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How to write AWS D1.1 Prequalified Welding Procedure Specifications

The AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code for Steel allows fabricators to use prequalified welding procedures (WPSs), saving significant time and money by exempting them from testing. This post outlines an 8-step guide to writing a prequalified WPS, covering selecting approved base metals, weld joints, welding processes, filler metals, shielding gases, and determining preheat, interpass, and post-weld heat treatment. It emphasizes that anyone who understands the code can create these essential documents for quality and productivity.

Who is responsible for determining weld size?

In many fabrication shops, welders are often left to determine weld sizes due to a lack of clear specifications from design engineers or customers. This common practice frequently leads to overwelding, where fillet welds are significantly larger than necessary, wasting material, gas, and labor. Beyond the increased cost, overwelding also introduces quality issues like distortion and slag inclusions, paradoxically causing more failures than undersized welds. While structural welding codes provide minimum weld sizes to ensure adequate heat input, these often appear "too small" to welders, leading them to apply excessive weldment.

9 Basic Steps to Read Welding Symbols

Interpreting welding symbols is a crucial skill for welders, though often overlooked in training. This basic guide breaks down the essential components of welding symbols, starting with the arrow and reference line, and explains how they convey vital information about weld type, size, length, and location. It highlights common symbols for fillet welds, including how to read length and pitch for intermittent welds, and emphasizes important notations like the "field weld" flag and "weld all around" circle.