Parameter sourcing · Clause 5 and Clause 6
How do you source defensible weld parameters for a WPS?
A defensible parameter is traceable to the exact consumable, process setup, joint, position and qualification route. A generic chart or a number copied from another WPS does not establish that link.
A source and record matrix by variable
| Variable | Primary source to capture | Record on the WPS or traceability sheet | Decision boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrode / wire / flux identity and size | Exact AWS A5 classification and manufacturer product data; for SAW, electrode and flux as a classified combination | Classification, trade name, lot where controlled, nominal diameter, flux type/brand, number of electrodes, supplemental filler if used | Check the route’s diameter and combination rules. Clause 5 uses Tables 5.1–5.4. A PQR route compares changes against the applicable Table 6.6 column and any Table 6.8 CVN variables. |
| Current and polarity | Manufacturer operating window for the exact consumable and diameter; actual PQR bead/pass record if qualified | AC/DC, polarity, amperage or documented control mode, pass/diameter association | For prequalified GMAW/FCAW/SAW, Table 5.5 amperage tolerance is ±10% from the WPS value. Table 6.6 PQR triggers differ by process; see below. |
| Voltage and wire-feed speed | Manufacturer instructions and qualified equipment setup; actual PQR record, including whether current is amperage-controlled | Voltage, WFS and control mode, tied to process, diameter and transfer mode where relevant | Clause 5 Table 5.5 voltage tolerance is ±15%; WFS must be stated and is ±10% when not amperage-controlled. Clause 6 thresholds are separate. |
| Travel speed | Weld procedure development trials or actual PQR measurements; manufacturer guidance may inform setup but does not qualify a procedure | Speed with units, measurement method, pass, process segment and bead technique | Clause 5 Table 5.5 requires the value and allows ±25%. For existing PQRs Table 6.6 thresholds depend on process; CVN can add Table 6.8 controls. |
| Shielding gas and flow | Exact wire classification/manufacturer gas recommendation; AWS A5.32 gas classification and project/site conditions | Gas classification, nominal mixture, flow units/rate, nozzle arrangement and whether gas-shielded or self-shielded | Clause 5 also requires the 5.6.4 gas/classification pathway and Table 5.5 tolerances. Under Clause 6, gas type or mixture changes can trigger requalification. |
| SAW flux and electrode setup | Manufacturer pairing/handling data and classified electrode-flux combination; actual setup record for a PQR | Electrode and flux classifications, flux condition, electrode count, spacing/orientation, supplemental filler and ratio | Apply Tables 5.2/5.5 for Clause 5. Table 6.6 includes classification, diameter, electrode count, spacing/angle and supplemental-filler triggers; Table 6.8 may further constrain CVN procedure. |
Keep a copy or controlled reference to the manufacturer document: product name and revision, diameter, process, polarity, gas, equipment mode and stated operating range. A generic brand brochure that does not identify the exact product and setup is not a usable parameter source.
What the manufacturer range does and does not establish
The manufacturer’s operating window helps select a technically workable starting point for a named consumable and setup. AWS D1.1 may add limits, require variables to be written down, or define qualification consequences. A manufacturer range alone does not establish a prequalified WPS, prove a PQR result, or demonstrate that the proposed combination suits a particular joint, position, material, thickness or contract requirement.
For SMAW, the current must be within the electrode manufacturer’s recommended range under Table 5.1. For GMAW solid wire, Table 5.3 has specific current floors and transfer-mode conditions. FCAW and metal-cored GMAW use the process- and position-specific diameter rules of Table 5.4, with current within manufacturer recommendations. SAW uses Table 5.2’s geometry, current and electrode-configuration limits. Do not replace these branches with a single cross-process chart.
Wire-feed speed, amperage and voltage are related differently by power source, waveform, consumable and control mode. Do not calculate missing values from an assumed linear relationship. Record the values as measured or documented, including the equipment mode and measurement method where needed.
Separate Clause 5 operating tolerance from Clause 6 requalification
Table 5.5 is for variables on a written prequalified WPS and the permitted production variation from its stated values. Among the process parameters, it specifies amperage ±10%, voltage ±15%, travel speed ±25%, gas flow increase up to 50% or decrease up to 25%, and wire-feed speed ±10% when it is not amperage-controlled. Nominal gas composition, transfer mode and other listed variables must also be stated. These are tolerance limits, not recommended setpoints or automatic parameter ranges.
For an existing PQR-qualified WPS, compare each proposed change with the exact Table 6.6 row and process column. Examples of the process-specific thresholds include:
- Current, per diameter: SAW, GMAW and FCAW changes greater than 10% in either direction trigger requalification; GTAW uses greater than 25%; SMAW changes to a value outside the manufacturer’s recommendation trigger it.
- Voltage, per diameter: SAW, GMAW and FCAW changes greater than 7% in either direction trigger requalification.
- Travel speed: SAW greater than 15%; GMAW and FCAW greater than 25%; GTAW greater than 50%, in either direction.
- Gas for GMAW/FCAW: a change in gas type, mixture ratio, or gas-shielded to non-gas-shielded condition triggers requalification; total flow increase greater than 50% or decrease greater than 20% triggers it.
- Wire diameter: Table 6.6 has different directions and thresholds by process. For example, GMAW any increase or decrease triggers; FCAW an increase triggers; SAW any increase triggers, with alloy-flux notes also covering decreases. Read the applicable exact row and notes.
Thresholds are expressed as change triggers, not permission to invent a new value absent from the PQR. A change below a listed threshold still must be inside the actual documented procedure scope and satisfy all other applicable variables.
A bounded decision example
Suppose a recorded PQR supports a GMAW procedure and the proposed production travel speed is 20% above the recorded value. Table 6.6’s GMAW travel-speed trigger is a change greater than 25%, so this change alone does not cross that trigger. That is not yet a finding that the WPS is supported: confirm the actual speed record and units, other Table 6.6 variables, the joint/position/material/thickness coverage, and Table 6.8 if CVN applies. Also verify that the production parameter combination is supported by the WPS and operating records. If the PQR travel speed is missing, the percentage comparison cannot be made.
For the same 20% change from a prequalified WPS value, Table 5.5’s ±25% travel-speed tolerance is not exceeded, provided all other applicable Clause 5 conditions are met. The same percentage therefore has different significance depending on which qualification route applies.
Build a traceable parameter record
- Identify the contract code edition, process, weld type, position, joint, base-metal pair and whether CVN or PWHT requirements apply.
- Identify exact consumable classifications, product and diameter; retrieve its matching manufacturer instructions and record the revision and applicable operating range.
- For a prequalified route, verify Tables 5.1–5.4 and 5.6/5.10/5.11 as applicable, satisfy gas requirements, and put all applicable Table 5.5 variables on the WPS.
- For an existing-PQR route, copy actual per-pass/per-process PQR values and test conditions first. Do not fill a blank from a manufacturer sheet or another PQR.
- Compare the proposed change against Table 6.6 with its process column, direction, “per diameter” qualifiers and footnotes. Add Table 6.8 when CVN applies.
- Record the conclusion, evidence locator and remaining unknowns. A parameter can be manufacturer-recommended yet still lack code qualification support.
| Parameter record field | Evidence locator | Decision note |
|---|---|---|
| Process / pass / position / joint | WPS page and drawing or detail | Clause 5 or Clause 6 route |
| Consumable classification, product, size, gas/flux | AWS classification, manufacturer data revision, certificate or PQR | Applicable process table and change trigger |
| Current, voltage, WFS, travel speed, polarity | Pass record, PQR variable sheet, trial log or controlled WPS | Record units, control mode and actual-vs-target basis |
| Temperature, heat input, CVN, PWHT conditions | PQR/test report, contract/design requirement and heat-treatment record | Apply supplementary variables and clause-specific rules |
Known source boundary: one Table 5.3 entry
The 2025 base-edition Table 5.3 pulsed-spray row is printed with a wire size of “0.52 in [1.1 mm],” an internal unit mismatch. The registered base-edition errata does not correct this row. Do not silently reinterpret it as 0.052 in or use the row as an automated limit; obtain an authoritative clarification before relying on it. This source conflict does not change other Table 5.3 rows.
This page does not reproduce the full AWS tables. It summarizes selected parameter rules for workflow use; confirm the applicable table notes and purchased code text for the actual project.
Code basis and related guides
Basis: AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2025 base edition plus the registered July 28, 2026 base-edition errata; AMD1 is not included. Primary provisions: 5.2, 5.5, Tables 5.1–5.5, 5.6.4, 6.7–6.8, Tables 6.6 and 6.8. The governing contract edition controls a project.
Provide the drawing, consumable data and full PQR/test records where applicable.