Hey All,

I've got a peculiar case here...and I can't seem to make heads or tales of it.

A PQR was made with a GMAW backing followed by Submerged Arc Welding on both sides (Double V grove 25mm thick, 4mm landing), in the 1G position (flipped it over between welds). This, as we know, doesn't qualify one for vertical or overhead. In application the backing is put in overhead (large rolling cylinder)

However, I have notes here that the customer's Welding Engineer and CWI agreed that a backing documented as 3G down hill was acceptable (but no notes as to how or why it was allowed under what code/specification). The actual GMAW backing is put in at ~35° Past Horizontal (~55« from vertical). I've been reading around and I haven't found anything in D1.1 that permits this (I'd like to imagine that because the Backing is consumed entirely, it may be permitted...but again assumptions aren't a good place to stand legally).

Any ideas or insights would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

P.S. The company in quest did re-test their PQR inputting the backing in the 3G position with a downhill progression.