Product tools · Manufacturing stage
BetaWelding qualification review: check that WPS, PQR and welder qualifications cover every weld
The Welding Qualification Review checks that your WPS, PQR and welder qualification records support every weld on the weld map. For each weld it looks at process, material group, thickness and diameter range, position, filler and welder continuity on the production date. Welding engineers and QA teams get cited findings for every uncovered weld.
Welding Qualification Review is in beta. Request access and we onboard each team ourselves: we run your first real documents with you and check the results together.
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What goes in and what you get out
What goes in
- WPS (required, several files)
- PQR (required, several files)
- WPQ / WQTR (required, several files)
- Weld map (required)Readable as a list or table of welds, not only as a drawing.
- Material data (optional)
What it checks
- Check thickness and diameter ranges
- Check welding position
- Check expiry and continuity against production dates
- Check filler material
What you get out
- One line per weld showing the WPS, PQR and welder qualification that support it, or the gap
- A quote from the qualification record behind each conclusion
- Gaps sorted by type: range, position, filler, material group, missing PQR, lapsed welder
- CSV or JSON export for your weld log or inspection file
Who uses it: Welding engineers, Welding coordinators, QA/QC managers, Third-party inspection coordinators.
20 questions about the Welding Qualification Review
What is the difference between a WPS, a PQR and a WPQ?
A WPS (welding procedure specification) is the written instruction welders follow. A PQR (procedure qualification record) records the test weld made to qualify that procedure and its test results. A WPQ or WQTR (welder performance qualification record) proves a named welder can make a sound weld within set limits. A production weld needs all three to line up.
What does the Welding Qualification Review check?
For each weld on the weld map, it finds the WPS used, the PQR that supports that WPS, and the welder who made the weld. It then checks process, material group, thickness and diameter range, position and filler against the qualified ranges. It also checks the welder's qualification was still valid on the production date. Every finding quotes the record it relies on.
Which documents do I upload?
Four are required: your WPSs, the PQRs behind them, the welder qualification records (WPQ or WQTR), and the weld map. Material data is optional and helps the check confirm material groups. The weld map should list weld numbers with their WPS, welder and date, as a table or a readable list. The tool reads PDF, Word, Excel and CSV files.
How do you check welding qualifications by hand?
Take the weld map or weld log and go weld by weld. Find the WPS each weld used and confirm a PQR supports it. Check the weld's material, thickness, diameter and position fall inside the qualified ranges. Then find the welder's qualification and confirm it covers the same variables and was in date. On a large job this is hundreds of cross-references.
What are essential variables in welding qualification?
Essential variables are the welding conditions that, if changed beyond set limits, mean the procedure or welder must be qualified again. Examples include the welding process, base material group, thickness range, filler type and, for welders, position. Codes such as ASME Section IX and the ISO 15614 and ISO 9606 series define which variables are essential and the ranges each test qualifies.
What are the most common welding qualification mistakes?
Common ones are a WPS with no supporting PQR, a weld thicker or thinner than the qualified range, a welder qualified in one position welding in another, and a filler metal the WPS doesn't list. Another frequent gap is a welder whose qualification lapsed because they hadn't used the process for too long before the weld was made.
What is welder continuity and why does it matter?
Continuity shows a welder has kept using a process, so their qualification stays valid. Under ASME Section IX, a welder who has not welded with a process for six months loses that qualification. ISO 9606 has its own confirmation rules. If continuity lapsed before a production weld, that weld was made by an unqualified welder, which inspectors and customers will challenge.
How does the review check welder continuity?
It compares each weld's production date with the welder's qualification and continuity evidence. If the welder's qualification for that process had lapsed or expired before the weld date, the weld is flagged with the dates and the record quoted. The check uses the dates in your documents, so it depends on the weld map or log recording who welded what and when.
What is a P-Number?
A P-Number is the ASME Section IX grouping of base metals with similar welding properties. Qualifying a procedure on one material in a group can cover other materials in the same group, within the code's rules. It cuts the number of procedure tests needed. ISO standards use their own material grouping, such as the groups in ISO/TR 15608.
What does an inspector expect to see for welding qualifications?
An inspector expects every production weld to trace to an approved WPS, a PQR that supports it, and a qualified welder whose qualification was valid on the day. They also expect the records to be signed and to match the weld map. Many customers ask for WPS and PQR approval before production starts, often as an ITP review point.
What does the customer or EPC usually ask for on welding?
Most specifications name the welding code, such as ASME Section IX or the ISO series, and ask for WPS and PQR submission for approval before welding. Many add extra tests, such as impact or hardness testing, for some services. They usually want the welder list and qualifications in the manufacturing record book. The exact rules come from your customer's specification.
Can the review check thickness and diameter ranges?
Yes. It compares each weld's thickness and diameter, as stated in the weld map or material data, with the ranges the PQR and the welder's qualification cover. A weld outside a qualified range is flagged with both values and the qualification quoted. Where the weld map doesn't give thickness or diameter, the review reports the value as missing rather than guessing.
Can it tell if the filler metal is not qualified?
Yes, where the filler is recorded. It compares the filler named for each weld, or on the WPS, with the filler the WPS and PQR allow. A filler the procedure doesn't list is flagged. If your weld records don't say which filler was used, the review reports that as a missing record, because it can't confirm coverage without it.
What do I get back from the Welding Qualification Review?
You get one line per weld. Each line shows the WPS, PQR and welder qualification found for that weld, and either confirms coverage or names the gap: range, position, filler, material group, missing PQR or lapsed welder. Each finding quotes the record. You can export the results as CSV or JSON for your weld log or inspection file.
Does it read the weld map drawing?
It reads text and tables, not drawing geometry. If your weld map is a drawing with weld numbers marked on it, also supply the weld list or weld log that gives each weld's number, WPS, welder and date. A table works best. The review can then match each weld to its qualifications without needing to interpret the drawing itself.
Does the review approve WPSs or qualify welders?
No. It checks that the records you already have support each weld. It does not write or approve procedures, qualify welders or replace a welding engineer's judgement. Your welding engineer or coordinator decides how to close each gap, such as qualifying a new procedure or requalifying a welder. Approval stays with your team and your customer.
What are the limits of the Welding Qualification Review?
It only checks the records you upload and the codes they cite. If a weld's details aren't in the weld map or log, it can't confirm coverage and says so. It does not judge weld quality; that is the job of NDE and inspection. Code interpretation can be subtle, so treat findings as a careful first review for your welding engineer.
How does welding qualification relate to the MRB?
The manufacturing record book usually includes the WPSs, PQRs and welder qualifications used on the order, along with the weld map. A reviewer checking the MRB will follow each weld to its procedure and welder. Closing qualification gaps during manufacturing avoids finding them at handover, when the welds are already made and fixing them costs far more.
Is the Welding Qualification Review available now?
The Welding Qualification Review is in beta. You can request access, and we onboard each team ourselves: we pick a real weld map and its qualification records, run the review with you, and check the results together. That way you see how it handles your records before you rely on it. Document Review, our production tool, is generally available.
Which tools come before and after the Welding Qualification Review?
Before it, the Material Traceability Check links materials and certificates to parts, welds and tags, which confirms the material data the welds rely on. After it, the ITP Validator checks the inspection and test plan, and the NDE Coverage Review confirms each weld has the examination evidence it needs. The MRB Traceability Verification later checks the weld chain again.
Where it sits in the order lifecycle
Related standards, guides and templates
Try the Welding Qualification Review on your own documents
Tell us which documents you want to check first. We set up your workspace and run the first package with you.