How to Fill Out a WPS Form
A field-by-field walkthrough of the AWS D1.1:2025 welding procedure specification form. Every section explained with clause references, allowable tolerances from Table 5.5, and the mistakes inspectors catch most often. Open your Annex J form in one tab and this guide in the other.
Before you start: Determine whether your WPS qualifies as prequalified under Clause 5. If it does, you fill out the form below and no PQR is needed. If any element falls outside prequalified limits, you need qualification testing per Clause 6 first.
WPS Identification and Scope
The top of the form identifies the document and the work it covers. Fill in: the WPS number (your internal tracking), revision number, date, supporting PQR number (if applicable — leave blank for prequalified WPSs), the welding process or processes, and whether this is a new WPS or a revision.
Under Clause 5.2.1, the WPS may follow any convenient format. AWS Annex J provides sample forms, but your shop can use a proprietary template. The only requirement: all Table 5.5 essential variables must be addressed.
Common mistake: Leaving the PQR field blank on a non-prequalified WPS. If your procedure requires qualification per Clause 6, the WPS must reference the supporting PQR number.
Base Metal
Specify the base metal specification (e.g., ASTM A572 Gr.50), the base metal group number per Table 5.6 (Groups I through V for prequalified steels), and the thickness range the WPS covers. Table 5.5 item (3) requires the base metal group number; item (4) requires the preheat category.
For prequalified WPSs, only base metals listed in Table 5.6 may be used (Clause 5.3). If your steel is not in Table 5.6, the WPS cannot be prequalified and must be qualified per Clause 6.2.1. The Engineer may approve unlisted materials for auxiliary attachments per Clause 5.3.1 if the chemistry falls within a Table 5.6 steel range.
Tip: Use the Preheat Calculator to look up your steel in Table 5.11 and confirm the preheat category before filling in this section.
Welding Process
Table 5.5 item (1) — the welding process — is the only essential variable that requires a completely separate WPS when changed (footnote a). Specify: SMAW, SAW, GMAW (except GMAW-S), or FCAW for prequalified WPSs (Clause 5.5.1).
GTAW, ESW, EGW, and GMAW-S are code-approved but require qualification by testing per Clause 6. If using GMAW or FCAW, note that prequalified WPSs must use constant voltage (CV) power supplies per Clause 5.5.4. Also specify the mode of transfer for GMAW: globular, spray, or pulsed spray — short-circuit (GMAW-S) is excluded from prequalification.
Filler Metal
Specify the filler metal classification per the applicable AWS A5 specification. Table 5.5 items (5) and (6) distinguish between SMAW/GMAW/FCAW classifications and SAW electrode/flux combinations. Include the nominal electrode diameter (item 7).
The filler metal must match the base metal strength per Table 5.7 (Clause 5.6.1). For example, E7018 (SMAW) or ER70S-6 (GMAW) for Group I and II steels. Overmatching is permitted but undermatching is restricted to specific conditions per Clause 5.6.2.
Common mistake: Listing a filler metal classification that does not appear in Table 5.7 for the specified base metal group. The inspector will reject the WPS before welding starts.
Joint Design
Specify the weld type per Table 5.5 item (19): fillet, CJP groove, PJP groove, plug, or slot. For groove welds, provide the joint detail per the applicable prequalified figure: Figure 5.1 (CJP), Figure 5.2 (PJP), or Figure 5.3 (fillet). Include root opening, root face, groove angle, and backing (if used).
Table 5.5 item (20) requires groove weld details to be documented on the WPS. The joint detail must match one of the prequalified configurations; if it does not, the WPS cannot be prequalified. Refer to the CJP vs PJP guide for joint penetration details.
Position and Progression
Table 5.5 item (2) requires the welding position. Specify: flat (1G/1F), horizontal (2G/2F), vertical (3G/3F), or overhead (4G/4F). For vertical welding, specify the progression direction: uphill or downhill.
Different positions may require different parameter ranges. A WPS qualified for flat position does not automatically cover overhead. If you need multiple positions, you can list all applicable positions on a single WPS provided the parameter ranges cover all of them within the Table 5.5 tolerances.
Preheat and Interpass Temperature
Table 5.5 item (4) requires the base metal preheat category per Table 5.11. Specify the minimum preheat temperature and the maximum interpass temperature. For prequalified WPSs, preheat must conform to Clause 5.7 and Table 5.11, which categorizes steels into groups with minimum preheat temperatures based on the thickest member at the joint.
The preheat temperature established here becomes a mandatory parameter: the welder must verify the base metal temperature before striking the arc. Use the Preheat Calculator to look up the correct value for your steel, process, and thickness combination.
Tip: The interpass temperature guide covers D1.1 maximum interpass limits. For quenched and tempered steels, the maximum interpass is typically 400°F (200°C) per Table 5.11.
Electrical Parameters
For SAW, FCAW, and GMAW: specify amperage (item 10), voltage (item 11), wire feed speed (item 15), and travel speed (item 16). For SMAW: specify the amperage range for each electrode diameter per the filler metal manufacturer’s recommendations. Include current type (AC or DC, item 13) and polarity (item 14).
This is where the tolerance ranges matter most. Table 5.5 items 22–25 define allowable production tolerances:
Common mistake: Listing a single value (e.g., “250A”) instead of a range. The WPS should show the target value and the allowable range. A WPS that says “250A” with no range technically limits the welder to exactly 250A — any deviation is a WPS violation. Write “225–275A” instead.
Use the Heat Input Calculator to verify that your amperage, voltage, and travel speed combination produces acceptable heat input for your base metal.
Shielding Gas
Table 5.5 items (17) and (18) apply to FCAW-G and GMAW only. Specify the nominal gas composition (e.g., 75% Ar / 25% CO2, or 100% CO2) and the flow rate range. Item (26) allows a tolerance of +50% / −25% on the flow rate.
For SMAW and self-shielded FCAW (FCAW-S), these fields are left blank or marked N/A. SAW uses flux for shielding, not gas — the flux classification goes in the filler metal section, not here.
Technique
Document the welding technique details: stringer bead or weave, single-pass or multi-pass, number and sequence of passes, and any special technique requirements. For SAW, specify the number of electrodes (item 8), electrode spacing and orientation (item 9), and the angular orientations for mechanized welding (items 29–31).
Table 5.5 item (19) covers weld type (fillet, CJP, PJP, plug, slot) and item (20) covers groove weld details. The technique section should provide enough detail that a qualified welder can reproduce the weld consistently. For multi-pass welds, include the pass sequence and any restrictions on maximum single-pass fillet weld size per Table 5.5.1.
Postweld Heat Treatment
Table 5.5 item (21). If PWHT is required, specify the temperature range, hold time, and heating/cooling rates. Clause 5.9 states that PWHT is prequalified when approved by the Engineer and the base metal minimum yield strength does not exceed 50 ksi (345 MPa). For higher-strength steels, PWHT requires qualification testing.
Most structural D1.1 work does not require PWHT. If your contract documents do not specify PWHT, this field is marked N/A. See the PWHT guide for when heat treatment is required.
“The WPS is the welder’s blueprint. Without it, you’re making engineering decisions at the arc — and that’s not where engineering decisions should be made.”
— Standard CWI instruction, reflecting D1.1:2025 Clause 5.2.1 requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Under D1.1:2025 Clause 5.2.1, the written prequalified WPS may follow any convenient format. AWS Annex J provides sample forms, but fabricators can use their own format provided all required variables per Table 5.5 are addressed. Many shops use their own proprietary forms; the code does not mandate a specific layout.
Table 5.5 lists 21 essential variables that must be included in a prequalified WPS, plus 10 variable tolerances (items 22-31) that define the allowable ranges for production welding. A separate WPS is required when the welding process (item 1) is changed. Changes to other variables beyond the specified tolerance ranges require a new or revised WPS.
The most common mistake is listing a single amperage or voltage value instead of a range. Table 5.5 items 22-25 allow tolerances: amperage and wire feed speed are plus or minus 10%, voltage is plus or minus 15%, and travel speed is plus or minus 25%. A WPS that lists a single value instead of a range forces the welder into an unnecessarily narrow window and invites rejection during inspection.
The WPS must be prepared by the Contractor per Clause 5.2.1. You can use any form layout, including commercial templates, but the Contractor is responsible for ensuring all Table 5.5 variables are addressed and all values comply with the prequalified limits in Clause 5. The WPS is not transferable between contractors without re-preparation.
No. Table 5.5 items 17 and 18 (shielding gas composition and flow rate) apply only to FCAW-G and GMAW. SMAW uses electrode coating decomposition for shielding, so the shielding gas fields are left blank or marked N/A. Similarly, wire feed speed (item 15) applies only to SAW, FCAW, and GMAW.