Weld Procedures & Approvals

Weld Procedures & Approvals2024-09-26T17:20:09+01:00

Welding Procedures & Welder Approvals

At Tech Inspections we have qualified and experienced welding examiners, based around the UK, who can witness all your welding procedure and welder qualification tests. We have worked with many companies to ensure they comply with and meet current industry standards.

In order to ensure that welding qualification tests are carried out in a correct manner, personnel is appointed to witness welders and welding procedure specification (WPS) qualification tests being performed. At Tech Inspections we have a team of specialist welding examiners who can help.

Welding Procedures

Welding procedure approvals involve assessing all welding procedures to ensure welds are made correctly and in line with the technical standards. We can witness Welder Procedure Qualification Records (WPQRs or PQRs) which is a record of the weld procedure proving that the weld procedure will produce an effective weld.

A WPS outlines the compliant procedure that welders should follow to achieve consistency in the quality of welds. If you need help with your welding procedures, get in touch to talk to our consultants.

Welder Qualifications

A welder approval test is a test of the level of skill attained by the welder. It documents and examines how well the welder can follow a WPS and achieve a good quality weld in line with the standards. This is also known as coding, welder qualifications, or certification. Being qualified or certified in one area of welding does not necessarily mean that a welder can make quality welds in other areas. Most qualifications and certifications nowadays are restricted to a single welding process, position, metal, and thickness range. All testing is performed at a UKAS accredited laboratory.

Why Choose Tech Inspections To Witness Your Welding Tests?

The need to be competent

These tests fundamentally involve welding and then subsequent mechanical testing (by a qualified test house). Importantly the personnel appointed need to be competent for the tasks they are expected to perform. The person witnessing the tests is expected to have access to and be familiar with the necessary testing requirements when the qualification commences. Those acting as examiners in welder qualification tests should have received sufficient training to enable them to perform the tasks in a competent and professional manner.

Ensuring Tests Are Performed In Accordance With The Requirements

“Examiner” is a typical term used in welder qualification standards for the person witnessing the tests. Regardless of the terminology used, the “examiner” role is to ensure that tests are performed in accordance with the requirements, and most importantly that the necessary records are produced and verified as being correct.

Examiner Tasks

It is the responsibility of the examiner to undertake a number of tasks in order to ensure a satisfactory qualification test. Where other personnel are involved in any of the tasks, measures should be taken to ensure that the material welded is the material tested; that the test results on the certificates are accurate; that the range of qualification is correct.

Taking accurate notes

Those examining qualification tests are expected to take accurate notes or copy activity records in order to verify the results are accurate. For example, these tasks may include run by run welding parameter records in weld procedure qualification records.