Welding

Procedure
s
(overview)

The cost impact of not being able to control the quality of

welding and repair rates can be substantial. This will and
can cost the contractor considerable delay in the
completion of the project. Thereafter invoking contractual
penalties. Resulting in the loss of profit margins and later
arbitration.

Approvals prior to the commencement of welding

operations.

Welding Procedure Specifications.

Procedure Qualification Reports.
Welder Certification Certificates.
Welding Consumables.
NDT Company.
NDT Operators.
NDT Procedures.
Radiation Safety.
Post Weld Heat Treatment Company.
Post Weld Heat Treatment Procedure.
Welding Inspection Personnel.
Welding Repair Procedure.

Method Statement
Welding of Piping and Structural Components

1) Welders shall only work within the

limit of their qualification range.

2) Welding supervisor/welders shall

ensure that Welding Procedure
Specification (WPS) selection is taken
from the approved matrix for each
specific line class/application
accompanying each WPS.

3) Withdraw consumables only from

designated welding stores and
endorse initials on the Welding
Consumables Distribution Form
maintained by the issue clerk.

4) Withdraw only sufficient quantities

of welding consumable for a four (4)
hour period of work.

5) All low-hydrogen welding electrodes

shall be maintained in heated
portable rod caddies. The lid of the
caddie should be closed following the
withdrawal of each withdrawal
electrodes.

6) Low-hydrogen electrodes shall only

be conveyed to the job site in heated
portable rod caddies.

7) At shift change, all rod caddies

must be returned to the originating
welding store for checking. All issued
and unused low-hydrogen electrodes
shall be scrapped.

Welding Defects Defined

DEFECT

CAUSE

Pipe off set mismatch

Pipe misalignment

Lack of root penetration

Welding technique

Insufficient root fill

Welding technique

Excessive penetration

Welding technique

External undercut

Excessive amps/volts

Internal undercut

Excessive amps/volts

Internal concavity

Welding technique

Root burn through

Welding technique

Lack of root penetration

Weld joint set up

Interpass slag inclusions

Weld technique, grinding,

cleaning

Elongated slag inclusions

Weld technique, grinding,

cleaning

lack of side wall fusion

Weld technique, amps/volts

to low

Interpass cold lap

Weld technique

Scattered porosity

Weld technique

Cluster porosity

Weld technique, insufficient

wind cover

Root pass aligned porosity

Weld technique, insufficient

wind cover

Transverse crack

Insufficient wind cover, lack

of pre-heating & post weld
heat treatment of weld joint.
Material problem.

Longitudinal crack

Insufficient wind cover, lack

of pre-heating & post weld
heat treatment of weld joint.
Material problem.

Longitudinal root crack

Insufficient wind cover, lack

of pre-heating & post weld
heat treatment of weld joint.
Material problem.

Tungsten inclusions

Weld technique

8) The technical requirements of the

Welding Procedure Specification
(WPS) must be followed at all times.

9) Pre-heat and interpass

temperatures shall be monitored using
Tempil Stiks or calibrated digital
temperature by pyrometers. greater
than the nominal wall thickness. ii) For
flanges, use the thickness
corresponding to two (2) higher wall
thickness ranges greater than the
nominal wall thickness.

10) Pre-heat values shall be taken

calculated and WPS assuming a value
of 0.42 CE (Carbon Equivalent). Wall
thickness values shall be selected as
follows:
a) For pipe-pipe, use the actual wall
thickness.
b) For pipe-to-fitting or fitting-tofitting.
c) For fittings (other than flanges),
use the next higher wall thickness
range a sufficient period of time to
ensure an Oxygen content of less tan
0.5%. When available, purge
monitoring devices shall be used.
d) Backpurge shall be maintained for
a minimum of four (4) passes. Pipe
bungs (purge dams) shall be left in
place until completion of the joint.
e) The end of partly used filler wire
shall be snipped off prior to use.
f) Maintain the tip of the filler rod
within the gas shroud during welding
to avoid contamination.
g) Interpass temperatures for these
materials is critical. The welder shall
check the temperature prior to the next
pass. All austenitic stainless welds on
this project will be tested for Ferrite
content therefore, cleanliness during
fabrication and monitoring of interpass
temperatures will have a direct effect
on test results.
h) Only approved iron-free cutting
and grinding disks shall be used.
i) Only approved marking materials
(sulphur, chlorine free etc.) are to be
used.
j) All material handling devices and
equipment shall be adequately
protected/lined, to prevent the
possibility of carbon pick-up (i.e.
workbench, transport trucks, supports
etc.).
k) Wherever possible, tools shall be
colour coded to prevent cross-use with
other material types.

11) Pre-head shall be applied through

the full thickness of the joint and
checked from the opposite side
wherever possible.

Welding Process Metology

Welding Procedures to avoid hydrogen induced cracking.

To control cracking when completing the welding

procedure the following factors must be considered.

12) For repair welds, the pre-heating

temperature shall be 500 C (1220 F)
above that used for the original weld.
Maximum pre-heat for repair welding
is 1500 C (3020 F).

13) All tack welds shall be in

accordance with an approved WPS.
Internal misalignment for butt joints
shall not exceed 1.5 mm (1/16).

14) Deposit the root pass and six (6)

successive passes or 1/3 of the weld
volume prior to interruption (allowing
to cool to ambient temperature).

15) Buttering (build-up) is permitted as

follows:
a) Buttering shall not exceed the
lesser of 10 mm or 1/3 base metal
thickness.
b) If buttering will exceed 10 mm or
1/3 base metal thickness then this
shall be witnessed by the customer
and the area shall be tested by PT/MT
following completion of buttering but
before final welding of the joint.

16) Backwelding is permissible for all

applications, so long as the same
electrodes and process is used as for
the fill pass.

17) The following points shall be

observed when fabricating/welding
stainless and non-ferrous materials:
a) Weld preps and filler materials
shall be degreased using an
appropriate solvent.
b) Weld prep surfaces shall be
buffered using flapper wheels.
c) Argon hoses shall be checked for
any loose connections or leakage etc.
d) Fit up geometry shall be in
accordance with the applicable,
approved WPS.
e) Bridge tacks to be used. Avoid
tacking directly on to the adjacent pipe
wall. Bridge tack within the fusion
faces of the joint wherever possible.
f) Prior to welding, the backpurge
shall be set up in accordance with the
approved WPS for a sufficient period
of time to ensure an Oxygen content
of less tan 0.5%. When available,
purge monitoring devices shall be
used.
g) Backpurge shall be maintained for
a minimum of four (4) passes. Pipe
bungs (purge dams) shall be left in
place until completion of the joint.
h) The end of partly used filler wire
shall be snipped off prior to use.
i) Maintain the tip of the filler rod
within the gas shroud during welding

- Combined thickness of the material to be welded

- Carbon equivalent values
- Hydrogen scales
- Welding arc energy

Codes and Standards That are most Commonly Used on

Construction Projects

Codes and Standards That are most Commonly Used on

Construction Projects

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

Clause

Section

Power boilers
Pressure vessels
Pressure vessels
Heating Boilers
Nondestructive Ex
Welding & brazing
qualifications

I
VIII, DIVISION 1
VIII, DIVISION 2
IV
V
IX

American Pipeline Institute

API

1104

Welding Pipelines & related facilities

API

650

Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage

AWS

D1.1

American Welding Society

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

B31.1 Power Piping

B31.2 Industrial Gas & Air Piping
B31.3 Petrolium Refinery Piping
B31.4 Oil Transportation Piping
B31.5 Refrigeration Piping
B31.6 Chemical Industrial Piping
B31.7 Nuclear Power Piping
B31.8 Gas Transmission & Distribution Piping Systems

to avoid contamination.
j) Interpass temperatures for these
materials is critical. The welder shall
check the temperature prior to the next
pass. All austenitic stainless welds on
this project will be tested for Ferrite
content therefore, cleanliness during
fabrication and monitoring of interpass
temperatures will have a direct effect
on test results.
k) Only approved iron-free cutting
and grinding disks shall be used.
l) Only approved marking materials
(sulphur, chlorine free etc.) are to be
used.
m) All material handling devices and
equipment shall be adequately
protected/lined, to prevent the
possibility of carbon pick-up (i.e.
workbench, transport trucks, supports
etc.).
n) Wherever possible, tools shall be
colour-coded to prevent cross-use with
other material types.

NDT
Technique

Materials
applicable

Detection
capability

Depth
Sizing

Orientation
Evaluation

Access
problem

Remote
Detection

Automated
detection

Liquid
penetrant

All

Surface

No

No

Yes

No

No

Ultrasonic

All

Volumetric

Yes

Yes

Limited

Yes

Yes

Radiography

All

Volumetric

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Magnetic
Particle

Magnetic

Surface,
No
near-surface

No

Yes

No

No

Magnetic
Fluxleakage

Magnetic

Surface,
Yes
near-surface

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Eddy current

Conducting

Surface,
Yes
near-surface

yes

Yes

Yes

yes

Acoustic
Emission

All

Volumetric

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Thermo-graphy All

Surface,
No
near-surface

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Visual

All

Surface

No

No

Limited

Yes

Yes

XRD

Conducting

Suface
Stresses

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Surface

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

Potential drop Conducting

Engineering and Construction Codes and Standards

ASME IX - American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASME IX - B 31.3 PROCESS PIPING
ASME IX - B 31.1 POWER PIPING
Material (P numbers) will assist the Welding Engineer to complete the Welding Procedure Specification prior to
the mechanical testing of the Procedure Qualification Report.

P-numbers
1
3
4
5A
5B
5C
6
7
8
9
10
11
21
22
23
25
31
32
33
34
41
51
61

Material Composition
Carbon Steel
Up to 1/2% Cr and up to 1/2% Mo
1 to 2% Cr, 1% Mo Alloy Steel
2 to 3% Cr, 1% Mo Alloy Steel
5 to 10% Cr, 1% Mo Alloy Steel
All 5A and 5B Materials heat treated to 85ksi+
Martensitic Stainless Steel
Ferritic Stainless Steel
Austenitic Stainless Steel
2 to 5% Ni Alloy Steel
Mn-V, Cr-V, 9%Ni, High Cr Alloy Steels
Low Alloy Steel, Quenched and Tempered to 95ksi+
1.2% Mg or Mn alloy Aluminium
1.2% Mn, 2.5% Mg, 0.25% Cu Aluminium
1.3% Mg, 0.7% Si, 0.25% Cr Aluminium
1.5% Mg, 0.8% Mn, 0.15 Cr Aluminium
Copper
Admirally, Naval, Aluminium brass, Muntz Metals
Cu-Si Alloys
Cu-Ni Alloys
Nickel
Titanium
Zirconnium
WELDING DEFECTS

Cold Lap

Porosity

Cluster Porosity

Slag inclusion

Incomplete Penetration (IP) or lack of penetration (LOP)

Incomplete fusion

Internal Concavity or Suck Back

Internal or Root Undercut

External or Crown Undercut

Offset or Mismatch

Inadequate Weld Reinforcement

Excess Weld Reinforcement

Cracks

Discontinuities in TIG Welds

Tungsten Inclusion

Oxide inclusions

Discontinuities in Gas Metal Arc Welds (GMAW)

Whiskers are short lengths of weld electrode wire, visible on the top or bottom su6rface of the weld or contained within the weld. On a
Burn Through