Welder Qualification Certificate and Testing in Egypt

Welder qualification and welding procedure qualification establish that a weld is made to a qualified procedure by a qualified welder, and itmad provides independent witness, destructive and NDT testing, and certification to ASME IX, AWS D1.1, ISO 9606 and ISO 15614 in Egypt, with defined ranges of approval stated on every certificate. The procedure and the welder are qualified separately, and confusing the two is the most common reason a fabrication is rejected at audit. itmad has worked in Egypt for more than 10 years. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Why welds are qualified

A weld is only as sound as the procedure that the weld was made to and the welder who made the weld. Both have to be qualified, the two are qualified separately, and confusing the two is the most common reason a fabrication is rejected at audit.

Procedure qualification and welder qualification

• Welding Procedure Specification (WPS)The document telling the welder how to make the weld: process, material group, thickness, joint design, consumables, current, preheat, interpass and post-weld heat treatment. The WPS is written by the fabricator.
• Procedure Qualification Record (PQR)The evidence that a weld made to the procedure produces acceptable mechanical properties. A test coupon is welded, then subjected to destructive testing: tensile, bend, impact and macro examination as the code requires. The PQR qualifies the procedure, not any person.
• Welder Qualification Test (WQT)Testing that an individual welder can produce a sound weld working to a qualified procedure. The WQT qualifies the person, within a defined range of approval, and must be held by every welder before the welder works on the fabrication.

The sequence matters: the procedure is qualified first, then welders are qualified to the procedure. A welder certificate against an unqualified procedure demonstrates nothing to the client or auditor who asked for the certificate.

Range of approval

A welder qualification certificate is not general. The certificate covers a defined range: welding process, material group, thickness range, pipe diameter, welding position, joint type, backing and consumable classification. A welder qualified on 10 mm plate in the flat position is not thereby qualified for 25 mm pipe overhead. The range is stated explicitly on every certificate issued, because a certificate whose range is not checked against the work is a certificate that fails at audit.

Continuity and validity

Welder qualifications lapse. Most codes require the welder to have used the qualified welding process within a defined period, commonly six months, and the employer must document the continuity. A certificate in date on the face of the certificate may be invalid because the welder has not worked in the process. itmad states the continuity requirement on every qualification issued, and can verify existing continuity records as part of personnel assessment.

What welder qualification testing involves

• Agreement of the test piece, position, material and procedure against the intended production range
• Independent witness of the welding itself, including consumable control and parameters
• Visual examination of the completed test piece
• Non-destructive examination where the code permits the examination in place of destructive testing
• Destructive testing (bend, tensile, fracture, macro and impact as the code requires) through laboratories
• Assessment of results against the acceptance criteria of the governing code
• Issue of the welder qualification certificate stating the range of approval and validity conditions

Standards applied to welder and procedure qualification

• ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX: welding and brazing qualifications, for pressure equipment
• AWS D1.1: structural welding code, steel
• ISO 9606 series: qualification testing of welders
• ISO 15614 series: specification and qualification of welding procedures
• API 1104: welding of pipelines and related facilities
• Client and project specifications where the specifications impose additional requirements

Independence in welder qualification

itmad witnesses, tests and certifies. itmad does not write welding procedures, advise on welding parameters, or train welders to pass a test that itmad will then assess. That separation is what makes the welder qualification certificate worth holding: a certificate from a body that also developed the procedure and coached the welder demonstrates nothing to the client or auditor who asked for the certificate.

How itmad delivers welder qualification in Egypt

itmad carries out witnessing at the works of the client or at a nominated test facility in Egypt, with destructive testing coordinated through laboratories.

What itmad provides

• Welder qualification certificates stating the range of approval in full
• Procedure qualification records with test results and the qualified range
• Laboratory test reports supporting each qualification
• Statement of the continuity requirement and the expiry conditions
• A register of qualified welders and procedures, maintained where itmad holds the register
• Notification ahead of qualifications lapsing

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a WPS, a PQR and a welder qualification test?

A Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) tells the welder how to make the weld and is written by the fabricator, while a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) is the evidence that a weld made to the procedure produces acceptable mechanical properties. A Welder Qualification Test (WQT) shows that an individual welder can produce a sound weld working to a qualified procedure.

What is a range of approval?

A welder qualification certificate covers a defined range of welding process, material group, thickness range, pipe diameter, welding position, joint type, backing and consumable classification. A welder qualified on 10 mm plate in the flat position is not thereby qualified for 25 mm pipe overhead.

Why can a welder certificate that is in date be invalid?

Most codes require the welder to have used the qualified welding process within a defined period, commonly six months, and the employer must document the continuity. A certificate in date on the face of the certificate may be invalid because the welder has not worked in the process.

What does welder qualification testing involve?

Welder qualification testing involves agreeing the test piece, position, material and procedure, independent witness of the welding, visual examination, and non-destructive examination where the code permits. Destructive testing (bend, tensile, fracture, macro and impact as the code requires) follows, and results are assessed against the acceptance criteria of the governing code.

Which standards does itmad apply to welder and procedure qualification?

itmad applies ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX for pressure equipment, AWS D1.1 for structural steel, the ISO 9606 series for welder qualification, and the ISO 15614 series for welding procedures. API 1104 applies to pipelines and related facilities, and client and project specifications apply where the specifications impose additional requirements.

Does itmad write welding procedures or train welders?

No. itmad witnesses, tests and certifies, and does not write welding procedures, advise on welding parameters, or train welders to pass a test that itmad will then assess. That separation is what makes a welder qualification certificate worth holding.