Welding records · Field reference · Checked 26 September 2026
Welder qualification record: field-by-field reference (ISO 9606-1)
An ISO 9606-1 welder qualification certificate records three things: who was tested, what the test piece was, and the range of work that test qualifies. The last of these is the one a register has to get right, because a welder is qualified for the range, not for the test piece. Below is each field in the order it usually appears, based on the certificate format in ISO 9606-1:2017. Checked 26 September 2026.
Last updated .
Identity and certificate
Who was tested, by whom, to what
On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Field | What it records | Where it commonly goes wrong | In a Soteriaa record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | The one-line summary of the qualification, for example ISO 9606-1 135 P BW FM1 S s10 PF ss nb. | Copied into a spreadsheet as the only record, so nobody can filter by position, thickness or process without decoding every row. | Not stored as one string; each part is held as its own field below. |
| Welder name and identification | Full name, and the method used to confirm identity at the test, such as photographic ID. | Stamp numbers reused after a welder leaves, so an old weld log points at the wrong person. | Welder record with name, ID or stamp and date of birth. |
| Employer | The organisation the welder worked for when tested. | Assumed to follow the welder. The certificate is personal, but continuity confirmations are signed by the current employer. | The workspace company. |
| Certificate number | The examiner’s or examining body’s unique reference. | Confused with the welder’s stamp or an internal file number. | Certificate number. |
| Examiner or examining body | Who witnessed the test and issued the certificate. | Left blank for in-house certificates, which removes the evidence trail an auditor will ask for first. | Examining body. |
| Qualification standard and edition | The standard and year, such as ISO 9606-1:2017. | Edition omitted, so certificates issued under earlier editions are read with the wrong range rules. | Standard, stored with its edition. |
| WPS reference | The welding procedure the test piece was welded to, or the preliminary WPS. | Treated as a limit on production work. The range comes from the test variables, not from this reference. | On the attached certificate; the WPS register is kept separately. |
| Job knowledge | Whether the optional job-knowledge test was taken: acceptable, or not tested. | Recorded as a pass when it was not tested. | On the attached certificate. |
Field headings are paraphrased from the ISO 9606-1:2017 certificate format. A certificate issued under another scheme or code — ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1 or a customer specification — uses a different layout and different range rules.
Test piece and range of qualification
Two values per field: as welded, and the range qualified
The certificate lists each variable twice. The left value is what happened on the test day; the right value is what the welder may now weld. A register that keeps only the left value will say a welder is not qualified for work they are, and the reverse.
On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Field | What it records | Where it commonly goes wrong | In a Soteriaa record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welding process | The ISO 4063 process number, for example 111 MMA, 135 MAG, 136 flux-cored, 141 TIG. | Process name typed freely (“MIG”, “TIG”), so 135 and 136 cannot be told apart in a filter. | Welding process, as the ISO 4063 number and name. |
| Product type | P for plate or T for pipe (tube). | Assumed that plate covers pipe or pipe covers plate in all cases. Coverage depends on diameter and position; check the standard. | Product type. |
| Type of weld | BW for butt weld or FW for fillet weld. | A fillet-only qualification relied on for butt welds. | Joint type. |
| Filler material group | FM1 to FM6, from non-alloy and fine-grain steels (FM1) to nickel alloys (FM6). | Parent material group recorded here instead. The range in ISO 9606-1 is driven by the filler group. | Material group. |
| Filler material type | The consumable type code, for example S for solid wire or B for a basic-covered electrode. | Dropped entirely, although some types extend the range to others and some do not. | On the attached certificate and the generated certificate draft. |
| Shielding gas | The ISO 14175 gas designation, where the process uses one. | Recorded as a brand name that cannot be matched to a WPS. | On the attached certificate. |
| Current type and polarity | For example DC electrode positive. | Rarely checked, but part of the recorded test conditions. | On the attached certificate. |
| Material thickness and deposited thickness | Test piece thickness (t) and deposited weld metal thickness (s), each with the range they qualify. | The test piece thickness entered as the limit, instead of the qualified range. | Thickness minimum and maximum, as the qualified range. |
| Outside pipe diameter | Test pipe diameter (D) and the diameter range qualified. | Left blank for pipe tests, so small-bore work cannot be checked. | Diameter minimum and maximum. |
| Welding position | ISO 6947 position of the test, such as PA, PB, PC, PF, PG, H-L045 or J-L045, and the positions qualified. | PF (vertical up) and PG (vertical down) treated as interchangeable. They are not. | Position. |
| Weld details | Codes such as ss nb (single side, no backing), ss mb (material backing), bs (both sides), sl or ml (single or multi-layer). | A welder tested with backing relied on for open-root work. | Backing is held as a field; layer and side codes stay on the certificate. |
| Tests performed | Visual testing, then radiographic or fracture testing, and where applicable bend or macroscopic examination, each marked performed and accepted or not tested. | Test report numbers not kept, so the certificate cannot be traced back to results. | On the attached certificate and its test reports. |
A range of qualification is set by the standard’s rules for each variable, which include exceptions not reproduced here. Record the range stated on the certificate rather than deriving it yourself.
Validity
The fields that decide whether it can still be relied on
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| Field | What it records | Where it commonly goes wrong | In a Soteriaa record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of welding the test piece | Validity runs from the date the test piece was welded, provided the tests were carried out and accepted. | The later issue date used instead, which moves every downstream date. | Date qualified. |
| Confirmation every six months | The employer or welding coordinator confirms the welder has worked within the range of qualification. It is a signature on the certificate, not a new test. | Treated as the same thing as revalidation, or signed off without any evidence that work was done in range. | Continuity confirmations with date, who confirmed, method and evidence; the next due date is calculated. |
| Revalidation method | The method chosen when the certificate was issued: a retest every three years; two-yearly with evidence of two welds tested in the last six months of the period; or continued validity while the manufacturer holds ISO 3834-2 or -3 certification. | Method not recorded, so nobody knows which due date applies. | Revalidation basis: three-year retest, two-year with test evidence, or ISO 3834 continuing validity. |
| Revalidation or prolongation entries | Signatures and dates from the examiner or examining body when the qualification is revalidated. | A signature added to a scan, with no date moved in the register. | Revalidation due date, with the signed page attached as evidence. |
For how the six-monthly confirmation and revalidation interact, read revalidation vs continuity and welder continuity confirmation.
What a register needs structured
Structure the fields you filter on; attach the rest
Not every field needs to be a column. The ones that answer “who can weld this job?” do.
This is how Soteriaa’s qualification register is built: the matching and date fields are structured so they can be filtered and alerted on, and the certificate itself is attached as the source document. For the wider register, see ISO 9606 welder qualification records.
- Structure process, product type, weld type, filler group, thickness, diameter and position — the fields a job is matched against.
- Structure the dates: test date, continuity confirmations and the revalidation method and due date.
- Keep the signed certificate attached to the record as the source of truth for every other field.
- When a field in the register and the certificate disagree, the certificate wins until the register is corrected.
The other field references
The four documents refer to each other: a WPQR supports a WPS, a welder is tested to a WPS, and inspection relies on certified NDT personnel. WPS fields · WPQR fields · NDT personnel certificate fields. For how the WPS and WPQR differ in purpose, read WPS vs WPQR.
How to use this reference
This is a record-keeping reference to the fields that commonly appear on these documents, checked 26 September 2026 against the current published editions named on the page. It paraphrases field headings; it does not reproduce the standard, and it is not a substitute for it. Qualification ranges, validity rules and acceptance criteria are set by the standard, your code of construction and your certification arrangements, so read those before relying on any field here. Soteriaa organises records and produces document drafts; it does not certify welders or NDT personnel, qualify procedures, or decide whether a range, result or date is acceptable. Soteriaa provides document and workflow tools, not legal assistance or compliance advice. It helps organise records, evidence and deadlines; it does not determine compliance, certify records or submit official reports on your behalf. You review the information and remain responsible for required checks and submissions.