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Welder Qualification Testing

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CS01 is a certification scheme managed by Southdown Welding Inspection, which acts as a Certification Body, based on the requirements of BS EN ISO / IEC 17024. Southdown Welding Inspection is accredited by the sole national accreditation body; UKAS.

A welder qualification test proves the welder’s ability to weld in accordance with the weld procedure (WPQR, PQR, WPS) or applicable standard(s).

The ability of a welder to follow verbal or written instructions and verification of a person’s skills are important factors in ensuring the quality of the welded product.

The testing of a welder’s skill in accordance with National or International standards depends on the welding techniques and conditions used, in which uniform rules are complied with and standard test pieces are used.

When qualifying welder’s, the emphasis is placed on the welder’s ability to manually manipulate the electrode, welding torch or welding blow pipe, thereby producing a weld of acceptable quality.

The Qualification of welder’s is based on essential variables. For each essential variable, a range of qualification is defined. If the welder must weld outside the range of welder qualification, a new qualification test is required.

The essential variables are:

  • Welding process(es)
  • Product type (plate or pipe)
  • Type of weld (butt or Fillet)
  • Filler material group
  • Filler material type
  • Dimension (material thickness and outside pipe diameter)
  • Welding position
  • Weld detail(s) (material backing, gas backing, consumable insert, single side welding, both side welding, single layer, multi-layer, leftward welding, rightward welding).
  • Essential variables can have a significant effect on the weldment’s mechanical properties. They are the controlling variables that govern qualification ranges.

The parent material group(s) and subgroup (s), that are used in the test shall be recorded on the welder’s qualification certificate.

Welder Qualification System Stages

The welding engineer or welding co-ordinator RWC writes a WPS or PWPS for the welding of a welder qualification test piece.

The welder makes the test weld in accordance with the WPS/PWPS.
The welding is monitored by a welding Inspector to ensure the welder is working to the WPS or in the case of a PWPS noting the as run details for completion of the subsequent WPQR.

The test weld is inspected to the required standard using the stipulated NDT methods (visual inspection VT, MT or PT and RT or UT).
Certain welding processes/materials and test piece types will require some destructive testing (macros or bends).

If all the required tests have been passed a welder’s qualification certificate is prepared detailing the required essential and non- essential variables along with the range of qualification allowed by the standard for production welding.

A welder’s qualification begins from the date of welding of the test piece.
The welding inspector or welding co-ordinator can confirm that the welder has been working within the initial range of qualification every six months. Certificate may be prolonged if certain conditions required by the standard have been met or a new test undertaken on or before the date of expiry.

Further Information

Please click here to see our full certification scheme details PDF

To apply for certification or more information please call us on 01384 482880 or visit our contact page.