ASME Section IX-2025

ASME Section IX contains rules relating to the qualification of welding, brazing, and fusing procedures as required by other BPVC Sections for component manufacture. It also covers rules relating to the qualification and requalification of welders, brazers, and welding, brazing and fusing machine operators in order that they may perform welding, brazing, or plastic fusing as required by other BPVC Sections in the manufacture of components. Welding, brazing, and fusing data cover essential and nonessential variables specific to the joining process used.

The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize you with the principles and requirements of welding qualification documentation. These are the Weld Procedure Specification (WPS), Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) and Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ). The secondary purpose is to define the essential, non-essential and supplementary essential variables used in qualifying WPSs.

ASME section IX is a part of the ASME boiler pressure vessel code that contains the rules for qualifying welding procedures and welders. It is also used to qualify welders and procedures for welding to ASME B31.3.

Other sections of the B&PV Code (e.g. ASME Section VIII Pressure Vessels or ASME Section IV Heating Boilers) may state different or additional specifications to the requirements of Section IX; those requirements take precedent for fabrication within that Section.