A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) is a formal document that describes standard welding procedures. It is used by welding companies to instruct welders on how to achieve quality production welds that meet all relevant code requirements. A WPS serves as a guide for the effective creation of a weld that meets all applicable code requirements and production standards. It provides clear direction for welders to make quality products that are up to code and industry standards. A WPS can include information such as the materials needed, the tools required, the processes to follow, the techniques to employ, and confirmation of the desired outcome.
There are different types of WPSs, including Standard-WPS (SWPS), Prequalified WPS, and WPS. A SWPS is developed and sold by the American Welding Society (AWS) and is used when Prequalified and Standard WPSs do not apply to the project specifications or welding process. Prequalified WPSs are pre-written welding procedures that meet certain requirements and can be used without further testing. A WPS is used when the required code on a project does not allow a Prequalified WPS, there is no SWPS that meets the welding requirements, or the fabricator wants to tailor the WPS to a specific set of parameters. In any of these instances, the fabricator will need to test and develop a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) to validate and support the WPS data.
