Welding Procedure Specification Example: Annotated WPS Templates and Real Filled-Out Samples

A welder on a structural steel job once laid a flawless-looking root pass, only to have the inspector stop the whole crew because the amperage on his machine didn’t match the WPS pinned to the fabrication board. The weld was fine; the paperwork wasn’t. A welding procedure specification (WPS) is the document that turns good welding into repeatable, auditable welding — and if you have ever stared at a blank Annex J form wondering what goes in each box, a real, filled-out welding procedure specification example is exactly what you need.

What a Welding Procedure Specification Actually Is (and Isn’t)

That stop-work moment on a structural steel job is worth sitting with. Nothing about the bead was wrong. What was wrong was that the machine on the floor and the document on the wall told two different stories. That gap is what a welding procedure specification exists to close, and it is why an inspector will halt a crew over numbers rather than metallurgy.

In plain language, a welding procedure specification (WPS) is an approved, written set of instructions describing how a specific weld is to be made. It is not a sales brochure, not a data sheet, and not a general shop rulebook. It names the base metal, joint geometry, filler metal and shielding gas, electrical characteristics, positions, preheat and interpass temperature, technique, and any post-weld heat treatment — usually as allowable ranges rather than single fixed numbers. A welder reads it before striking an arc; an inspector reads it to decide whether production welding matches what was approved.

The Two Jobs a WPS Performs

Most people assume a WPS exists purely to tell the welder what to dial in. It does that, but a second job matters just as much. The Sulzer SQS-0020 quality standard puts it cleanly: a WPS both instructs the welder and communicates to customers, auditors, and inspectors how the weld is intended to be made.

Those audiences need different things. The welder needs ranges practical to hit in the field — a current window, a voltage window, a preheat minimum. The customer or inspector needs evidence that those ranges were chosen deliberately and backed by qualification. One document serves both, which is why a WPS is simultaneously a shop-floor tool and a contractual record. The same form therefore covers wildly different work: a carbon steel plate procedure in flat position and an out-of-position aluminum procedure share fields but fill them very differently. Whether a shop runs stick — see Advantages of Stick Welding: Why SMAW Still Wins — or wire processes with strict cleaning requirements like Aluminum Cleaner for Welding: How to Prep Aluminum Right, the WPS freezes those choices into a repeatable instruction.

WPS vs. PQR vs. WPQ vs. pWPS: Four Documents, Four Jobs

This is where most confusion starts. The acronyms look alike and the documents travel together in the same quality binder, but they are not interchangeable.

Document	Full name	The question it answers
WPS	Welding Procedure Specification	How should this weld be made — and what ranges are allowed?
pWPS	Preliminary WPS	What does the procedure look like before supporting qualification data exists?
PQR	Procedure Qualification Record	Did a test coupon welded to this procedure actually pass visual, NDE, and mechanical testing?
WPQ / WPQR	Welder Performance Qualification (Record)	Can this individual welder produce sound work within the WPS ranges?

The distinction inspectors check most often is between WPS and PQR. A WPS states the ranges you intend to use in production. A PQR is the evidence file: it records the actual variables used on a test coupon and the results of the tests that coupon underwent — visual examination, nondestructive testing, and destructive mechanical tests such as tensile and bend or impact testing. The PQR verifies the WPS; it never instructs production welding. Welders are qualified against the WPS, not the other way round.

The pWPS is simply the draft — the procedure as written before it is supported by a qualification record. Under ASME Section IX, qualification is structured as three separate documents: a WPS stating qualified ranges, a PQR recording actual values and test results, and a WPQ covering welder performance. That keeps the chain from tested coupon to production weld to welder visible. AWS frames the same idea slightly differently: the AWS Form N1 is the standard welder performance qualification record used to document a welder’s range of qualification against a given WPS.

Prequalified or Qualified by Test

Under AWS D1.1, every WPS takes one of two routes. A prequalified WPS (Clause 5) is one the code has already accepted within stated limits — you write it correctly using the code’s joint details, filler classifications, and parameter guidelines, and no test coupon is required. A qualified by test WPS (Clause 6) must be proven by welding and testing a coupon before production use.

Prequalification is not available for everything. As the AISC Engineering FAQ 8.6 notes, GTAW, GMAW-S (short-circuiting transfer), electrogas welding, and electroslag welding cannot be prequalified under D1.1 and must be qualified by testing. That single fact kills a common shop assumption: that any process can be papered over with a fill-in form.

Why Codes Mandate Written Procedures at All

Welding is a special process: you cannot fully verify internal soundness or joint strength by looking at the finished bead, and you cannot disassemble the structure afterward to test it. So quality has to be built in through controlled inputs, which only works if those inputs are written down, approved, and traceable. A written WPS gives a project a fixed reference for audits and disputes, a baseline for welder qualification, a consistent starting point across shifts and subcontractors, and a defensible record that the joint followed a reviewed, code-accepted method rather than whatever a welder set that morning.

Put simply: the WPS is the instruction, the PQR is the proof, and the WPQ is the person. The following sections walk through the actual fields of a real form, then fill out two complete welding procedure specification examples you can use as a model.

Anatomy of a WPS: Every Field on the Annex J Form Explained

Before you copy a single line from a sample form, absorb one rule that changes how you read the whole document: AWS D1.1 Clause 5.2.1 allows a welding procedure specification to be in any convenient format, as long as every essential variable in Table 5.5 is addressed. The Annex J forms are samples, not mandated layouts. You can download the blank Form N-1 sample from AWS and see exactly what a complete form looks like, but nobody fails an audit because their columns are in a different order. They fail because a required variable was never addressed at all. As AISC’s engineering FAQ on WPS documentation puts it, the point of the document is to demonstrate that the procedure is supported by a qualification record, not to win a formatting contest.

With that said, the Annex J layout is the best teaching tool available, because it groups the same information almost every code wants. Here is the field-by-field walk-through.

Identification and Header

The top block carries the company name, WPS number, revision letter, date, the supporting PQR (or the clause that makes it prequalified), the code and edition, the welding process, and the manufacturer or contractor responsible. The revision field is the one shops underuse. If preheat changes from 50 °F to 150 °F, you issue a new revision rather than scribbling over the old sheet, so the fabricator, the inspector, and the welder are all working from the same controlled document.

Joint Design

This field holds a dimensioned sketch of the joint: weld type (butt, fillet, groove), groove angle, root opening, root face, backing type and thickness, and the AWS joint designation such as B-U2a-GF. The sketch is not decoration. For a prequalified procedure, the joint you draw must match one of the prequalified joint details in D1.1 Clause 5; invent a groove angle that no figure shows and your procedure drops out of prequalified status instantly.

Base Metals

Here you list the ASTM or AWS specification, the material designation, the thickness range, and the base metal group number drawn from AWS D1.1 Table 5.6, which sorts common structural steels into Groups I through V. This is a hard gate: a steel that does not appear in Table 5.6 cannot be joined under a prequalified WPS at all, no matter how routine the grade seems. That is why A36 (Group I) and A572 Grade 50 (Group II) show up in nearly every example on the internet, and why an exotic or unlisted grade forces you into qualification by testing.

Filler Metals

The filler field specifies the AWS classification (ER70S-6, E7018, and so on), the diameter range, the F-number and A-number, and the shielding or flux condition. It must tie back to the classification tables permitted for the base metal group and process. The same logic applies when you step outside carbon steel; an alloy steel welding electrode has to be listed, matched to the alloy, and covered by the range you claim.

Position, Electrical, Shielding, and Technique

These four fields are where most range errors start, so keep them precise:

Field	What goes in it	Watch out for
Position	1G/2G/3G/4G or 1F–4F, plus qualified range	Vertical progression (uphill vs. downhill) is an essential variable; a rod rated for all positions still doesn’t cover a progression your WPS excludes
Electrical characteristics	Polarity (DCEP/AC), amp range, voltage range, travel speed, heat input	Ranges must bracket what welders actually run, not a single ideal number
Shielding	Gas type and mixture, flow rate in CFH, trailing/backing gas, single or double shield	90/10 Ar/CO₂ for short-circuit and mixed modes; the same form supports 100% argon for aluminum, as covered in an aluminum MIG setup
Technique	Transfer mode, stringer vs. weave, oscillation limits, contact tip-to-work distance, wetting or brushing	Transfer mode changes are essential variables in GMAW

Preheat, Interpass, and PWHT

Minimum preheat and interpass temperatures come from AWS D1.1 Table 5.11, which cross-references three inputs: the steel specification, the process and electrode hydrogen condition, and the material thickness. The form also states how preheat is verified (temp stick, IR gun, calibrated probe) because an unmeasured preheat is, to an inspector, no preheat. The postweld heat treatment field then states either “none required” or a temperature band, soak time, and cooling rate.

The Pass-by-Pass Welding Table and Notes

The bottom table is the operational heart of the form: one row per pass (root, hot, fill, cap) listing process, filler diameter, current, voltage, travel speed, and computed heat input. It is what a welder reads at the machine. The Notes field beneath it captures everything the boxes can’t hold: backing removal, interpass cleaning, restrictions on peening or stringer beads, gas purging, and any supplementary requirement from the contract. Together, the table and the notes are what turn a qualified procedure into instructions someone can actually follow. In the next section, we’ll fill one out completely for a GMAW butt joint on A36 plate.

Worked Example 1: A Prequalified GMAW WPS for ASTM A36 Plate

A blank WPS form becomes much easier to understand once you see one filled in. The example below is modeled on a real prequalified gas metal arc welding procedure published by AWS, with the kind of shop-level detail an inspector expects to find. Treat it as a teaching sample, not a document you can photocopy onto a job. Every entry has to match your actual joint, thickness, filler, gas, and machine.

The Filled-Out Form at a Glance

WPS field	Entry in this example	Why it matters
Identification	WPS No. GMAW-A36-001, Rev. 0	Gives the document a unique, traceable identity.
Qualification basis	Prequalified under AWS D1.1 Clause 5; no PQR required	Explains why no test coupon supports the procedure.
Joint	B-U2a-GF, single-V butt joint with steel backing	Points to a specific prequalified joint detail, not just a description.
Base metal	ASTM A36 plate, 3/8 in. thick	Locks the material specification and thickness scope.
Filler metal	ER70S-6, 0.045 in., AWS A5.18	Classification and diameter are essential variables.
Shielding gas	90% argon / 10% CO₂, 35 cfh	Gas composition affects transfer mode and toughness.
Position	Flat (1G)	The procedure covers only the position listed.
Electrical	DCEP; 400–550 ipm WFS; 24–27 V	Sets the operating window for the welder.
Travel speed	14 ipm nominal, ±15%	Controls bead size, penetration, and heat input.
Preheat / interpass	32°F minimum per Table 5.6; 50°F shop minimum; 500°F maximum interpass	Prevents cracking and keeps heat input in check.
PWHT	None	A required field, not one to leave blank.
Technique	Stringer beads, cleaned between passes, 3/8–1/2 in. contact-tip-to-work	Gives the welder repeatable mechanical guidance.

The Pass-by-Pass Table

Pass	Layer	Process	Filler	Polarity	WFS	Voltage	Travel	Gas
1	Root	GMAW	ER70S-6, 0.045 in.	DCEP	400–550 ipm	24–27 V	14 ipm ±15%	90/10 Ar/CO₂, 35 cfh
2–3	Fill	GMAW	ER70S-6, 0.045 in.	DCEP	400–550 ipm	24–27 V	14 ipm ±15%	90/10 Ar/CO₂, 35 cfh
4	Cover	GMAW	ER70S-6, 0.045 in.	DCEP	400–550 ipm	24–27 V	14 ipm ±15%	90/10 Ar/CO₂, 35 cfh

These settings follow the AWS GMAW 90-10 example. Notice that amperage is not listed as an independent dial setting. On a constant-voltage GMAW machine, current is a result of wire-feed speed, voltage, and stickout, so the form records the as-attained amperage at arc-on rather than pretending it is set separately.

Why the B-U2a-GF Designation Matters

Writing “single-V butt joint with backing” in the joint box is not enough for a prequalified procedure. The B-U2a-GF designation sends the inspector to an exact prequalified joint detail in AWS D1.1: butt joint, single-V groove, steel backing, with the associated groove angle, root opening, and thickness limits. That designation is what allows the WPS to skip mechanical qualification, provided every other prequalified condition is met. Change the joint geometry beyond the figure’s limits and the procedure is no longer prequalified, even if the welding looks identical.

From WPS Range to Shop Tolerance

The ranges on the form are the qualified window. During production, AWS D1.1 Table 5.5 permits limited drift from the qualified settings before requalification is triggered: amperage ±10%, voltage ±15%, wire-feed speed ±10%, and travel speed ±25%. Those tolerances are not a license to run anywhere in the range and ignore the gauge. Many fabrication shops write tighter internal windows, especially on critical root passes, because a procedure that is legal on paper can still produce inconsistent fusion when the machine drifts.

A second prequalified sample in AWS’s collection makes the same point with different numbers: ER70S-2 wire at 0.035 in., 100–135 A, 120–150 ipm wire-feed speed, 25–35 V, and 75% argon / 25% CO₂ at 25–40 cfh. The fields are identical; the values change with the process setup. The same logic applies when the base metal changes entirely. Our aluminum MIG welding guide shows how gas, wire, and travel speed shift again once you leave steel.

What the Inspector Reads First

An experienced inspector usually checks four things before looking at the weld: the WPS identification and revision, the qualification basis, the joint designation, and the filler metal classification. If the WPS says “ER70S-6” but the spool in the feeder says ER70S-3, the conversation is over. If the joint detail has been changed to fit a tight access area, the prequalified status may be gone. A filled-out example is useful because it shows what “complete” looks like: every field answered, every range traceable, and no blank spaces pretending to be flexibility.

Worked Example 2: A Field SMAW WPS and How It Differs from GMAW

Our first example followed a shop-based GMAW procedure on clean A36 plate. Field work rarely looks like that. On a bridge deck repair or a structural column splice, the machine in the corner is usually a stick welder, the plate is weathered, the position is often vertical, and the shielding gas bottle has stayed in the truck. Here is the same kind of filled-out document built around SMAW with E7018 on ASTM A572 Grade 50, structured exactly as a prequalified AWS D1.1 procedure and annotated field by field. If you want the broader case for the process, our advantages of stick welding guide covers why SMAW still wins outdoors.

The Filled-Out SMAW Procedure

Field	Entry
WPS number / revision	WPS-SMAW-002, Rev. 0, issued for structural field erection
Process	SMAW, direct current electrode positive (DCEP, reverse polarity)
Qualification route	Prequalified, AWS D1.1 Clause 5 (no test coupons required)
Base metal	ASTM A572 Grade 50, 1/2 in (12 mm) thick, grouped with the E70 electrode family in AWS D1.1 Table 5.8
Filler metal	AWS A5.1 E7018, 1/8 in and 5/32 in diameter, low-hydrogen, hydrogen-controlled packaging
Positions qualified	Groove 3G and 4G; fillet 1F, 2F, 3F, 4F
Joint design	Single-V groove with backing strip, B-U2a geometry, 60° included angle
Preheat / interpass	Minimum 50 °F (10 °C) for this thickness per the D1.1 preheat table; interpass temperature recorded by the welder
Electrical characteristics	DCEP. 1/8 in electrode: 90–130 A. 5/32 in electrode: 110–160 A, taken from the filler manufacturer’s recommended range
Shielding	N/A — the flux coating provides shielding; gas fields left blank with an N/A entry
Technique	Stringer beads preferred, weave within the documented shop limit; arc length short, keep the arc at the leading edge of the puddle
PWHT	Not required
Pass sequence	Root, fill, cap; slag fully removed between passes

What the AWS Annex N Sample Form Shows

AWS publishes a filled sample form for exactly this purpose. The Annex N sample WPS (Form N1) walks through a submerged arc procedure: AWS A5.17 EM12K bare wire electrode paired with F7A2-EM12K flux, run on DCEP from a constant-voltage power source, with the flux classification entered inside the filler metal section instead of a shielding gas column. It is useful to read even if you will never run SAW, because it shows how a document handles a process that has no gas at all: every gas field is answered deliberately, not left blank by accident. Blanks invite questions from an inspector; a clean “N/A” closes them. The AISC engineering FAQ on WPS documents makes the same point about completeness.

Field by Field: Where SMAW and GMAW Diverge

Field	Example 1: GMAW on A36	Example 2: SMAW on A572 Gr. 50
Process code	GMAW (gas metal arc)	SMAW (shielded metal arc)
Filler	ER70S-6 solid wire, 0.035 in	E7018 stick electrode, 1/8 and 5/32 in
Shielding	90/10 argon/CO₂ at specified flow rate	N/A — flux coating; gas field marked out
Power source	Constant voltage (CV), required by D1.1 Clause 5.5.4 for GMAW and FCAW prequalified work	Constant current (CC), amperage set by the operator and held by the machine
Rate control	Wire feed speed range, in ipm	Amperage range per electrode diameter
Electrical	DCEP, 18–24 V typical arc voltage range	DCEP; voltage recorded for information only
Position coverage	Flat and horizontal common; out-of-position needs explicit entry	3G/4G written in directly, since field vertical is routine
Base metal	ASTM A36	ASTM A572 Grade 50 (higher strength, tighter preheat logic)
Sensitivity	Gas flow, contact tip-to-work distance, wire stickout	Electrode storage, oven holding, slag removal between passes

The two documents also imply different shop habits. GMAW shifts attention to gas supply, hose integrity, and tip condition, which is where welding gas suppliers and cylinder management enter the picture. SMAW shifts attention to electrode conditioning: low-hydrogen rods exposed to damp air pick up moisture, and a compromised coating shows up as porosity that no parameter will explain. That is why the SMAW WPS carries handling notes the GMAW version does not, and why the qualification linkage between procedure, welder, and project documentation matters just as much in the field as it does in the shop.

Prequalified vs. Qualified by Testing: Which Path Your WPS Needs

Not every weld needs to be proven by a coupon test. For many structural jobs, the code allows you to skip the expense of testing altogether, while other applications demand hard proof before a single production arc is struck. Choosing the correct path comes down to which code governs your work, the process you’re using, and the joint you’re making.

The Prequalification Path Under AWS D1.1 Clause 5

For structural steel fabricated under AWS D1.1, prequalification is the most time efficient route. Clause 5 allows a WPS to be exempt from welding and testing coupons, provided every requirement for the joint, base metal, filler metal, and technique is strictly met.

According to the AISC FAQ 8.6.2, prequalification under AWS D1.1 only extends to specific processes: SMAW, GMAW (with the exception of short-circuiting transfer), SAW, and FCAW. Processes such as GTAW, GMAW-S, EGW, and ESW cannot be prequalified and must be qualified by testing. This limitation is especially important when welding higher strength grades that may call for the use of specific alloy steel welding electrodes outside of the prequalified window.

Qualification by Testing Under AWS D1.1 Clause 6

When prequalification isn’t allowed, the procedure must be proven through Clause 6. This is the most common route for processes not covered by Clause 5, or for joints that fall outside of its strict limits. The process is deliberate for good reason, as it validates that the proposed parameters can produce sound welds with adequate mechanical properties.

The qualification path typically follows these steps:

• Coupon welding: A test plate, or “coupon”, is welded exactly as the proposed WPS intends, within its proposed ranges.
• Visual inspection: The completed coupon is examined to check for surface discontinuities before any destructive or volumetric testing.
• NDE: Depending on the code requirements, radiography or ultrasonic testing is performed to verify the weld is sound internally.
• Mechanical tests: Tensile tests, bend tests, and where applicable, toughness tests are pulled or bent to confirm the weld meets the minimum properties for the base metal.

All of these tests come at a price. As reported by the AISC, qualification tests could cost as much as $10,000 in 2021. This cost can vary based off of coupon size, required NDE, toughness requirements, and lab fees, making it one of the largest hurdles for smaller shops.

AWS B2.1 and Standard Welding Procedure Specifications (SWPS)

Not every project falls under AWS D1.1. For a much broader scope of fabrication, AWS B2.1 covers procedure and performance qualification for an extensive list of processes, including EBW, LBW, PAW, and OFW. One of its biggest benefits is efficiency: base metals are grouped to minimize the number of tests required, allowing one qualified procedure to cover entire families of materials when the variables are accounted for.

To cut costs even further, AWS publishes Standard Welding Procedure Specifications (SWPS). These are pre-tested, code-compliant procedures that an employer can adopt instead of qualifying their own, subject to the rules of the document that references them. Utilizing an approved SWPS doesn’t remove responsibility, however. The adopting employer must still ensure their equipment, personnel, and application fall within all of the restrictions of that SWPS, as well as the requirements of their governing code.

Choosing the Right Route

With these options in mind, the decision is rarely complicated, but it must be intentional. The table below breaks down the two most utilized routes for structural and general work:

Factor	Prequalified (AWS D1.1 Clause 5)	Qualified by Testing (AWS D1.1 Clause 6)
Proof Required	None. Compliance with Clause 5 is all that is needed.	Coupon welded, visually inspected, NDE, and mechanical tests.
Eligible Processes	SMAW, GMAW (excluding short-circuiting), SAW, and FCAW.	GTAW, GMAW-S, EGW, ESW, and any process or joint outside of Clause 5 limits.
Timeline	Fast. Can be put to use once drafted to fit all restrictions.	Longer. Requires lab time, testing, and review before approval.
Cost	Minimal, mostly documentation costs.	Substantial, potentially up to $10,000 in 2021 based off of AISC reporting.

Ultimately, the correct path isn’t about which one is cheaper, it’s about compliance. For structural steel, always verify against the active edition of AWS D1.1. For other industries, reference AWS B2.1 or an approved SWPS to utilize grouped base metals and tested procedures responsibly. Staying within these routes is what keeps your WPS auditable, and most importantly, keeps your work in line with the code that your inspector is enforcing.

The Codes Behind the Example: AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, API 1104, and ISO 15614

Every filled-out WPS example you find is written in the dialect of one particular code. Swap the code and the same weld becomes a different document: different variables, different test coupons, different paperwork, sometimes a different route to approval altogether. Before you copy any template, the first question to answer is not “what goes in this box” but “which book is grading this form.”

AWS D1.1: The Structural Steel Rulebook

For buildings, bridges, and most fabricated structural steel in the United States, AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025 is the governing standard. The 2025 volume is the 25th edition of the Structural Welding Code—Steel, approved by ANSI in March 2025, and it is the code modeled by the Annex J sample form we annotated earlier. D1.1 is unusual in offering two qualification routes from the same clause structure: prequalification under Clause 5, where a procedure is accepted without testing because it stays inside code-established limits (joint type, filler classification, preheat, position), and qualification by testing under Clause 6, where welded coupons are subjected to visual, NDE, and mechanical testing.

That split is why two shops can produce structurally identical welds with wildly different documentation depth. A prequalified GMAW butt joint on A36 needs a WPS that cites its prequalified basis; the same joint on a quenched-and-tempered steel outside Table 5.8 needs a PQR behind it. The American Institute of Steel Construction also fielded a useful engineering FAQ on WPS requirements for designers trying to figure out what belongs in the contract drawings versus the fabricator’s own documents.

ASME BPVC Section IX: The Pressure Equipment Standard

Pressure vessels, boilers, and power piping run on ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX. Its logic is stricter and more bureaucratic than D1.1. A Procedure Qualification Record must be certified by a competent authority through signature in accordance with QG-102, and per QW-200.2, only values actually observed during the qualification weld may be recorded — you cannot back-fill a flattering amperage you never dialed in. That single rule eliminates most of the paperwork fraud that plagues informal shops. For corrosion-resistant and high-alloy work, Section IX is usually the route, which is why a procedure for something like Alloy 20 welding arrives with a formal PQR package rather than a prequalified citation.

API 1104 and ISO 15614: Pipelines and International Work

API 1104 governs welding of pipelines and related facilities — predominantly girth welds in the oil and gas sector, where Advantages of Stick Welding: Why SMAW Still Wins still applies strongly in the field. It qualifies procedures by testing against a defined variable list; change an essential variable and the procedure must be requalified. ISO 15614, the international counterpart published as part of the ISO 15609 qualification series, does much the same thing in a format familiar to European and Middle Eastern projects, and it is the standard most often invoked in international contracts, aerospace supply chains, and work referenced by programs like Aerospace Welding: Processes, Standards, and Careers Guide. There is also AWS B2.1, a general-purpose qualification standard for shops that don’t fall neatly under a construction or pressure code.

How the Variable Philosophies Differ

Section IX sorts every welding variable into three buckets:

• Essential variables — change these and the PQR and WPS are no longer valid; requalification is required.
• Supplementary essential variables — dormant until impact testing is specified, at which point they become essential and lock down the procedure.
• Nonessential variables — free to adjust within the WPS as written, with no requalification.

D1.1 uses a simpler prequalified/nonessential/essential framework, and API 1104 relies on its own variable table. The practical consequence: a change in shielding gas composition might be a nothing-burger under one code and a requalification event under another.

Code	Applies to	Qualification route	Variable model
AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025	Structural steel	Prequalified (Cl. 5) or by test (Cl. 6)	Prequalified / essential / nonessential
ASME BPVC Section IX	Vessels, boilers, piping	Test with signed PQR	Essential / supplementary essential / nonessential
API 1104	Pipeline girth welds	Test with documented variables	Essential variables table
ISO 15614	International / multi-code work	Welding test + qualification report	Essential variables with ranges

Which Code Applies to Your Project?

Read, in this order: the contract and specifications, the engineer’s drawings, the owner’s standard, the jurisdiction’s adopted building or pressure code, and finally the material and service conditions. If an owner’s specification names ASME Section IX, the fact that the joint is structural doesn’t matter. If the work is a public building under an adopted IBC, D1.1 almost certainly governs, and the fabricator’s ability to use prequalified procedures can save weeks. When the specification is silent, ask the engineer of record in writing before welding starts — not after the inspector asks for the PQR. For welder certification questions that follow from all of this, see AWS Welding Digest on welder performance qualification and certification.

Essential Variables, Tolerances, and Heat Input: What Forces a Reweld

A WPS is not a suggestion sheet. It is a bounded envelope of approved settings, and the variables that define its edges are called essential variables. Change one beyond its allowed tolerance and, by definition, the procedure you are welding to is no longer the procedure that was qualified. The weld may look perfect and still be technically unapproved. Knowing where those edges sit is the difference between a smooth inspection and the stop-work conversation described at the start of this article.

The One Variable That Always Ends the Conversation: Process

Almost every essential variable has a tolerance band. One does not. AWS D1.1 Table 5.5 carries a footnote stating that a change in welding process requires qualification of an entirely separate procedure. Switching a qualified GMAW procedure to FCAW or SMAW is not a parameter tweak; it is a new WPS with its own essential-variable record. That is why shops running multiple processes keep separate procedure books rather than one master sheet with columns for each process. A mixed-process job, such as structural work with GMAW root passes and SMAW cover passes, still needs both processes covered under separate documents or a procedure qualified for each.

The Tolerances AWS D1.1 Actually Allows

Within a single process, Table 5.5 defines how far a welder may wander from the qualified values before a violation occurs. The common production tolerances look like this:

Variable	Allowed Tolerance (AWS D1.1 Table 5.5)
Amperage	±10%
Voltage	±15%
Wire feed speed	±10%
Travel speed	±25%
Shielding gas flow rate	+50% / −25%

Travel speed gets the widest band because it is the hardest to hold constant by hand and its effect is moderated by the other variables. Gas flow gets an asymmetric band for the opposite reason: too little gas risks porosity immediately, while excess flow can draw in air through turbulence. Other essential variables carry qualitative rules rather than percentages, including preheat and interpass temperature, base metal thickness, filler metal classification, and welding position.

Why a Single Value Is Really a Range of One

This is the most common drafting error in shop-made procedures. If a WPS lists a single value, such as 250 A, that value is the entire qualified range. A welder running at 270 A on a heavy root pass is technically outside the WPS, even though the two settings are practically the same machine family. Writing 225–275 A makes the intent explicit and keeps the welder inside the envelope. The same logic applies to voltage and wire feed speed. Ranges are not laziness; they are how the procedure acknowledges real-world variability in fit-up, position, and heat sink.

Heat Input: The Math Behind the Metallurgy

Heat input ties amperage, voltage, and travel speed into a single number describing what the base metal actually experienced:

Heat input (kJ/in) = (60 × Amps × Volts × arc efficiency) ÷ (1000 × travel speed in in/min)

Many shops use an arc efficiency factor of 1.0 for SMAW and GMAW; submerged arc welding, with its higher arc efficiency, is often calculated with a lower factor. The number matters most for quenched-and-tempered steels. AWS D1.1 Clause 7.7 governs heat-input control for these steels because the strength and toughness of Q&T plate come from a carefully controlled microstructure that excess heat can destroy. Maximum interpass temperature on Q&T steel is therefore commonly set by the steel producer, frequently around 400 °F (200 °C), rather than by the code alone. If your project involves Q&T material, the producer’s requirements override the defaults and the WPS should state the numeric limit explicitly. The same discipline applies to alloy steels, where electrode choice and its recommended parameters interact directly with hardening risk, which is why alloy steel welding electrodes carry their own procedure guidance.

Vertical Progression and Other Silent Variables

Direction of travel in vertical joints is an essential variable that is easy to overlook. A procedure qualified for vertical-up progression does not authorize vertical-down welding, and the reverse is equally true, because the two produce different penetration profiles and cooling rates. Position coverage works the same way: a flat-position procedure offers no authorization to weld overhead. The all position welding rod you select may be capable of every position, but the WPS still has to list the positions it was qualified for.

When a Welder Drifts Outside the Ranges

Production welding is not a laboratory, and brief drift happens. If it is caught in progress, correct the setting and treat the deposited weld as potentially nonconforming. Depending on the code, the inspector may accept it after visual and NDE review, require repair or removal, or escalate to the engineer of record. Repeated or intentional out-of-range welding puts the welder’s performance qualification at risk and can void the linkage between welder and procedure. AWS guidance on welder performance qualification explains the difference between a performance qualification record and a procedure qualification record.

The practical rule: the WPS defines the envelope, the welder stays inside it, and anything outside it becomes a documented engineering decision rather than a shop-floor judgment call.

Common WPS Mistakes Inspectors Catch (and How to Fix Them)

Most WPS rejections are mundane. An inspector rarely turns a procedure down because the amperage range looks unusual; they turn it down because a required field is empty, the filler metal was never qualified for that base metal, or the welder holding the procedure has let his continuity lapse. Every problem below is common, well documented, and cheap to fix at a desk rather than under a hood.

1. Leaving the PQR field blank on a non-prequalified WPS

This is one of the fastest rejection causes there is. A WPS that is not prequalified must reference the supporting Procedure Qualification Record by number, date, and supporting test data. A form that says only “qualified to AWS D1.1” with no PQR traceability is an unverifiable document, and an unverifiable document is a non-document.

The fix: either add the PQR number, revision, and the essential variables actually tested, or move the procedure onto the prequalified route and cite the clause and joint figure you are relying on. Do not do both at once — claiming prequalification while also citing a PQR confuses the review path.

2. Filler metal not covered by Table 5.7

AWS D1.1 Table 5.7 governs which filler classifications may be used with which base metal groups. List a filler that has no entry for the base metal group on the form, and the WPS dies before an arc is struck. This trips people up most often with common wire: a filler classified only for weathering steel or a stainless 309L filler on carbon steel will not pass a documentation review, no matter how well it welds.

The fix: check the matching table before the WPS is written, not after, and keep the filler manufacturer’s classification data with the file. Selection discipline matters — see our notes in Alloy Steel Welding Electrodes: Selection, Use & Safety.

3. Joint details outside the prequalified figures

Prequalification is not a blanket permission slip. It only applies to the joint details shown in the code’s prequalified figures, including groove geometry, backing, and back-gouging requirements. Detail a single-V groove with no backing where the figure requires backing or back gouging and the procedure is no longer prequalified, regardless of what the header claims.

The fix: either add backing or back gouging to match the figure, or qualify the joint by testing under Clause 6.

4. Blank fields on the form

Empty boxes are ambiguity, and ambiguity is what inspectors are trained to eliminate. Blank shielding gas, blank flow rate, blank interpass temperature, and blank technique fields all leave the welder guessing. Note that a gas field left empty is meaningless for one process and fatal for another — a mixed-gas GMAW procedure lives or dies on that line, as our Aluminum MIG Welding: The Complete Practical Guide makes clear for aluminum work.

The fix: fill every field, or write “N/A” with a short reason. The AWS sample forms, including Form N1, show what a complete line looks like.

5. Missing vertical progression

For any vertical joint, the technique section must state the direction of progression — uphill or downhill — because it changes the metallurgy, the bead profile, and in some processes the code’s acceptability. Leaving it out invites a welder to run it the way he prefers, which may be outside the qualification.

6. Expired welder qualification

A perfect WPS is worthless if the welder’s qualification has lapsed. Under AISC Engineering FAQ 8.6.2, welder qualifications remain valid only while the welder continues to weld with that process at least once every six months. Continuity is tracked per process, not per job.

The fix: log every welder’s last weld date by process and run a monthly continuity check. The AWS discussion of welder performance qualification versus certification is worth reading before you tell anyone they are “certified.”

7. Welding out of position without coverage

The WPS lists flat and horizontal positions, the job puts a weld overhead, and everyone keeps welding. Per AISC Engineering FAQ 8.6.1, welds deposited out of compliance with the WPS may not provide the required mechanical properties.

The fix: list every position you actually intend to weld, and qualify the positions you cannot avoid. Electrode choice matters here too — see the All Position Welding Rod Guide.

None of these mistakes require deep code expertise to prevent — they require someone to read the form line by line before welding starts. That habit, more than any template, is what keeps the inspector from stopping the crew.

Using WPS Examples Safely: Documentation, Shop Workflow, and Next Steps

You have seen two filled-out welding procedure specification examples and walked every field. The tempting next move is to download a template, swap in your company name, and pin it to the fabrication board. Resist that. An example is a reference model, not a shortcut: its ranges hold only because someone qualified them against a specific code, joint detail, and variable set. Learn the structure, then build your own document from real project requirements.

Adapting a Template Responsibly

Before anyone strikes an arc on a procedure you adapted, check four things:

• Does the joint actually qualify? If you claim prequalified status, the joint detail must match the figures in AWS D1.1 Clause 5. A single-V groove with backing is not the same joint as a bevel without it.
• Is the filler covered? The wire or electrode must be listed for the prequalified route, and its matching must suit the base metal group you are joining.
• Are the ranges supported? Every amp, volt, travel speed, and heat input limit should trace back to a PQR or a prequalified rule, not to a good day on the machine.
• Are the blanks resolved? Empty boxes invite the inspector to assume the worst. If a field genuinely does not apply, write “N/A” with a short reason rather than leaving it blank.

Documentation Control and Revision Management

Welding paperwork fails audits for boring reasons: two versions of the same WPS in circulation, an unsigned revision, or an obsolete copy zip-tied to a machine. Give every procedure a unique number, revision letter, issue date, and approving authority, plus a change log saying what changed and why. When a revision is issued, pull the superseded sheets off the floor. Store preliminary drafts, supporting PQRs, and coupon test reports together so a production weld can be traced back to its qualification record later. AWS publishes sample record forms as free downloads, including Form N1, which you can adapt.

Linking the WPS to Welder Qualification (WPQR)

An approved WPS does not authorize anyone to weld it. Each welder needs a performance qualification covering the process, position, material group, and thickness ranges the procedure calls for, and the two documents must reference each other. If the WPS allows vertical-up and the welder is only qualified flat and horizontal, that weld is outside coverage. Continuity matters too: under AWS D1.1, a welder’s qualification lapses after six months without welding under the qualified conditions. Read AWS’s explanation of performance qualification versus certification before you tell a customer that someone is “certified.”

The Safety Layer: OSHA Subpart J

Documentation does not replace safe practice. In US construction work, OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart J governs welding, cutting, and brazing safety, including the 1926.351 rules for arc welding equipment: grounds, cables, terminals, and electrode holders kept in good repair. Section 1926.353 addresses ventilation and protection, requiring mechanical ventilation whenever welding takes place in a confined space unless a specific exception applies. A WPS specifying shielding gas, fume-generating consumables, and preheat methods should be read alongside those requirements, because gas consumption feeds into airflow planning.

From Project Requirements to Approved WPS: A Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Identify the governing code and the application. Contract, structure type, material, thickness, and service conditions decide whether AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, API 1104, or ISO 15614 applies.
2. Confirm the qualification route. Check whether the joint is prequalified under Clause 5 or must be qualified by testing under Clause 6.
3. Draft a preliminary WPS (pWPS). Set the ranges you intend to prove, including positions, thicknesses, and heat input limits.
4. Weld the test coupon. Follow the pWPS exactly; the coupon is the evidence.
5. Test the coupon. Visual inspection, NDE, and the required mechanical tests (tensile, bend, and any toughness tests).
6. Write the final WPS. Revise the ranges to match what the tests actually support, then attach the PQR reference. This sequence, from application through coupon testing to the finished procedure, mirrors the workflow taught in the NRC training module 1501-E118.
7. Approve, distribute, and qualify welders. Get signatures, issue controlled copies to the floor, and confirm every welder working under the procedure holds current qualification for its ranges.

Another approval path is worth knowing: AISC recommends that WPSs for seismically loaded structures be submitted to the Engineer of Record for review, consistent with AWS D1.1 Seismic Provisions Section J3.1. On a seismic project, an unreviewed procedure can stall the job as fast as a failed coupon.

Conclusion

A welding procedure specification example earns its keep when it teaches you to build a document you can defend: correct joint details, supported ranges, linked welder qualifications, controlled revisions, and a safety framework that keeps the arc legal as well as sound. Copy the structure from the examples here, but generate the substance from your own code route, coupons, and project. Do that, and the inspector who stops your crew will have nothing to stop them for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a WPS and a PQR?

A WPS (welding procedure specification) is the instruction document that tells the welder which variable ranges to use in production. A PQR (procedure qualification record) is the evidence that those ranges work — it records the actual variables used on a test coupon and the results of visual, NDE, and mechanical testing. The PQR supports the WPS; the WPS guides the work.

Can I use a welding procedure specification example found online for my shop?

Only as a starting point. A WPS must match your actual base metals, thicknesses, process, positions, and the governing code on your project. Under AWS D1.1, any convenient format is acceptable as long as all essential variables are addressed, but copying a sample without checking it against your materials and joint details is a fast way to get rejected by an inspector.

Which welding processes can be prequalified under AWS D1.1?

SMAW, SAW, FCAW, and GMAW (except GMAW short-circuiting) can be prequalified under Clause 5. GTAW, GMAW-S, EGW, and ESW must be qualified by testing under Clause 6, which involves welding a test coupon and subjecting it to visual, NDE, and mechanical property tests.

What is the difference between prequalified and qualified by testing?

A prequalified WPS follows prescriptive rules already established in the code, so no test coupon is needed. A qualified by testing WPS must be proven with a physical test weld and laboratory testing first, documented on a PQR. Prequalification is cheaper and faster, but only applies when every variable stays within the code’s prequalified limits.

How much does it cost to qualify a welding procedure by testing?

AISC reported that qualification tests could cost as much as $10,000 as of 2021. Costs vary with the number of processes, positions, and tests required. This is why fabricators use prequalified procedures, AWS Standard Welding Procedure Specifications (SWPS), or existing documented qualifications whenever the code allows it.

What happens if a welder welds outside the WPS ranges?

The weld is considered out of code compliance and may not have the required mechanical properties, which can trigger rejection, rework, or re-qualification. Production tolerances under AWS D1.1 are typically ±10% for amperage and wire feed speed, ±15% for voltage, and ±25% for travel speed, so drift outside those bands is a documented violation.

What is an essential variable?

An essential variable is a parameter whose change can significantly affect the mechanical properties of the weld, so it must stay within the limits set by the code. In AWS D1.1, changing the welding process is the one essential variable that always requires a completely separate WPS. ASME Section IX adds supplementary essential variables that become essential when impact testing is required.

How do I fill out a WPS form correctly?

Start by deciding whether the procedure can be prequalified under AWS D1.1 Clause 5. Fill every section — joint design, base metals and group number, filler metal classification, position and vertical progression, electrical characteristics, shielding, technique, preheat and interpass temperatures, and PWHT — and always write parameter ranges rather than single values. Reference the supporting PQR number if the procedure was qualified by test.

Does a welder need a separate qualification for each WPS?

No. Welders are qualified per process, position, and weld type, not per individual WPS, and then demonstrate the ability to follow any applicable qualified WPS. Under AWS D1.1, welder qualifications stay valid as long as the welder continues to use that process at least once every six months.

What codes govern welding procedure specifications?

It depends on the work. Structural steel in the U.S. generally follows AWS D1.1; pressure vessels and boilers follow ASME BPVC Section IX; pipelines follow API 1104; and many international projects use ISO 15614. Each code defines its own qualification variables and testing requirements, so the governing code is always determined by the project documents first.