Clarification on Welding operator essential variable

By Jegan T Date 10-17-2019 18:43

As per Sec IX QW-361.2; P.No & F.no is not an essential variable for welding operator - Machine welding

My concern is we have different procedure qualification (WPS) in our database. If welding operator qualified for Sl.No.1 below can weld Sl.No. 2 to 7 within the limits of the essential variables QW-361.2.

Sl.No. 1, AISI4130 + Inconel 625
Sl.No. 2, A106 + Inconel 625
Sl.No. 3, A106 + SS316L
Sl.No. 4, SA234 WP22 Cl 3+SS 347
Sl.No. 5, API 5L X65 PSL2 +SS 316L
Sl.No. 6, F22 + Inconel 625
Sl.No. 7, Alloy 625 + Inconel 625

Additional in QW-305 Paragraph 2 tells,
A welding operator qualified to weld in accordance with one qualified WPS is also qualified to weld in accordance with other qualified WPS's within the limits of the essential variables of QW-360.

Please help me.

By Jegan T Date 10-19-2019 08:23

Additional Information.

yes it's related to Overlay welding (Cladding). I have a qualification for a welding operator with AISI4130 base material + Inconel 625 filler wire.

Whether this welding operator can do overlay welding (Cladding) for different Base material with different filler wire without qualifying him again.

Since we have different welding procedure as below, we don't think we need to qualify welding operator for each procedure as below according to ASME SEC IX clause QW-361.2

Sl.No. 1, Base material AISI4130 + Filler wire Inconel 625
Sl.No. 2, Base material A106 + Filler wire Inconel 625
Sl.No. 3, Base material A106 + Filler wire SS316L
Sl.No. 4, Base material SA234 WP22 Cl 3+ Filler wire SS 347
Sl.No. 5, Base material API 5L X65 PSL2 + Filler wire SS 316L
Sl.No. 6, Base material F22 + Filler wire Inconel 625
Sl.No. 7, Base material Alloy 625 + Filler wire Inconel 625

Advice me.

By Jim Hughes (***)

Date 10-21-2019 12:36 Edited 10-21-2019 17:07

Jegan t
you are correct with the exception of QW-301.1 If you are concerned that these different materials do constitute an essential variable based on knowledge and experience then you can test them. (Welders) Remember, you are trying to determine the ability of welder or welding operators to make sound welds.

By Jegan T Date 10-22-2019 05:42

Dear Jim Hughes,

Thanks for your kind response.

We are using here Fronius welding machine (ETR-System) GTAW- P welding process with Hot filler wire technology. All the procedure what we have here with this same welding process GTAW-P.

We feed program in the machine for cladding. The welding operator can only adjust the parameter within the range regards with WPS.

In this case, the ability of welding operators to make sound weld is not a big concern, I think. Only we need to train operators for torch setup, torch head, and wire setup.

Thanks

By Jim Hughes (***)

Date 10-22-2019 10:32

Good. then you are good to go.

By Jegan T Date 10-22-2019 14:22

Thank you.

By BigPapa Date 10-19-2019 19:26

The QC Manager who I replaced at my company wasn't very smart when it came to running WPS's when the company started. We been open for 1 year and everyone of our procedures have issues that I am cleaning up. I am surprised they got accepted by any client. None of them had any type of impact testing done on them. Now I am trying to qualify a procedure for A333, cold pipe, with charpy v-notch because it needs to be qualified at -50 degrees. My question is if I use plate, A/SA516- 60-P1 Group-1 and the other plate, A/SA516-70-P1 Group-2, that would qualify welding A333 Grade 6 pipe to A350 LF2 fittings using ER80SNi-1 Weld wire?

By Jegan T Date 10-20-2019 19:20 Edited 10-20-2019 19:35

Hi Big Papa!

what I have understand from your question ? you want to do qualification in plate but production joint will be in pipe+Fittings.

Yes you can make qualification on plate and do welding on pipe but there are restriction in welding position, normally for pipe they will use 5G for production welding. This position can't able to cover in plate. Not only position, we need to care on travel speed too.

My suggestion is do qualification in pipe A333 Gr 6 or any P.No.1 and use this procedure for plate if you need.

Refer below points in ASME Sec IX,

QW-210 PREPARATION OF TEST COUPON

QW-211 Base Metal
The base metals may consist of either plate, pipe, or other product forms. Qualification in plate also qualifies for pipe welding and vice versa. The dimensions of the test coupon shall be sufficient to provide the required test specimens.

Thanks for understanding.

By Jim Hughes (***)

Date 10-21-2019 12:48 Edited 10-21-2019 17:08

BigPapa,
The simple answer is yes, with this one caveat, I would check chemical comp. for SA516 with chemical comp. of the SA-333 Gr. 6. The code might allow something that is not prudent to do.
The concern I have is if your company is welding, or has welded SA-333 Gr. 6 material using the WPS you sited without CVN's.