AWS B2.4:2012

Table of Contents

Page No.

Personnel v

Foreword vii

List of Tables x

List of Figures x

1. Scope and General Provisions 1

   1. Scope 1

   2. Responsibilities 1

   3. Effective Date 1

   4. Safety 2

2. Normative References 2

3. Terms and Definitions 3

4. Procedure Qualification 6

   1. General 6

   2. Welding Procedures Qualified by Employers 6

   3. Evaluation of Test Weldment/Coupons 7

   4. Qualification Thickness Limitations 7

   5. Special Test Weldment/Coupon Acceptance Criteria 9

   6. Test Weldment/Coupons and Test Evaluation 9

   7. Welding Procedure Specification Data 23

   8. Procedure Qualification Variables 25

5. Performance Qualification 26

   1. General 26

   2. Qualification by Standard Test 28

   3. Test Weldment/Coupons 28

   4. Examination Procedures and Acceptance Criteria 29

   5. Performance Qualification Variables 30

6. Examination Structure 31

   1. Examination Basis Documents 31

   2. Examination Structure 31

Annex A (Informative)—Recommended Hot Gas Welding Conditions 33

Annex B (Informative)—Sample PQTR and WPS 35

Annex C (Informative)—Guidelines for Preparation of Technical Inquiries 43

AWS B2.4:2012

List of Tables

Table Page No.

1. Test Methods Required for Procedure Qualification 7

2. Thickness Limitations for Procedure Qualification 7

3. Minimum Short Term Weld Factors 8

4. Dimensions of Test Arrangement and Test Specimens 8

5. Ram Displacement Corresponding to Bend Angle of 160° in “No Failure” for Calculation of

   the Mean Value 8

6. Cross-Head Speeds for Some Thermoplastics 12

7. Symbols and Designations 22

1. Testing Requirements for Performance Qualification 28

2. Pipe Group Qualification 28

3. Base Material for Performance Qualification 29

1. AWS Recommended Welding Conditions—Fan Welding (HF) 33

2. AWS Recommended Welding Conditions—Speed Welding (HS) 33

List of Figures

Figure Page No.

1. Preparation of Test Piece (Bend or Tensile Specimens) 9

2. Typical Bevel Profile for Sheet [>0.090 in to 0.50 in (>2.3 mm to 13 mm) in Thickness] 10

3. Typical Bevel Profile for Sheet [>0.50 in (>13 mm) in Thickness] 10

4. Location of Control Specimens and Tensile Specimens from Pipe Weldment/Coupons 11

5. Cross Sections of Specimen Cut from Pipes 11

6. Geometry of Chamfer 13

7. Sketch of Test Arrangement 14

8. Schematic Diagram of the Determination of Bend Angle and Ram Displacement 15

9. Minimum Bend Angle for PE (Density  0.94) 16

10. Minimum Bend Angle for PP-B and PP-H 16

11. Minimum Bend Angle for PP-R 17

12. Minimum Bend Angle for PVC-U (Unplasticized) 17

13. Minimum Bend Angle for PVDF 18

14. Minimum Ram Displacement for PE (Density  0.94) 18

15. Minimum Ram Displacement for PP-B/PP-H 19

16. Minimum Ram Displacement for PP-R 19

17. Minimum Ram Displacement for PVC-U (Unplasticized) 20

18. Minimum Ram Displacement for PVDF 20

19. Test Preparation for Waisted Specimens 21

1. Performance Qualification Method for Standard Test 26

2. Location of Horizontal and Vertical Positions Bend Specimens Blanks 30

AWS B2.4:2012

Specification for Welding Procedure and Performance Qualification for Thermoplastics

1. Scope and General Provisions

   1. Scope. This standard provides the requirements for qualification for welding thermoplastic materials. It addresses requirements for procedure and performance qualifications. This standard is intended for use where referenced by prod- uct or fabrication code, specification, contract document, or internal documents such as quality control or quality assur- ance manuals. The requirements imposed by the Referencing Document supersede the requirements of this standard.

      This standard is intended for use with the following thermoplastic welding processes: Socket Fusion Welding (SFW)

      Heated Tool Butt Welding (HT) Flow Fusion Welding (FFW) Electrofusion Welding (EFW) Infrared Welding (IRW)

      Hot Gas Welding (HGW) Speed Welding (HS) Fan Welding (HF)

      Extrusion Welding (EX)

      Solvent Cement Welding (SCW)

      This standard is intended for use with new construction but may be applicable for retrofit, reconstruction, or repair pro- cedures. Thermoplastic applications that are bonded to backing materials are not addressed in this standard.

      This standard makes sole use of U.S. Customary Units. Approximate mathematical equivalents in the International Sys- tem of Units (SI) are provided for comparison in parentheses or in appropriate columns in tables and figures.

   2. Responsibilities

      1. Employers shall be responsible for the welding performed by their organization, including the use of the general provisions of this standard, the use of qualified welding procedures, the use of qualified welders, and the use of qualified welding operators.

      2. It is the employer’s responsibility to assure that Welding Procedure Specifications meet all requirements of the Referencing Document.

   3. Effective Date. When not otherwise specified by the Referencing Document, the edition of this specification to be used should be established in accordance with the following:

1. Editions may be used at any time after the effective date of issue;

2. Latest edition of this document should be used for new contracts; and

3. Editions established by contract date may be used during the entire term of the contract, or the provisions of later editions may be used when agreed upon by the contracting parties.