4.

1 Welding Quality
Management System (QMS )
4.1 Welding Quality Management System (QMS )

4.1.1 Historical transition of Quality Management

(1) Modern quality control techniques
(2) Difference manners in QM/ QA between Euro-American and Japanese

4.1.2 Outline of ISO 9000-2000

4.1.3 Welding management per ISO 3834 (JIS Z 3400)
4.1.4 Preparation, qualification and recording of welding procedure specifications
（WPS)

(1) Procedures of preparation and approval of welding procedure

specifications (pWPS) : (Method of welding procedure test)
(2) Method of qualification of welding procedures
(3) Contents of welding procedure (qualification )test (WPQT or WPT)
(4) Form of welding procedure specification (WPS)
(5) Form of welding procedure qualification record (WPQR)
(6) Range of approval by welding procedure test 4.1.5 ISO 14731 “Welding
coordination －Tasks and responsibilities” 4.1.6 Certification of welding
personnel in Japan
Importance of welding performance control
For welded constructions to be effective and free from serious
problems in production and in service, it is necessary to provide
controls, from the design phase, through material selection, into
fabrication and subsequent inspection. For example:

1. Poor design for welding may create serious and costly difficulties in the
workshop, on site, or in service.

2. Incorrect material selection may result in welding problems, such as

cracking.

3. Welding procedures have to be correctly formulated and approved to

avoid imperfections.

4. Supervision needs to be implemented to ensure that the specified

quality will be achieved. The importance of welding performance control
has been emphasized by means of many failures/collapses of steel
structures in the long history.
(1) Modern Quality Control techniques In Japan
i. The Statistical Quality Control techniques (SQC techniques) were
introduced by Dr. Deming together with the famous control
technique known as Deming Circle. By employing the SQC which
progressed during the postwar reconstruction period, efforts were
made to minimize the variability in quality by executing the PDCA-
circle activities in manufacturing processes and to supply products
with guaranteed quality to the market.

ii. Then, the Total Quality Control (TQC) was developed, in which all
the employees participated to improve not only production quality
but also all the aspects of Quality, Costs, Delivery, Safety, and
Morale (QCDSM).
(1) Modern Quality Control techniques In Japan

iii. QC circle activities were deployed and small group

activities and proposal activities for improvement were
intensified. In this historical trend, various quality control
activities that were developed uniquely in our country
made a great contribution to the progress in the
industrial field as an important means to support
management activities.
In Europe and North America (UK, France, Germany, USA, and Canada) in
the 1970s, establishment of national standards relating to quality system
and quality assurance system started one after another.
There came a movement to unify these national standards into an
international standard of quality system and quality assurance system
common to the world and, in 1976, the TC176 Technical Committee was
established in ISO to make an international standard regarding quality
assurance and quality system.
The first general assembly of the Committee was held in Ottawa in
Canada (secretariat) in 1980. And in 1987, ISO 9000 series (referred to as
ISO 9000 hereafter), the first international standard of “quality
assurance and quality system,” was born based upon BS 5750 (UK) and
ANSI/ASQC Z 1-15 (USA).
Meanwhile, it was very difficult for ordinary consumers to make
examination and assessment as to if manufacturers satisfied the
requirements of ISO 9000. Therefore, the “assessment and registration
system” employed and proved effective in UK and the Netherlands in
the first half of the 1980s came to be adopted together with ISO 9000
standard.
In a business transaction, for instance, there can be three
cases for a manufacturer in making certification and public
announcement (or declaration) of the conformity to relevant
standards or rules.

1. the manufacturer itself publicizes or declares the

conformity (certification by the first person).
2. the purchaser certifies the conformity (certification by
the second person).
3. a third party, neither a manufacturer nor a purchaser,
certifies the conformity (certification by a third person).

Needless to say, certification by a third party should be most

persuasive and reliable in its objectivity, impartiality, and
universality.
In the assessment and registration system of ISO 9000, a third
party (certification and registration body) assesses if a company
(the word company or manufacturer will be used hereafter
though the word “organization” is used in the ISO or JIS
standard.) satisfies the requirements of ISO 9000 based upon the
international ISO rules (ISO Standards or Guides) and if the
company conforms to the requirements of ISO 9000, the company
is registered and its registration is publicly announced.
“certification” and “accreditation” The act of assessing and
certifying the conformity of a company by a third party is called
“certification”. And the act of assessing and certifying the
qualification of an assessment and registration body that
certifies a company is called “accreditation”. As such, the two
words are used with clear distinction.
Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity
Assessment （JAB) Accreditation: ISO/IEC
Guide 61/62 (JIS Z 9361/9362)Certification
body for quality system Certification: ISO
9000s, ISO14000s, etc. Companies, factories,
and business places Fig. 4.1 Assessment and
registration scheme for quality management
system
Fig. 4.1 Assessment and registration scheme for quality management system
The main reason for rapid spread of standardization of quality
system that started in Europe and the assessment and registration
scheme based on it is said to be the need for expansion of
liberalization of free trade accompanied by the economic unification
of EC. Also, the rapid spread is considered to have been boosted in a
timely manner by the waves of globalization just after the East-West
cold war structure collapsed. An American consultant has cited the
following interesting factors as reasons for rapid international
spreading of ISO 9000.

1. Disintegration of the Soviet Union

2. Globalization of economic competition
3. Economic force of EC
4. Worldwide quality consciousness
5. Universal recognition of ISO 9000
6. US military standards of quality were to be replaced by ISO 9000.
International spread of ISO 9000 was further accelerated by
the adoption of the standard for public procurement by the
governments of various countries in the world.

Upon validation of WTO’s new Agreement on Governmental

Procurement in 1996, the ministries and agencies of the
Japanese Government in charge of public work were pressed
to respond to full-scale participation of foreign companies by
globalization of the construction market.

Ministry of Construction (the present Ministry of Land,

Infrastructure, and Transport) of Japan decided to bring in ISO
9000 for big-scaled public work.

Other ministries and agencies of the Japanese Government

also moved to follow suit, and this promoted the acquisition
of certification of ISO 9000 by construction companies.
(2) Difference manners in QM / QA between Euro-American
and Japanese.

As described above, Japan had an excellent and unique quality management

system that had been built up since the postwar reconstruction period until
the peak period of the economic bubble years, and the system is not lost
even now. There sometimes are opinions arguing that it should not be
necessary to adopt the West ISO 9000 now. It is said that while the West
concepts of quality management and quality assurance take the standpoint of
purchasers (consumers), those of Japan take the standpoint of manufacturers
and sellers. Evidently, the definitions by the ISO standard are for a
manufacturer to disclose real status of quality management and quality
assurance so that consumers may understand it well. BS 5750 and
ANSI/AASQC Z 1-15, the base of ISO 9000, are also for minimizing the risk of
damage incurred by purchasers if ever they buy defective products. In the EU,
recently, there are cases that the ISO standards are applied from the
viewpoint of ensuring safety of consumers.
Table 4.1 Features of Euro-American approach and
Japanese approach to quality management and quality
assurance
4.1.2 Outline of ISO 9000-2000

In the 1990s when the matching of national standards with international

standards came to be required, and thus an increasing number of companies
applied for the ISO 9000 certification and acquired it in Japan, too.

As of 2005, over 50,000 companies acquired the certification. All over the
world, over 776, 000 companies were certified as per the ISO 9000. The ISO
Technical Committee of TC176 has developed 26 standards one after another
starting from ISO 8402, a vocabulary standard, to ISO 10017, one of the
supporting techniques, as ISO 9000 series. And at the end of 2000, it made a
review to regroup the standards and led to the 2000 year revision of ISO
9000 series family. Namely, ISO 8402 (vocabulary) and ISO 9000-1 (basic)
were revised and unified into the new ISO 9000. ISO 9001, ISO 9002, and ISO
9003 for certification were revised and unified into the new ISO 9001. ISO
9004-1 was revised into the new ISO 9004. In Japan, the new ISO 9000 series
family of the version of the year 2000 was taken into the JIS standard as JIS Q
9000 series family which was enacted in December 2000.
The characteristics of ISO 9000 series family issued in
December 2000 (ISO 9000 series family shall be referred
to as ISO 9000 hereafter, unless specifically mentioned)
are as follows.

(a) The old edition was rather suitable for big companies and
manufacturing companies. Revision was made so that the new
edition becomes widely applicable to all companies including those
of medium and small scale and those in the service sector.

(b) Though the standards for requirements were unified into ISO 9000,
it was allowed to exclude part of the scope of application and
requirements for quality management system.
(c) The term of quality assurance (QA) is now unused but it is
confirmed that QA is included in quality management (QM). QM
is explicitly described in ISO 9004 which was issued as guidelines
for the improvement of performance for companies.

(d) As regards ISO 9001, while the old edition was the requirements
for quality assurance system, the new edition describes customer
satisfaction and continuous improvement of effectiveness of
quality system in addition to quality assurance, thus widening its
scope of application. With respect to ISO 9004, it indicates a
model of quality management system that surpasses ISO 9000
and aims at continual improvement of both the effectiveness and
efficiency of the performance of an organization through
continual customer satisfaction and interest of stakeholders.
(e) This model of quality management system emphasizes functions
and responsibilities of top management and advises that the
following eight principles should be adopted.
The Eight Principles;

1. Customer focus: Organizations depend on their customers and

therefore should understand current and future customer needs,
should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer
expectations.

2. Leadership: Leaders establish unity of purpose and direction of the

organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment
in which people can become fully involved in achieving the
organization’s objectives.

3. Involvement of people: People of all levels are the essence of an

organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used
for the organization’s benefit.

4. Process approach: A desired result is achieved more efficiently when

activities and related resources are managed as a process. (Refer to Fig.
4.2.)
 The Eight Principles;

5. System approach to management: Identifying, understanding and

managing interrelated processes as a system contributes to the
organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its
objectives.

6. Continual improvement: Continual improvement of the

organization’s overall performance should be a permanent
objective of the organization.

7. Factual approach to decision making: Effective decisions are based

on the analysis of data and information.

8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships: An organization and its

suppliers (subcontractors) are independent and a mutually
beneficial relationship enhances the ability of both to create value.
Many of these requirements express that “procedures
shall be established, (documented), and maintained.”
This means that a system of “process management” is
required, in which a process is established, documented,
and maintained. In this case, it is said to be easier for
Japanese to grasp if the system is understood to be a
mechanism. The above eight principles (① to ⑧) form
the basis of ISO 9000 (the 2000 year version). Continual
improvement was adopted as a result of long-standing
proposal from Japan. ISO 9001 comprises eight chapters
in which Chapters 4 to 8 describe the requirements.
Their contents (articles) are shown in Table 4.2.
4.1.3 Welding management per ISO 3834 (JIS Z 3400)

In the case of welding management as per ISO 9000, it is appropriate to

conduct management in accordance with ISO 3834 (JIS Z 3400).

Though it is not common in Japan as yet, cases are increasing in Europe in

which welding fabricators are assessed by a third assessment and registration
body based on ISO 3834 and acquire certification of ISO 9000 and ISO 3834 at
the same time.

Welding was explicitly defined as a typical “special process” together with

heat treatment in the first edition (1987 year version) of ISO 9000.

From the 1994 version onward, this quotation was deleted but the importance
of a “special process” continued to be recognized and the requirements for a
“special process” became even more explicit in the 2000 year version.

Namely, the requirements in Table 4.3 were stipulated in the 2000 year
version.
Table 4.3 Requirements for special process (JIS Q 9001:2000)
To comply with the requirements of Table 4.3 regarding
“special process (welding)” , ISO 3834 (Quality requirements
for welding – Fusion welding of metallic materials) was
established stipulating quality requirements for welded
structures (welded products as per JIS) that are fabricated
(constructed) mainly by welding.

This standard is best suited for welding fabricators who try

to build a quality management system based on ISO 9000.
The requirements for building up a quality management
system for welding fabricators based on ISO 9000 and ISO
3834 are enumerated below in an easy-to-understand
manner.
a. Application of defined criteria for approval of the process, i.e.
welding procedure specification (WPS). (Table 4.3, Article a))

b. Application of a pre-qualified and well-used WPS if any. (Table 4.3,

Article c))

c. Necessity of validation of qualification of the personnel engaged in

welding. (Table 4.3, Article b))

d. Necessity of validation of qualification of welding equipment. (Table

4.3, Article b))

e. Necessity of recording of important matters of WPS. (Table 4.3,

Article d))

f. Necessity of revalidation of WPS for heavy-duty structures. (Table

4.3, Article e))
As to the above ① and ②, ISO 3834 makes them a set of
specifications and refers to the ISO 9956 series (Welding procedure
specification of metallic materials and its approval) (the present ISO
15607-15620). These standards were taken into the JIS standard in
October 2003. They describe how to make a WPS, approve it, and
record the approval (PQR or WPAR).

As for the above ③ (personnel), it refers to EN 719 (published as ISO

14731 later and taken into the JIS standard as JIS Z 3410) for welding
engineers (or welding coordination personnel) and EN 287 (ISO 9606)
for welders.

The certification system of welding coordination personnel of the

Japan Welding Engineering Society was revised in 1998. As it stands on
the basis of ISO 14731, when the welding coordination personnel has
been certified by the system, its qualification can substantively be
certified as internationally acknowledged welding personnel.
For certification of test and inspection non-destructive testing (NDT)
personnel, there is ISO 9712, which was taken into the JIS standard as JIS
Z 2305 in 2001.

The Japanese Society for Non-Destructive Inspection revised its

certification system of test and inspection NDT personnel conventionally
based on NDIS 0601 to conform to JIS Z 2305.

Therefore, the qualification and certification of test and inspection NDT

personnel also came to be substantively certified internationally.
Operations and continuous monitoring of parameters of the process by
such qualified certified personnel are required.

With respect to the qualification of welding equipment, there is no

applicable ISO standard. Therefore, the equipment should be prepared,
calibrated, and maintained based upon the requirements of ISO 3834
described later. As for revalidation of WPS, it is so interpreted that
implementation of welding procedure production weld test prior to actual
fabrication and welding production test at the time of actual fabrication
suffice for the revalidation.
If a company adopts ISO 9000
and ISO 3834, it must establish
a quality management system
as shown in Fig. 4.3. In order to
assure welding quality, it is
necessary to implement the
individual items steadily in the
procedure
ISO 3834 “Quality requirement in welding” specifies
the activities and requirements to ensure the welding
quality.

In the first place, document control and securing of

management resources must be ready for practice
prior to start of welding and are common to all the
orders received. The items from contract review
onward are the ones to be practiced individually for
each order.

The requirements for comprehensive quality

requirements are summarized below.
ISO 3834 “Quality requirement in welding” specifies the
activities and requirements to ensure the welding quality. The
requirements for comprehensive quality requirements are
summarized below.

1. Review of requirements (full documented review, and

record)
2. Technical review (design for welding to be confirmed, and
record)
3. Sub-contracting (treat like a main fabricator)
4. Welders and welding operators (qualification is required)
5. Welding co-ordination personnel (required )
6. Inspection and testing personnel (qualification is required)
7. Production and testing equipment (suitable and available as
required for the process with the safety)
8. Equipment maintenance (required to provide, maintain
and achieve product conformity, and documented plans
and records)
9. Description of equipment (list is required)
10. Production planning (required, and documented plans and
records)
11. Welding procedure specifications (WPS) (required)
12. Qualifications of the welding procedures (required in
accordance with the appropriate part of ISO 9956,
approved as application standards or contract demands)
13. Batch testing of consumables (if required)
14.Storage and handling of welding consumables (a procedure
is required in accordance with supplier recommendation)
15. Storage of parent material (protection required from influence
by environment; identification shall be maintained through
stage)
16. Post weld heat treatment (confirmation that the requirements
according to product standard or specifications are fulfilled,
and procedure, record to the product are required)
17. Inspection and testing before, during, and after welding
(required)
18. Non-conformance and corrective actions (measures of control
are implemented, and procedures for repair and/or
rectification are required)
19. Calibration or validation of measuring, inspection and testing
equipment (required)
20. Identification during process (if required)
21. Traceability (if required)
22. Quality records (if required)
(1) Document control The manufacturer must define the sequence of
each item indicated in Fig. 4.3 and make it into documents. It should
be made clear that these documents, including the ones from outside
like drawings from the customer, are of the latest edition and so
controlled that all the related departments and sections can use the
proper edition.
(2) Secure of management resources Management resources mean so
called 4M (Man, Machine, Material, and Method) that are necessary
for management, implementation of operations, and activities for
verification. The manufacturer must define and secure the
management resources for welding fabrication.

① Personnel The manufacturer must secure sufficient number of competent

personnel for planning, fabrication, monitoring, inspection, and investigation
for welding fabrication. For the personnel to be equipped with sufficient
competence, education and training must be conducted and the
effectiveness of such education and training must be evaluated.
Furthermore, welders, welding coordination personnel, and non-destructive
testing personnel should be certified by appropriate standards like the JIS
standard.
② Equipment The equipment can be classified into
manufacturing and testing equipment and inspection and
measuring equipment. Such manufacturing, inspection, and
testing equipment indispensable and suitable for welding
fabrication must be secured. Such equipment includes the
following.

a) Welding power sources and other machines

b) Equipment for joint preparation and cutting, including thermal cutting
c) Equipment for preheating and postweld heat treatment including
temperature indicator
d) Jigs and fixtures
e) Cranes and handling equipment used for welding production
f) Protective devices and other safety equipment for welding personnel
g) Depository, drying equipment, and portable container for welding
consumables
h) Cleaning goods
i) Destructive and non-destructive testing equipment
The manufacturer must prepare a maintenance plan for
equipment, implement maintenance check regularly, and
refrain from using defective equipment.

Especially, inspection and measuring devices must be

calibrated at a designated interval and records of calibration
must be maintained.

In case calibration proves that the equipment is inaccurate, the

results of measurement made by the equipment since the last
calibration must be reviewed for re-evaluation of their validity
and corrective action must be taken.
Examples of items of maintenance check are as follows:

a) Condition of the guiding device of thermal cutting equipment and the

fixing jigs for welding mechanization.
b) Condition of ammeter, voltmeter, and flow meter for operation of
welding equipment
c) Condition of electric cables, hoses, and connectors
d) Condition of the control system of mechanized and automatic welding
equipment
e) Condition of instruments for temperature measurement such as a
thermocouple
f) Condition of wire feeder and wire conduit The manufacturer must
prepare and maintain a list of the equipment that contains the
following items;
i. Name of equipment
ii. Identification of equipment such as manufacturing number
iii. Specifications of equipment such as capacity, shape, and dimensions
iv. Date of maintenance check (calibration date or validity of inspection
and measuring instruments)
③ Welding consumables
The manufacturer must secure a place for storage of welding
consumables needed for welding production in order to avoid
moisture absorption, oxidization, and damage.

④ Welding sequence and welding procedure

The manufacturer must prepare the sequence documents
indicated in (1) Document control.

Such sequence documents are generally called a “fabrication

standard” or “working standard.” For a new welding
procedure, a prior verification test must be conducted to verify
its appropriateness.

Especially, approval of the welding procedure regulated by

legislation must be acquired in advance.
(3) Review of requirements

The manufacturer must confirm the contractual

requirements indicated by specifications, design drawings,
and other means prior to acceptance of the order. This is
for the purposes of ensuring that the manufacturer has
capability of fulfilling the contractual requirements of
welding and those requirements orally given and all the
amendments to the contract from tender documents
made prior to contract are clearly documented and
accepted by the purchaser. The information obtained by
the contract review must be conveyed to and used by all
the related departments such as the design department
and manufacturing department.
(4) Technical review

When the manufacturer designs by themselves, a set of management

activities are to be performed, which consist of planning of design, review of
appropriateness of input, approval of output, design review, verification,
review of validity, and design amendment. These management activities
are carried out when the design department works out the design for the
final product including welding design.

Whether the design data are supplied by the purchaser or are made by the
manufacturer himself, the manufacturing department must conduct design
review to confirm the contents of the design, assess capability of fulfilling
the requirements and propose a solution if there is any problem. When the
design data are supplied by the purchaser, such design review is to be
conducted when confirming the contents of the contract.

There are such companies that have a rule of designation of responsible

personnel to conduct design review for each specialized field and of
convening a design review meeting of these responsible personnel for
discussing important matters and the fabrication work to be done for the
first time.
(5) Purchase control
The manufacturer must carry out the following control activities to ensure that the
purchased products fulfil the requirements.
① Assessment of suppliers (subcontractors)
Suppliers must be assessed and selected based on their capability to supply products
that satisfy the requirements of the manufacturer.
② Purchase documents
The manufacturer must prepare purchase documents that contain the items
mentioned below, confirm adequacy of the specified requirements and place an
order.
a. Identification of model, kind, and grade
b. Such technical data as specifications, drawings, process requirements, and
inspection instructions
c. The name, number, and version of the standard of applied quality
system
③ Verification of purchased products
The manufacturer must define the activities to verify the purchased products and put
them into practice. In a case where such verification activities are done at the
supplier by the manufacturer or the customer of the manufacturer, the procedures of
verification must be provided in the purchase documents.
(6) Welding fabrication

① Manufacturing plans The manufacturer must define and plan the

manufacturing processes that directly affect the quality of the product. In
the plan, the following items must be contained at least.

a. Procedures of manufacturing welded constructions and the sequence of

final assembly (preparation, qualification, and issuance of so called
fabrication sequence drawings)
b. Identification of individual processes for manufacturing welded
constructions
c. Reference to appropriate procedure specifications for welding and
related processes
d. Sequence of welding fabrication
e. Sequence and schedule of practicing each process
f. Inspection and testing specifications including those for independent
inspection organizations
g. Environmental conditions (e.g. protection from wind and rain) h)
Identification of batches of materials, components, and parts per an
appropriate unit
② Manufacturing

The manufacturer engages in manufacturing by welding

in accordance with the approved manufacturing plan
and welding procedure specifications. Instructions to
welders are given by way of working instructions where
necessary. It is to be ensured that welding is done
under a controlled state by checking the welding
equipment, welding personnel and the matters in ①
Inspection and testing prior to welding of the next
article (7) , and by monitoring the matters of ②
Inspection and testing during welding of the next article
(7).
(7) Inspection and testing
Inspection and testing are conducted at appropriate points in the
manufacturing process based on the manufacturing plan in order to assure
compliance with the contractual requirements.

① Inspection and testing prior to welding . Prior to welding, the following

matters must be checked where necessary.

a. Conformity and validity of certificates of qualification of the welding personnel

b. Conformity of the welding procedure specifications (WPS)
c. Identification of the base metals and welding consumables.
d. Groove preparation (configuration and dimensions)
e. Conditions of fit-up, fixing by a jig, and tack welding
f. Special requirements in the welding procedure specifications (e.g. prevention of
distortion)
g. Preparation for manufacturing production tests
h. Conformity of working conditions including environment for welding
② Inspection and testing during welding

During welding, the following matters must be checked at

appropriate intervals or by continuous parameters, where
necessary.

a. Indispensable welding parameters (e.g. welding current, arc voltage,

and travel speed)
b. Preheating and interpass temperature
c. Perfection of cleaning and shape of runs and layers of weld metal
d. Back gouging
e. Welding sequence
f. Correct use and handling of welding consumables
g. Control of distortion
h. Intermediate inspection (e.g. checking of dimensions)
③ Inspection and testing after welding
After welding, the compliance with relevant acceptance criteria must be checked, when
necessary.

a) Visual inspection testing

b) Non-destructive testing
c) Destructive testing
d) Shape and dimensions of welds and welded constructions
e) Results and records of postweld treatment (e.g. grinding, postweld heat
treatment, and aging)

④ Inspection and testing status

Whether or not the welded construction has been inspected and tested and the
status of judgment (accepted or rejected) must be either marked on the weld
construction or on the routing card for identification to prevent a welded
construction yet to be inspected and tested or a nonconforming welded
construction from being transferred to the subsequent process.
(8) Nonconformance and corrective action
① Nonconformance control In order to prevent inadvertent
miss use or delivery of a nonconforming product, the product
that does not conform to the designated requirements must be
identified and controlled. When repairing or readjusting the
nonconforming product, appropriate repair specifications must
be ready for use and the repaired or readjusted product must
be re-inspected in accordance with the original requirements.

② Corrective action In order to prevent recurrence of

nonconformance, identification of the cause of
nonconformance, assessment of necessity of preventive
activities, and necessary corrective action must be determined.
(9) Identification and traceability

In order to avoid inadvertent miss use of base metals, welding

consumables and half-finished products, the product must be
identified all through the manufacturing process.

In cases where traceability is in the contractual requirements,

the product must be specifically identified and controlled.
Traceability is a function of tracing back history, use, and
location of the product by means of recorded identification.

It is useful for removal of a nonconforming product and for

search of causes of the nonconformance when
nonconformance is found after installation of the product.
(10) Quality records
Quality records must be maintained as the evidence of conformance to
contractual requirements and of effective operation of quality system.
Rules of identification, storage, search, and period of retention must be
decided to control the quality data. Quality records relating to
manufacturing by welding are as follows:

a. Records of contract review and design review

b. Certificates of materials
c. Certificates of welding consumables
d. Records of approval tests of welding procedure specifications
e. Certificates of welders or welding operators
f. Certificates of non-destructive testing personnel
g. Records of heat treatment and welding procedures
h. Non-destructive testing and destructive testing procedures and records
i. Records of dimensions
j. Records of repair and other records
4.1.4 Preparation, qualification and recording of
welding procedure specification (WPS)
As described in the foregoing section, it is important in welding as a
special process to determine its procedure specifications in details
clearly and to determine the proceeding of their approval
objectively. ISO 3834 refers ISO 14731/ISO 9606 which regulate
certification of personnel and ISO 9956 in terms of preparation,
qualification, and relevant records of welding procedure
specifications. These four standards are called a set of standards
with ISO 3834 as the core. Of the series of standards (old edition of
ISO 9956) relating to specification and approval of welding
procedures of metallic materials, here are explained) JIS Z 3420 (ISO
15607-2000)(General Rules), JIS Z 3421-1 (ISO 15609-2000) (Welding
Procedure Specification for Arc Welding), and JIS Z 3422-1 (ISO
15614) (Welding Procedure Test) that were taken into the JIS
standard in 2003.
1st step: Confirmation of drawings and
specifications
Design quality is described in drawings and specifications which should
prescribe precisely the required degree of manufacturing quality.
Accordingly, when welding performance is planned, drawings and
specifications should be thoroughly checked and understood, with
questions discussed with designers beforehand if necessary.

Regarding to this matter, ISO 3834 requires that “contract review” and
“design review” should be performed before finalizing the contract .
Workshop facilities must be sufficient to ensure necessary quality.
Facilities for transportation, fabrication, assembly, welding, related
equipment, etc. should be thoroughly checked. The skill and
qualifications of engineers and welders should also be confirmed. If
structures are produced by subcontractors or an affiliated company,
similar confirmations are required.
2nd step: Confirmation and qualification of welding
procedures
Repeated confirmation and discussion is necessary regarding
whether required or planned welding procedures are
applicable or not.

The number and capacity of welding power sources, electric

sources, auxiliary equipment, etc. should be well maintained
and confirmed. When new welding procedures or equipment
are introduced, equipment preparation, trial operations, data
accumulation, welding procedure tests, etc. should be
performed and qualified.
WPS:
Welding and related work is performed as per precisely
described welding procedure specifications (WPS).
Welding procedure specifications should be very clear and explicit so that
every engineer and welders, including sub-contractors, may easily
understand them. Details of welding procedures specifications are specified
in ISO 15607 through 15613.
Before manufacturing an actual structure, the welding procedures
described in the specification are tested to determine if the required
quality can be obtained or not.
A welding procedure test should, in principle, be performed on every
structure in accordance with the standard, e.g., ISO 15614-1～2, -4～-6, -
8, -10～-13.
However, if the test is complicated and when alterations in procedures are
minor, a welding procedure test may be waived. The scope of qualification
(approval) is prescribed in ISO 15607:2003 “Specification and qualification
of welding procedures for metallic materials -- General rules”.
As for the JIS standard for welding procedure
test, there are JIS Z 3040 (Method of
Qualification Test for Welding Procedure) and JIS
B 8285 (Welding Procedure Qualification Test for
Pressure Vessels) .
These standards are expected to be unified into
a new JIS standard compatible with the ISO
standard in the future.
Likewise, the ASME and AWS specify the similar
standards. These standards are desired to be
unified into an international standard in the
future.
(1) Procedures of preparation and approval of welding
procedure specifications (pWPS) : (Method of welding
procedure test)
Firstly, provisional preliminary welding procedure specification
(pWPS) is made based on the past experience, expertise, and
results of research.
Then, test assembly is welded in the same conditions (regarding
materials and welding parameters, for instance) as those written
in the specification, and designated test is performed.
If all the results of non-destructive testing (including visual
inspection) and destructive testing are satisfactory, the pWPS is
approved and becomes an approved welding procedure
specification (WPS)
In case the weld test assembly fails to satisfy the requirements of
either visual inspection or non-destructive testing, one additional
test assembly may be is welded and the same tests are performed.

In case the additional weld test assembly does not fulfil the relevant
requirements, the provisional preliminary welding procedure
specification (pWPS) cannot be regarded as satisfying the
requirements of this standard unless it is changed.

In destructive tests, if any test specimen does not satisfy the

requirements because of imperfection of weld, 2 additional test
specimens can be taken either from the same weld test assembly if
possible or from a new weld test assembly, and the same tests can be
performed.

If any of the additional test specimens does not fulfill the relevant
requirements, the provisional preliminary welding procedures
specifications (pWPS) cannot be regarded as satisfying the
requirements of this standard.
(2) Method of qualification of welding procedures
In order to approve a provisional preliminary welding procedure
specification (pWPS) as a WPS and make a welding procedure approval
record (WPAR, or PQR as per the ASME and AWS), other methods than
the welding procedure qualification test described in the previous
article are also allowed. They are as follows:

(a) Qualification by use of tested (approved) welding

consumables
Approved welding consumables mean the welding consumables or their
combinations tested and approved by an independent inspector or
inspection agency (a third party body).

Provided the welding heat input is maintained within a limited range,

qualification of the welding procedures that use such qualified
welding consumables is allowed for materials whose heat-affected
zone is not deteriorated considerably.
But this qualification method is allowed only for arc welding and gas
welding.
(b) Qualification by past previous welding
experiences
This method allows welding procedures to be qualified by
referring to the past previous welding experiences.

The manufacturer may obtain qualification of a provisional

preliminary welding procedure specification (pWPS) by
referring to the past previous welding experience on
condition that it can be proved by an independent document
with an appropriate ground that the same kinds of joint and
material were satisfactorily welded in the past.

In this case, only those welding procedure specifications

should be used that can be associated with consistent
acceptable quality test data obtained for a certain period and
proven reliable from such past results
(c) Qualification by use of standard welding
procedures
This is a method of approval of welding procedures using the
standard welding procedures. The provisional preliminary
welding procedure specifications (pWPS) prepared by the
manufacturer are qualified if the range of all the matters to be
verified are within the range permitted by the standard
welding procedures.

The standard welding procedure must be issued in the form of

WPS or WPAR based on the same proceeding as that for the
qualification of the welding procedure qualification test. The
inspector or inspection agency responsible for the first
qualification of the standard welding procedure must issue or
revise this standard. Furthermore, application of the standard
welding procedure is allowed only under the conditions that the
user is satisfied with.
(d) Qualification by pre-production welding test
prior to manufacturing
This welding test has the same functions as the welding procedure
qualification test but the test assembly is prepared in conditions
more similar to actual fabrication welding. The standard test
assembly shown on the next page does not have to be used.

The test assembly must be so prepared that the joint in actual

fabrication is simulated. Furthermore, the welding test must be
conducted prior to fabrication welding in the same conditions as
used in actual fabrication welding. The inspections and tests of the
test assembly must be done within the range of the requirements.

This welding test may require special tests additionally or some

other substitute tests depending on the kind of the joint, which must
be agreed to by the inspector or inspection agency.
(b) Scope of test
The welding procedure qualification test includes both
non-destructive and destructive tests and must follow
the requirements shown in Table 4.5. The following
tests may be added depending upon the applicable
standard or by the contract.

i. Tension test in the longitudinal direction of weld metal ▪

Bend test of all weld metal
ii. Corrosion test
iii. Chemical analysis
iv. Microscopic structure test examination
v. Measurement of delta-ferrite examination of austenitic
stainless steel
vi. Cruciform joint weld test
Table 4.5 Inspection Examination and testing of weld the test piece
assemblies (Excerpted from ISO 15609-1 (Welding Procedure Test))
Note ;
1. UT shall not be used for a plate thickness of less than 8 mm
and not for material group No.: 8, 10, and 41to 48.
2. PT or MT. For nonmagnetic materials, PT is applied.
3. For bend test, refer to Article 7.4.2 of Welding Procedure Test.
4. 1 set in the weld metal and 1 set in the HAZ for materials ≧12
mm thick and having specified impact properties.
5. Application standards may require impact testing below 12
mm thick.

- The testing temperature shall be chosen by the

manufacturer with regard to the application or application
standard but need not be lower than the parent metal
specification. For additional tests see 7.4.5
Note ;
5. Not required for parent metals: sub-group No. 1.1 and
group No. 8 and 41 to 48.
6. Refer to Article 7.4.3 of Welding Procedure Test for
microscopic test.
7. The listed tests do not provide information relating to
the mechanical properties of joints. In a case where
mechanical properties affect application of the joint,
additional approval, e.g. approval of butt joints, shall be
made.
8. UT shall not be required for pipes with an outside
diameter of 50 mm or less. In a case where ultrasonic
test is technically impossible for a joint of pipes with a
outside diameter exceeding 50 mm, RT shall be
conducted if it is a joint on which radiographic test can
be carried out.
(5) Form of welding procedure qualification record
(WPQR)
Though there is not any specified form for WPQR either, ISO 15614-1,
gives ①，②and ③below as a reference. WPQR must describe the
results of evaluation of each test assembly including that of retest. It
must contain detailed description of all the test results as well as all the
relevant matters carried on the above-described WPS. When there are
no rejectable contents or unacceptable test results on WPQR, it is
signed with the date and approved by the inspector or inspection
agency. Table 4.7 is just an example and a form of WPQR determined by
the manufacturer must be used.

① Welding procedure qualification record (WPQR) Welding procedure

qualification ― test certificate Manufacturer’s WPQR Engineer or
Examining body: Document number : Reference No. : Manufacturer :
Address : Code/Testing Standard : Date of Welding :
Range of qualification;

i. Welding process(es)
ii. type of joint and weld
iii. Parent material group(s) and sub-group(s)
iv. Parent Material Thickness (mm)
v. Throat Thickness (mm)
vi. Single run/Multi run
vii. Outside Pipe Diameter (mm)
viii. Filler Material Designation
ix. Filler Material Maker
x. Filler Material Size
Range of qualification;

xi. Designation of Shielding Gas/Flux

xii. Designation of Backing Gas
xiii. body (name, date, and signature)
xiv. Mode of Metal Transfer
xv. Heat Input : Welding Positions
xvi. Preheat Temperature : Post-Weld Heat-Treatment : Other
Information : Certify that the test welds prepared, welded
and tested satisfactorily in accordance with the
requirements of the code/testing standard indicated
above. Location : Date of issue : Examiner or examining
body (name, date, and signature)
(6) Range of approval by welding procedure test
The relationship between the test conditions of welding procedure
test and the range of approval is shown below in accordance with ISO
15614-1: 2003.

Each of the conditions indicated must be independently satisfied.

In cases where there is any change to a condition outside the
designated range, for instance a change in the welding method
from shielded metal arc welding to submerged arc welding or a
change in the shielding gas in MAG welding from CO2 to
80%Ar+20%CO2, a new welding procedure test is required.

Such factors that need a new test are called “essential variables” by
the code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Examples of important alterations for which welding
procedure tests are required are often called as
“Essential Variables”. The handling of important
alterations is prescribed in ISO 15607 standards as
well.

In consideration of weld quality, other factors may

also be important, so manufacturers should certify
the suitability of any alterations with test data.
The Main items of “Essential Variables”:

i. Welding method (including combination of welding)

ii. Type of base metal Thickness of base metal Welding material
iii. Consumables: covered electrode, wire, filler metal, flux
Shielding gas (including combination)
iv. Back shielding gas
v. Weld joint, back strip (shape and dimensions, welding
sequence)
vi. Welding parameters (welding current, arc voltage, heat input-
if specified)
vii. Preheating (yes, no , lower limit of temperature) Heat
treatment (yes, no, temperature, holding time)
viii. Number of electrodes (single, multi) Number of layers
(Automatic welding: single pass, multi pass)
ix. Back gouging (method, depth/shape)
1) Material-related matters
1.1 Parent Material Group For each group of base metal for the groups
1 thru 11 For the group 2.3, lower groups of base metals are also
approved.

Group 1: Steels with a yield point of 460N/mm2 max.

Group 2: TMCP steels with a yield point of 360N/mm2 min.
Group 3: Quench and Tempered steels with a yield point of
360N/mm2 min.

1.2 Thickness ( for instance )

Thickness of test piece, t(mm): 12<t≦100 Approval range of
thickness for one-side welding/both-side single pass welding :
0.7t-1.1t Approval range of thickness for Multi-pass welding
: 0.5t-2t (Max. 150)

11.3 Throat of fillet weld

Approval range is 0.7a-1.5a where “a” is the throat of the test
piece. 1-4)Diameter of pipes and branch pipes Diameter of test
piece, D mm D≦25: Approval range 0.5D-2D 25<D: Approval
range 0.5D or bigger (minimum 25)
2) Common items for welding procedure
2.1 Welding process For each welding process. A combination
of welding processes is approved for each kind of
combination. A combination of welding processes may be
approved for each welding process.

2.2 Welding position When impact test/hardness test are not

required, approval ranges for all positions. When impact
test/hardness test are required, approval ranges for upper
limit/lower limit of welding heat input.

2.3 Kind of joint and welding method (Joint of test assembly)

(Joints to be approved in addition to joints tested) Butt
weld joint : T-joint and fillet joint with the same welding
conditions One-sided weld joint: Double-sided weld joint
and weld joint with backing metal Weld joint with backing
metal: Double-sided weld joint
2.4 Classification of filler metal
For each classification per standard
2.5 Product name of filler metal
For each product name (depending on additional conditions such
as the welding process and impact test requirements)
2.6 Heat input
When impact test is required, approval extends by up to 25% over
the value used in the procedure test. When hardness test is
required, approval extends by up to 25 % below the value used
in the procedure test.
2.7 Preheat temperature
Lower limit of nominal preheat temperatures for procedure test.
2.8 Interpass temperature
Upper limit of nominal interpass temperatures for procedure test.
2.9 Post weld heating for hydrogen release
Decreasing or omitting the temperature or holding time used in the
procedure test is not allowed. Postweld heating can be added.
2.10 Postweld heat treatment
Addition or omission of postweld heat treatment is not allowed.
The holding temperature range shall be the test temperature
±20℃.
3) Special items for welding processes
3.1 SMAW, Self-shielding
Approval extends one-size bigger/smaller diameter
electrodes than the diameter tested.
3.2 SAW
For each wire system (single electrode/multi-electrodes).
Flux is approved for each product name and type.
3.3 MIG, MAG
For each kind of shielding gas.
For each wire system (single electrode/multi-electrodes).
3.4 TIG
For each kind of shielding gas
3.5 Plasma welding
For each kind of plasma gas. For each shielding gas.
4.1.5 ISO 14731 “Welding coordination －Tasks and
responsibilities”
10 items required for welding engineers as below:
1. Review of requirements
a. the product standard to be used, together with any supplementary
requirements;
b. the capability of the manufacture to meet the prescribed requirements.
2. Technical Review
a. the parent material(s) specification and welded joint properties;
b. the joint location with relation to the design requirements;
c. quality and acceptance requirements for welds;
d. the location, accessibility and sequence of welds, including accessibility
for inspection and non-destructive testing;
e. other welding requirements, e.g. batch testing of consumables, ferrite
content of weld metal, ageing, hydrogen content, permanent backing,
use of peening, surface finish, weld profile;
f. the dimensions and details of joint preparation and completed weld.
3. Sub-contracting
With regard to sub-contracting, the suitability of any sub-
contractor for welding fabrication shall be considered.

4 Welding personnel
With regard to welding personnel, the qualification of
welders and welding operators, brazers and brazing
operators shall be considered.

5. Equipment The following elements shall be considered

with regard to equipment:

a. the suitability of welding and associated equipment;

b. auxiliaries and equipment supply, identification and handling
c). personal protective equipment and of the safety equipment,
directly associated with the applicable manufacturing
process;
d. equipment maintenance;
e. equipment verification and validation.
6. Production Planning

The following elements shall be considered with regard to

production planning:
i. reference to the appropriate procedure
specifications for welding and allied processes;
ii. the sequence in which the welds are to be made;
iii. environmental conditions (e.g. protection from
wind, temperature and rain);
iv. the allocation of qualified personnel:
v. equipment for preheating and post-heating
treatment, including temperature indicators;
vi. the arrangement for any production test.
7. Qualification of the welding procedures
With regard to the qualification of the welding
procedures, the method and range of qualification shall
be considered.

8. Welding procedure specifications

With regard to welding procedure specifications, the
range of qualification shall be considered.

9. Work instructions
With regard to work instructions , the issuing and use of
work instructions shall be considered.
10. Welding consumables
The following elements shall be considered with regard
to welding consumables; compatibility delivery
conditions any supplementary requirements in the
welding consumables purchasing specifications,
including the type of welding consumable inspection
document; the storage and handling of welding
consumables.

11. Materials
The following elements shall be considered with regard
to materials: any supplementary requirement in the
material purchasing specifications including the type of
inspection document for the material. b) the storage
and handling of parent material; Traceability.
12. Inspection and testing before welding

The following elements shall be considered with regard

to inspection and testing before welding:

a) the suitability and validity of welders' and welding operators'

qualification certificate;
b) the suitability of the welding procedure specification;
c) the identity of the parent material;
d) the identity of welding consumables;
e) joint preparation (e.g. shape and dimensions);
f) fit-up, jigging and tacking;
g) any special requirements in the welding procedure specification
(e.g. prevention of distortion);
h) the suitability of working conditions for welding, including the
environment
13. Inspection and testing during welding

The following elements shall be considered with regard

to inspection and testing during welding:

a) essential welding parameters (e.g.welding current, arc voltage and

travel speed);
b) the preheating/interpass temperature;
c) the cleaning and shape of runs and layers of weld metal;
d) back gouging;
e) the welding sequence;
f) the correct use and handling of welding consumables;
g) control of distortion;
h) any intermediate examination (e.g. checking dimensions).
14. Inspection and testing after welding

The following elements shall be considered with

regard to inspection and testing after welding:

a) the use of visual inspection (for completeness of

welding, weld dimensions, shape);
b) the use of non-destructive testing;
c) the use of destructive testing;
d) the form, shape, tolerance and dimensions of the
construction;
e) the results and records of post-operations (e.g. post-
weld heat treatment, ageing).
15. Post-weld heat treatment
With regard to post-weld heat treatment, performance
in accordance with the specification shall be considered.

16. Non-conformance and corrective actions

With regard to non-conformance and corrective actions,
the necessary measures and actions (e.g. weld repairs,
re-assessment of repaired welds, corrective actions) shall
be considered.

17. Calibration and validation of measuring, inspection

and testing equipment
With regard to the calibration and validation of
measuring, inspection and testing equipment, the
necessary methods and actions shall be considered
18. Identification and traceability
The following elements shall be considered with regard
to identification and traceability:
a. the identification of production plans;
b. the identification of routing cards;
c. the identification of weld locations in construction;
d. the identification of non-destructive testing procedures and
personnel;
e. the identification of the welding consumable (e.g.
designation, trade name. manufacturer of consumables and
batch or cast numbers);
f. the identification and/or traceability of parent material (e.g.
type, cast number);
g. the Identification of the location of repairs;
h. the identification of the location of temporary attachments;
i. traceability for fully mechanized and automatic welding units
to;
j. traceability of welder and welding operators to specific
welds;
k. traceability of welding procedure specifications to specific
welds.
19. Quality records

With regard to quality records, the preparation

and maintenance of the necessary records
(including subcontracted activities) shall be
considered.
4.1.6 Certification of welding personnel in Japan
(1) Welder's certification test

A welder's certification is required for welders of manual or sem

automatic welding procedure. JIS Z 3801:1997 "Standard
Certification Procedure for Manual Welding Technique", nine
other JIS standards, and five Welding Engineering Society (WES)
standards prescribe qualification tests for welders based upon
materials and welding processes.

There are no standards for automatic welding operators excepting

ISO 14732:1998. However, welding knowledge and skill in material
selection, evaluation, welding procedures, and welding equipment
are essential to achieve appropriate quality.
4.1.6 Certification of welding personnel in Japan
(2) Welding practitioner's certification test

Welding practitioners teach and instruct welding

techniques to other welders and welding-related workers
and involve maintaining a sufficient welding performance
control and quality assurance system.

Japan Welding Engineering Society (JWES) prescribes

WES 8107:2004 "Standard for Certification of Welding
practitioner" for the certification of welding
practitioners.
(3) Welding Engineer's certification test
A welding engineer coordinate and control welding
processes such as planning, controlling, instructing,
and supervising, and is essential for the quality of a
welding structure.

JWES prescribes WES 8103:2006 "Standard for

Certification of Welding coordination personnel". A
welding engineer's certification is granted to an
engineer who passes this certification test.
(4) Nondestructive Testing Engineer's
certification test
Nondestructive testing is an important technique to confirm the
safety of a weld structure. As the skill of a nondestructive inspector
is important, a certification test is executed based on JIS Z
2305:2001 (ISO 9712 Mod.).

A qualification test for an LP gas plant inspection engineer also

exists. (5) Certification of a nondestructive inspection company
Certification of a company engaged in nondestructive inspection is
also necessary for the safety and quality of a weld structure.

This certification is given to a company which passes an

examination based on WES 8701 "Classification of technical grade
of corporation for nondestructive inspection of welded
construction". This examination checks the number of qualified
engineers, equipment status, etc.