This probably sounds inexperienced of me but I am trying to understand company wps's as it relates to fab shop needs. The case has come up where a single j groove does not have a wps and I'm being asked if one is needed. Currently the company is using a bevel style joint wps for that application. This is incorrect. It must be a wps for single j? But this has made me wonder if they're missing more.
How are wps's set up in shops for d1.1 applications? Do most have just a certain few joint configuration wps's or have all that d1.1 supplies in clause 3. I guess I don't see the side of inside operations to know the common wps protocol and what works best.
Last, this company has only about 9 wps's which are created on the template located in d1.1. Is there a wps that can be purchased to cover all prequalied d1.1 gmaw? Such as through AWS.
I know this is a lot but any help would be appreciated.
One must consider the purpose of the WPS; it is intended to provide work instruction to the welder and anyone else that has a need to have similar information available.
How the WPS is written, i.e., the specific format, is left to the discretion of the contractor. However, it must contain all the welding variables listed in clause 3 and the appropriate normative annex. The annex simple list specific requirements that must be included in the WPS to the extent a particular clause applies. To say it a different way, if the WPS is used exclusively for one particular groove detail to meet a production requirement, than the groove detail must be provided. If the WPS is intended for fillet welds only, then the WPS must indicated the joint configurations that apply, i.e., dihedral angles equal to or more than 80 degrees, but no more than 100 degrees inclusive. If plug welds are included in the WPS the details of the hole diameter, both minimum and maximum.
Many of my WPSs are developed for contactors that use a single WPS for all the base metals included in Table 3.1 and all the groove welds needed for production based on the prequalified groove details included in figures 3.3 and 3.4. Rather than having a WPS that is 20 pages long, I reference an appendix that lists all the base metals, product form, and preheat requirements. A second Appendix addresses the groove details, fillet details, plug weld details, etc. A third Appendix addresses the acceptance criteria. The WPS is typically three pages in length so the font size can be easily read in a typical shop environment. The welder, designer, etc. then simply refers to the specific Appendix to find that information.
My preference is to use travelers as the vehicle to specify the WPS and the applicable appendix listing the acceptance criteria. Different acceptance criteria are needed for different connection types and loading conditions, i.e., nontubular, static loaded, tubular, and nontubular, cyclically loaded. However, some clients prefer to list the WPS and appendix on the drawing. My thoughts: whatever works is fine.
Best regards - Al
Hi guys, so as an example: This company is using a WPS that says "Butt" joint in the 1G position with backing and so forth. They are welding single j's and I'm sure other groove configurations. So are we saying that this WPS can cover "Butt" applications no matter the groove configuration? But they also have one WPS that says Single Bevel Groove and one that says Double Bevel Groove with exact same variables. This is just confusing to me and I'm trying to get a grasp so I can assist the welders because they have asked me this question. I'm also lacking the understanding of how to incorporate all groove configurations in one WPS, (sorry to keep asking, but the CWI prep course really didn't go this deep). Maybe I'm not seeing the big picture on the "Joint Design Used" area on the D1.1 WPS form.