Per ASME Section IX QW-322 "The performance qualification of a welder shall be affected when one of the following conditions occurs:
a) When he has not welded with a process during a period of 6 months or more, his qualifications for that process shall expire;....." unless he has welded using that process, or if there is a specific reason to question his ability to make welds that meet the specification.
My question, how long can a welder maintain his qualification without updating if he welds that process regularly (within 6 months)?
My other question, how and who verifies that the welder is welding the process? (Visual inspection, documentation, ?????)
I'm not seeing the answer in the code, maybe some of you can steer me to the right paragraph or help me read between the lines.
Thanks
Curt,
As long as the welder uses the welding process within 6 month intervals, the qualification remains effective indefinitely. If you remember how the Navy quals worked, we did not have to weld a new qual test as long as we made a production weld at least every 3 months. ASME IX works the same way except the interval is 6 months. Section IX doesn't really address "how" to document or perform continued use of the process. It is pretty much left to the "manufacturer" to establish their own controls and record keeping. They are typically described in the quality program or implementing procedures. What we usually do is log the weld process control sheet and weld date from a production work order; or have the welder weld a test coupon in any position or thickness he is qualifed for and record it on a performance qualification record; or give the welder a qualification test that extends his qualification range in order to both show continued process use and "upgrade" his qualifications. Some companies also use records of weld material issues or NDE records as evidence of continued process use. There are probably other ways of doing it that would be equally acceptable.
Marty
Ditto for structural code. We use shop order numbers and piece numbers on the welders production records that get turned in every week and recorded for continuity documentation.
John Wright
I call them welder continuity logs. There are some inspectors who will ask for this first thing. I keep a running record of the welders and the jobs they do.
Mike Sherman
Shermans Welding
Thanks Marty, John and Mike
I thought that may the case but was assured by your response.
I appreciate it!
Curt
Forum
