Overview
EN ISO 15609-1:2019 - Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials - Welding procedure specification (WPS) - Part 1: Arc welding (ISO 15609-1:2019) - defines the required content of welding procedure specifications for arc welding processes. It lists the variables that influence welded-joint quality and provides a harmonized structure for preparing a preliminary WPS (pWPS) or WPS for metallic materials. The standard is part of the ISO 15609 series; general rules are given in ISO 15607.
Key topics and requirements
This standard specifies the technical content a WPS must include. Key topics covered are:
- General requirements for a pWPS/WPS and when ranges or supplements are appropriate
- Information related to the manufacturer and traceability
- Parent material: type and dimensions, and material grouping considerations
- Common welding procedure data such as:
- Welding process identification (arc processes)
- Joint design and welding position
- Joint preparation and surface condition
- Welding technique and operator instructions
- Back gouging and backing provisions
- Welding consumables (electrodes, filler metals)
- Electrical parameters (voltage, current, polarity)
- Mechanized and automatic welding details
- Preheating, interpass and post-heat treatments, and hydrogen control
- Shielding gas specifications
- Heat input / arc energy (energy measurement considerations)
- Process-specific items for common arc processes (SMAW, SAW, GMAW, GTAW, plasma, etc.)
- Annex A: informative WPS example layout to assist documentation
Normative references incorporated include ISO 4063, ISO 6947, ISO 14175, ISO/TR 15608, ISO/TR 18491 and the ISO 15607 general rules.
Practical applications and users
EN ISO 15609-1:2019 is used to:
- Prepare and document WPS/pWPS for arc welding in fabrication and manufacturing
- Standardize information required for welding qualifications and production control
- Ensure consistent weld quality, traceability and regulatory compliance
Typical users:
- Welding engineers and procedure writers
- QA/QC inspectors and welding coordinators
- Fabricators in manufacturing, construction, shipbuilding, pipeline and heavy industry
- Certification bodies and auditors referencing WPS content
Related standards
By aligning WPS content with EN ISO 15609-1:2019, organizations create clear, auditable arc welding procedures that improve reproducibility, safety and compliance across metallic-material welding operations.
