WPQ Builder Guide — Field-by-Field Walkthrough

Identification through test results, WPS-import prefill, and save/load

A practical walkthrough of every WPQ Builder section — terminology for newcomers, how WPS-import prefill works, and a clear reminder that this produces a test record template, not a certification.

Start with the calculator

Fill identification and required fields first, then work section by section. Save JSON if you need more than one session. Load a WPS Builder export to pre-fill the reference section.

Open WPQ Builder →

What a WPQ Is (and Is Not)

A Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ) documents that a specific welder produced a sound weld under stated test conditions — process, position, coupon, and the tests performed. It is a test record template for shop documentation. This tool does not certify or qualify a welder. Actual acceptance depends on visual, bend, tensile, RT/UT, and/or fillet-break testing judged by a qualified individual (e.g., a CWI) per the applicable code.

Identification & WPS Reference

Welder name, WPQ number, and WPS referenced are required for PDF export. Optional fields cover welder ID/stamp, company, test date, and examiner. The WPS number is free text — the procedure the welder tested against. Tip: if you already exported a draft from the WPS Builder, use Load WPQ / WPS (.json) to copy that WPS number (and related reference fields) automatically.

Welding Process(es) Tested

Select every process used on the coupon (e.g., GTAW root + SMAW fill). Labels match the WPS Builder so a WPS import maps 1:1. Manual / Semi-auto / Machine / Automatic describes how the arc is controlled. Required: at least one process before PDF export.

Test Material & Filler Metal

Record material group, spec/grade, optional P-No., coupon thickness, and pipe diameter if applicable. Filler fields capture AWS classification, optional F-No., and diameter(s). These document what was used on the test — the tool does not validate P/F numbers against ASME tables.

Test Position(s)

Select the position(s) the test was performed at (1G–6GR, fillet positions). Vertical progression and backing complete the picture. Important: the tool captures the test condition; it does not calculate the qualified range that condition earns under AWS D1.1, ASME IX QW-452/461, or other code tables. That range is determined by the code and your examiner.

Tests Conducted & Results

Enter Pass / Fail / N/A for visual, guided bend (face/root/side), tensile, RT/UT, and fillet break, plus notes. Acceptance criteria (bend opening limits, tensile minimums, RT standards) are not modeled — record the outcome your qualified examiner assigned.

Qualification Result

Mark Qualified or Not Qualified as determined by the examiner. Continuity / last date welded is free text — codes require welding with the process within a set period to stay current; the tool does not auto-calculate expiration.

WPS-Import Prefill

Load WPQ / WPS (.json) detects file type. A WPQ export ("_type": "testtalkhq-wpq") restores the full form. A WPS Builder export ("_type": "testtalkhq-wps") pre-fills only the reference subset: WPS number, process(es), base metal group/spec, and P-No. The success message states that only the reference section was filled — welder identity and test results remain yours to enter.

Save / Load Across Sessions

Save (.json) downloads a portable draft. Reload it anytime with Load. JSON is client-side only; nothing uploads to a server.

Reminder: The exported PDF and this guide describe a test record template. It does not qualify or certify a welder until the actual tests are performed and judged per your applicable code.

Reference Materials

AWS code books and official welder qualification form pads are common shop references for performance qualification records.

Catalog gap: No AWS D1.1 code books or WPQ/WPS form pads exist in the TestTalkHQ affiliate CSV at publish time — we do not substitute unrelated products.

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