Existing qualification · AWS D1.1 Clause 6
Can an older AWS D1.1 PQR support a new WPS?
An earlier edition on the PQR is not, by itself, a reason to reject the record or relabel it as a current-edition test. The key questions are whether it was validly qualified while its edition applied, whether its original evidence is complete, and whether its actual qualification supports the target production WPS.
A four-part record review
| Question | Evidence to record | Decision if missing |
|---|---|---|
| What code and edition governed the test? | Original PQR/WPS identification, edition, test date and contractor identity. | Leave historical validity unresolved; do not substitute the present edition. |
| Did that qualification meet its edition's requirements? | Coupon variables, test types, results, acceptance and traceable reports. | A summary sheet alone may be insufficient to establish the claimed qualification. |
| What does the record actually cover? | Coupon materials, geometry, thickness, process, position, filler, temperature, CVN/PWHT and applicable variable rules. | Do not transfer an unsupported range into the new WPS. |
| What does the current contract require? | Specified code edition and any additional project, CVN, material or Engineer conditions. | Ask for the governing basis and resolve the exact difference before issue. |
For example, a file marked “AWS D1.1:2015” with no dated coupon record or test reports is an incomplete evidence package. Its age does not prove it invalid, and the title page does not prove it qualified. Obtain the source record, then review its actual supported production conditions against the proposed WPS.
Do not confuse an old PQR with an old prequalified WPS
Clause 6.3.1 is a continuation rule for an earlier qualification. A newly prepared prequalified WPS still needs to meet the applicable Clause 5 requirements of the contract edition. Likewise, a qualification from a different welding code is not automatically an AWS D1.1 PQR; Clause 6.2.1 places acceptance of other-code qualification with the Engineer.
If changing an existing PQR-based WPS, compare the proposed conditions with the recorded qualification and the applicable essential variables. The revision and requalification guide explains that separate decision. An older PQR also cannot be stretched to a new material pair or process simply because its test passed.
Basis, output and limits
This guide uses AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025 base edition plus the registered July 28, 2026 base-edition errata; AMD1 is excluded. The specific historical qualification provisions are Clauses 6.2.1 and 6.3.1. The original PQR must be judged under the edition and conditions that actually governed its test, and the project's contract edition remains controlling for the proposed WPS. This page does not validate a particular historical PQR.
Submit the dated PQR, original WPS, test reports and target production conditions.