Pax, I agree with you in general, but if the applicable code isn't AWS D1.1, the ranges qualified by the PQR may be less restrictive than they are in D1.1.
AWS D1.1, Table 4.5 lists the ranges for the electrical parameters qualified based on the values recorded when the test sample was welded. Thus someone has to witness the welding so the voltage, amperage, wire feed speed, travel speed, etc. can be recorded.
That isn't the case with ASME Section IX. Many of the essential variables listed by AWS D1.1 are not essential variables per ASME Section IX. With ASME, the ranges for voltage, amperage, etc. are values pulled from someone's butt and are often beyond the ranges necessary to produce acceptable welds. That's not a problem if you are writing a procedure for ASME, many of the procedures written to ASME are figments of someone's active imagination. It is not uncommon to see the voltage listed as 0 to 80, amperage listed as 0 to 300, travel speed listed "as required". Ranges that are totally useless to the welder, but "code compliant" to ASME. Unfortunately, AWS B2.1 seems to be headed in the same direction.
For those individuals new to welding and working to ASME, I often suggest they record the actual welding parameters (voltage, amperage, travel speed, wire feed speed, etc.) used by the welders when they qualify to develop a data base of rational ranges for the welding parameters. Those parameters that produce acceptable test plates then form a rational basis of the values entered on the WPS used for production.
Best regards - Al