AS/NZS 1554 compliance kit basics: WPS, PQR and welder quals
Plain-English guide for Australian fab shops: what a WPS and PQR are, prequalified procedures under AS/NZS 1554.1, how they differ from welder qualifications, 6-month confirmation, and the document set clients ask for.
On structural steel jobs the builder, engineer or QA person will often ask for two different things: your welding procedures and your welders' qualifications. They sound similar and they get mixed up constantly. Mixing them up is one of the most common reasons weld documentation gets knocked back at handover.
This guide explains it in plain English. It doesn't reproduce AS/NZS 1554.1, which is copyright. Buy the current edition and read your job spec, because the spec can add to the Standard.
The short answer
- A WPS (welding procedure specification) is the instruction: joint prep, process, consumable, positions, thickness range and parameters. It qualifies a method.
- A PQR or WPQR (procedure qualification record) is the evidence behind the WPS: the record of the procedure being qualified. AS/NZS 1554.1 says the procedure must be qualified before welding starts, the PQR kept as a record, and the WPS made available to the welder.
- A welder qualification proves a named person can weld within a stated range (process, material, position, thickness).
- You normally need both, and every production joint has to sit inside the range of the WPS and the range of the welder's qualification.
Ways a procedure gets qualified under AS/NZS 1554.1
- Prequalified procedure: AS/NZS 1554.1 lists prequalified joint preparations and conditions. If your joint, materials and consumables sit inside those limits, you can use a prequalified procedure without a full procedure test, but you still have to write the WPS and be able to show it sits inside the prequalified conditions.
- Documentary evidence of prior experience: an existing completed procedure sheet plus the test records from when it was qualified.
- Qualification by testing: weld a test piece under recorded conditions and have it examined and tested as the Standard requires.
Whichever route, the WPS must stay within the limits of the essential variables. Change one beyond its limit (for example consumable classification, thickness range or position) and you're outside the qualification.
Keeping welder qualifications current
Under the AS/NZS 2980 and ISO 9606-1 style certification used by WeldQ, the welding supervisor or coordinator confirms every 6 months that the welder has kept producing successful welds within the limits on their certificate, until the qualification lapses or revalidation falls due. Miss the confirmation and the ticket can lapse even though the welder has been welding every day.
The document set a client may ask for
- WPS for every joint type on the job, each traced to a PQR or to prequalification
- Welder qualification certificates, with continuity or 6-month confirmation records
- A welder-to-WPS matrix showing which welder is qualified for which procedure
- Consumable batch records and certificates
- Material (mill) certificates matching the grade the procedure covers
- Inspection and test records (your ITP, weld map, NDT reports)
Questions the other guides don't answer
We've only ever done prequalified work. Do we still need a WPS?
Yes. Prequalification removes the procedure test, not the procedure document. You still write the WPS and show it sits inside the prequalified limits.
Can I use a WPS from another shop?
The Standard puts the procedure on the fabricator. A WPS from somewhere else may be usable as a starting point or as documentary evidence if its records stand up, but check your client's spec and get your welding supervisor or coordinator to sign off.
A welder's ticket covers plate. Can they weld 3 mm wall pipe on this job?
Only if the certificate's range covers that product form, thickness and position. Ranges are boundaries, not permissions. Check the certificate against the drawing before anyone strikes an arc.
What's the fastest way to stop this biting at handover?
Before welding starts, lay three things side by side: the joints on the drawing, the range on each WPS/PQR, and the range on each welder's certificate. Keep that as a matrix and update it whenever a welder or procedure changes.
Quick answers
What is the difference between a WPS and a PQR?
A WPS is the instruction the welder follows. A PQR (or WPQR) is the record showing the procedure was qualified. Under AS/NZS 1554.1 the WPS is developed from the qualification and made available to the welder.
Does a prequalified procedure under AS/NZS 1554.1 need a WPS?
Yes. Prequalification means you may not need a procedure test, but you still need a written WPS showing the joint sits inside the prequalified limits.
How often must welder qualifications be confirmed?
For WeldQ certification to AS/NZS 2980 or ISO 9606-1 style routes, the welding supervisor or coordinator confirms every 6 months that the welder has continued to weld successfully within their certificate limits.
Is welder qualification the same as procedure qualification?
No. One qualifies the person and one qualifies the method. A job usually needs both, and each production joint must sit inside both ranges.
Sources
- Australian Welding Institute – Welder qualification and procedure qualification are not the same thing (Aug 2026)
- Weld Australia – WeldQ: Welding supervisor confirming a welder's qualification (6-month confirmation, PDF)
- WTIA Technical Note 11 – Commentary on AS/NZS 1554 (PDF)
- Standards Australia store – AS/NZS 1554.1
Related guides
- Welding tickets in Australia: what builders actually ask for
- What goes in a fabrication ITP (AS/NZS 5131 projects)
- Steel weight per metre: the formulas
General information only, summarised from the official sources above as at the review date. It isn't legal, WHS or engineering advice. Rules change and your situation may differ, so check the source or ask a professional.