CASE STUDY #4 - Welding Consumable Challenge
“We have a requirement to weld a rolled, quench and tempered high strength steel. Are you able to prepare a preliminary welding procedure specification so that we can qualify the welding procedure to BS EN ISO 15614 requirements”.
By using the technical knowledge, experience and competence of our International/European Welding Engineer, a preliminary welding procedure specification (pWPS) was prepared and included a number of important technical aspects such as heat input and inter-pass temperature requirements, the selection of a suitable welding consumable make and classification, specification of appropriate joint design details, preheat, welding current type along with other technical aspects, the pWPS was sent to the client for use on the weld test.
A subsequent weld test was carried out by the client at a distant location and the welding procedure test piece unfortunately failed to meet the requirements of the standard on tensile testing. The results showed the weld metal tensile strength was below that of the parent material.
The client asked us for our view on why this had happened and on conducting an investigation and by reviewing the consumable certification of the welding electrode that was actually used during the test, showed that a substitute welding electrode classification had been used to that originally specified by Weld-Class Solutions which was under matched to the parent material – and the non conformance was therefore established.
The client informed Weld-Class-Solutions Ltd that the substitute welding electrode was recommended by their welding consumable supplier as a suitable alternative to the original. A second welding procedure was tested using the original specified consumable classification and the welding procedure test exceeded all of the requirements of the test standard.
Read more about our specialist welding and welder qualification testing consultancy services.
Do you wish to see what Weld-Class-Solutions can do for your business?
Contact us today on 01223 839682/Mobile +44 (0) 7790 163097
