The AWS B2.1/B2.1M is a set of rules for qualifying welders, welding operators, and welding procedures themselves. First introduced in 1984 (as AWS B2.1), the standard also is accompanied by a series of Standard Welding Procedure Specifications (SWPSs). Now there’s a new 6th Edition of this standard and it’s available from Document Center Inc. It’s got a variety of updates and it replaces the 5th Edition from 2009, which is now obsolete.
You’ll use this specification in almost every situation requiring the qualification of welders and welding procedures. It applies to manual, semiautomatic, mechanized, and automatic welding. It’s 322 pages in length and covers the following welding processes:
- electrogas welding
- electron beam welding
- electroslag welding
- flux cored arc welding
- gas metal arc welding
- gas tungsten arc welding
- laser beam welding
- oxyfuel gas welding
- plasma arc welding
- shielded metal arc welding
- stud arc welding
- submerged arc welding
Another nice feature is that the specification contains a series of examples for you to use at the end of the document. These are for such things as a Performance Qualification Test Record, a Welding Procedure Specification and a Procedure Qualification Record.
For your convenience, the changes in this new edition are marked with vertical lines in the margins. They include updated materials and definitions, the addition of NAVSEA/MIL and ABS Standards to the referenced documents, editorial corrections and corrections to some figures, and the qualification of multiple welders on a single test weldment.
Welding is an essential skill in many industries, and management needs to be assured of appropriate processes and results. The user of the AWS B2.1/B2.1m and the corresponding SWPSs has a methodology for confirming the level of quality of the welders and procedures being provided.
You can get your copy of this new specification by ordering it at the Document Center webstore, www.document-center.com. Or you can get in touch with our staff by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We’ve been providing standards to industry since 1982 and have a wide array of products and services to assist you with your documentation needs. Make us your Standards Experts!
