QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
(OP)
We welded a test coupon 41 mm thick to qualify three welders by mechanical testing, the finished transverse guided side bend specimens have dimensions 37 mm x 250 mm x 10 mm, the thickness has been reduced from 41 mm to 37 mm, is it acceptable?
Opening para. QW-462 says all dimensions are approximate unless tolerances, minimum or maximum is specified, so from this sentence I conclude that 37 mm instead of 41 mm is acceptable, please correct me if I am on the wrong way.
Opening para. QW-462 says all dimensions are approximate unless tolerances, minimum or maximum is specified, so from this sentence I conclude that 37 mm instead of 41 mm is acceptable, please correct me if I am on the wrong way.
Nasir
Welding Engineer
DESCON ENGINEERING LIMITED
PAKISTAN





RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
It is customary to remove any face or root reinforcement to provide a specimen that is flush with the surface of the base metal. It is not customary to remove metal for the purpose of removing weld irregularities and defects.
In my opinion it is not reasonable or acceptable to remove 2 1/2 mm (nearly 1/8 inch) from either the face or the root.
Best regards - Al
RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
Nasir
Welding Engineer
DESCON ENGINEERING LIMITED
PAKISTAN
RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
There should be no need to remove base metal from the face or the root unless there is an attempt to remove surface breaking defects. Since this is a welder performance test, issues such as incomplete joint penetration, incomplete fusion, etc. should be cause to reject the test coupon.
The visual criterion provided by Section IX is sparse to say the least. I apply the visual criteria of the applicable construction code, i.e., Section I, B31.3 Normal Fluid Service, etc. when qualifying welders. There is little sense in sending a welder to the production floor or to the construction site if he or she cannot produce a weld that meets the applicable acceptance criteria. After all, isn't the purpose of performance qualification to have the welders demonstrate they possess the minimum skills necessary to meet the requisite code requirements?
Best regards - Al
RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
Pure speculation on your comment above.
RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
Back to my comments; if there was a need to remove as much material as noted in this post and it was to remove surface discontinuities I would red flag it.
Once again, these were side bends. There should be no need to machine the face and root surfaces to provide parallel surfaces in that particular plane. The critical dimension is the thickness of the side bend which should be about 9.5 mm (3/8 inch). That dimension must be uniform and parallel so the side bend can be performed. Angular distortion of the plates shouldn't be an issue for the side bend.
ASME; always, sometimes, maybe, or except. They don't blow up that often.
Best regards - Al
RE: QW-462.2 .............. Side Bend Specimens
Opening paragraph QW-462 also says that all dimensions of test specimens are approx.
Nasir
Welding Engineer
DESCON ENGINEERING LIMITED
PAKISTAN