Welding operator qualification using machine welding

By saitsa Date 04-10-2010 04:00

We are qualifying a welding operator and he will use Machine Welding to weld 1.315 inch diameter pipe. QW-303.1 refers me to Table QW-461.9 for qualified positions and note (3) of the Table refers me to Table QW-452.3 if the production pipe is smaller than 2 and 7/8 inch diameter. QW-452.3 states the test coupon must be smaller than 2 and 7/8 inch diameter.

But when I look at QW-361.2, pipe diameter is not listed as an essential variable for Machine Welding.

For Machine Welding, does the welding operator have to weld this small diameter coupon to be qualified?
thanks

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 04-10-2010 05:01

Yes! BTW, "WELDCOME TO THE WORLD'S GREATEST WELDING FORUM saitsa!!! :) :) :)"

For instance, one needs to qualify to the smallest size diameter being used in production in order to qualify all other diameters, or if the production diameter is the only size being welded at a minimum if one is also working to B31.1. Now, I don't remember if this also applies in any of the other B31 standards, so I'll just stick with what I remember when I qualified 1/2 schedule 10 316L stainless steel with GTAW both manually as well as with a machine in a fixed position, but the machine qualified the welding operator only for machine welding and manually covered both... Then again, it was six years ago, and things might have changed since. ;)

Respectfully,
Henry