Hello,

I am quiet new to this world of welding and I need help to develop a WPS with AWS D1.1.

I need to develop a PQR that qualifies me all the positions possible for a butt weld on a plate, for production welding, and this procedure will have impact requirements. I go to table 4.1 and the recommendable position will be 6G in pipe. My question comes when I see table 4.6, for PQR Supplementary Essential Variable Changes for CVN Testing Applications Requiring WPS Requalification for SMAW, SAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW, which states "A change in position to vertical up. A 3G vertical up test qualifies for all positions and vertical down".

Therefore, does a 3G up qualify all plates when impact testing is required?

Thanks in advance!

I am not a member of the D1 committee, so I guess that limits me to using the code. That means if you or I need an interpretation, we must submit an inquiry to the D1 committee and request an official interpretation. You can submit an official inquiry to the D1 Secretary for an official interpretation if you have 18 to 24 months to spare

As I read the code, specifically Table 4.5, item 30, I see that a change in vertical progression is an essential variable. As such, a WPS qualified, by testing in accordance with clause 4, in the vertical uphill direction is not qualified for vertical downhill progression. Likewise, a WPS qualified for downhill progression is not qualified for uphill progression.

Table 4.6 lists additional requirements that supplement the essential variables included in table 4.5. With regards to table 4.6, item 6, the table indicates that a WPS that is qualified for vertical uphill progression is also qualified with regards to notch toughness for downhill progression. That does not mean that the WPS qualified for uphill progression is also qualified for downhill progression (table 4.5 item 30). It means that the contractor would be required to qualify two procedures, one using vertical uphill progression and a second coupon welded using vertical downhill progression. Only the procedure qualified using uphill progression would have to pass the notch toughness testing. Since the heat input affects the grain size, thus the notch toughness, a WPS successfully qualified for uphill progression using high heat input would have lower heat input using downhill progression. The lower heat input would typically provide notch toughness on par or better than the WPS qualified with higher heat input.

Clause 4.36.3 states that the WPS must meet the requirements of table 4.1, 4.5, and the supplemental requirements of table 4.6. Position limitation is listed in table 4.1, the essential variables that have to be addressed by the WPS (and PQR) are listed in table 4.5, plus the additional (supplementary variable) are listed in table 4.6. Table 4.6 is not a standalone list of the variables that must be considered when qualifying the WPS for notch toughness.

Best regards - Al