ISO 15614-1:2017 specifies how a preliminary welding procedure specification is qualified by welding procedure tests.

ISO 15614-1:2017 applies to production welding, repair welding and build-up welding.

ISO 15614-1:2017 defines the conditions for the execution of welding procedure tests and the range of qualification for welding procedures for all practical welding operations within the qualification of this document.

The primary purpose of welding procedure qualification is to demonstrate that the joining process proposed for construction is capable of producing joints having the required mechanical properties for the intended application.

Two levels of welding procedure tests are given in order to permit application to a wide range of welded fabrication. They are designated by levels 1 and 2. In level 2, the extent of testing is greater and the ranges of qualification are more restrictive than in level 1.

Procedure tests carried out to level 2 automatically qualify for level 1 requirements, but not vice-versa.

When no level is specified in a contract or application standard, all the requirements of level 2 apply.

This document applies to the arc and gas welding of steels in all product forms and the arc welding of nickel and nickel alloys in all product forms.

Arc and gas welding are covered by the following processes in accordance with ISO 4063.

111 - manual metal arc welding (metal-arc welding with covered electrode);

114 - self-shielded tubular-cored arc welding;

12 - submerged arc welding;

13 - gas-shielded metal arc welding;

14 - gas-shielded arc welding with non-consumable electrode;

15 - plasma arc welding;

311 - oxy-acetylene welding.

The principles of this document may be applied to other fusion welding processes.

NOTE A former process number does not require a new qualification test according to this document.

Specification and qualification of welding procedures that were made in accordance with previous editions of this document may be used for any application for which the current edition is specified. In this case, the ranges of qualification of previous editions remain applicable.

It is also possible to create a new WPQR (welding procedure qualification record) range of qualification according to this edition based on the existing qualified WPQR, provided the technical intent of the testing requirements of this document has been satisfied. Where additional tests have to be carried out to make the qualification technically equivalent, it is only necessary to perform the additional test on a test piece.