D1.1 Procedure Qualification Confusion

Date 06-17-2011 15:19

Hello all,

I work in a shop that uses ASME Section IX WPSs for all of our work. I'm going to develop some procedures that cover us for structural welding (mostly hangers and stands) under D1.1.

The requirements for SMAW are fairly clear in D1.1, but my question has to do with GMAW, specifically GMAW-P. How does D1.1 address "mixing and matching" of welding processes? I understand that if I want to use GMAW-S I need one procedure for that. What do I need to do to use GMAW-S and GMAW-P in the same weld? For pipe welding we typically put in a GMAW-S root and GMAW-P balance. I'm leaning toward submitting a PQR using both processes (short-circuit and pulsed), but what happens when I want to make a fillet weld with GMAW-P only? I've found information on mixing prequalified processes, but not non-prequalified processes.

Any suggestions?

By 803056

Date 06-18-2011 17:13

Read clause 3.6.1 contained in D1.1-2010. The same text is contained in earlier editions of D1.1 in the clause addressing prequalified WPSs.

D1.1 allows for the combination of both prequalified and qualified (by testing) WPSs into one WPS.

Best regards - Al

By mbrush

Date 06-20-2011 13:40 Edited 06-20-2011 13:45

Aha! Thanks, Al!

What about qualifiying a procedure using two different processes in the same weld (GMAW-S root and GMAW-P balance)? Is that allowed?

By 803056

Date 06-20-2011 13:58

The clause is not process specific.

With regards to GMAW or FCAW; the power supply must be constant voltage. Some pulsers use a hybrid of constant current and constant voltages. CC is not prequalified, so it too would be required to be qualified by testing.

Best regards - Al