Weld Australia Guidance Note TGN SG03 AS NZS 2980 A Summary of Changes PDF
Weld Australia Guidance Note TGN SG03 AS NZS 2980 A Summary of Changes PDF
Weld Australia Guidance Note TGN SG03 AS NZS 2980 A Summary of Changes PDF
Weld Australia
Technical Guidance Note
AS/NZS 2980: A
Summary of Changes
www.weldaustralia.com.au
Foreword
This Technical Guidance Note contains basic information relevant to the qualification of welders using AS/NZS 2980
for structural applications. It is designed to be read in conjunction with the standard, and, to assist users in the
transition from the 2007 edition to the 2018 of the standard.
Future Revisions
This Technical Guidance Note will be revised from time to time and comments aimed at improving its value to
industry will be welcome. This publication is copyright and extracts from this publication shall not be reprinted or
published without the Publisher’s express consent.
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made and all reasonable care taken to ensure the accuracy of the material contained
herein, the authors, editors and publishers of this publication shall not be held to be liable or responsible in any way
whatsoever and expressly disclaim any liability or responsibility for any loss or damage costs or expenses howsoever
caused incurred by any person whether the purchaser of this work or otherwise including but without in any way
limiting any loss or damage costs or expenses incurred as a result of or in connection with the reliance whether
whole or partial by any person as aforesaid upon any part of the contents of this Technical Guidance Note. Should
expert assistance be required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Editor
Mr Bruce Cannon
Technical Publications Manager, Weld Australia
Weld Australia
ABN 69 003 696 526
Building 3, Level 3, Pymble Corporate Centre
20 Bridge Street, Pymble, NSW 2073
PO Box 197, Macquarie Park BC, NSW 1670
Phone: +61 (0)2 8748 0100
www.weldaustralia.com.au
Weld Australia Technical Guidance Note | AS/NZS 2980: A Summary of Changes | © 2018 2
About Weld Australia
Who We Are
Weld Australia represents the welding profession in Australia. Our members are made up of individual welding
professionals and companies of all sizes. Weld Australia members are involved almost every facet of Australian
industry and make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.
Our primary goal is to ensure that the Australian welding industry remains both locally and globally competitive, both
now and into the future.
A not-for-profit, membership-based organisation, Weld Australia is dedicated to providing our members with a
competitive advantage through access to industry, research, education, certification, government, and the wider
industrial community.
Weld Australia is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).
Our Mission
Our mission is to represent the interests of members and safeguard the public by ensuring the integrity of
in-service welds, and to promote the use of best practice technology and quality systems.
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Further Information
For further information about Weld Australia and how we can help your business, please visit:
www.weldaustralia.com.au.
Weld Australia Technical Guidance Note | AS/NZS 2980: A Summary of Changes | © 2018 3
AS/NZS 2980: A Summary of Changes
1.0 Introduction
In 2018, AS/NZS 2980 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steels was revised and published by Standards
Australia. This edition of the standard now draws heavily on the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 Qualification
testing of welders — Fusion welding — Part 1: Steels upon which it is based, and in most requirements, is now
identical.
Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, the original text from ISO 9606-1 could not be reproduced within
the standard, meaning that AS/NZS 2980:2018 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steels—Additional
requirements for Australian and New Zealand only contains text and requirements that vary from the original ISO
document. The 2007 edition of AS/NZS 2980 whilst being based on ISO requirements at the time of publication was
not identical although many of the ISO principles within were followed.
It is anticipated that as the original ISO standard is improved, Australia will adopt the changes and as a
consequence, it is likely that in the medium term AS/NZS 2980 will be superseded by AS/NZS ISO 9606-1.
2.0 History
AS/NZS 2980 was originally published as AS 2980 in 1987 and its contents were based on the welder qualification
requirements of the American Welding Society’s AWS D1.1 Structural welding code—Steel. A limitation of the
standard at the time was that it was not suited for qualifying welders on light gauge steels. In 2004, the standard was
revised taking cognisance of ISO 9606-1, and addressing these limitations.
Following a request from New Zealand, the standard was co jointed in 2007 allowing New Zealand to progressively
withdraw two of its aging welder qualification standards, NZS 4711 and NZS 4703. The contents of NZS 4703 have
been retained within a normative appendix of AS/NZS 2980 to provide a specific welder qualification test utilised by
the New Zealand dairy industry.
NZS 4711 had a similar approach to the 2004 edition of AS 2980 in that both standards allowed for a 2 year
validation period, simplifying the standards jointing process and allowing the NZS 4711 qualifications to be validated
(prolonged) as defined within AS/NZS 2980:2007.
In 2012, ISO completed its revision of ISO 9606-1, taking cognisance of the objections to earlier drafts by countries
including Australia, Canada, and the USA. Whilst some of the changes included in ISO 9606-1:2012 were included
within AS/NZS 2980:2007, other significant changes were made by ISO and are published within AS/NZS ISO 9606-1
and AS/NZS 2980:2018.
The followings sections describe the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 and AS/NZS 2980:2018, making reference
to the key differences of the 2007 edition of AS/NZS 2980.
3.0 General
AS/NZS 2980:2018 and AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 are closely aligned for most of their core requirements.
AS/NZS 2980:2018 includes an informative Appendix (Appendix A) which provides guidance to the user on the
application of AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 for Australian and New Zealand conditions.
AS/NZS 2980:2018 defers to AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 for the bulk of its requirements other than in the following instances:
1. Australian standards or Australian/New Zealand standards (including AS/NZS ISO standards) listed may be
directly substituted for the referenced ISO standards;
2. Welder qualifications for welds in structural steel (Appendix B) – Imperfection and test methods have been
retained in modified form from the 2007 edition;
3. Welder qualification test for the New Zealand dairy industry (Appendix C) has been retained in modified form.
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3.1 Terminology
The terminology used in the standards is ISO based and similar in most respects to that used in the 2007 edition of
AS/NZS 2980. Primary differences are:
1. The generic term gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is used in Australia in lieu of ISO’s metal inert gas (MIG) with a
solid wire or metal active gas (MAG) with a solid wire.
Notes:
1. The term MIG is commonly used in Australia irrespective of the shielding gas type used.
2. Active gases include carbon dioxide (CO2) or argon (Ar) with additions of CO2 and/or oxygen (O2).
2. The term flux cored arc welding (FCAW) is used in Australia in lieu of the ISO’s use of tubular cored arc welding
or MAG welding with a flux cored arc electrode.
3. The generic term gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is used in Australia in lieu of ISO’s tungsten inert gas (TIG).
Note: The term TIG is also commonly used in Australia.
There are some significant changes in the range of qualifications applicable within AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 and
AS/NZS 2980:2018 compared with that previously specified within AS/NZS 2980:2007.
Joints may be welded as single process or multi process joints in all standards. In multi process joints, each process
also qualifies as individual single process joints based on the thickness of weld metal deposited for each process.
Single process joints may also be used in combination to qualify multi process joints.
AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 and AS/NZS 2980:2018 provides two options for welders to qualify for a butt weld in
combination with a fillet weld, these being either:
a) Welding a 3-pass fillet in the joint shown below prior to completion of the butt joint; or
b) Welding a supplementary fillet weld test piece in the PB (i.e. HV or 2F) position.
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4.4 Filler Material Groupings
A major change incorporated within AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 and AS/NZS 2980:2018 was the change from a parent
material based grouping as used within AS/NZS 2980:2007, to a 6-tier filler material system providing the welder with
the opportunity to access a broader range of qualification based upon consumable useability factors. The groups are:
• FM1 – Non-alloy and fine grain steels
• FM2 – High-strength steels
• FM3 – Creep-resisting steels Cr < 3.75%
• FM4 – Creep resisting steels 3.75 ≤ Cr ≤ 12%
• FM5 – Stainless and heat-resisting allows
• FM6 – Nickel and nickel alloys
4.6 Dimensions
The basis of thickness range qualified has changed from the thickness of material welded within AS/NZS 2980:2007
to the thickness of weld metal deposited within AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 and AS/NZS 2980:2018. The actual ranges
qualified remain largely unchanged. This change provides better clarity around the range qualified particularly for
multi process joints and for incomplete penetration butt welds for example.
Range of qualification based on layer technique for fillet welds remains unchanged.
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AS/NZS 2980:2007 is primarily aligned with the requirements of the AS/NZS 1554 series of standards (unless
otherwise specified), AS/NZS 2980:2018 and AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 requires that the procedure be prepared in
accordance with ISO 15609-1 or ISO 15609-2. This does not necessarily require the procedure to be qualified
to ISO standards, rather these ISO standards specify the parameters that must be recorded on the WPS once
qualified. Provided that the procedure being followed by the welder contains all requirements needed by the welder
to reproduce the weld as specified within the appropriate application standard (e.g. AS/NZS 3992, AS/NZS 1554.1
etc), the only additional parameters that need to be reported are the parent material group numbers (including sub-
group numbers) set out within ISO/TR 15608, and the welding process numbers as these details are recorded on the
welders certificate of test. To assist users of AS/NZS 2980, an informative appendix containing the ISO/TR 15608
based group numbers of common steels welded in Australia is included in the standard.
The appropriate standard for the method of test will vary. In most cases, the AS 2205 Method for destructive testing
of welds in metal series tests should be utilised where AS/NZS 2980 (2007 and 2018 editions) are being followed.
Where radiography or ultrasonic examination is required, the acceptance requirements for imperfections associated
with the specified weld test acceptance criteria must be followed. For example, if either AS/NZS 1554.1 or
AS/NZS 3992 is specified, the Australian non destructive test methods referenced within must be used. If ISO 5817
is specified for test acceptance, then the ISO non destructive test methods referenced within ISO 9606-1 must be
used.
All of the above standards allow alternative acceptance criteria when specified. For example, AS/NZS ISO 9606-1
can utilise AS/NZS 1554.1 for structural applications, and as specified within AS/NZS 3992 for pressure equipment
applications.
4.11 Re-tests
Whilst AS/NZS 2980:2007 is silent on the retests in the event of a weld test failure, AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 (and similarly
AS/NZS 2980:2018) allows for the welder to repeat the test once without additional training.
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4.12 Period of Validity
4.12.1 Confirmation of Validity
All standards provide a method of confirmation of validity every six months and in all cases, the basic requirements
are similar. The period of validity may be extended every six months up to the limits as indicated below. Extending
the period of validity every six months is also consistent with the requirements of application standards such as the
AS/NZS1554 series and AS/NZS 3992.
Usually only one certificate is issued per test, but in the case of a multi process joint, certificates for each process
may be issued as well as the certificate for the joint as a whole.
4.14 Designation
AS/NZS 2980:2007 did not include the option to generate a qualification designation as computerised systems for
welder qualifications were not widely available in Australia at the time. Whilst a designation can easily be generated
if required, AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 and AS/NZS 2980:2018 requires that the designation be recorded on the welder’s
certificate of test. The designation enables the certificate reviewer to ascertain the basis of qualification of the
welder from the coding used, or alternatively, it enables the fabricator to rapidly search for welders with specific
attributes of test.
Whilst AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 (and by reference and AS/NZS 2980:2018) defines the syllabus items within its Annex B,
these items remain consistent with the AS 1796 theory syllabus competency requirements.
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3. In cases where the welder qualifications are transitioning from AS/NZS 2980:2007, fabricators who are
required to routinely radiograph or ultrasonically examine their welds may prefer to remain with the two
year validation method, or, in all other cases, transition to the three year retest method during the transition
period irrespective of the application of AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 or AS/NZS 2980:2018.
6.0 Summary
Essential variables and significant changes to major items for the standards are summarised in Table 1.
7.0 References
Standards referenced in this note include the following:
1. AS 1796 Certification of welders and welding supervisors
2. AS 2205 Method for destructive testing of welds in metal
3. AS 2980:1987 Qualification of arc welders for welding of steels
4. AS/NZS 2980:2007 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steels
5. AS/NZS 2980:2018 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steels — Additional requirements for
Australian and New Zealand
6. AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 Qualification testing of welders — Fusion welding — Part 1: Steels
7. AS/NZS 3992 Pressure equipment—Welding and brazing qualification
8. NZS 4703 Welder qualification tests for stainless steel pipe for the dairy industry
9. NZS 4711 Qualification tests for metal arc welders
10. AWS D1.1 Structural welding code—Steel
11. ISO 5817 Welding — Fusion-welded joints in steel, nickel, titanium and their alloys (beam welding excluded)
— Quality levels for imperfections
12. ISO 9606-1:2012 Qualification testing of welders — Fusion welding — Part 1: Steels
13. ISO 14732 Welding personnel — Qualification testing of welding operators and weld setters for mechanized
and automatic welding of metallic materials
14. ISO 15609-1 Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials — Welding
procedure specification — Part 1: Arc welding
15. ISO 15609-2 Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials — Welding
procedure specification — Part 1: Gas welding
16. ISO/TR 15608 Welding — Guidelines for a metallic materials grouping system
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Table 1: Summary of essential variables and main changes
Type of weld • Butt welds qualify all types except branch welds • Butt welds qualify all butt welds except branch welds
• Butt welds qualify butt and fillet welds • Options to qualify butt and fillet welds at the same time
• Fillet welds qualify fillet welds • Fillet welds qualify fillet welds
• Special welds option • Special weld option
Material groups • Qualification linked to material groups • Not essential variable
• 11 basic groups based on ISO/TR 15608 • Record details of material welded on certificate of test
Filler material group Not an essential variable • Six groups FM1 to FM6, based on composition
• Groups with similar or better useability qualifies for similar or
more useable types
Filler material type • MMAW – cellulosic qualifies cellulosic only No change
• Basic types qualifies basic, rutile and variants
• Rutile and variants qualifies rutile and variants
• Solid wire and metal core qualifies solid wire and metal core
Dimensions Butt joints – plate thickness Butt joints – deposited metal thickness
• <3mm qualifies t to 2t • <3mm qualifies greater of s to 3mm or s to 2s
• 3 to 12mm qualifies 3 to 2t • 3 to 12mm qualifies 3 to 2s
• ≥12mm qualifies ≥3mm • ≥12mm qualifies ≥3mm
Pipe Pipe
• ≤25Ø qualifies D to 2D • ≤25Ø qualifies D to 2D
• >25Ø qualifies ≥0.5D (25mm minimum) • >25Ø qualifies ≥0.5D (25mm minimum)
Fillet welds (plate thickness) Fillet welds (plate thickness)
• <3mm qualifies t to 2t • <3mm qualifies t to 2t
• ≥3mm qualifies ≥3mm • ≥3mm qualifies ≥3mm
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Table 1: Summary of essential variables and main changes (continued)
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Weld Australia Technical Notes
TN 1 - The Weldability of Steels
Gives guidance on the preheat and heat input conditions (run size, current, voltage) required for acceptable welds
and to avoid cold cracking in a wide variety of steels. The Note is applicable to a wide range of welding processes.
TN 10 - Fracture Mechanics
Provides theory and gives practical guidance for the design and fabrication of structures, planning of maintenance
and assessment of the likelihood of brittle or ductile initiation from flaws in ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.
Engineering critical assessment case histories are discussed.
Weld Australia Technical Guidance Note | AS/NZS 2980: A Summary of Changes | © 2018 12
included in the Standard. It discusses the requirements of the Standard with particular emphasis on new or revised
clauses. In explaining the application of the Standard to welding in steel construction, the commentary emphasises
the need to rely on the provisions of the Standard to achieve satisfactory weld quality.
TN 18 - Welding of Castings
Provides basic information on welding procedures for the welding processes used to weld and repair ferrous and
non-ferrous castings. It also provides information on the range of alloys available and briefly covers non-destructive
inspection, on-site heating methods and safety.
Weld Australia Technical Guidance Note | AS/NZS 2980: A Summary of Changes | © 2018 13
Weld Australia
ABN 69 003 696 526
Building 3, Level 3, Pymble Corporate Centre
20 Bridge Street, Pymble, NSW 2073
PO Box 197, Macquarie Park BC, NSW 1670
Phone: +61 (0)2 8748 0100
www.weldaustralia.com.au