Naming WPS's

Date 09-20-2004 11:37

I have seen several ways to number these things. I numbered mine as we created them, however, I like the system I saw at another location, they used 1000 series numbers for SMAW, 2000 series for FCAW, 3000 series for GMAW, 4000 series for GTAW. Kept them all together by process, which I thought was neater than the way we were doing it.
John Wright

By dschlotz (***)

Date 09-20-2004 12:03

Can you give me a little more detail on the system that you liked. For instance what would an "FCAW BTC-P5-GF double bevel part pen 1G & 2G 1F & 2F" look like in that system.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 09-20-2004 13:11

It would have been listed like... Identification #: _____2001___. Keep in mind that here at our shop we are only dealing with D1.1 and not ASME. I think the K.I.S.S. method is the best way to handle them. Our system was already started when I moved into this office, so I went with what was already in place. Ours start with number 1 and go on up, without any real attempt to keep the processes in any particular order. After I started adding to the file, I did keep the SMAW WPS of the same joint configuration with the FCAW WPS right behind it of that same joint. These are the two primary welding methods used in our shop (no GMAW or GTAW and rarely any SAW).

For example: joint designation B-U4b -prequalified
SMAW is listed as Identification #:___21___
FCAW is listed as Identification #:___22___

I also placed the joint designation directly above the page number on the lower right corner of the page just to make it easy to find when flipping through the pages.

B-U4b
Page 35

B-U4b-F
Page 36

When we get audited, I didn't want our welders to feel nervous, fumbling around trying to look up a procedure for an auditor that might be auditing our shop.
Any numbering system is acceptable, just use something that works for you and your welders.
John Wright

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 09-20-2004 16:47

As was mentioned previously, you can use whatever you like for a system. My own is to use FC for FCAW, SA for SAW, SM for SMAW. Next, I use the basic joint designator from D1.1, such as P5 for your example, or U4 and so on. Fillets are simply "F".
Then I add the position (ALL, 1, 2, 3, or 4). A combination of positions would be "1,2".
My base metal designator is usually P1 for carbon, but might be 50 for A572-50, A992, A709-50 and so on. Or 50W for A588,A709-50W

So to use your example I would use FC-P5-1,2-P1 for a WPS number. If I have another WPS that has the same designatations, I add a suffix to indicate the customer, such as NYDOT or PADOT.

Nothing is perfect but this has worked for me so far. My aim was for the WPS number to tell me something about where I can use the WPS.

Chet Guilford

By jon20013 (*****)

Date 09-21-2004 12:24

There are no uniform numbering systems that I'm aware of but have found one common one in industry, that is; use of P-Numbers or Group Numbers as the prefix for the numbering system followed by some sort of numbering scheme for process. For example, ours are; A11-2.1 where "A" denotes that the procedure is a WPS; PQR's are listed as WA, the 11 indicates the procedure is a P-1 to P-1, the "2" is our designation for the GTAW process and the ".1" simply indicates that this procedure is the first in a series supported by the PQR.

By ziggy

Date 09-23-2004 15:21

We prefer the KISS method too. Our WPS's are sequencially numbered with a letter prefix. We use F for FCAW, S for SMAW, G for GMAW and M for Mixed Processes.
We maintain two formats for each WPS because we have found that engineer's prefer the D1.1 Annex E format, while our fitters and welders prefer an easier to read format with a larger joint detail picture.
All WPS's (and supporting PQR's) are maintained in QA with a WPS log for each process quick reference of the latest revision to the WPS.
Along with that, a Welder's Guide is located at each welding station with the WPS's and other necessary information (preheats, safety, etc.)
We are also attempting to coordinate the WPS numbers into the tail of the welding symbols on our drawings. Thus the fitter and welder can quickly locate the WPS number on the drawing and transfer that information to the work bench.
ziggy

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 09-24-2004 15:41

ziggy,
We "try to" make the Detailers put the joint desgination in the tail of the symbols for groove welds like you are trying to do. It created mass confusion at first, due to the detailer's lack of knowledge in welding symbols. The detailers were not so keen on this at first but we started bombarding them with welding questions and all of a sudden they started getting out the AWS A2.4-98 and putting the correct symbols on the drawings. Now, it is much better and the welder can easily look up the joint in their welding manuals that they receive upon passing the welding test(s). Auditors in the past have mentioned that they loved to see the welders using that book for reference, I hope the New Standard Auditors will also.
John Wright