Can one PQR test plate qualify both 1G and 2G welding positions under AWS D1.1?

No — you generally need separate test plates for each position. However, qualifying in the 3G (vertical) position covers both the flat (1G) and horizontal (2G) positions, so a single vertical-position PQR effectively qualifies three positions.

What positions does a 3G groove weld PQR qualify under AWS D1.1?

A 3G (vertical) groove weld PQR qualifies the welder to weld in the 1G (flat), 2G (horizontal), and 3G (vertical) positions for groove welds.

Does a groove weld PQR also qualify fillet welds?

Yes. Under AWS D1.1, a groove weld PQR qualification covers fillet welds in equivalent or less-restrictive positions. A 3G groove qualification includes 1F, 2F, and 3F fillet welds.

How many test specimens are required for a CJP groove weld PQR?

For a standard CJP groove weld PQR under AWS D1.1, the required test specimens include two reduced-section or all-weld-metal tensile specimens and four guided bend specimens (two face bends and two root bends, or four side bends for material over 3/4 in thick).

CJP Groove Weld Dual-Position Qualification on One PQR

How to qualify a CJP groove weld for both flat and horizontal positions in a single PQR test under AWS D1.1 — coupon setup, position ranges, and CWI documentation.

Procedure qualification tests (PQR tests) are the most expensive part of setting up a new welding program. Every test plate means lab fees, coupon machining, mechanical testing, CWI time, and welder time. One strategy every QC manager and welding engineer should understand is how to structure the position on a CJP groove weld PQR to cover the broadest range of production positions with the least number of test plates.

This article explains the position qualification ranges under AWS D1.1, how to plan a test coupon orientation that maximizes coverage, and what documentation the CWI must capture to make the qualification defensible in an audit.

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

How AWS D1.1 Position Ranges Work for Groove Welds

AWS D1.1 assigns each welding position a number: 1G (flat), 2G (horizontal), 3G (vertical), and 4G (overhead) for groove welds on plate. These positions are defined by the orientation of the weld axis and the weld face relative to horizontal.

The position range rules determine which other positions a PQR qualifies. The key rule that makes dual-position coverage possible: a PQR test welded in a more-restrictive position qualifies all less-restrictive positions within its range.

For groove welds on plate:

1G test: qualifies 1G only.
2G test: qualifies 1G and 2G.
3G test: qualifies 1G, 2G, and 3G.
4G test: qualifies 1G and 4G.
3G + 4G combination: qualifies all four positions — 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G.

This means that a single 3G (vertical) test plate gives you coverage for three of the four common structural positions. If your production work rarely uses overhead welding, qualifying in 3G alone is the most efficient path to broad coverage.

Why 3G Is the Standard Efficiency Choice

Most structural fab shop work — beam-to-column connections, plate girder splices, shear tab welds, and column field splices — occurs in the 1G, 2G, or 3G positions. A 3G CJP groove weld PQR covers all three with a single test, which is why many shops standardize on 3G as the baseline PQR test position for their procedure library.

The 3G test also tends to represent realistic production conditions better than a 1G bench test. Vertical welding demands more from the welder in terms of travel speed control, bead profile, and interlayer cleaning — variables that matter in the shop environment. Running a 3G PQR gives you a qualification that reflects genuine worst-case conditions for most of your work.

For shops that also do significant overhead work — overhead connections, beam bottom-flange splices, elevated structural work — you have two options: add a 4G test plate to get all-position coverage, or run a single 3G + 4G combination as described below.

The 3G + 4G Combination: All-Position Coverage

AWS D1.1 allows the 3G and 4G positions to be tested on two separate plates that are then considered together as a single PQR qualification record. When both are tested and documented under the same WPS parameters and on the same base metal and filler metal combination, the combination qualifies all four positions: 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G.

This is not the same as running two independent PQRs — it is a paired test. The laboratory reports, the test coupons, and the supporting documentation are bound together in the PQR record. Some labs submit both plates under a single test report; others issue separate reports that are cross-referenced in the PQR form. Either format works, but the cross-reference must be explicit in the WPS that relies on the qualification.

The advantage: two plates gives you all-position coverage. The cost: double the lab fees and double the test material. Compare that cost against the cost of a future 4G qualification test when overhead work comes in — in most cases, the upfront investment wins.

Test Coupon Setup and Orientation

For a 3G groove weld coupon, the test plates are set up vertically with the weld groove in a vertical plane. The welding axis runs vertical, and the weld face is perpendicular to horizontal. This matches AWS D1.1's definition of the 3G position.

For a CJP groove weld (complete joint penetration), the joint geometry must be one of the AWS D1.1 prequalified joint types — a double-V, single-V, or J-groove configuration — or a joint design qualified by test. The most common test joint for PQR purposes is the single-V groove with or without a backing bar.

Joint setup requirements:

Root opening and groove angle per the applicable prequalified joint detail (or as specified on the WPS under test)
Steel backing (if used) tack-welded before the test; backing removal or retention per the production WPS
Base metal test plates in the minimum and maximum qualified thickness range being sought

The test coupon size must be sufficient to provide the required specimens. For a CJP groove weld PQR requiring face/root bends or side bends, minimum plate dimensions are governed by the number and dimensions of the required test coupons plus a section for macroetch if specified.

For further background on guided bend test requirements and specimen extraction, see guided bend test requirements for PQR under AWS D1.1 and PQR test coupon cutting and identification.

What the CWI Must Witness and Document

The PQR is only as good as the documentation behind it. For a 3G or 3G+4G CJP groove weld PQR, the CWI or Welding Engineer witness must record:

Before welding:

Base metal mill certificate / MTR, heat number, and specification (e.g., A36, A572 Gr. 50)
Filler metal classification, heat/lot number, and manufacturer's cert
Joint fit-up dimensions (root opening, groove angle, land dimension, backing bar if used)
Preheat temperature verified with calibrated temperature-measuring device
Welder ID and stamp
Welding position marked on the test plate before welding begins

During welding:

Voltage and amperage readings per pass (or wire feed speed for GMAW/FCAW)
Travel speed per pass (use pass-length timing or a calibrated travel device)
Interpass temperature measurements and pass number at which they were taken
Shielding gas flow rate and composition if applicable
Any restarts, repairs, or stops and the CWI's evaluation of each

After welding:

Visual inspection of the completed test plate before it goes to the lab
Rejection or acceptance of the plate as a valid test (discontinuities that would invalidate the test must be noted before machining)

This documentation set is not optional — it is the foundation of the PQR record. An auditor reviewing your PQR for AISC certification or a project-specific submittal will expect every item above to appear in the PQR package. For what belongs in the final PQR package that gets submitted for engineer review, see PQR witness requirements under AWS D1.1.

Groove Weld Qualification Also Covers Fillet Welds

A detail that surprises some newer CWIs: under AWS D1.1, qualifying in a groove weld position automatically qualifies the corresponding fillet weld positions. Specifically:

3G groove → qualifies 1F, 2F, and 3F fillet welds
3G + 4G groove → qualifies 1F, 2F, 3F, and 4F fillet welds

This means you do not need a separate fillet weld PQR test when your groove weld PQR already covers the positions used. A shop running 3G CJP groove weld PQRs as their baseline has both groove and fillet weld procedure coverage for the great majority of structural fab work — without additional testing cost.

Updating the WPS After the PQR

Once the PQR test results are accepted (all tensile and bend specimens pass), the WPS can be written to reference the PQR. Key entries on the WPS that link back to the PQR:

Position: "1G, 2G, 3G" (based on a 3G PQR) or "All positions" (based on 3G + 4G)
Base metal specification and thickness range qualified
Filler metal classification and f-number
Essential variable ranges carried from the PQR (amperage, voltage, travel speed ranges that stay within the tested parameters)

The WPS must reference the PQR number, and that PQR document must be retrievable on demand. Document control for WPS-to-PQR traceability is a common audit finding — WPS and PQR document retention requirements covers the minimum retention periods and storage expectations.

For shops managing multiple PQRs supporting multiple WPS documents across different base metal and filler metal combinations, WPS software for AWS D1.1:2025 maintains the PQR-to-WPS linkage automatically and makes the qualification matrix visible without manual tracking.