Before the first arc strikes on a structural project, a welding review meeting catches WPS gaps, qualification mismatches, and inspection hold points. Here's what to cover.
Most structural welding problems that surface during inspection or audit were foreseeable. The WPS didn't cover the thickness range actually being welded. A welder's qualification had lapsed. An NDE hold point wasn't communicated to the field. A pre-construction welding review meeting is the point in the project where all of those latent conflicts become visible and fixable—before any production welds are made.
This meeting isn't about bureaucratic compliance. It's about every party who will touch the welding program on a project getting in the same room—or video call—to confirm that the documentation is complete, the people are qualified, and the inspection plan matches what's actually going to happen in the field.
Rule library based on AWS D1.1:2025; verify against your governing edition.
When to Hold the Meeting
The pre-construction welding review happens after fabrication or erection drawings are approved and before production welding starts. That timing matters. You need approved drawings to know the actual joint types, thicknesses, and materials in the scope. You need enough lead time before production that any WPS gaps or qualification shortfalls can be resolved without schedule pressure.
On a large steel fabrication project, two to four weeks before the first production weld is a reasonable target. On a fast-track job or a small erection package, even a two-hour meeting a week out is better than nothing.
Agenda Item 1: WPS Coverage Review
Start with the scope. Work from the weld summary on the fabrication drawings—or, if no weld summary exists, a representative sample of the joint types, base metals, thicknesses, and positions in the package.
For each weld type in scope, confirm that a current, approved WPS covers it. Key coverage questions:
Base metal groups. Are the actual ASTM designations on the MTRs covered by the WPS? A WPS qualified on A36 may or may not cover A572 Grade 50 depending on the qualification basis.
Thickness range. Does the WPS cover the thickest and thinnest base metal in each applicable joint category? Thickness limits are an essential variable under AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.6 for qualified-by-test procedures.
Position. Are overhead or vertical positions required? If so, verify the WPS covers those positions and welders are qualified accordingly.
Process and filler metal. Confirm the process and filler metal classification on the WPS match what will actually be used in production. Filler metal classification is an essential variable.
Prequalified basis. If the WPS is prequalified, confirm it meets Table 5.11 minimum preheat, uses only permitted filler metals for the process, and doesn't exceed the prequalified joint geometry limits in Clause 5.
Any WPS that doesn't cover a joint in scope gets flagged. The resolution—revise the WPS, add a prequalified procedure, or run a supplemental PQR—gets assigned to the responsible party with a due date.
Agenda Item 2: PQR Verification
For each qualified-by-test WPS, the supporting procedure qualification record should be on file. Verify:
The PQR exists and is current—signed, with test results attached.
The test conditions (base metal, filler, process, position, thickness) are within the qualification ranges for the WPS it supports.
The mechanical test results meet the acceptance criteria for the applicable position and joint type.
If CVN toughness is required (Table 6.8 supplementary essential variables apply), CVN test data from the PQR is in the file and the test temperature is consistent with the design requirements.
Rule library based on AWS D1.1:2025; verify against your governing edition.
This review often surfaces PQRs that were run under a previous edition of D1.1. Confirm the governing edition for the project—AHJ or contract documents may specify 2020 or an earlier edition—and verify the PQR is valid under that edition.
Agenda Item 3: Welder and Welding Operator Qualifications
Pull the WPQ records for every welder and welding operator who will be performing production welds on the project. Review:
Coverage. Does each welder's qualification cover the process, base metal group, thickness range, and position they will actually use? Weld position coverage is often where gaps appear.
Continuity. Have all welders maintained continuous use of each qualified process within six months? A qualification that lapsed and was reinstated is fine; a lapsed qualification not yet reinstated is not. Confirm the dates of last production use for any borderline cases.
Documentation. WPQ records must show test date, test positions and joint types, and the test results or the employer's statement that the welder passed the production demonstration test under Clause 6 of D1.1.
This is also the right moment to discuss welder ID and traceability on the project—how weld maps will record which welder performed which weld, and what stamp or marking system will be used.
Agenda Item 4: NDE and Inspection Plan
The welding review meeting is where the inspection plan gets aligned with what's actually going to happen. Cover:
NDE scope. Which welds require RT, UT, MT, or PT? Is the NDE scope driven by the contract documents, D1.1, a building code, or the owner's spec? Clarify who is responsible for ordering and paying for each method.
Hold points. Are there required hold points—stages where welding cannot proceed without inspector authorization? Who has the authority to release a hold point, and how is that communicated to the field?
Inspection sequence. Will in-process inspection (visual examination during welding) be performed, or only final inspection? For CJP groove welds in tension applications, in-process inspection of root passes before fill passes are placed is often specified.
NDE timing. Some specifications require a delay between weld completion and NDE to allow hydrogen diffusion—especially for higher-strength or thicker base metals. Document the required delay and who is responsible for enforcing it.
Acceptance criteria. Confirm which acceptance criteria apply. AWS D1.1:2025 provides statically loaded and cyclically loaded criteria; the applicable category depends on the design classification of the connection.
Agenda Item 5: Shop/Field Welding Conditions and Controls
A few project-specific operational items that frequently get missed:
Preheat and interpass temperature monitoring. Who is responsible for verifying preheat before arc start? How will interpass temperatures be monitored on multi-pass welds? What temperature indicating equipment is available?
Environmental conditions. What are the project specifications for wind, temperature, and moisture? Cold-weather welding plans may be required if the project spans winter months.
Consumable control. How will low-hydrogen electrodes be stored and distributed? Is there a bake-out requirement for opened packages?
Procedure availability. How will welders access the applicable WPS on the floor or in the field? Paper copies, tablets, or QR code access all work—but the process needs to be defined.
Documenting the Meeting
The pre-construction welding review meeting should produce a written record: who attended, what was reviewed, what deficiencies were found, and what actions were assigned. For AISC certification purposes or any project with a formal quality plan, that record is part of the project file.
Deficiency action items should have clear owners and due dates. Before production welding starts, a follow-up confirmation that all items are closed out is appropriate.
Is a pre-construction welding review meeting required by AWS D1.1?
AWS D1.1:2025 does not mandate a pre-construction meeting, but owner specifications, AISC certification requirements, and project quality plans commonly require one. It's also standard practice on any project where the inspector, fabricator, and erector need to align on procedures and hold points before production begins.
Who should attend a pre-construction welding review meeting?
At minimum: the fabricator's QC manager or CWI, the owner's or GC's verification inspector or CWI, and the welding foreman or shop superintendent. On complex structural projects, the EOR or structural engineer of record, special inspection agency, and subcontractors should also participate.
What happens if a WPS deficiency is found during the meeting?
The deficiency is documented and resolved before production welding begins. Common resolutions include revising the WPS, running a supplemental PQR, or qualifying additional welders. Discovering a deficiency at the meeting is far cheaper than finding it during an audit or after a failed inspection.
How does a pre-construction meeting differ from a CWI pre-weld inspection?
A pre-construction meeting is a project-level alignment event held before production begins—it covers the full scope of WPS, PQR, and WPQ documentation for the job. A pre-weld inspection is a joint-level activity conducted immediately before an arc is struck on a specific weld, verifying fit-up, preheat, and conditions at that location.