No travel. No scheduling around a testing facility's calendar. Your welder runs the plate on their schedule, you ship it, we handle the rest.
Before your welder runs a single bead, call us. We'll confirm the right test configuration for your situation: plate thickness for the range you need, backing bar dimensions, whether to use RT or bends, and any project-specific requirements. Getting this wrong before the weld means a failed test. Getting it right before means a clean submission.
(404) 860-1288The welder performs the CJP groove weld in the required position per the WPS. Standard test setup: 45° included angle, knife-edge plate prep, ¼" steel backing strip. Plate thickness: 3/8" for limited range or 1" for unlimited. For 3G+4G, that's two separate plates — one vertical, one overhead.
The WPS must be followed. Parameters matter. This is a structural welding test, not a practice run. Have the WPS at the machine when you weld.
After welding: let it cool to ambient temperature. No quenching. No coatings. No rust preventative. Mark each plate with a permanent, unique identifier that ties to the welder's name, date, process, and position. Fill out the Test Request Form (we provide it after your quote is accepted).
Gather your WPS and any other required documents. Place everything in a sealed plastic bag. Details on the full packing process are on the Shipping Instructions page.
Use the exact shipping address provided after your quote is accepted — don't ship blind. Package properly: individual wrapping per plate, rigid outer box, padding. For large batches, consider wooden crating. Insurance is worth it for multi-welder submissions.
Let us know when the shipment is in transit so we're ready. Confirm delivery. Turnaround starts when we receive the plates.
Every plate gets examined by our AWS Certified Welding Inspector per D1.1 Clause 6.10.1 before anything else. Visual criteria:
No cracks of any kind. Craters filled. Weld reinforcement ≤ 1/8". Undercut ≤ 1/32". Visible fusion. Clean profile. Any crack is an automatic failure — no exceptions, no interpretation required.
If visual fails, we notify you immediately. No point running bend tests on a plate that already failed visual.
For groove weld qualification, weld soundness is tested by either bend tests or radiographic testing (RT) — your choice, with one exception: GMAW short-circuit transfer mode requires bend tests. RT is not permitted for GMAW-S per D1.1.
Bend test acceptance: no single discontinuity exceeding 1/8", no combined discontinuities exceeding 3/8", corner cracks ≤ 1/4" (if no slag evidence).
RT acceptance follows D1.1 Clause 8.12.2: no cracks, rounded indications within size limits based on weld size and spacing.
Both tests passed = WPQ issued. The Welder Performance Qualification record is completed, signed by the CWI, and packaged with the lab test reports. You receive the complete documentation package — everything you need for your compliance file.
File it immediately. Start the continuity log that same day. The clock on the 6-month continuity requirement starts from the date of the test weld.
See Estimated TimeframesCall first. We'll make sure everything is set up right before your welder runs the plate.