Keith,
I am somewhat new to writing procedures, and one thing that I have discovered is that the code you're qualifying a procedure to is not all you need. Have a copy of B2.1 handy, as well. After struggling through my first PQR with D1.2, I started using B2.1 as the controlling specification for the entire PQR, WPS and WPQTR qualification process. The materials, joint designs and acceptance criteria still come from the code book, but B2.1 gives a good foundation for everything else. Every WPS I qualify now cites B2.1 and the code as the controlling specs, and it's good enough for a couple of my large aerospace customers.
Good luck!
My practice is keep in mind that my WPS is a recipe for the welder to follow when making a production weld. Just as a cookbook recipe for brownies or cookies tells the cook everything that needs to be known to make the "goodies", right down to the size of the cooking pan and a means of testing the batter to verify it is completely cooked, the WPS should provide the welder with ALL the information needed to make a production weld and it should be based on something that is known to produce acceptable results.
You hit the nail squarely on the head when you said; "one thing that I have discovered is that the code you're qualifying a procedure to is not all you need." You are a prudent person to recognize that important fact. It is soooo true when working with Section IX. You have to review the applicable construction code, i.e., Section I, B31.3, etc. when qualifying the procedure or the welder in order to cover all the bases and to make sure the requirements of Section IX haven't been modified by the construction code.
Best regards - Al
Thank you to all for the info. I'm build a matrix of what our company can weld backed by full PQR's, WPS's, and Qualification's. We use most AWS and MIL-STDS. I'm taking inventory of the PQR's that I have and qualifying people as needed. I'm deciding what quantity of tests are needed to cover our company for most of the items that we weld, including tube diameters and wall thickness', per each Code. The goal is to organize my documents.
I have PQRs' for aluminum including tension and bend tests from an AWS Certified Lab. The lab recommended I test to ASME instead of D1.2 because I wouldn't need to have it radio-graphed. I can't see anywhere in D1.2 where a PQR must have RT to be valid. D1.1 is clearly noted in the footnotes that it needs RT to qualify a PQR.
I'm trying to utilize my inventory of PQR's that were tested at the lab. I think I will have all PQR's RT tested prior to tension and bend testing in the future regardless of Code.
Thanks,
Keith
I don't like the "do all and end all" approach that my predecessors had toward the code books. B2.1 does a pretty good job of laying out the structure of a welding qualification program, and that's what I use it for. Clarifying my earlier position, essential variables all come from code for whatever material I am working with. I'm not familiar with ASME at all, and honestly in my area of the industry I probably don't need to be. I will still take the time to learn new tricks, though. :)
Topic American Welding Society Services / Technical Standards & Publications / RT Requirement With PQRs
I know D1.2 doesn't
