Welding Procedures and Welder Qualification

Course Overview:

This course aims at equipping the learners with the knowledge and skills of interpreting ASME Section IX standards as they relate to the qualification of welding procedures and performance.

After the completion of the course, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to prepare and review welding procedures in accordance with ASME IX. Other at the course include basic welding technology such as SMAW, SAW, GTAW, GMAW, and qualification of welding operators.

PQRs are important in the qualification of welders and students will be able to write and analyze them with the correct interpretation of WPSs, and performance-based qualifications for welders’ scopes of work.

Applications of such various methods as VT, MT, PT, RT, and UT according to the mechanical expectations will be taught on the course, which will also provide opportunities for practical case studies. QA/QC specialists, welding engineers, welding inspectors, and others who practice as third-party inspectors should be able to attend this course.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course, you should be able to demonstrate that you can navigate through ASME IX as well as understand how a welding procedure is compiled against ASME IX and assessed for compliance to that standard/code.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for you as a member of QA/QC personnel, a welding inspector, welding engineer, welding co-ordinator, surveyor, or third party.

Daily Course Outlines

Day 1: Introduction & Welding Procedure Fundamentals

• Introduction to ASME Section IX

• Importance of welding procedure and performance qualifications

• Overview of WPS and PQR requirements

• Brief review of welding processes: SMAW, SAW, GTAW, GMAW

• Welding consumables: AWS and ASME classifications

• Linking welding consumables to welding procedure qualifications

Day 2: Procedure Qualification (PQR) & Welding Variables

• Requirements for procedure qualification under ASME IX

• Documentation of PQR tests and required contents of PQR

• Essential, non-essential, and supplementary variables explained

• Writing WPS on the basis of qualified PQR

• Detailed review of WPS contents and documentation standards

• P-Numbers, S-Numbers, F-Numbers, A-Numbers (classification of materials and electrodes)

• Case study: Reviewing sample PQR and WPS documents

Day 3: Performance Qualification & Compliance

• Requirements of welder performance qualification (WPQ)

• Types of performance qualification tests and documentation

• Re-qualification of welders: when and how required

• Scrutiny and approval of WPS, PQR, WPQ documents

• Supervisor/inspector’s role in compliance with ASME IX

• Case study: Preparation of sample WPS and PQR documentation for approval

Day 4: Welding Inspection Operations & QA/QC

• Introduction to welding inspection operations

• Inspection considerations during welding and fabrication

• Quality assurance systems in welding projects

• Common weld discontinuities and their identification

• Visual inspection (VT): requirements and techniques

• Data recording and reporting practices in weld inspection

• Case examples of weld defect identification and corrective action

Day 5: NDT Methods, Case Studies & Wrap-Up

• Nondestructive examination methods in welding QA/QC

  • Magnetic Particle Examination (MT)

  • Liquid Penetrant Examination (PT)

  • Eddy Current Inspection (ET)

  • Radiographic Testing (RT)

  • Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

• Qualification of NDT personnel in accordance with standards

• Selecting the right NDT method for the inspection requirement

• Case studies: Real-world applications of ASME IX in procedure qualification & inspection

• Group exercise: Review and critique of WPS/PQR/WPQ sample documentation

• Final Q&A, assessment, and course conclusion