Section 1 General qualification requirements

1.1.1 This Section applies to all welding qualifications and tests required to be performed in the course of new construction, conversions, modifications or repairs made on ships, other marine structures and their associated pressure vessels, machinery and equipment.

1.1.2 These Rules also apply to all welding work related to other applications for which Lloyd’s Register (hereinafter referred to as LR) have issued Rules or have an interest.

1.1.3 It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure compliance with all aspects of these Rules. All deviations are to be recorded as non-compliances and brought to the attention of the Surveyor along with the corrective actions taken. Failure to do this is considered to render the welding tests as not complying with the Rules.

1.1.4 Welding tests are to be performed under survey at the manufacturer’s works. Welding procedure qualification tests and welder qualifications tests are to be performed and approved prior to commencement of fabrication or construction.

1.1.5 Weld procedure tests made in accordance with EN, ISO, JIS, ASME or AWS may be considered for acceptance provided that, as a minimum, they are equivalent to and meet the technical intent of these Rules to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.

1.1.6 Welding tests that have previously been carried out may be considered for acceptance, provided that they have been supervised by an independent body acceptable to LR and the Surveyor is satisfied with the authenticity of such tests.

1.1.7 The responsibility for the performance of the weld tests rests with the manufacturer. Aspects of the welding tests, such as mechanical testing, non-destructive testing and heat treatment, may be subcontracted by the manufacturer provided that the subcontractor performs the work under the technical control and direction of the manufacturer, and this is agreed with the Surveyor prior to commencing the work.

1.1.8 In these Rules, the term ‘manufacturer’ is considered to include any firm or organisation that performs welding and is considered to be the shipbuilder, or construction firm, or fabricator, or material manufacturer.

1.2.1 Welding procedure qualification tests are required to give assurance that construction welds made in accordance with the approved plans or the approved design have acceptable properties. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to establish and document whether a procedure is suitable for a particular application.

1.2.2 The requirements relate to mechanical properties of the weld and heat affected zone, however, other tests may be required on certain materials, for example, corrosion or fatigue tests, in order to ensure suitability for the proposed application.

1.3.1 Materials used for testing are to be of the same grade, type and from the same manufacturing process as those to be used for construction, unless prior agreement is obtained from the Surveyor. Such agreements will only apply on a case-by-case basis.

1.3.2 All materials used for testing are to be suitably marked and identifiable to the original manufacturer’s material certificate.

1.4.1 All welding and subsequent testing is to be performed in accordance with the requirements of this Chapter.

1.4.2 The manufacturer is responsible for monitoring the tests and for recording all the welding variables as specified in 2.2 and for compiling all the non-destructive examination (NDE) reports and mechanical test records for submission to the Surveyor.

1.4.3 The laboratory or testing establishment used to perform the tests is to have the necessary equipment, maintained in good order and suitably calibrated. The Surveyor is to be satisfied that the laboratory personnel have the appropriate skills and are appropriately qualified in accordance with Ch 2, 1.2 Testing machines 1.2.1.