorded during a procedure test are not the same as its resulting qualification range. Check that range against the proposed production work. Neither a procedure qualification record nor a welder qualification establishes that the fabricated batch has been inspected.
ISO 9606-1 addresses manual and partly mechanized fusion welding of steels. For fully mechanized or automatic welding, identify the personnel category and check the applicable qualification requirements separately.
Start with the Project’s Welding Requirements
Confirm the welding standard, edition and supplementary requirements specified for the project. These determine the permitted qualification routes, relevant ranges and required evidence. The project’s designated welding or quality representative should confirm technical applicability.
Not every WPS requires a new procedure qualification test for each order. Existing qualification evidence or another permitted route may cover the work. TWI’s explanation of qualification routes describes alternatives and their limits, including prequalified procedures under AWS D1.1. Confirm that the proposed route is permitted by the governing requirements and covers the actual conditions.
In the ISO 15614-1 procedure-test route, a preliminary WPS (pWPS) sets out the proposed procedure for testing. It is not an AWS D1.1 prequalified WPS. Prequalification requires compliance with the code’s applicable conditions and limits; it does not remove the need for a written WPS or confirmation that the proposed work meets those conditions.
How Welding Documents Relate to the Proposed Work
Match the Documents to the Proposed Welding Work
The core task is to confirm that the submitted documents correspond to the actual welding work in the order. The table below provides a practical checklist.
| What to match | Evidence to request or identify | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Order and drawing revision | The current approved drawing set and the scope of welding work for the order. | Are the documents linked to the correct drawing revision and work scope? |
| WPS number and revision | The WPS identifier, revision status, and the welds or work categories it covers. | Is this the current WPS revision, and does it cover the joints, materials, and positions in the order? |
| Qualification basis | The stated route and supporting references: any required PQR/WPQR, documented prequalification basis, or another permitted route. | Is this route permitted for the work, and do its evidence and limits cover the proposed conditions? |
| Production conditions | The proposed process, material, thickness, joint and position, compared with the WPS and applicable qualification basis. | How has coverage of the proposed production conditions been confirmed? |
| Welder identity and qualification range | The welder’s name or identification, the process and positions they are qualified for, and the continuity or validity evidence required by the standard. | Is the individual welder qualified for the specific work they will perform on this order? |
| Changes after approval | Any change to the drawing, material, joint design, or welding conditions after the documents were issued. | Does the change affect applicability, require a WPS revision, or need further qualification? |
Do not assume a one-to-one relationship between WPSs, supporting records and personnel qualifications. Ask the supplier to identify the actual cross-references and how each document applies to the relevant work categories. Resolve unclear coverage with the project’s designated technical reviewer.
Example: A Welder Certificate and a UT Report Are Submitted
This hypothetical procurement scenario does not describe a Bingfa order.
Before placing a new fabrication order, a buyer receives a named welder’s qualification record and a production ultrasonic testing (UT) report from earlier work. The proposed WPS and its qualification basis for the new order have not yet been identified.
The personnel record provides evidence to review for that welder and the stated qualification range. The UT report records examinations of identified welds from the earlier work. It provides no inspection result for the proposed order.
The buyer still needs to establish which WPS and qualification basis will apply, whether the assigned personnel’s qualifications cover their work, and how production inspection will be arranged.
Useful follow-up questions are:
- Please identify the WPS number, revision and qualification basis proposed for this order.
- Please show how the applicable procedure and personnel qualification ranges cover the proposed work.
- Please identify the earlier order and welds covered by the UT report, including its examination scope and acceptance criteria.
- Please confirm the proposed inspection and reporting requirements for the new order.
A document missing from the first submission is a request for clarification, not by itself evidence that the supplier or product is non-conforming.
Qualification Records and Production Weld Inspection Reports
Qualification records and production weld inspection reports serve different purposes. A qualification record documents the test that supports a procedure or a welder’s ability within a defined range. A production weld inspection report documents the examination of actual production welds, such as by ultrasonic testing, against an acceptance criterion.
By itself, a passed production UT report does not establish the applicable WPS qualification basis or personnel qualification for the proposed work. Qualification testing may itself include non-destructive examination, so check the purpose, specimen or weld identifiers, and scope of the report. For an example of production-report scope, see the third-party ultrasonic weld inspection case.
Agree the Document Submission Before Ordering
Buyers can reduce document confusion by agreeing the submission requirements during inquiry or order discussion. Provide the drawings, the project location, the specified welding standard and edition, the fabrication scope, and the required documents and review arrangements. The supplier can then confirm what will be submitted, when it will be submitted, and how it corresponds to the order.
For a Bingfa enquiry, identify the required welding documents with the drawings so that document availability, submission timing and review responsibilities can be confirmed for the proposed order. The project’s designated technical reviewer confirms applicability against the governing requirements.
Use the structural steel inspection and test plan guide when coordinating inspection timing, responsibilities and document arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every WPS need a new PQR for each project?
No. Existing qualification evidence or another route permitted by the governing requirements may cover the work. Confirm the basis for the proposed WPS and its applicability to the production conditions. Work outside the applicable limits needs technical review to determine what further qualification or other action is required.
Does a welder qualification cover every welding process and joint?
No. A welder’s qualification range is established under the applicable rules and may extend beyond the exact test conditions. Check the process, relevant joint and position requirements, other applicable variables, and required validity or continuity evidence against the work assigned to that person.
Can a passed production UT report replace welding qualification records?
No. A production UT report alone does not establish the procedure or personnel qualifications applicable to the work. It records the examination of identified production welds. NDT may also form part of qualification testing; confirm the purpose and scope of the particular report.
What should a buyer ask when the documents do not clearly match the proposed work?
Ask for the proposed WPS number and revision, its qualification basis, the personnel qualification evidence and a clear mapping to the work. Have the designated technical reviewer resolve scope differences. If drawings, materials or welding conditions change, confirm whether the applicable documentation or qualification basis also needs review.