Who is authorized to sign the AWS D1.1 PQR test record?

AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 requires the PQR to be certified — signed and dated — by the fabricator or contractor responsible for the work. A CWI or CWE typically signs on behalf of the company. The EOR may review PQRs but is not required to sign unless the contract specifies it.

Does AWS D1.1 require a specific PQR form?

No. AWS D1.1 does not mandate use of Annex M forms for the PQR. Annex M provides recommended WPS and PQR formats, but the PQR may use any format that captures all required information per Clause 6. Software-generated forms that mirror Annex M content satisfy the requirement and simplify third-party audits.

How long must a fabricator retain PQR records under AWS D1.1?

AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 requires the fabricator to maintain PQR records but does not set a retention period. Most owner specifications and jurisdictions require retention for the life of the structure or a minimum of 10 years. AWS D1.8 seismic projects follow IBC special inspection retention requirements through project closeout.

What happens if one mechanical test specimen fails during PQR testing?

AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 allows retesting: if one specimen fails, the fabricator may weld two additional test coupons under the same essential variables. Both retests must pass all required tests. If either retest fails, the WPS as proposed is disqualified and the welding variables must be revised before re-testing. Document all failures and retests in the PQR package.

Oct 21, 20268 min read

How to Complete the AWS D1.1 PQR Test Record Form

Step-by-step guide for documenting an AWS D1.1 Procedure Qualification Record: required fields, test result entries, Clause 6 alignment, and CWI signoff.

PQR WPS AWS D1.1 documentation CWI qualification Clause 6

The Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) is the factual backbone of every tested WPS in your welding program. The WPS tells welders what to do; the PQR proves that a test weld made under those conditions produced mechanical properties that meet the code. Under AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6, the PQR must document every essential variable as actually welded during the test, every test specimen result, and a certification that the record is accurate and complete.

This guide walks through completing a compliant AWS D1.1 PQR test record — what goes in each section, what values the code requires, and where mistakes create audit failures.

What the PQR Is Not

Before the sections: a PQR is a historical record of a specific test weld. It records parameters as used, not as permitted. If the heat input during the test was 35 kJ/in., that number goes on the PQR — not the upper limit the WPS will eventually allow. The WPS is where the qualified ranges appear (e.g., heat input range: 25–45 kJ/in.); the PQR is what was actually done.

This distinction matters when auditors compare the PQR to the WPS. A PQR value outside the WPS's stated range is a documentation error that must be explained or corrected.

Section 1: Identification

Every PQR begins with identifying information:

PQR number: A unique identifier that the WPS will reference. Establish a logical numbering scheme — many shops use process-material codes (e.g., PQR-SMAW-A572-001). See WPS numbering scheme best practices for a systematic approach.
WPS number(s) supported: Which WPS documents rely on this PQR. A single PQR can support multiple WPS documents if the essential variables are within the qualified ranges for each.
Date of test welding: The calendar date the test coupon was welded in the shop or at the test lab. This is not the date specimens were sent out or results received — it is the weld date.
Welding process: SMAW, SAW, GMAW, FCAW-G, FCAW-S, GTAW, or combination.
Type of weld: Groove weld, fillet weld, stud weld, or combination.

Section 2: Base Metal

Record the base metal exactly as used in the test:

AWS D1.1 Group Number: AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.9 assigns steels to groups I, II, III, and IV. The test coupon base metal group controls the base metal range the WPS can cover — a Group II test qualifies welding on Group I and II steels (lower or equal strength groups). See AWS D1.1 Table 6.9 base metal groups for the full table.
ASTM specification and grade: e.g., A572 Grade 50. Copy from the material test report (MTR) for the actual plate used.
Heat/lot number: Trace the PQR back to a specific MTR. This is not optional — a PQR without base metal traceability fails an audit.
Nominal thickness: The actual thickness of the test coupon plate(s). This determines the qualified thickness range under AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2.4 — typically the WPS qualifies from ½T (minimum) to 2T (maximum) of the test coupon thickness for groove welds, with specific limits at the lower end.
Joint details: Record the groove angle, root opening, root face, and backing type exactly as welded.

Section 3: Filler Metal

For each process in a multiprocess WPS, record:

AWS classification: e.g., E7018-1 H4 (SMAW), ER70S-6 (GMAW), E71T-1C-H8 (FCAW-G). The full designation, including any suffix, must appear.
Trade name / manufacturer: For traceability to the certified test report (CMTR). Not an essential variable for the WPS, but required for the PQR record.
Filler metal diameter / wire size
F-number and A-number (from AWS D1.1 Annex C or as listed in the applicable A5.x specification)

The F-number and A-number confirm filler metal compatibility and drive essential variable change requirements. The A-number corresponds to the chemical composition of the weld deposit; a significant change in A-number (Table 6.6 row 3) is an essential variable requiring requalification.

Section 4: Position

AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 requires qualification by position. Record:

Test weld position: 1G (flat groove), 2G (horizontal groove), 3G (vertical groove), 4G (overhead groove), 1F/2F/3F/4F for fillet, 2G + 5G (pipe/tubular full qualification), etc.
Progression for vertical welds: uphill (3G-up) or downhill (3G-down). These are separate qualifications — a 3G-up PQR does not qualify 3G-down, and vice versa. Vertical progression is an essential variable per Table 6.6.

The position as tested determines the position range covered by the WPS. Groove tests in 3G position qualify 1G and 3G; adding a 4G test covers overhead as well. See weld position qualification ranges under AWS D1.1 for the full qualification matrix.

Section 5: Preheat and Interpass Temperature

Two measured temperatures must appear:

Minimum preheat temperature (as used): Record the actual preheat applied before striking the arc on the test coupon, confirmed by contact thermocouple or tempilstik on the plate surface. This sets the minimum preheat the WPS may specify for the qualified base metal and thickness range.
Maximum interpass temperature (as used): The highest measured temperature between weld passes during the test. AWS D1.1 Table 6.6 row 10 makes a significant increase in interpass temperature an essential variable when CVN toughness requirements apply (Table 6.8). Record the peak interpass temperature actually reached, not a target.

Section 6: PWHT (Post-Weld Heat Treatment)

If the test weld received PWHT, record the actual PWHT cycle:

Temperature (as recorded)
Hold time at temperature
Heating rate and cooling rate (if controlled)

PWHT is an essential variable — the WPS may not be used with PWHT if the PQR was tested without it, and vice versa. Document the PQR with and without PWHT if both conditions are needed. See PWHT on a WPS: documentation requirements for the specific AWS D1.1 treatment.

Section 7: Actual Welding Parameters (As-Run)

This is the most detailed section and the most commonly incomplete one. For each weld pass or group of passes, record:

Amperage (A): Actual measured current, not the dial setting
Voltage (V): Measured at the arc end or per the welding power source, not an arbitrary target
Travel speed (in./min or mm/min): For mechanized/automatic welding, recorded continuously; for manual SMAW, measured by timing timed length of pass
Wire feed speed: For GMAW and FCAW
Heat input (kJ/in.): Calculated from the formula H = (Amps × Volts × 60) / (Travel Speed in./min × 1000). Record the calculated value.
Electrode size
Pass/layer identification

Heat input is an essential variable under AWS D1.1 Table 6.6 row 13 when CVN supplementary requirements apply (Table 6.8). Even if heat input is not an essential variable for a given WPS application, recording it is best practice and sets the basis for the WPS's qualified range.

Section 8: Mechanical Test Results

This is the section auditors read most carefully. For groove weld PQR tests, record:

Tensile tests (two required per AWS D1.1 Clause 6.5.2):

Specimen number, dimensions, fracture location, ultimate load, UTS (ksi)
Pass/fail status against the minimum tensile of the base metal or 70 ksi (whichever controls)
Lab report number for traceability to the accredited test laboratory

Guided bend tests (four required — two face, two root, or four side for plate >¾ in.):

Specimen number, bend type (face, root, side), result (pass/fail based on crack size acceptance per Clause 6.5.3)

CVN Charpy specimens (if Table 6.8 invoked):

Notch location (weld metal or HAZ), specimen orientation, test temperature, energy absorbed (ft-lbf), lateral expansion (mils), percent shear fracture
Test temperature and acceptance criteria per the applicable spec clause

For a detailed walkthrough of what each mechanical test measures and what makes it pass or fail, see PQR tensile and bend test requirements.

All mechanical test results must reference the accredited laboratory that performed the tests. Use only labs meeting the requirements of AWS D1.1 Clause 6.5.1 — test results from an unaccredited or unqualified lab are not acceptable. See PQR test laboratory selection under AWS D1.1 for laboratory qualification criteria.

Section 9: Certification and Signature

The PQR must be signed and dated by an authorized representative of the fabricating organization — typically the responsible CWI, Certified Welding Engineer (CWE), or Quality Manager. The certification statement affirms that the record accurately represents the test weld and test results.

Key certification elements:

Name and title of the certifying individual
Date of certification
Company name
CWI or CWE credential number (recommended, though not mandated by the standard)

The certification does not require a third-party witness unless the contract, engineer, or CMAA specification specifically requires witnessed PQR testing. For high-consequence applications (AISC seismic, AISE 13 cranes, pressure vessel supports), witnessed PQR testing is increasingly common. See PQR witness requirements under AWS D1.1 for who may serve as a witness.

PQR Traceability to the WPS

Once the PQR is complete and certified, the WPS documents it supports must reference the PQR number. Each WPS should state, in a dedicated field, the PQR(s) on which it is based. During an audit, an inspector will pull the WPS and verify:

The PQR number cited exists and is current
The essential variables on the WPS fall within the ranges qualified by the PQR test conditions
The mechanical test results meet the minimum requirements of AWS D1.1 Clause 6.5

A WPS that cites a PQR for a different base metal group, process, or joint type than the production work is a material nonconformance. Document PQR coverage clearly and review it whenever new materials, processes, or joint geometries enter production. For a look at how multiple PQRs can support a single WPS, see multiple PQRs for a single WPS.

Ready to generate a compliant PQR package and WPS with all required fields pre-mapped to AWS D1.1:2025? Start your 14-day trial and document your welding procedure qualification program in a fraction of the time.

Rule library based on AWS D1.1:2025. Verify against your governing edition — the AHJ or contract may specify 2020 or earlier.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

Who is authorized to sign the AWS D1.1 PQR test record?: AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 requires the PQR to be certified — signed and dated — by the fabricator or contractor responsible for the work. A CWI or CWE typically signs on behalf of the company. The EOR may review PQRs but is not required to sign unless the contract specifies it.
Does AWS D1.1 require a specific PQR form?: No. AWS D1.1 does not mandate use of Annex M forms for the PQR. Annex M provides recommended WPS and PQR formats, but the PQR may use any format that captures all required information per Clause 6. Software-generated forms that mirror Annex M content satisfy the requirement and simplify third-party audits.
How long must a fabricator retain PQR records under AWS D1.1?: AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 requires the fabricator to maintain PQR records but does not set a retention period. Most owner specifications and jurisdictions require retention for the life of the structure or a minimum of 10 years. AWS D1.8 seismic projects follow IBC special inspection retention requirements through project closeout.
What happens if one mechanical test specimen fails during PQR testing?: AWS D1.1 Clause 6.2 allows retesting: if one specimen fails, the fabricator may weld two additional test coupons under the same essential variables. Both retests must pass all required tests. If either retest fails, the WPS as proposed is disqualified and the welding variables must be revised before re-testing. Document all failures and retests in the PQR package.