Is a Weld Quality Program required for AISC certification?

Yes. AISC 207 (Standard for Certification of Steel Building Structures) requires fabricators to maintain a documented quality management system that includes weld procedure control, inspector qualification records, and production inspection documentation. A WQP is the practical implementation of that requirement.

Who writes the Weld Quality Program?

The Responsible Welding Supervisor (RWS) or Quality Control Manager typically authors the WQP, often with input from the shop's CWI. The WQP must be approved by management and accessible to production and inspection personnel.

How often should a WQP be updated?

Whenever a material change occurs: new welding process added, new base metal type qualified, staffing changes to key quality personnel, changes to inspection equipment or NDE methods, or after a significant nonconformance event. AISC audits look for current revision dates and evidence of controlled distribution.

What are the most common WQP findings during AISC audits?

The top findings are: WPS documents not accessible at the point of use; expired or untracked WPQ (welder qualification) records; no documented preheat verification method; NDE records missing the inspector's certification level; and no documented disposition process for weld nonconformances.

Weld Quality Program for Structural Fab Shops

What a Weld Quality Program (WQP) must contain for an AISC-certified structural fab shop: WPS/PQR control, inspection planning, records, and common audit failures.

A Weld Quality Program is the backbone of a structural fab shop's quality management system. It is not a single form or checklist — it is a living set of controlled documents that establishes who qualifies welders, how procedures are developed and maintained, what inspections happen at what hold points, how records are kept, and what happens when a weld fails. Without a documented WQP, an AISC certification audit becomes a test you cannot pass by explaining good intentions.

This article covers what belongs in a WQP for a structural steel fabricator working to AWS D1.1:2025, the AISC Chapter N quality requirements, and AISC certification standards.

Why a WQP Exists

AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 4.1 places responsibility for meeting the code requirements on the contractor (fabricator). That responsibility requires documented evidence: that procedures are qualified, that welders are qualified, that inspections were performed, and that nonconformances were resolved. The WQP is the documented framework that proves the fabricator has a repeatable, controlled system — not just individual welders doing good work on this particular job.

For AISC-certified shops, AISC 207 and AISC Chapter N (from AISC 360 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings) add the explicit requirement for quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) programs. AISC defines QC as the fabricator's own program; QA is the owner's or third-party verification that QC is working. The WQP covers the QC side. Failing to separate these — letting the inspector report to the production supervisor, for instance — is a structural weakness auditors will note.

Core Sections of a WQP

1. Scope and Applicability

State which codes and standards the shop works to (AWS D1.1:2025, AISC 360, AISC 341 for seismic, AWS D1.6 for stainless, etc.), the types of structures fabricated, and which facilities (shop locations, off-site) the WQP covers. Reference the controlling edition of each standard; when multiple projects run simultaneously under different editions, document how the shop manages that.

2. Organizational Responsibilities

Assign roles by job title, not by name. Include:

Responsible Welding Supervisor (RWS): accountable for WPS currency, welder qualification status, and procedure compliance
CWI / Quality Control Inspector: performs in-process and final weld inspection, signs inspection records
NDE Level II Technician (if applicable): performs and certifies MT, UT, RT, or PT examinations
Quality Control Manager: approves the WQP, manages records, interfaces with the AISC auditor

Name alternates for continuity. AISC audits flag programs where the RWS is the only named person and that person has left the company.

3. WPS and PQR Control

This is typically the most detailed section and the one most often found deficient. It must cover:

WPS inventory and revision control. Maintain a master list of all WPS documents: WPS number, revision, effective date, applicable process, base metal(s), filler metal, and location. When a WPS is revised, retire the superseded version and document the reason for the change. Welders on the floor must have access to the current revision — not a photocopy from two years ago.

Prequalified vs. tested WPS. Document which WPS documents are prequalified per AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 5 and which are supported by PQR testing per Clause 6. For tested WPS documents, the PQR number(s) must be cross-referenced on the WPS itself.

Essential variable matrix. Maintain a record of what each WPS covers: process, position, base metal group, thickness range, filler metal F-number. This matrix allows the QC manager to answer in seconds whether a new job's materials are within the current WPS library or a new WPS is needed.

PQR file. Keep original PQR test reports, including the test laboratory report, mill certifications for the test coupon base metal, and filler metal certifications, in a controlled file accessible to the CWI. PQR records must be retained for the life of the WPS they support — typically the life of the company.

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

4. Welder and Welding Operator Qualification

This section feeds directly into the welder continuity tracking system required by AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.4.1, which states that a welder must have welded with the process within six months to maintain qualification without retest.

WPQ record file. Maintain a current WPQ (Welder Performance Qualification) record for every welder and welding operator on production welds. Each record must identify the welder, the process, the position(s) qualified, the supporting test documentation or employer continuity record, and the expiration or continuity status.

Six-month continuity tracking. AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.4.1 lapses qualification when a welder has not used the process for six months. Document the tracking method: a spreadsheet, a software system, or a paper log signed by the RWS monthly. AISC auditors check this directly. For shops with 15+ welders across multiple processes, manual spreadsheets frequently fall behind — this is where purpose-built continuity tracking like the one in WPS Welding catches lapses before they become nonconformances on a job.

Retest provisions. Per AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 6.4.4, a welder who fails a qualification test may be immediately retested. Document your shop's retest process: who approves a retest, what training or remediation is required before the retest, and how retest results are filed.

5. Inspection and Testing Plan

Define the inspection hold points and witness points for each type of weld joint in production. AWS D1.1:2025 Section 7 and AISC Chapter N Table N5.6-1 prescribe minimum inspection frequencies; your WQP must meet or exceed those.

Pre-weld inspection checklist: joint fit-up, root opening, bevel angle, surface condition, preheat verification, WPS availability, welder ID. Document who performs this check and what the acceptance criteria are. A single-page sign-off form tied to the weld map is the most auditable format.

In-process inspection: pass-by-pass visual for multi-pass groove welds, interpass temperature verification at the required frequency, slag removal observation, and dimensional checks.

Final weld inspection: visual acceptance per AWS D1.1:2025 Table 8.1, dimensional verification, NDE per the drawing or specification requirements, hardness testing where specified.

NDE procedure control. Reference the written NDE procedures (per ASNT SNT-TC-1A or ASNT CP-189 Level II standards) and the certified technician roster. NDE reports must include the technician's certification level, the procedure used, the equipment calibration date, and the disposition of each indication found.

6. Records and Retention

AISC and AWS D1.1 require records to be maintained, but neither prescribes a specific retention period beyond "permanent" for PQRs. Your WQP should state minimum retention periods:

Record Type	Minimum Retention
WPS + PQR	Life of the WPS (indefinite for active WPS)
WPQ records	Duration of employment + 5 years minimum
Weld inspection records	Per project contract or 5 years minimum
NDE reports	Per project contract or 5 years minimum
Nonconformance reports	5 years minimum

Store records in a retrievable format — a filing cabinet works, but a scanned PDF system with controlled access and backup is more auditable. AISC auditors will request specific records from past jobs; being unable to produce them is a finding even if the work was done correctly.

7. Nonconformance and Corrective Action

Every WQP needs a documented process for handling a weld that fails inspection. The minimum is:

Identify and tag the nonconforming weld
Record on a Nonconformance Report (NCR): location, defect type, inspector name, date
Determine disposition: repair per a written repair procedure, engineer-approved accept-as-is, or cut out and reweld
Verify the repair to the same standard as the original inspection
Close the NCR with the disposition documented
Analyze for root cause if the same defect appears repeatedly — a pattern of undercut on a particular joint type indicates a WPS parameter or welder technique problem, not a one-off

8. Internal Audits

Larger AISC-certified shops are required to self-audit their QC program annually. The internal audit verifies that the WQP is being followed, not just that it exists. Common findings on internal audits mirror what AISC external auditors find: outdated WPS copies in the field, welder continuity records with gaps, inspection reports unsigned or filed in the wrong project folder.

Quick-Start Checklist for WQP Development

If you are building a WQP from scratch, prioritize in this order:

Complete WPS master list with revision control
PQR files cross-referenced to each tested WPS
WPQ record for every active welder, continuity status current
Pre-weld inspection form with hold point sign-off fields
Nonconformance report form and disposition workflow
Records retention policy in writing
Assigned RWS with documented responsibilities

You can layer in the internal audit, NDE procedure control, and statistical sampling later. The first five items will get you through an initial AISC audit without a major finding.

Common Audit Failures

Based on typical AISC certification findings:

WPS not at the point of use. The inspector finds the welder working from memory or from a WPS posted in the break room. Each work station or job packet must carry the applicable WPS.

Welder continuity gap. Gaps of 6+ months without process use are the single most common finding in fab shops with rotating workloads. A welder who spent the last eight months on FCAW loses SMAW qualification; if the shop doesn't track this, the lapse is discovered during audit rather than before the work starts.

Missing interpass temperature records. If your WPS specifies a maximum interpass temperature (e.g., 550°F for carbon steel), inspection records must show it was verified. A blank field is a finding.

NDE records missing technician certification. Per ASNT and AWS D1.1, the NDE report must identify the inspector's name, certification level, and employer. A handwritten note without a certification reference is not compliant.

For a broader look at the audit process, see our article on AISC Fab Cert WPS and PQR Audit Common Failures and the AISC Chapter N QC/QA Structural Welding Program overview.