AWS B2.4:2012

This specification provides the requirements for qualification of welding procedure specifications, welders, and welding operators for manual, semiautomatic, mechanized, and automatic welding. The welding processes included are electrofusion, hot gas, socket fusion, butt contact fusion, infrared, extrusion welding, flow fusion welding, and solvent cement welding. Base materials, filler materials, qualification variables, and testing requirements are also included.
Scope : This standard provides the requirements for qualification for welding thermoplastic materials. It addresses requirements for procedure and performance qualifications. This standard is intended for use where referenced by product or fabrication code, specification, contract document, or internal documents such as quality control or quality assurance manuals. The requirements imposed by the Referencing Document supersede the requirements of this standard. This standard is intended for use with the following thermoplastic welding processes: Socket Fusion Welding (SFW) Heated Tool Butt Welding (HT) Flow Fusion Welding (FFW) Electrofusion Welding (EFW) Infrared Welding (IRW) Hot Gas Welding (HGW) Speed Welding (HS) Fan Welding (HF) Extrusion Welding (EX) Solvent Cement Welding (SCW) This standard is intended for use with new construction but may be applicable for retrofit, reconstruction, or repair procedures. Thermoplastic applications that are bonded to backing materials are not addressed in this standard. This standard makes sole use of U.S. Customary Units. Approximate mathematical equivalents in the International System of Units (SI) are provided for comparison in parentheses or in appropriate columns in tables and figures. 1.2 Responsibilities 1.2.1 Employers shall be responsible for the welding performed by their organization, including the use of the general provisions of this standard, the use of qualified welding procedures, the use of qualified welders, and the use of qualified welding operators. 1.2.2 It is the employerâ??s responsibility to assure that Welding Procedure Specifications meet all requirements of the Referencing Document. 1.3 Effective Date. When not otherwise specified by the Referencing Document, the edition of this specification to be used should be established in accordance with the following: (1) Editions may be used at any time after the effective date of issue; (2) Latest edition of this document should be used for new contracts; and (3) Editions established by contract date may be used during the entire term of the contract, or the provisions of later editions may be used when agreed upon by the contracting parties. 1.4 Safety 1.4.1 Safety and health issues and concerns are beyond the scope of this standard; some safety and health information is provided, but such issues are not fully addressed herein. 1.4.2 Safety and health information is available from the following sources: American Welding Society:(1) ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes (2) AWS Safety and Health Fact Sheets (3) Other safety and health information on the AWS website Material or Equipment Manufacturers: (1) Material Safety Data Sheets supplied by materials manufacturers (2) Operating Manuals supplied by equipment manufacturers Applicable Regulatory Agencies Other safety documents: (1) Guide to the Safe Handling of Fluoropolymer Resins,1 should be referred to when processing fluoropolymer materials. (2) ASTM F 402, Practice for Safe Handling of Solvent Cements, Primers, and Cleaners Used for Joining Thermoplastic Pipe and Fittings,2 should be referred to when the solvent cement welding process. 1.4.3 Work performed in accordance with this standard may involve the use of materials that have been deemed hazardous, and may involve operations or equipment that may cause injury or death. This standard does not purport to address all safety and health risks that may be encountered. The user of this standard should establish an appropriate safety program to address such risks as well as to meet applicable regulatory requirements. ANSI Z49.1 should be considered when developing the safety program.