QUALIFICATION OF WELDERS ACCORDING TO API 1104

The qualification of welders is the process of evaluating and testing the skills and abilities of welders to ensure that they can produce sound welds that meet the required standards. Welders may be qualified for a single welding process or for multiple welding processes.

Qualification of welders may be done using visual examination, destructive testing, or radiography (for butt-welds only). Visual examination involves evaluating the appearance of the welds to ensure that they meet the required standards for appearance and lack of defects.

Destructive testing involves subjecting the welds to mechanical testing, such as tensile testing or bend testing, to determine their strength and ductility. Radiography involves using X-ray or gamma-ray radiation to examine the welds for defects that are not visible to the naked eye.

Welders may be retested if their qualification has expired or if there is a change in the base metal, filler metal, welding process, joint design, weld size, preheat, post-weld heat treatment, or the service conditions to which the weld will be subjected.

Records shall be maintained of the qualification of welders, including the welder’s name, the welding process and base metal qualified for, the date of qualification, and the method of qualification. The qualification of welders is important to ensure that the welds on a project meet the required standards and are able to withstand the intended service conditions.

This blog is based on following international standard document API 1104.

Qualiﬁcation-of-Welders

Here are the topics of qualification of welders according to API 1104:

Single Qualification (Welder Qualification for a Single Welding Process)

Welders may be qualified for a single welding process using visual examination and/or destructive testing. To qualify for a single welding process, welders must demonstrate their ability to produce sound welds that meet the required standards.

Multiple Qualification (Welder Qualification for Multiple Welding Processes)

Welders may be qualified for multiple welding processes using visual examination and/or destructive testing. To qualify for multiple welding processes, welders must demonstrate their ability to produce sound welds that meet the required standards using each of the welding processes.

Visual Examination

Visual examination may be used to qualify welders for a single or multiple welding processes. Visual examination involves evaluating the appearance of the welds to ensure that they meet the required standards for appearance and lack of defects.

Destructive Testing

Destructive testing may be used to qualify welders for a single or multiple welding processes. Destructive testing involves subjecting the welds to mechanical testing, such as tensile testing or bend testing, to determine their strength and ductility.

Radiography (Butt-welds Only)

Radiography may be used to qualify welders for butt-welds only. Radiography involves using X-ray or gamma-ray radiation to examine the welds for defects that are not visible to the naked eye.

Retesting

Welders may be retested if their qualification has expired or if there is a change in the base metal, filler metal, welding process, joint design, weld size, preheat, post-weld heat treatment, or the service conditions to which the weld will be subjected. Retesting ensures that welders maintain their qualifications and are able to produce sound welds under changing conditions.

Records

Records shall be maintained of the qualification of welders. The records shall include the welder’s name, the welding process and base metal qualified for, the date of qualification, and the method of qualification (visual examination, destructive testing, or radiography). These records help to ensure that only qualified welders are used on projects and that the welds meet the required standards.

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