24 Welding and Brazing Qualifications

Chapter 24, authored by Joel G. Feldstein, discusses Section IX, Welding and Brazing Qualifications. As the title indicates, this chapter deals with the qualification of welding and brazing procedures as well as the qualification of individuals performing those procedures as required by the Construction Codes of the ASME B&PV and Piping Codes. Joel discusses the two-Part organization of the 2004 Edition of Section IX: Part QW, covering welding, and Part QB, covering brazing. Each Part is divided into four Articles. The coverage for Part QW includes general requirements for both welding procedure and welder performance qualification and the variables applicable to welding procedure and welder performance qualification. Part QB has a similar format: general requirements for brazing procedure and brazer performance qualification and the variables applicable to brazing procedure and brazer performance qualification. Commentary is provided on all of the Articles with aid of figures and tables, and Code Interpretations are used to provide the Code User with some insight into the requirements of Section IX.

Joel provides a description of the more common welding processes used in Code construction, reviews the qualification rules, provides commentary on those requirements, and covers the historical background leading to the increased use of welding in manufacturing operations. Where comments are provided, they represent Joel's opinions and should not be regarded as the positions of the ASME Code or its Subcommittee on Welding.