Qualification of Welding Procedures (WPS / PQR)
Notified Body qualification of welding procedures per ISO 15614 and ASME IX.
The welding processes and the creation of permanent joints are managed through specific procedures (WPS/BPS) by the organisation — typically the manufacturer — who is responsible for them. The PED and SPVD Directives require these procedures to be approved by a Notified Body or Member State-Recognised Third Party. We operate as an authorised Notified Body for the qualification of permanent-joint procedures under PED Directive Annex I article 3.1.2.
Standards we work to
We provide services aligned with the major welding standards — UNI EN ISO series 15614, UNI EN ISO 15613, ASME IX and AWS D1.1. In Europe, certification must be issued by a Notified Body operating per ISO 17020 accreditation standards.
What WPAR/PQR documents
A WPAR/PQR documents the welding procedure and guides welders in production work. The completed WPAR/PQR shall indicate all essential and non-essential variables and, when required, the additional essential variables required for each welding process used in the WPS.
The qualification process — 8 steps
WPS preparation; weld bead preparation; verification of materials and parameters by assigned technicians; witnessed welding with documented parameters; visual inspection; test sampling; execution by accredited laboratories; final certification issuance upon successful test completion.
What's included
- ISO 15614-1 (steels & Ni alloys)
- ISO 15614 — other parts on request
- ISO 15613 (production welds)
- ASME Section IX
- AWS D1.1
- pWPS review
- Test piece welding witnessing
- Range-of-qualification analysis
Benefits to your organization
- Maximise welding scope per qualified procedure
- Code-acceptable PQR documentation
- Reduces re-qualification rework