The facts about AWS D1.1 welder qualification scope, WPS requirements, essential variables, and what we actually do vs. what the AWS Certified Welder program does.
We coordinate AWS D1.1 structural steel plate and pipe welder performance qualification (WPQ) testing. We do visual inspection, mechanical testing coordination (bend tests and RT), and official WPQ record issuance through our certified CWI network.
We do not issue AWS Certified Welder portable cards. Those come directly from the American Welding Society. Different program, different credential. Most structural steel job specifications require WPQ records — which is what we provide. If you're unsure what your project needs, call us and we'll help you figure it out.
Your welder must follow a Welding Procedure Specification when running the test plate. No WPS = no test. The WPS can be prequalified (per D1.1 Clause 5, if all variables fall within prequalified parameters) or qualified by testing (supported by a PQR). Either works — but it must exist and be present during welding.
Don't have a WPS? That's a separate problem we can point you in the right direction on, but WPS development is outside our service scope. D1.1 Clause 5 is your starting point for prequalified WPS development.
Changing any essential variable after qualification requires a new test. Per D1.1 Table 6.12, essential variables for welder performance include:
| Essential Variable | Notes |
|---|---|
| Welding process | SMAW ≠ GMAW ≠ FCAW ≠ GTAW |
| Position | Qualified positions per Table 6.10 |
| Backing | Qualified with backing only if tested with backing |
| F-Number (SMAW) | Higher F# qualifies lower; not vice versa |
| Weld progression (vertical) | Uphill ≠ downhill |
| Single vs. multiple electrodes | Qualified with single only = single only |
| Current/polarity | NOT an essential variable for welder performance |
This distinction matters in audits. Under D1.1:
Qualification means the welder passed a specific test under specific conditions. The qualification is employer-held and company-specific.
Certification technically refers to the AWS Certified Welder program — a portable, AWS-issued credential. Most people use these terms interchangeably in the field, but they're legally different documents. When a specification says "certified welder," confirm whether they mean D1.1 WPQ records or the AWS Certified Welder card.
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