Frequently Asked Questions about Prequalified Welding Procedures

The following FAQ are related to 322 Prequalified Welding Procedure Specifications for Steel Fabricators.

 

To learn more or to get your copy simply click here

 

Is this a physical book?  No. The procedures are provided as digital files (PDF) and are available for immediate download.  The user has the option to print the files as many times as needed. 

 

I’m a CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) and at times need to write procedures for my customers. Am I permitted to use these procedures? Yes. You can take the data from these procedures and create procedures for your customers.  All we ask is that you do not resell the package as is. 

 

Why are you making this available? Welding procedures are an essential component of every welding quality control system. Unfortunately, many fabricators rely on their welder to determine welding parameters.  This leads to a lot of variance in quality and productivity.  We work with our consulting clients regularly in developing, qualifying and implementing procedures.  The results of doing this are amazing: increased and more consistent quality, increases in productivity, reduction in testing costs (when using prequalified procedures).

 

Why is it being offered at such a low price? We started our website to offer free, and more importantly, accurate welding related content.  Originally this was to help companies that could not afford a welding engineer or a CWI on staff, but a lot of our readers are welding engineers, CWIs and other accomplished welding professionals.  At times we sell some of our resources (after all, we need to pay the bills as well) but at an extremely affordable price.  Since all  our information products are provided as electronic files (PDF) we can keep our costs down significantly.  We want to make it affordable to anybody as it is usually the companies or sole business owners that cannot afford to hire a contractor or welding consultant to do this type of work. 

 

My customer requires my company to have qualified welding procedures per AWS D1.1. Can I use these procedures? Yes. These procedures are prequalified based on the requirements of Clause 5 (Prequalification) of AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2020 Structural Welding Code – Steel, and therefore exempt from testing.

 

Can I make changes to prequalified welding procedures? Yes.  Changes are permissible as long as they follow the requirements of AWS D1.1. The free guide, “How to Use, Develop and Modify Prequalified Welding Procedures” provides more details on what to do to make changes and maintain compliance. 

 

The prequalified welding procedure I need specifies AWS Classification ER70S-6 but I need to use ER70S-3.  Can I still use this procedure? Yes.  Per the requirements of AWS D1.1 for prequalified welding procedures any ER70S-X electrode is permitted for welding Group I and Group I steels.  You’ll just need to verify that the recommended operating parameters by the manufacturer of the ER70S-3 fall within what is shown in the procedure.  If not, make the adjustment as necessary.

Why are there multiple ranges for amperage, voltage and travel speed within each prequalified WPS? Prequalified WPSs must conform to AWS D1.1 requirements.  These requirements permit certain ranges of amperage and voltage. These variables are specified according to the filler metal manufacturer. These ranges are useful in cases where you need to weld out of position.  Ranges for vertical and overhead welding will be “colder” (lower amperage and voltage) than those for flat and horizontal. This is useful to ensure maximum productivity. 

Why do prequalified procedures say “verify that welding parameters conform to the filler metal manufacturer’s recommendations?” One requirement of prequalified WPS is that the welding parameters such as wire amperage and voltage are within the recommendations of the manufacturer of the filler metal you are using.  Chances are you will never need to make adjustments, but you must always check. 

As D1.1 requires the current for prequalified WPSs to be in compliance with the filler metal manufactures recommendations, which filler metal manufacturer have you used to develop them with for GMAW/FCAW and SMAW? All prequalified WPSs offered in this package state that the operating parameters need to conform to the recommendations of the filler metal manufacturer.  So, the values stated will still work for most filler metals (for the same AWS classification), but in some cases they may not.  All this is clearly explained in the guide that we’re including with the procedures.  This guide also walks the user through the process of reviewing parameters before approving for use.  It also explains how to modify these prequalified WPS and ensure compliance with D1.1. (i.e. changes in filler metal manufacturer, shielding gas, operating parameters, etc.)

For the prequalified WPSs in this offer we used the following filler metals:

  • GMAW – Lincoln Electric SuperArc L-56  (AWS ER70S-6)
  • FCAW Self Shielded – Lincoln Electric Innershield NR-232 (AWS E71T8)
  • FCAW Gas Shielded – Hobart FabCO Excel-Arc 71 (E71T-1/E71T-9)
  • FCAW Gas Shielded, Flat/Horizontal Only – Lincoln Electric Ultracore 70C (AWS E70T-1C)
  • MCAW – Lincoln Electric Metalshield MC-706 (AWS E70C-6M)
  • SMAW – 6010 Lincoln Electric 5P+ (AWS E6010)
  • SMAW – 7018 Lincoln Electric Excalibur (AWS E7018)

What happens if I need to use a joint that is not included in this package?  There are plenty more prequalified joints allowed by AWS D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code – Steel.  All you need to do is look up the joint you need to use and follow the joint details and tolerances.  You can create a new prequalified welding procedure using all of the other information already provided in the ones included in this package.  The FREE BONUS: How to Use, Develop and Revise Prequalified Welding Procedures Specifications, will walk you through all of this.  It is simple as long as you follow this step-by-step guide.  

Can I print the welding procedures? Yes. You can print them for use as many times as you would like. We encourage you to do so in order to provide these documents to welders and to keep them for your records.  You can also use the blank form provided (MS Excel Format) or create your own in order to customize the welding procedures with your company information.

 

What if I have questions after I make the purchase and start using the welding procedures? As with our other resources, all you have to do is email us.  As questions come in we will add them to this FAQ and share them with all who have purchased the product.  Chances are if you have a question then many more will. This way we help everyone out which is one of the things we love about our community.

 

 

With this offer you get:

  • 322 prequalified WPSs for GMAW, FCAW, MCAW and SMAW
  • Free guide:  How to Use, Develop and Revise Prequalified Welding Procedure Specifications
  • All this for about $2/welding procedure

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2 thoughts on “Frequently Asked Questions about Prequalified Welding Procedures

    • When you make your purchase you will have all 8 files available to download. You can do this on the checkout page after the transaction is complete. You can also do it from the link sent to you by email after your purchase.